Response to Ogbar, Hip Hop & Perry, Prophets of the Hood

Gregory Ross

ENGL 59

Professor Avilez

October 29, 2016

Response to Ogbar, HIP HOP & Perry, PROPHETS OF THE HOOD

        Hip Hop music is a type of rap music that is very popular in the United States and it is very important to the African American culture. Most people think that hip hop and rap music is a way of influencing violence, hustling, selling drugs, and disrespecting women. but Imani Perry suggest that “hip hop has become a form reflecting both the beauty and the belly of the beast in American Society, refracted through the lens of black American culture.”  Hip hop and rap music is black African American music.

        In her first chapter Hip Hop’s Mama Imani Perry believes that hip Hop music is only black American music. She stated four main reasons why she believes that it is only black American music. “Its primary language is African American vernacular English, it has a political location in society distinctly ascribed to black people, music, and cultural forms, it is derived from black American oral culture, and It is derived from black American musical traditions.” I agree that hip hop and rap music is only black American music because hip hop originated in a black community. Black Americans can understand the language hip hop rappers are using in songs because of the black American community.

        In the chapter “B-Boys, Players and Preachers,” Imani Perry shows how masculinity is represented rap music. Imani Perry says that “black masculine bodies are a popular feature of North American culture.” When rap music is mentioned, everyone sees it as a negative topic. The media tries to portray black men in one of two images, either a male superstar or a thug. Perry writes, “males are treated as the grand celebrity spectacle of black male athletes, movie stars, and pop entertainers doing what all celebrities are promoted as doing best. The alternative image males are subjected to the real-time devastation, slaughter, and body count of a steady stream of faceless black males on the 6 and 11 o’clock news.” People view hip hop rappers as thugs, gangsters, and criminals. Men in hip hop have been seen as manifestations of hyper masculinity. A lot of hip hop music culture does not focus on softness and romantic sensitivity. Instead it focuses on harsh reality in their community. I don’t agree with Perry on males are viewed in two images between a male superstar or thug because even when a male superstar gets a story put out about him doing something wrong people will still view him as a thug.