This week's lecture and readings discuss Hip-hop's commodification in the media.
How do you see Hip-hop's influence (in positive and negative ways)
in popular media such as commercials, television, film and print media?
How is Hip-hop commodified by artists, corporations and/or the media?
As you think about defining key words of
commodification and
African American culture, think about the ways
that corporations and artists commodify essentialized elements of African American culture through Hip-hop in the marketplace.
If there is one thing that all the originators of hip-hop agree on, it is that the commodification of the Hip-hop universe is ruining what the music once stood for. Over time, Hip-hop’s anti-establishment image has been transformed into something that can be bought and sold by consumers (Hodges Persely). For Hip-hop, commodification began in 1988 when MTV released the first show devoted to Hip-hop music entitled “Yo! MTV Raps” (Hodges Persley). For the first time, Hip-hop artists were regularly able to showcase their music to a national audience. This gave oblivious Americans some exposure to the surging hip-hop culture. By the 1990’s, Hip-hop influenced the clothing, food, and entertainment industries. Also during the 90’s, a major breakthrough for using Hip-hop as a commodity occurred when the first Hip-hop inspired advertisements were shown. One of the most notorious early hip-hop inspired advertisements included MC Hammer eating fried chicken from KFC. This advertisement were received poorly in the hip-hop community and the black community as a whole, even comedian Paul Mooney stated that Hammer should be ashamed of himself for portraying himself that way. Both hip-hop related advertisements and shows like “Yo MTV Raps” paved the way for hip-hops influence on TV shows, films and publications. In relation to today’s music, the popularity of hip-hop has been featured in the majority of focus advertisements for anything from shoes to films, almost all products include some form of Hip-hop influence in their advertisements. Industry leaders such as Adidas, Nike, Pepsi, Taco Bell, etc. have used Hip-hop artists in order to increase sales. Today, a major portion of an Hip-hop Artist’s income comes from the selling and promotion of these products.
ReplyDeleteI came, I saw, I conquered … from record sales to sold out concerts.
ReplyDeleteJay Z- “Encore”
In lecture 4/2/12 Dr. Persley spoke about “From Fried Chicken to IPod’s”; within this lecture she talked about key points of commodity. The word commodity means anything that can be bought or sold, a product, and or something with value. The quote above is a slight demonstration how turning a commodity in to a commercial product that creates change and money flow. Jay Z, Diddy, and 50 Cent for examples are great people when it comes to being able to change they stereotypes of African Americans that their lazy with no ambition and they all rap about the same thing, with the same mentality. These men are well known moguls that have product to reach a wide range of consumers. They and many more African American men and women can be the face of Hip Hop change. All though there are artists attempting to re-route the hip hop highway into a more commercial way to accommodate consumers and be a type of role model. But the question is no matter how many artists become business men and women will the media ever stop the stereotypes. One thing about the word commodity is that it has a negative side. Referencing exchange or exploitation with in a market (Merriam/Webster), and seeing how large corporations such as Burger King and KFC will have African American artist commercialized endorsing products such as chicken. All though it’s for business purposes but it kind of feeds into the age old stereotype that all African Americans eat fried chicken and watermelon and red kool-aide. With all these implications and images being cartoonized; does it change Hip Hop? I don’t think Hip Hop is changed but it definitely affects the media because since hip hop is current and reaching out to a large audience; car corporations, candy companies, soda companies etc. are referencing hip hop within advertisements commercials to help up sale products. Hip Hop can help individuals shape a collective identity (Lecture 4/2). The African American culture of boldness and overcoming obstacles going back to slavery and to the Black Panthers influenced the Hip Hop culture as well. Hip Hop is not only being used to sell products but also to influence politics (Lecture 4/2), “Vote or Die” campaign in 2008 to uplift the urban and middle class communities. With all this being said “perhaps this is a sign that hip hop writing has finally come of age; Hip Hop writers don’t need to wear the label as a badge of honor anymore; but craftsmen and women have at least earned the right to try (Chang 173/174).
I enjoyed Wang’s piece on Hip-hop publications. In reference to Vibe, “its early visual style was elegant and minimalist, far more resembling an art or photography magazine than any comparable rap publication” (Wang 169.) Even though Vibe abruptly ceased publishing in 2009, once it returned the cover art was very much the same. Vibe spelled out in the signature bold letters set behind an up-close portrait of the hottest star at the time, not just rappers. “Vibe centered its coverage on Hip-hop, but it also had more expansive tastes. Hip-hop sat alongside R&B, dance hall, and jazz. Vibe positioned itself not just against The Source but everyone from Essence to Vanity Fair to Rolling Stone” (Wang 170.) This still hold true today. Vibe currently features a “fringe, music outside the margins” section with artists that I don’t believe you would find in other Hip-hop publications. As a subscription holder of 9 years, what I enjoy most about Vibe is that it goes beyond rap, it’s more a lifestyle magazine with a Hip-hop emphasis. The magazine still has the signature feature interview article with whoever is gracing the cover but there are also sections on style, liquor, clothing, and the hottest in music, TV, film, and books. “The magazine had embraced the high-life world of urban couture years before rappers themselves incorporated designer labels and top-shelf liquors in their rhymes. In short, they aestheticized the bodies, faces, and fashions of its icons and positioned Hip-hop as the new standard in an urbane style” (Wang 170.) In this sense, Vibe is largely responsible for the idea of what constitutes a Hip-hop commodity. In addition to other Hip-hop publications and television programming, certain products, material things have become synonymous with Hip-hop and the African-American culture. Unfortunately, this has led to the perpetuation of ignorant stereotypes of how both Hip-hop enthusiasts and African-Americans are expected to dress, behave, talk, and spend their money.
ReplyDeleteMedia plays a major role in defining how society as a whole views and understands the Hip-hop community. Hip hop can be defined as a commodity, as it is a good or service that utilizes hip hop themes and audiences for commercial and profit (Lecture 4/3).Various forms such as television shows, commercials, films, radio and more come together help to create a commodity of Hip-hop. Many media outlets have branched off to Hip-hop culture because of its talent to catch the attention of to a younger audience. Networks like MTV, VH1, and WB have been attracting young audiences for decades. In lecture, we watched the song video from “Fresh Prince of Bel Air”, and I recognized the significance of the graffiti on the neighborhood walls, and how Hip-hop culture is incorporated within the television show. According to lecture, this show was one of the first shows that incorporated hip hop to have a long success rate. The series showed 'blackness' because it portrayed some parts of hip-hop such as graffiti and the ghetto/hood. Oliver Wang discusses how the hip-hop magazine, "The Source" helped develop a superior curiosity in hip-hop. Wang says "they also believed they had a responsibility to explain and express the newly forming reality to everyone else (Wang 167-168). This shows how people wanted hip-hop in the media so it would be easier to track. Dr. Craig Watkins says sociology has helped hip hop become a perceptible voice for black culture. This voice hip hop created has reached beyond its roots to magnetize audiences all over the world.
