Dallas How do you paint racial struggle? Art and the Racial Struggle In America have always been linked_ Art has been used as a tool in the ongoing racial struggle in America, and has helped to unify, divide and define all Americans in some form. Art itself has always been a difficult term to define, but I believe that based on any one persons definition, it can be an antidote or a form of resistance against certain kinds of discrimination. W. E. B.
Du Bolls make a strong argument for the role in which art plays in the racial struggle and defines art s “propaganda”, even in the face of purist. It is because of my exploration of Du Boss’s article, “Criteria of Negro Art”, that I firmly believe art and the racial struggle are linked. The world has changed since W. E. B. Wrote the “Criteria of Negro Art. ” The art work produced by many minority artists has become more socially acceptable; however, this does not mean “white publishers catering to white folk” does not still exist.
The fact that many minority artists In the main stream forms of art, like music, movies, and television, have a limited voice Is troubling. I have seen several cases of minority artist with vast amounts of talent, criticized for speaking out on contemporary issues of discrimination. A good example would be Kenya West and the MAT Video music award ceremony in 2009. After Taylor Swift won the award for best female video for the year, Kenya, unannounced and uninvited, walked up on stage and claimed that Beyond, a fellow black artist, had a better video and should have won.
He was in essence calling out MAT for awarding Taylor Swift, because she is white and Beyond is Black and the award, which is voted on by the fans, favored Taylor. Because he poke out and expressed his frustration, Kenya received a huge backlash from the media and the Industry. Most of It was due to the manner In which he Interrupted Taylor on stage but also because he claimed the award was unjustly presented. Kenya felt that this was necessary to try and awaken people’s skewed views on art and to convey what he believes was the truth. Truth Is a term that W.
E. B. Du Bolls uses In his article as a tool for the burden of a black artist. He is using the term Truth as an art form, in the sense that through embracing the Truth, being that there are vast amounts of unrecognized black talent, people will realized the talent behind the skin color. This was a big tool yielded by the beginning of the gangs rap. Gangs rap developed In the late sass. Evolving out of hardcore rap, gangs rap had an edgy, noisy sound. The lyrics were an accurate reflection of reality because they wrote songs about what they knew.
Gangs rap went on to become the most commercially successful form of hip-hop in the late ‘ass and early ‘ass. In the process, gangs rap caused considerable controversy, as conservative organizations tried to get the albums banned. Even when the activist groups forced certain bands off major labels, the groups continued o make their music uncensored. Since this genre of music became popular and the artists were able to speak their mind without being censored, the music gave a voice to those who were not In a position of power.
Gangs Rap only strengthened Du Boss’s theory that all art is in some form a use of propaganda. Although Gangs rap 1 OFF the poor inner city life for many minorities. This music actually helped to identify why people that came from this environment were so troubled. Jane Morgan writes in her article titled, “From Fly Girls to Bitched and Hoes” about how hip/hop and gangs rap OTOH gave a voice against discrimination but at the same time influences sexism and violence.
She believes that the culture derived from hip/rap has distorted the priorities of individuals. Sexism has flood the hip/hop scene mainly my featuring women in the videos as hoes willing to perform for and listen to men at their beaconing call. Jane claims that the sexism displayed in the music videos and in the media is really Just a mask to “hide and express pain. ” She goes on to say that in order to conquer sexism in hip/hop a strong community of women, where they speak UT and bring the issues to the surface to be addressed.
Sexism is something that will not change over-night but cannot be put in the back burner and forgotten. Jane believes and I agree that hip/hop can influence a new UN-sexist culture by spreading an enlightening message of unity between men and women and empower people to fight back. Art is a tool that is not only wielded by the disemboweled, but has been wielded by those who seek to exploit the weak or voiceless. One of the dilemmas with the music industry is the dominant control of those who decide what music and artist would be broadcasted.
Their Art comes not in the form of expressing ideas and opinions through music but through the use of education by music industry executives. They prey on the new young and aspiring artist looking to make it big by signing them to contracts that do not have their best interest in mind. After reading Dubos and reviewing related current events, Art and the Racial Struggle in America have always been, and continues to be, linked. Through the analyses above, I have proved that Art can be an antidote or a form of resistance against certain kinds of discrimination.