Comments on: Common’s New Album is Anything But

By: Ashley Kemper

Ashley Kemper — Sun, 18 Dec 2016 02:02:43 +0000

I took another class this semester called “Race & Place: New Orleans,” which had a large section focusing on the politics of hip-hop. I think it’s really compelling that people of color have used hip-hop music as a form of engaging in political activism, since they have so often been oppressed from engaging in more classical forms of politics. I think it’s also a great way to get younger people involved in the world of activism, since it makes it accessible and relatable, as well.

By: Victoria Marsala

Victoria Marsala — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 04:25:23 +0000

Like Haleigh I too love this idea of hip-hop activism, I think it’s genius. Being able to work these scholarly ideas and structural/cyclical issues into song is a serious skill and I find it very impressive. It’s also a great and accessible medium to spread these important messages on a wider scale. Personally, I know I tend to remember song lyrics a lot better than things I just read too, so it’s a great way to get the message to actually stick with people. Thank you for sharing this 🙂

By: Haleigh Jacob

Haleigh Jacob — Fri, 11 Nov 2016 07:41:31 +0000

I love the notion of hip-hop as activism. I think hip-hop isn’t brought up enough in conversations about race/racism – and when it is, it’s not usually spoken of in a positive light. I too see the work of Common and other artists such as Tupac Shakur, Talib Kweli, Heems, etc. as powerful assertions of counter narratives. I think you hit the nail on the head when you talk about albums like Black America Again serving as an amplification of voices like Michelle Alexander’s. A lot of people might see hip-hop and academia as two different worlds in which neither serves purpose to the other, but I see plenty of overlap. And I think you highlight a key point in the idea that hip-hop reaches a broad audience of people who may or may not have otherwise heard of/read Alexander and others like her. Music, especially hip-hop, is an excellent platform for messages like Common’s and Alexander’s, not only because it reaches so many people, but it also allows for the visceral expression of personal experience and emotion. It speaks to so many people. It moves people.