ReplyDeleteIn Oliver Wang’s reading “Trapped in Between the Lines: The Aesthetics of Hip-Hop Journalism,” the commodification of hip-hop and African-American culture is shown by telling the reader how the perception of these two aspects of society changed from the early 1990s to the late 1990s. A quotation from this reading that describes the commodification of hip-hop and African-American culture in the mid-to late 1990s appears on page 169: “By the decade’s end, hip-hop didn’t cross over to the pop world; instead, the pop world came charged, gift basket in hand, to court hip-hop. That remarkable transition had a massive transformative effect on hip-hop” (Wang, pg. 169). The Adams, Rollins and Jenkins reading also focus on this shift in the 1990s: “During the ‘90s, an entire revisioning of the marketing environment took place, shifting the look of pop culture from a white suburban ideal to one that was multiracial and urban” (Adams, Rollins and Jenkins, pg.117). The impact of the 1990s on the commodification of hip-hop and African-American culture cannot be understated. This transformation that began in the 1990s has continued into the present day. Hip-hop artists and songs are appearing in mainstream television shows, advertisements and commercials. Kanye West, one of the most popular rappers in the world, appeared on an episode on the television show Entourage. Although rappers had appeared on television before, this moment showed just how far hip-hop and African-American culture had come in becoming an essential part of popular society.
ReplyDeleteMore generally speaking, a commodity is something as simple as a product or something that can be bought or sold. (Lecture 4/2). To speak more specifically as Hip-hop being commodified, it seemed to gradually grow into a culture that is sampled in almost every form of media that you would see today. However, as it has become more widely used in all genres of media, many have recognized that it is becoming less about the artist. As Sacha Jenkins said in Words and Images, “I just think at the end of the day, these people have no real interest in our communities, and they want the sale. And they know Black people like grape juice, so just keep it grape.” (Jenkins 129). This idea of Hip-hop commodities is something that ranges from food, clothing, and even alcohol that have often been used in music videos, every day fashion, or even stereotypes that are blindly assumed. This ranges from the shell toed Adidas, Timberland, and Versace. (Lecture 4/2). The commodification shown in the Kia commercial with the hamsters was having gold chains and Adidas with the looks of disapproval from the white hamsters was a recent way in which an automotive company used the popularity of Hip-hop to their benefit. (YouTube). Whether it is television, film, publications, or advertising ploys, by the mid 2000s every network had Hip-hop references within their product. (Lecture 4/2).
ReplyDeleteSince the early 1980’s, hip hops various elements have transformed into many different products that have been bought, sold and produced. Commodity is any good or service whose wide availability typically leads to smaller profit margins and one that is subject to or ready to exchange with exploitation within a market. Commodification within hip hop has acted as a kind of social cement, in which it reflects that many traditions, frustrations and ambitions of the communities that have created it. It has helped individuals shape collective identity and inspires people to engage in concentrated political and social actions (4/2 Lecture). Hip-hop commodities can be seen through various TV shows, commercials, publications and more. “Their worldview was largely built on hip hop as the prime filter through which politics, economics, gender, relations, fashion, film, sports, and other ideas has to first pass through,” (Chang 167). These various commodifications began when major media corporations such as, Time, Warner, Sony, CBS and Columbia, signed many distribution deals with small independent labels. These specific commodifications can be seen within a number of different designers such as Adidas, Timberland, Tommy Hilfiger, Versace, Wu-Tang where they marketed clothing influenced by hip hop styles and trends. They can also be seen within many different TV commercials and shows and publications, for example, KFC with Mc Hammer, Sprite with Drake, Fresh Prince, Beef, The Cosby Show, Living Single, The Source, Rap Pages, Vibe and more (4/2 Lecture).
ReplyDeleteA great example of hip hop commodification is the Kia Soul commercial with the hamsters we were shown in lecture. The hamsters are dressed in hip hop attire and are in an urban setting riding around in a Kia Soul listening to Black Sheep’s “The Choice Is Yours.” A commodity is defined by Merriam Webster as one that is subject to ready exchange or exploitation within a market (Lecture). Commodification makes a product or person mainstream. With the Kia Soul video, hip hop is being commodified all over. The hamsters are dressed in hip hop attire, Black Sheep’s “The Choice Is Yours” is coming out of the boomboxes, basketball is being played in the park, and it’s in an urban setting. In the beginning though, hip hop was developed in oppostion to the mainstream (Lecture). But over time, hip hop anti-establishment messages have been transformed into something that can be bought or sold in a wide scale (Lecture). An example of negative commodification can be said to be MC Hammer’s KFC commercial. Paul Mooney was displeased how he was living up to black stereotypes like blacks eating chicken and watermelon and that he had to do the Hammer dance to get the chicken. This is also positive commodification because MC Hammer influenced many hip hop artists to endorse products. Examples of hip hop commodified in media are in shows like Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Yo! MTV Raps, which brought hip hop to middle America, magazines like XXL and The Source, and in film with Wild Style. Adidas is an example of a company that began to market clothing influenced by hip hop styles (Lecture). By the early 90’s, hip hop was no longer just a musical form but a commodity with spinoffs (Lecture).
