The Hip Hop Generation Chunk #3

Chunk #3 "The Hip Hop Generation", by Bakari Kitwana describes the aspects of social responsibility, politics, and cultural significance on how the hip-hop generation is being affected socially, physically, and lyrically. This Chunk demonstrates on how the hip-hop generation are being blamed and held responsible for their actions towards the way they have become the obsession of the youth in society and how they play as a huge role model towards them as well. This chunk explores the impact hip-hop has had during the 90's and how hip-hop music has affected the political climate of that time.


Clarification: Do you think the hip-hop generation of the today has an affect on the younger generations mind?
Application: How many hip-hop artists have you noticed that tried to change the way people think of rap and do something positive for a chance to better not just blacks, but everyone in general?

"The Hip Hop Generation" Chunk #2

Bakari Kitwana's novel "The Hip Hop Generation", states the problems that African Americans have with the justice system, however, they are dealt with a bad hand. Chunk 2 discusses the race war, policing, incarceration as well as the containment of the black youth. During the years of 1964 and 1984 the hip-hop generators, which consisted of a group of African-Americans who faced a series of crisis within their culture. Even in today's world, the one thing that stops the younger generation is the prison crisis according to author Bakari Kitwanna because the prison crisis is what affects black Americans the most with an overall percentage of 62% of black amles in state prisons.With the corruption of the justice system as well as the decline of black power is one heck of a bad sign for all African Americans so far. Author Bakari Kitwana also implies that within the hip-hop generation, there is a difference between both male and female with the problem being that in a rap song women are either referred to as "bitches" or "ho's". How do you think the problems that people of this generation face point out a better future for the next hip-hop generation?

Clarification: What makes people think that the hip-hop generation signifies drugs and crimes?

Application: Do you think racial-based injustice also remained in the judiciary system, which triggered black youth's disbelief in policing?

Chunk 1 The Envy of the World "A Song of Celebration"

Ellis Cose, "The Envy of the World" is about the Black man's journey throughout America and his experiences in life, but Ellis Cose also considers the significance of the progress that has been made, particularly in recent decades, also illustrating the comments and experiences of men who represent the growing spectrum of black experience and "The Envy of the World" challenges us to rethink who we are and what we are becoming as society evolves. He uses statistics, and personal experience to strengthen his arguments also with the assitance of real-world anecdotes, in which the particular ways black men come to internalize the disdain and fear directed at them by American society and what they must to do in order to overcome it.

Clarification: Why is it always black men in the world who have the most problems to deal with?

Application:Do you think Eliis Cose is only directing this message towards black men or all racial groups?

Chunk 1 "The Hip Hop Generation"

Hip Hop Generation by Bakari Kitwana was written to raise new questions about the ways the hip-hop generation and the millennium generation, both who have lived their lives in post-segregation America, are processing race in radically different ways than any other generation of Americans. I think they have a lot to tell people as a country about ways of addressing racial matters. People see hip-hop and race as nothing new. I think that after 30 years of hip-hop as a nation we should have the sophistication to accept that there are distinctions between the corporate manifestation of hip-hop, which is sold as a commodity and package with sensational race, sex and violent imagery, and the hip-hop culture that kids are living everyday at a local level doesn't always fall in that environment. The locally lived hip-hop culture is what is giving many of America's young people the tool they need in order to survive and thrive in America, through facing the public policy that has written too many of today's youth off. For example, "The hip-hop generation, those Blacks born between 1965 and 1984, entered the job force during the 1980s and 1990s, a period marked by falling wages, worsening conditions for unskilled workers, and growing disparities in income and wealth between America's minority rich and majority poor (pg. 27)." There are few places in American culture that have made an effective case for entrepreneurship than hip-hop. Hip-hop tells the youth that our society is offering limited options for young people, while the white society points to a radical decline in living wage jobs for youth as well as meaningful and affordable education, but hip-hop is also offering an alternative legitimate economy that is giving young people hope for a better future.
In chapter 1 of the novel "The Hip-Hop Generation" the new black youth generation has been stereotyped to differ from their parents' for the obsession with materialistic and consumer trapping of financial success. However, the hip-hop generation, individually still comes first, but, however the worldviews are different from the hip-hop culture and lifestyle. I believe this is what created the hip-hop culture and is the reason for rap music appearance.
There are many problems within the "hip-hop generation" such as, the public culture and the visiblility of black youth within it, for example, just because a person sees a rapper in a nike or jordan sneakers advertisement doesn't mean anything, but Americans' believe this is why black youth around the world dress in the same style of clothing and speak the same style of language. Lasting Segregation in America, which discusses the end of racism and an equal society, but inequalities still exist. Young blacks are stuck between America's double standard of an unfair, unequal and unrealistic society that does not care at all. The negative representation of young blacks in America is what makes us look bad in other peoples eyes, but these are just three of the many problems the hip-hop generation faces in America.

