Springfest Dance Concert 2019
Dance students attend the CCSU High School Dance Festival
Twenty nine of our 9th-12th graders participated in ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, and Afro-Caribbean dance today. Ms. Kershaw-Hobson and Mr. Hankey taught fantastic classes with live drummers. |
Troy Powell, Artistic Director of Ailey II, works with 10th, 11th, and 12th graders
Dance Workshops with Dance Teachers From the Past
Hip-Hop’s Impact on the Community
Jaidyn Gambrell (11/18) A controversial topic often discussed by many, are the effects that hip-hop music have on people. Some feel as though hip-hop appears to be violent, sexist, etc. People fail to see that it’s deeper than that. Hip-hop is a subculture predominantly involving African-Americans, used for expression. Minorities are one of many oppressed groups of people. For years, specifically blacks have fought and struggled to obtain equality. Among racial and ethnic groups in America, African Americans hold the highest poverty rate of 27.4%. African Americans also have a very high crime rate. Throughout the black community, racism, poverty, drugs, and violence are heavy burdens. It is through hip-hop and rap music that many blacks express these day to day struggles. 90’s rapper, Tupac Shakur speaks on this topic in a 1994 interview with MTV. He says, “ We asked ten years ago, we was asking with the panthers, we was asking with them, you know the civil rights movement.” He’s speaking on equality amongst blacks and whites. For years, through protests, marches, speeches etc, African-Americans have asked to be heard and as they’ve continued to be ignored, they’ve become more aggressive. Hip-hop is considered to be an outlet used to speak freely. Not only do Blacks use hip-hop in order to discuss their own day to day struggles growing up, but to address politics as well. After the murder of an innocent Black teen, Trayvon Martin in 2012, police brutality has become an enlarged affair. The line, “Black Lives Matter,” was born. “Dreams get shattered when a scene full of crackers, And they charge you with some s**t you ain't do, You like, ‘what happened?’” - Stay Woke, Meek Mill. Mill released this song in 2018. In this line, he’s speaking on blacks being wrongfully accused by the police because of their racial identity. Mill uses his voice in order to speak upon the injustice and prejudice endured by blacks in America. He is one of many hip-hop artists who also use their platform to acknowledge issues. Hip-hop creates a safe place for all minorities who’ve dealt with the issues that come with living in America. Artists speak bluntly about their own experiences and challenges in the community to let people know they’re not alone. Just because they’re famous, doesn't mean they’ve forgotten about where they come from. It can be argued that hip-hop music can influence negative behavior. 50 Cent, a rapper born in Jamaica but raised in Queens, New York is very big in the hip-hop industry. 50 was shot nine times in 2000, and still managed to survive. After this experience, his music became even more aggressive and violent. In 2005, he released his song, “ In My Hood.” He discusses what it’s like being in his hood, but rather than frowning upon it, the lyrics appear as if he is embracing it. “You ni**as will get laid out, your blood and your brains out, Have you on the concrete shivering and shaking.” He speaks of partaking in violent behavior, with a sense of pride. It is arguable that this could encourage other African- Americans that live in the hood, to believe that violence is okay. That is one way of looking at those lyrics. The lyrics can also be observed as something real. They can be observed as the whole truth, and a dip into the mind of those living in these communities. When living in these environments, blacks tend to have to develop a thicker skin in order to survive. Dahleen Glanton, a journalist from Chicago, interviewed a teenage boy, asking about his life in the city. He said, “"Because he's black like me means nothing. It's all about protecting yourself and protecting your loved ones." The teen paints the picture of priorities of these indebted African-Americans. 50’s lyrics presented above pair with the teen boys quote by giving an exact inside look of what feeling this way does to you. Speaking freely and blunt through hip-hop music, doesn't necessarily vitalize negative behavior, but rather give a more in-depth understanding of the minds of those in these communities. It is important to stress the importance and significance of hip-hop culture throughout America. We must understand and encourage others to realize the actuality of hip-hop music. It provides a truthful representation of America. Artists need to speak on not one, but all issues in order to create hope, and awareness for the problems challenging the black community. People have a tendency to move away from speaking about delicate topics , as a result of fear or judgement. Over time, history has proven that speaking up, inflicts change. “In the media they don’t talk about it, so in my raps I have to talk about it,” -Tupac Shakur. |