ReplyDeleteA hip hop commodity is a good or service that exploits hip hop themes and audiences for commercial and/or personal profit. (4/2 Lecture) As you take a look at hip hop’s evolution, from the 1980s to the present, you can see how hip hop has been molded and changed for the media. Hip hop first started in opposition to the mainstream, and was a movement for the depressed communities to speak out against politics, stereotypes, and economics. (Lecture) However, as it began to become a powerful cultural force, connecting to ALL people nationally and then internationally, the media began publishing less and less “big picture” cultural outlooks. (Chang 167) They decided that the issues discussed in most hip hop were “too black” or very specific to the African American community. (4/2 Lecture) This was the media’s way of polishing and making hip hop more professional in response to it being loved by the youth but scorned by the older generation. (Chang 169) Hip hop was growing and was a huge money target for the corporations. One of the most well-known commercials, who really opened the doors for other hip hop persons to get endorsement deals, was MC Hammer and the KFC commercial. This endorsement had lots of money behind it, but it also has been highly critiqued for its commodification of hip hop and African American culture. Because MC Hammer was black and was “dancing for some chicken”, we can see how hip hop’s anti-establishment messages have been transformed, and ultimately sold. The problem with this is that hip hop is now stuck with a double message affect with the media. (Lecture 4/2) Instead of resisting the deals, artists seemed to not really care, and focused on the money side of hip hop. From here, the “rags to riches” narrative was born. (Chang 170) In spite of the urge, there are artists who have stayed true to hip hop’s roots and have spoken out against hip hop commodification in order to sustain the African American culture in it; like in Kanye West, Crack Music and Jay Z, Death of Auto Tune.
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ReplyDeleteWhen something gets a big as hip-hop has gotten, it affects our everyday living without us even realizing it. It’s in commercials, television shows, publications, advertising, and even in film (Lecture 4/2). I personally thing that this is a great thing that hip-hop is so popular; however some believe that the commodification of hip-hop takes away from its true meaning. Hip-hop as a commodity means, “a good or service that exploits hip-hop themes and audiences for commercial and/or personal profit” (Lecture 4/2). The reason why these “people” thing is a negative is because when they see an MC like MC Hammer endorse KFC popcorn chicken in a commercial they say he is only adding to the stereotype that all blacks like fried chicken. But the way I look at it is what is wrong with a MC making money from endorsing a product to make some money. First of all they aren’t making it doing something illegal and second isn’t hip-hop supposed to be about what you thing not what others think, so who cares if “other” think something childish like all blacks love chicken. The commodification of hip-hop has helped it be more than just in music industry, in Words and Images Brent Rollins says, “that’s what’s kinda cool. It’s like hip-hop doesn’t have to exist only in the music industry. It has became a worldview…” (Chang 130). Also in The Real its talks about how “the power of hip-hop to travel widely, absorb all, and enact identity formation wherever it lands” (Chang 163), hip-hop wouldn’t have this power if it wasn’t for the commodification of it. Without artist endorsing products, shows like Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, or even films like 8 Mile would hip-hop be as big as it is today? No, the commodification helped it get to the main-stream, to the suburbs, and yes that might have altered hip-hop from its original style, but it helped it grow to what it is today. It has to change with the culture to survive. Think about it this way, without the commodification of hip-hop, it isn’t as big as it is today, do we even have a class to discuss hip-hop?
ReplyDeleteThe commodification of hip-hop is ironic because it popularizes anti-mainstream ideals of “dissent and rebellion” in order to extend hip-hop’s appeal to a larger, heterogenous audience (Lecture, 4/2/12). As a result, there is tension in hip-hop culture between rejecting dominant “white” American culture while simultaneously striving to attain material profit that comes with going mainstream. MC Hammer’s appearance in a what some would call racially derogatory KFC commercial demonstrates the concession that hip-hop artists often made to mainstream culture in order to get recognition as artists (KFC Commercial with MC Hammer). Artists from the African American community often appeased mainstream constructions of how blackness and hip-hop should be portrayed in order to enter the competitive industry, such as stereotypically hip-hop graphic design that had to meet ignorant expectations of “looking street enough” (Chang, 122). As a result, African American culture was turned into a sort of recognizable brand that could be packaged and sold to mainstream consumers (Lecture 4/2/12). Interestingly enough, the commodified media that was used to inaccurately portray the African American community was also eventually used to deconstruct racial stereotypes with shows like South Central, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and the Cosby Show. While it was thought that hip-hop had an “uphill battle to fight” to prove its legitimacy in the early 1990s, hip-hop actually became “one of the most enthralling and compelling forces in American popular culture”; proving that hip-hop was no longer a victim of commodification, but a powerful manipulator of commodified pop culture itself (Chang, 169).
ReplyDeleteDuncan Hines Hip-Hop Cupcakes
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0BeSz5LRCY
“They killin niggas for Js that’s death over designer” (J Cole, Nobody’s Perfect). Michael Eugene Thomas was killed at the age of fifteen for his Jordan brand basketball shoes. By how much influence hip-hop has on the media and saturation in everyday life, it is obvious that hip-hop sells. The question is what is it selling? Michael’s death would worry law enforcement and those outside of the culture that it sells violence. However, when viewing hip-hop as a commodity, there is more to it than violent lyrics and a swagger wagon. Hip-hop in today’s mainstream has been packaged and distributed so that everyone can get a taste of the culture. It is interesting that Africans were packaged, shipped and sold the same way most hip-hop promoted products are today. The thing that is lost through the purchase process of hip-hop is the message that it is meant to send. Referring back to the founding fathers, this music was meant as a way to provide a voice and spur political change, to create a collective identity. However when advertisements strictly use hip-hop as a way to gain a following, much like what up and coming television networks do to gain viewers, they are misselling the cultural rhyme and reason for the music. So what does it mean that artists and MCs give permission and participate in this “selling out” of hip-hop commodification? Kanye West says it best:
And what we gave back was crack music
And now we ooze it through they nooks and crannies
So our mammas ain’t got to be they cooks and nannies
And we gonna repo everything they ever took from granny
Now the former slaves trade hooks for Grammys
This dark diction has become America's addiction those who ain't even black use it.
~Kanye West, Crack Music
Hip-hop in media still produces a system of empowerment. Artists make themselves a hip-hop commodity in order to get where they are comfortable and powerful, using hip-hop as their business. The final issue that I found with the commodification of hip-hop is not only does it miss the message but it takes away the polycultural aspect as well. “Just because it’s hip-hop doesn’t mean it has to be ghetto” (Chang 127). Dunken Hines used beat-boxing cupcakes to sell their product-*Video Above*- but they added intentional or unintentional blackness to the ad. The white cupcake can’t beat-box. This goes back to the white man can’t jump, “If it’s white, it’s wrong” idea (Chang 128). When hip-hop is placed in the media it seems the exploiters extract every ounce of surface blackness they can from the culture, and sell it. Again, to outsiders all they see is baggy paints and big booties. Hip-hop is more than that and there is a message and reason for the samples, breaks and lyrics, but all of that is lost to dollar signs.