Clarification: What makes past hip-hop generations so better than today's present hip-hop generation? What has the present hip-hop generation done that the past hip-hop generation has not?

Application: Have people in the world ever considered why white teens love hip-hop? If so why is that?

Black Men and Public Space

Brent Staple's essay, "Black Men and Public Space", focuses on the common issues of what it's like to be viewed as a thief everytime. Brent Staple provides anecdotes to show how people often fear him, a black man, when crossing paths, especially at night. He doesn't partically point out any other race simply because it happens to everyone who is black, white, and latino. When walking at night alone, if someone sees a black man who's not dressed professionally in a dress shirt, tie, and slacks, then he is considered to be a "mugger, rapist, or worse". Staple says he has the gift/ability to alter public space as an inheritance because he's no mugger or rapist and can change people's attitudes/behavior just by being in a place or entering a situation. Not all, but some black males have placed the stereotype upon the world making everyone else think were that dangerous as if we were contagious disease, so if you see a black male you better run, but thats not even true. You have some black males that go to school and they work to get into the best Universities with a concept of becoming someone in society, but other people just seem to make it more difficult for blacks, but we all have to realize that there just obstacles and barriers, who are trying to break our spirits, but we can make turn these into opportunities for the better.

New Addition to the Obamas'

The Obama family has settled on a first pet, a 6 month old Portuguese water dog that the their daughters named "Bo". It was one of the White House's most tightly kept secrets. President Obama's daughters Malia, who is 10 years old and Sasha who is 7 years old chose a black and white pup. A White House official spoke to the Associated Press saturday night and said the dog was a gift from Senator Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., who owns several Portuguese water dogs himself.Kennedy stated "we love our Portuguese water dogs and know that the girls and their parents will love theirs, too." Bo has made an impact on the family so far and has brought smiles to both Malia and Sasha.

Clarification: What made the Obama's choose a Portuguese water dog out of any other pet?

Application: How has this new addition to the family made a difference in the White House?

G20 summit: Barack Obama conciliatory over Nicolas Sarkozy's walkout threat

"The White House has stressed its willingness to push for tougher financial rules and accept blame for America's part in causing the global economic crisis after President Nicolas Sarkozy of France had threatened to walk out of the G-20 summit." So, President Sarkozy is demanding a new regulatory structure and if his demands are not met, he will leave an "empty chair." Christine Lagarde Paris-French Finance Minister stated that President Nicolas Sarkozy would walk away from this weeks Group of 20 meeting in London if no progress was made on the financial regualations.It seems that President Sarkozy was very clear on that front, "Ms. Lagarde said in a interview with the BBC News that he said, "if the deliverables aren't there, I won't sign it communique.It means walking away." Mr.Sarkozy is highly determined to gain some progress in the financial crisis and to achieve concrete results at the G-20 meeting. Why is the president of France so tempted to get answers right away knowing it's going to take some time? Is he scared or something?

Clarification:How will this affect the other countries involved with the G-20 meeting if President Sarkozy walks away?

Application: Why isn't he giving the plan a chance to come through knowing it will not be that easy to accomplish?