Women's Studies 2161A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Gangsta Rap, Macklemore, Thrift Shop

• School: Western University
• Department: Women's Studies
• Course: Women's Studies 2161A/B
• Professor: Nichole Edwards

Document Summary

Test: 20%, t/f, fill in blank, very short answer, essay read essay questions first, expected length of essay (think about themes, what hypothetical lecture could 2 or 3 apply to?) Politics of mainstream hip hop intersect with several trends . Post-industrial economy leaves black working class without legitimate options for social mobility. Black capitalism as a solution to black poverty. Hip hop experienced through consumption not production (advertising/product placement, no longer centered on cultural practice of creating music and art!) Hip-hop gangster rap particularly sells a lifestyle, image built on cars, women, drugs, strip clubs. Capitalism as a solution for black poverty. Hip-hop is selling a lifestyle through mainstream rap. Members of the elite set the standard for consumption. Origins and associations with the streets yet successful artists now serve as tastemakers. Importance in maintaining a ghetto aesthetic (maintains an artists" authenticity?)