In the early 1980s, major media corporations such as Time/Warner, Sony, CBS/Columbia, and BMG Entertainment, signed distribution deals with the small independent recording labels. (Lecture 4/2). On one hand, Hip-hop culture influence popular media in positive ways. First of all, the element of Hip-hop culture can easily grab the eyes of the audience. No matter it is DJing, MCing, breaking of graffiti. This makes people become interested in what is playing on the screen. This is the very first and important point. Because if you can make the audience get interested in what is playing on the screen. Then for the next step you can have the chance to tell people what you are trying to sell. Finally reach the goal of commodification in the media. On the other hand, as more and more popular media such as commercials, television, film and print media use Hip-hop culture, it makes the audience feel like there are only cash money, sex and swagger in Hip-hop culture. The relationship between the Hip-hop artists and the popular media is like a double win. Some famous brand has used Hip-hop artists to increase their sales. Back to the Hip-hop artists, they get their income from those famous brand.
ReplyDeleteTelevision, commercials, film and print media portray hip-hop in a certain way, and it can give the audience a false sense of what being black is like. In today's era of television, hip-hop has strayed from conveying the "hood" image in correlation with hip-hop and has become immensely popular in today's culture. A few examples of this would be Kanye West's appearance on "Entourage" or the (unsuccessful) television series "Method and Red." In both of these shows, the image of hip-hop is directly linked with large sums of money or what people in today's hip-hop are talking about. In "Entourage", Kanye offers the cast a ride in his private jet, and in "Method and Red," the premise is based on them moving to a predominantly white neighborhood but still want to keep the "street" image. When hip-hop did not appear in media as often as today, "black stereotypes" were emphasized and strategically depicted in the advertisement. Could you imagine if KFC asked Kanye or Wayne to do that advertisement today? How would they react? Hip-hop is more accepted as a lifestyle today than ever before. In Cee-lo Green's new Pepsi advertisement, he is shown growing up with Pepsi and hip-hop, hand in hand. This illustrates the message of "hip-hop is music, and it is an acceptable path to take when deciding what you want to be."
ReplyDeleteAs our society has progressed and become for acceptant of Hip-hop culture, the faces of Hip-hop have become a huge commodity in the marketing world. Where as MCs and artists used to be viewed with a negative connotation, the African American culture is not only accepted among today’s young people, but it is glorified. This glorification has allowed hip-hop culture to advance and move out from the streets to being a mainstream marketing ploy for organizations and corporations to capitalize off of. The first case of this was with the MC Hammer “KFC” commercial. Although the spot may have been viewed as questionable or racist, what Hammer ultimately did was open up a window for other MCs and members of the Hip-hop community to commercialize. Today, we can barely go through a commercial break without seeing some sort of reference to Hip-hop culture. In support, here are a few references: Sprite—Drake, Beats by Dre—Dre (duh), Coors Light—Ice cube, Bing—Wiz Khalifa…etc. the list goes on. Outside of commercials, Hip-hop culture is more marketable than ever on reality television. T.I. now has he own show, Ice T has “Ice Loves Coco,” Rev Run has “Run’s House,” again, the list goes on. The negative we see here is that mainstream television seems to be glorifying the Hip-hop culture of those who have “made it,” but we often fail to recognize/remember the struggle these figures went through to get there. Overall, the progression of our country’s acceptance of Hip-hop culture has definitely taken big strides in the right direction. Hip-hop is more marketable than it has ever been and has proven to be a HUGE commodity in the marketplace. It is essential however that we remember and hold true to the roots of Hip-hop and not get lost in the flaws and appeals of mainstream television.
ReplyDeleteThe commodification of hip-hop and “blackness” is evident in many forms of media and advertising today. Commodification may be defined as, a product with value, that can be bought or sold, who's wide availability may lead to smaller profit margins (Lecture NHP 4/2/12). As hip-hop became more popular and dispersed throughout America in the mid-late 1980's there became a demand to capture the essence of the hip-hop aesthetic, which was generally paralleling the cosmetic agendas of black aesthetics. The success of the crossover hit, “Walk This Way” seemed to fuel a need for hip-hop representation in different areas of music television, fashion, and advertising (NHP 4/2/12). Gold chains, shell-toed adidas, and jumpsuits all became some examples of the visual representation of hip-hop, and also, black culture. Commodification seems to have both positive and negative aspects; being such, its advantageous to certain artists with endorsements to enter higher echelons of the economy and promote themselves/their music, but negative in ways that it can exploit individuals in the market, while taking away from culture and identity (NHP 4/2/12). There is a constant tug-of-war when dealing with media representation of identity and personal/cultural representation of identity. Jeff Chang states, “identity is not law, its not an answer, its a process” (Chang 163). The black identity is constantly being shaped, especially in terms of polycultural constructs, which makes the commodification of black culture and early hip-hop culture in mass media to be fairly superficial and misrepresented. One example of misrepresentation of these cultures, was MC Hammer's KFC advertisement which had him dancing for fried chicken (NHP 4/2/12). This commodification assigns MC Hammer to certain historical stereotypes, instead of representing him as a successful African-American artist. In hip-hop culture there are certainly positive aspects to being represented in media and television; however, commodification can exploit individuals and cultural groups, while adding to historical prejudiced ideals of categorizing and packaging black aesthetics.
ReplyDeleteHip-hop can be seen in almost every aspect of technology these days. It’s become a mainstream genre in the music industry, graffiti can be found in almost every city, and magazines and TV shows all tend to focus on it. It has become commercialized and used for advertisement in many aspects. Graffiti started out as a form of expression and it was away for people to defy the rules. Now “hip-hop design defines the look of global youth cool, whether in magazines, album covers, or clothing, the rarefied boutique markets of toys and shoes, even high-end goods such as cars, motorcycles, and jewelry” (Chang 117). Once people started using hip-hop design in this way it no longer became a form of genuine expression but rather a marketing ploy. At first people discriminated against hip-hop artists but then once the audience became white consumers, they also took over the industry. It no longer serves as a symbol for African American culture because it is so mainstream. Even graffiti has been transformed by modern technology. The use of computers to create and design has “[taken] the mystery out of what [hip-hop designers] do.” They’re not doing design. They’re doing ornamentation” (Chang 123). Hip-hop has been skewed in many aspects and manipulated in order to gain money and advertisement. In it’s pure form, it began as art and gave several African Americans a voice that they had been seeking forever. Now that they’ve gained that voice it’s as if they have forgotten the history behind the music and the art form.
