Continuing our discussion of Chapter 11 of Tricia Rose’s The Hip Hop Wars, we’ll focus on Rose’s point about Profiting from Black Suffering. Rose writes, “Anti-hip hop critics, in particular, rarely mention the structural context for what are decidedly problematic behaviours, preferring instead to call the whole thing ‘dysfunctional black culture,’ and thus wash their hands of the entire affair (Rose 224).” According to the author, the tropes of black suffering used to generate profit in the hip hop industry are a source of criticism that poses as an excuse for neglect on the part of hip hop’s detractors. On the other hand, Rose explains, “The thug both represents a product of discriminatory conditions and embodies behaviours that injure the very communities from which it comes. Two examples of this dynamic are the distorted culture of “no-snitching” and the veneration of the hustler” (Rose 225).
Read the “Profiting from Black Suffering” section found in Chapter 11 of Tricia Rose’s The Hip Hop Wars (pp. 224-228).
Listen to one of the songs from below:
Discuss how, in Roses words, black suffering is portrayed in the music/video. Are there any elements of no-snitching/loyalty or veneration of the hustler present in the music/video? Do you agree or disagree with the following statement by Rose: Conservatives use the spectre of the ‘black ghetto thug and ho’ to generate solidarity and power, rappers perform these roles for profit and prestige, and the record industry promotes them for profit and market share (Rose 228).
Cite 2 examples within the song. Use time indicators to let the reader know where the example appears in the song/video.