ReplyDeleteHip Hop is everywhere these days and has influenced many different popular ideas from movies, advertising, clothing, and even jewelry. It’s had good influences on people and bad influences as well. Just by showing the “gangster” life in movies such as Boys in the Hood or Menace to Society (lecture 4-2), shows people the life that has to be lived in less fortunate places. A lot of times people will get it in their head that they don’t want a life like that (poverty, murder, and robbery) and do everything they can do to stay out of the ghetto. Hip hop has progressed over the years and now has many commodities (anything that can be bought or sold, lecture 4-2). These commodities range from media, fans, rappers, and the list goes on and on. Many rappers have come out with their own clothing business and got very popular among the hip hop crowd such as 50 cent and G Unit, Eminem- Shady. And many times the artist tries and show appreciation to the African heritage and incorporates the African colors into the design. It can also have a bad side and many times it becomes racist or just serves for the wrong purposes (the KFC commercial from lecture 4-2). Music and hip hop can help individuals shape a collective identity (lecture 4-2), we should keep trying to send the right messages. It’s not always about the money.
DeleteSince the ‘80’s, Hip-hop has been treated more and more like a commodity. Early on the Wu-Tang Klan and Karl Kani capitalized on hip-hop trends. (Lecture 4/2) by the early 90’s, hip-hop was no longer just a musical form but a commodity with spinoffs. (Lecture 4/2). In the article titled “Word and Images: A Roundtable on Hip-hop Design” a panelist says “I just think at the end of the day, these people have no real interest in our [black] communities, and they want the sale” (Chang 129). Sacha’s comment (above) is backed seen by MC Hammer’s KFC commercial. MC Hammer reinforces a racial stereotype by eating, savoring, and dancing till the last piece of chicken is eaten (KFC Commercial).
ReplyDeleteTo say the least, Hip-hop sells. “It is clear that hip-hop had become one of the most enthralling and compelling forces in American popular culture”. (Chang 169) The Kia commercial staring the hamsters shows that Hip-hop is extremely catchy and sells products (Kia commercial). It is also seen in the “Swagger Wagon” Commercial where a white couple raps about taking care of their kids and how cool it is to drive the Toyota mini-van.
When looking at how the landscape of hip-hop has been gradually formed and taken shape, it’s hard to neglect how pivotal a component media and television outlets have been in its commodification. More generally speaking, a commodity is something as simple as a product or something that can be bought or sold (Lecture 4/2). Hip-hop has formed commodities ranging from material items such as types of clothing, footwear, food, beverages, and even vehicles. These can be directly linked to stereotypical styles like, baggy clothing, or certain footwear brands like Timberland boots or Adidas Shelltoes. Or as often flaunted in music videos, having a taste for various expensive liquors or champagne. Hip-hops commodification is ever apparent in many different facets of social media from commercials on television, magazine advertisements, and other publications. “Their worldview was largely built on hip hop as the prime filter through which politics, economics, gender, relations, fashion, film, sports, and other ideas has to first pass through” (Chang 167). Companies realize the versatility with which they can market their different merchandise through the many facets of hip-hop. The first example that comes to mind is MC Hammer’s marketing ploy for KFC (Lecture 4/2). In which KFC played on the common stereotype that African-Americans like fried chicken, so why not have an incredibly popular African-American icon market this product?
ReplyDeleteHip-Hop is represented in the media in a variety of ways; many of these negative and many of them positive as well. Its influence is enormous, as it can be seen in almost every aspect of the media. This goes beyond just entertainment purposes, it has also helped individuals shape collective identity and inspire people to engage in concentrated political and social actions (NHP lecture April 2). This is just one the many positive ways in which hip-hop’s presence in the media has benefitted its fans and followers. In Trapped in Between the Lines: The Aesthetics of Hip-Hop Journalism, Oliver Wang explains the transformation of the media during the course of the 1990s. He states that “By the decade’s end, hip-hop didn’t cross over to the pop world; instead, the pop world came charged, gift basket in hand, to court hip-hop. That remarkable transition had a massive transformative effect on hip-hop” (Wang 169). Hip-hop had clearly been around long before the 1990s, but that is when it truly blew up because of the attention it received in the American media. This could be seen in films such as John Singleton’s, Boys in the Hood, Hype Williams’ Belly, or Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing. These films gave audiences a new inside perspective on hip-hop and the role it plays in our culture. Hip-hops image in the media has also had profound negative effects, as many critics over simplified it by labeling it as a culture that promotes violence, degrades women and encourages other detrimental actions.
ReplyDeleteHip hop has become powerful, it has went from underground low key music to adverting for cars to using media in creating sensations like souljia boy. This form of music did more than create an empire for other talented artist but also a sense commodity of its own. A commodity is anything that can be bought or that hold “value” (lecture 4/2/12).Almost everything in hip hop can perfectly fit to be examples of commodity. Artist like MC Hammer created an opportunity for talented artist like himself to endorse products for large amounts of money (lecture 4/2/12). Although, some people had problems with MC Hammer’s commercial advertising fried chicken because it claimed to fit the stereotypical role of a “black.” The black cultural is more than fried chicken and watermelon it is even more than just hip hop. To me the black culture is like any other culture it has its sterotypes but to me why not embrace it. Show like Fresh Prince and Living single showed Blacks in a different kind of spotlight. What people see determines what they think watching shows like “The Cosby show” or seeing videos like “swagger wagon” shows how some may view the black culture. The video “swagger wagon” sampled from many aspects of hip hop which shaped how others will now connect when thinking of hip hop. When hip hop is used to endorse a product I feel like it is a great technique to not only show credibility to hip hop but also a great upbeat way to sell.
ReplyDeleteHip-hop has influenced media, very similar to how it has influenced American film. Through Hip-hop growing in popularity, companies have started to use elements from the Hip-hop culture to help advertise and commercialize products, shows, etc. For example, this past Christmas, there was a Hyundai commercial on TV that featured a guy rapping about the car he was driving (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAQjDVHilgk ). He talks about how he is “cruising with his homies”, and he is dressed in what can be generalized as a “Hip-hop style”. At least in that commercial, it was very stereotypical of Hip-hop in the way the actors are dressed and the vocabulary they use. With that being said, I still think it definitely shows how Hip-hop has grown and had an impact on society, that a major car company would use a rap song for their main advertisement around Christmas time. The dictionary definition of commodify, is to treat something inappropriately as if it can be acquired or marketed like other commodities. In my opinion, Hip-hop is such a natural product from African-American culture that it cannot and should not be commodified; yet media will try to, as they do with almost anything.
ReplyDeleteReading through “Words and Images” for a second time, a statement that struck me is, “All that stuff is born out of the idea that that’s what the audience wants to see” (Cey 126). Now maybe this quote seems like an obvious assertion, but it really got me thinking about how I view hip-hop. Conflation of black culture has been the greatest issue of hip-hop since its existence. In all honesty I began this class with set expectations derived from a lowly view of hip-hop music and what it promoted, only to discover layers of its history and elements of its form that were far beyond my schemas. I felt that hip-hop embodied the popular culture images of sex, money, and fame only to discover the classics of Soul Train artists, activist messages encoded in songs, and technique and skill devised through practice and research.
ReplyDeleteMy predetermined stereotypes of hip-hop prior to taking this course reveal some of the evident misconceptions of hip-hop currently. I felt that hip-hop embodied certain shallow issues only to discover something completely different. Yet even so—in viewing advertising like the Kia Commercial—I don’t even recognize the messages I’m being fed.
As stated in lecture, the media is “commodifying concepts of dissent and rebellion in the hip-hop”. This is only furthering yet another cycle of abuse in black culture, and a statement made in my anthropology course resonates with this concept: “if you buy something you support the system that produces it”. Be aware of media-created social constructions. Choose to support only what you know to be true.
In my opinion I think that commercials, television, film, and print media influences hip-hop in a positive and negative way. I think that commercials influence hip-hop in a positive way. I say this because lots of commercials these days use hip-hop sell there product. For example Nike commercials. This is a way that hip-hop is used in a positive way in modern day culture. Next I think film helps influence hip-hop in a positive way. For example 8 mile, 8 mile is a great story and shows that if you chase your dreams you can accomplish anything. This is also another way hip-hop is used in a positive way in modern day culture. Next I think print media can be positive and negative. This is because some print media can portray all hip-hop artists as bad influences for children and people around the world. But some print media portrays hip-hop as positive storytelling and telling stories about there life. “Vibe celebrated the new black stars for now they were working not only in music but also in film and television as the larger than life icons of their generations, representatives of late-century Blackness.” (Wang 166) Something else I found very interesting is the Bart Simpson picture and how it tends to represent African Americans as ONLY being involved in the Hip-Hop culture. Another thing that tends to be associated with hip-hop in print media that relates to the Bart Simpson picture.
ReplyDeleteIn the media, hip-hop is represented in many different ways. In my personal opinion, I feel like it is majority negative. In most hip-hop movies everything seems like a struggle to live. A positive you can take out of this is that when people watch movies like that, it gives them motivation for change. It can help individuals shape collective identities and inspire people to engage in concentrated political and social actions (Lecture 4/2). I have friends that grew up in the hood and the ghetto with the kind of lifestyles that's portrayed in some hip-hop movies, and because of it they changed who they are to become a better person. According to our reading, “hip-hop had become one of the most enthralling and compelling forces in American popular culture” (Chang 169), changing peoples’ lives forever. When it comes to hip-hop and music, I believe it still seen somewhat negatively. Yes, there are songs that talk about how hip-hop artists are rich and famous, but rappers lyrics’ are so graphic, a lot of people look down on it. Hip-hop has been made into a commodity. Everything about hip-hop sells; the music, the idea, the culture, everything. The new cool thing isn’t to learn ballroom dancing, but it is to know how to hip-hop dance. On shows like Family Guy, they illustrate the “rapper” as hood and ghetto. The marketplace is like the new home of hip-hop because everything it has to do with all sells.
ReplyDeleteThis week's lecture proved very interesting to me for a few reasons. What stood out to me the most was the idea that hip-hop could sell just about anything, by making it seem cool (Lecture, 4/2). Looking at the "Swagger Wagon" commercial for a mini van, it really proved this point. I've seen the commercial several times and it's been a huge success because of its obvious humor, but also the reality behind it. Mini vans are rarely viewed as cool or anyone's dream car, so this commercial pokes fun at that and tries to make the opposite argument. By adding the music to this commercial, Toyota is trying to make it cool. Looking at some of the other advertisements, the idea of a hip-hop commodity became more and more evident, that being a "good or service that exploits hip-hop themes and audiences for commercial and/or personal profit" (Lecture, 4/2). By now, throughout the course we have seen the various uses of hip-hop and the larger culture itself, though this week we can see the implications of that as they are displayed in the mainstream media. In class we also discussed that the media had sold hip-hop as “a rebellion as a commodity” (Lecture, 4/2). This means that not only is the music being used but the messages of that music as well. What seems very basic grows deeper as hip-hop’s original intent to spread the messages and stories of the artists themselves, the media is now playing a larger role in as the music and culture spreads through advertising, television and other publications.
ReplyDeleteAnything can become a commodity. When an object of any kind becomes merely a commercial object of which primary value is monetary, the object has become a commodity. This has happened to hip-hop. The paradigm of the commodification of hip-hop is MC Hammer’s KFC commercial. His style, music, and image were used merely to sell a product and make money. Here, hip-hop as a social and cultural expression changed from an end to a means; a means to sell chicken. However, MC Hammer did open the doors for other hip-hop artists, like Jay-Z to take advantage of a commercial system (lecture 4/2).
ReplyDeleteIn Jay-Z’s H.O.V.A. he talks about his work with the oppressive record labels. His music and career is to show his culture how to work through the trap that is commercialism. For all the wrong and exploitation these powers that be created for hip-hop and ‘blacks,’ Jay-Z turns the tables on them because he now can hold the almighty dollar.
Lastly, because hip-hop has grown into a worldwide phenomenon and anyone can access its knowledge, advertisers and commercials no longer need to tap hip-hop distinct cultural background or go directly to the artists, but can use its universal themes to create their own parodies. The commercial “Swagger Wagon” is a good example of this. There is so much hip-hop embodiment in the words, physical gestures, and music that most audiences will catch on. Companies no longer need MC Hammer to look and sell hip-hop, but merely its essence.
I think that hip-hop has had a huge influence (both good and bad) in popular media. It is insane how often I will see some form of hip-hop influence whether it's turning on a TV, watching a movie, listening to the radio, etc. Hip-hop has become popular amongst the masses, which is clear why we are seeing it so much in popular media. In a positive sense, these rappers are making money off of their commercialization to popular media. We saw MC Hammer who was in a KFC commercial and paved the way for other MC’s to do that kind of stuff. Although Hammer took scrutiny for his role in the commercial, he showed that it is possible for someone of his stature to commercialize to a marketable spokesman for a company like KFC. Negatively, it adds to these stereotypes that these rappers take on. Vanilla Ice was told to dress and act a certain way, and he mostly did this for money. However, what he was doing was selling out and a lot of people in the industry didn’t like this. Nowadays, we see the commercialization of rappers on to television always. T.I. has his own show and same with Rev Run. Hip-hop culture in popular media has taken big strides, as sports have become correlated with the movement as well. I think it is essential in our market place and has really benefited the growth of hip-hop itself.
ReplyDeleteAlthough media is not an element of the Hip-hop language, what the media portrays shows how society as a whole defines it. In the early 1980s major corporations such as Sony, Time Warner, and BMG entertainment, signed distribution deals with the small independent recording labels (Lecture). VH1 and MTV were the first outlets to create that wide range of Hip-hop inspired outcoming across America. Shows such as Fresh Prince, Wild n Out, Americas Best Dance Crew, commercials like KFC, and Pepsi, and films such as Boyz in the Hood, and 8 mile, were perceptions of how “black people” were supposed to live and act. As Hip-hop was a commodity, in the late 80s, MTV raps brought Hip-hop to middle America, and most artists proved they were more than eager to forego politics for commerce (Lecture). Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, and Timberland, all began to market clothing influenced by Hip-hop styles. Artists start wearing name brand clothes, and then as people see that Hip-hop really is starting to become a huge deal in society, every body wants to wear it, including “white people”. Wang says, “By the decade’s end, Hip-hop didn’t cross over to the pop world; instead, the pop world came charged, gift basket in hand, to court Hip-hop. That remarkable transition had a massive transformative effect on Hip-hop” (Wang 169). Also Adams, Rollins and Jenkins say on page 117 that “…shifting the look of pop culture from a white suburban ideal to one that was multiracial and urban.” This just goes to show how much Hip-hop had and still does shape how people and society look at the African American culture way differently than in the past.
ReplyDeleteAs hip hop shifted from being rebellious to becoming more mainstream, the media and businesses realized that they could used hip hop to draw in profits for their company. From the lecture, commodification in hip hop is described as “a good or service that exploits hip hop themes and audiances for commercial and personal profit” (Lecture 4/2). Elements of hip hop are featured in numerous types of media today. Video games, television shows, magazines, advertising, and clothes all feature some form of hip hop culture to gain a larger audience. Many MC’s have signed deals with companies for advertising to gain profits. For instance, Drake has a deal with Sprite and Eminem has done commercials for Chrystler. When looking at the specific element of Graffiti used in commodification, you can find some form of graffiti art in magazines, video games, and or tv shows. Since technology has improved, the art of graffiti has changed greatly. An artist can now create a piece of work in a very short period without any real effort put into it. This has caused some issues to come up from artists who did not have this technology. From the reading, Cey Adams talks about how graffiti has spread to so many different places but is not being cherished like it used to. I think he is saying that there is no connection between the artist and the art anymore when people throw something together on a computer in 10 minutes. Whether or not, graffiti and many other elements of hip hop are becoming a large part in movies, games, advertising and publications today. Though as this happens, the media is only taking a hold of a small part of the culture, and may not be portraying the entirety of hip hop culture to everyone.
ReplyDeleteThe Merriam Webster dictionary definition of commodity is one that is subject to ready exchange or exploitation within a market (NHP Lecture 4/2). As hip-hop has aged it has become more an dmore subject to commodification , which I think ironically in part is a result of sampling and connecting hip-hop culture to so many other things we already know. According to hip-hop’s originators and early fans, the problem with the commodification of hip-hop is that that culture and the music are losing their authenticity and creativity. It is almost like recent commodified hip-hop music is a completely different genre from old-school or original hip-hop music. The more mainstream music targets listeners who like the beats, but do not really get into the culture. Currently, “hip-hop design defines the look of global youth cool, whether in magazines, album covers, or clothing, the rarefied boutique markets of toys and shoes, even high-end goods such as cars, motorcycles and jewelry” (Chang, 117).The hip-hop songs that not many know about target people who have always been surrounded by that culture and are fluent in it. Although it seems like hip-hop culture is losing its authenticity by being commercialized, it really needed to strike an interest with more people somehow to grow as a culture. MC Hammer was one of the first hip-hop artists to attempt to show people outside of the culture what hip-hop was about in the KFC commercial he appeared in. However, different audiences are going to view that commercial differently. One audience will see it as racist while another will see it as a good marketing idea to use somebody famous to promote KFC chicken.
ReplyDeleteCommodification requires essentialism. People can’t go to a store and purchase a Platonic ideal form of “Hip-Hop,” so advertising must make them think that they are doing so when they purchase albums, clothing, soft drinks etc. To actively participate in a thriving artistic movement is more difficult than simply buying something with which you can signify belonging. This means that those doing the selling (who may be outsiders and know nothing of hip-hop culture) must boil down the culture to easily digested nuggets. The commodification itself is not necessarily the problem- many of the artists stated that they were constantly looking for ways to make a career out of their art, to support themselves (Chang, 119, 130). The chief complaints of hip-hop artists are that the decision of “what is hip-hop?” is being made by outsiders who want to exploit hip-hop culture for no purposes other than commercial ones, and that the resulting product is of inferior quality, which in turn causes consumers to associate hip-hop culture with inferior products (Chang, 119-128). The commodification of hip-hop culture is often tied into the commodification of blackness and African American culture, by both consumers and producers, whether or not this is intended (Lecture notes, 4/02). The MC Hammer commercial for KFC in the early 1990s provides an excellent example: not only was KFC using a popular musician to sell a product (a common advertising strategy), but they were using racial essentialism (stereotypes of African Americans and fried chicken) and hip-hop to sell their product.
ReplyDeleteAs Hip- hop culture has progressed, it’s popularity began to be highly referenced in much of popular culture, for instance in commercials on TV. “During the ‘90’s an entire revisioning of the marketing environment took place, shifting the look of pop culture form a white suburban ideal to one that was multiracial and urban,” (Chang 117). Post- civil rights, this “hip- hopper” culture began to appear, and the once white ruled consumer culture shifted to a more diverse society. Hip- hop was something that was very admired and the commercial businesses began to realize this was what people were in to and they used that to their advantage. KFC uses MC Hammer to advertise their new popcorn chicken. MC Hammer, obviously popular at the time of the commercial, just could not go on and perform without finishing all of his popcorn chicken. “Now that’s poppin’,” he states at the end. KFC used MC Hammer to tap into the Hip- hop culture and appeal to not only MC Hammer fans but Hip- hop fans as a whole. While hip- hop is seen much more in popular culture Hip- hop culture has also gone through a complete transition to a more technological base. “What the technology has done is it’s put people that normally wouldn’t have an interest in design in the position of a designer. You have to acknowledge that Pen and Pixel has a major influence on the way people see what we call hip- hop design,” (Chang 125). Artists begin using new types of technology to create their work and some call it easier than it once was. People that would not usually be considered artists use technology to be considered as someone. Hip- hop is viewed completely different then in the past and has gone from a street, rarity to a huge commodity in consumer culture today.
ReplyDeleteThroughout time hip-hop continues to change and gather a new meaning each time. When hip-hop first gained its publicity in the 80's compared to the music scene now a lot has changed. Then if you liked the song you would buy the record, now with all the new technology that's not the case. We can download illegally, download individual songs, and trade music; this has taken a huge toll on the meaning of each individual track and artist. In the reading, “Trapped in Between the Lines”, Wang expresses the reason for writers looking far into hip-hop. “Under attack by conservative watch groups, snubbed by media outlets, and loved by youth but scorned by the older generation, hip-hop had an uphill battle to fight.” This is line from the reading stuck out to me the most. All though this was written a while ago, I believe this is still true for the songs and artists today. I don’t find much articles written defending the music being published now and I think if there was then the older generations wouldn’t be so against and opinionated on what music we listen too. Wang also said, “This is perhaps one reason magazines like The Source thought it was their mission to defend and advocate for hip-hop music and culture.” If this method worked in the 90’s, then why have we not continued to advocate for our music now. I understand that generations vary and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but it drives me up the wall when my mom calls “her” music “real” music and mine is NOT “real” music. As times continue to change so does the music; the sound, lyrics, and message, it’s not any different than technology enhancing and changing.
ReplyDeleteHip hop plays a large role in the influence of popular media. We see hip hop references in television, movies, and commercials, and other forms of advertising. Commodification is treating something inappropriately as it should be acquired or marketed with other commodities. This is the fear and the realization that many hip hop artists have. For example in the song “Hip Hop is dead” by Nas, He talks about how rap isn’t the same as it used to be. People aren’t rapping about genuinely. He also calls out all the different regions, mainly targeting the south, because he thinks the southern style had a strong influence on the “death of hip hop” Hip hop has also made its way into the mainstream via advertising. This is another form of commodification of hip hop. One example is from our video references, the KFC commercial with MC Hammer. This is a great example of hip becoming more than just music, but a social symbol creating that hip hop image in order to sell something like chicken. I think this is something that an artist like Nas frowns upon. There are views that the broadening of hip hop throughout the mainstream media. “It’s like hip hop doesn’t have to exist only in the music industry. It has become a worldview.” (Chang 130) The spread of hip hop to other mediums is not always a bad thing. It expresses the culture and spreads it out through other forms of entertainment.
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ReplyDeleteCommodification is the act of turning a good or service into something that has value or that can be bought or sold for commercial and or personal profit(NHP Lecture 4.2.12). "Blackness" can be argued to have some sort of connection with the African American culture. Though the term "black" is generalized to those who don't identify as African American, many costumes and characteristics that are related to what is considered to be "black" derive from African American culture. It might be more prudent to say that they derive from an urban youth culture. In the article Words and Images: A round table on hip-hop design the artists discuss what it means to use "blackness" in marketing. Brent Rollins talks about how some black people view a product as being too produced as being "white" and associate a sort of distrust with that. He also talks about how the two terms "black" and "ghetto" are sometimes interchangeable (Chang 128). They also discuss the idea that people who are not of color use the idea of "blackness" to market their products but do so in a diluted manor. Sacha Jenkins says, "[I]f it's related to people of color, they don't want it to deviate too far. Because they don't understand, nor do they care. Ultimately, they want to make a sale" (Chang 129).
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ReplyDeleteI feel like Hip-hop in media is a growing aspect that you could notice every time you watch TV. Hip-hop has allowed a lot of companies take a new aim at the market to try to strategize new ways to sell their products. A great example is looking at adidas. It was seen as the uncool Nike for awhile and their sales were hurting for a long time. They recently took on a new marketing strategy where they are using different hip-hop artists to sell their products. All of their commercials have hip-hop music playing and their was even a recent commercial with B.O.B artist wearing their products. Their sales are growing fast and adidas is smart to use what is popular now. It changed their brand direction and they are now seen as being relevant when looking at other companies in their area. Another good example is how vitamin water linked up with 50 cent to help sell their products. 50 cent was able to use his image in media to help sell the product and vitamin water is insanely popular these days. I feel that more companies are going to start using mainstream hip-hop in there marketing strategies. I feel that this is the new trend and i think it is a good thing that is happening.
I’m writing my blog based on the two audio references, Jay Z- Hova, and Kanye West- Crack Music. Both songs send off a different message but a similar one in relating to Commodification and the African American Culture. Commoditication to me is the transformation from the original and first of hip hop to a newer form. This happens because newer musicians are able to watch the original artists and learn and improve from their music, and as technology advances, it allows the artists to get that much more fancy and advanced in their music and their music videos. Jay Z and Kanye are two of the top artists and producers in the industry today, and have played a giant role in the transformation of hip hop. In Kanye’s song, Crack Music, it shows certain examples of African American Culture. Words like crack, black, nigga, sex, bitches, money, and so on are words and topics you see in a lot of the African American songs, and things that highly represent them and their lifestyle. A lot of them that made it at good artists came from the slums or ghettos with nothing but a dream to reach the top and “make it”. All in all, as times change, hip hop will change.
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