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Du Bois and rap music: two ways of awakening of the African American self-consciousness
Sedlák, Ladislav ; Robbins, David Lee (advisor) ; Ulmanová, Hana (referee)
The aim of this thesis is to connect W.E.B. Du Bois and rap music as two immensely important influences on African American community by tracing the development from one of the greatest scholars in American history to the widely criticized musical genre. Du Bois is studied all over the world whereas rap lyrics are mostly ignored by scholars. Nevertheless, both can serve as extraordinary sources of knowledge and pride, both can lead to the awakening of African American self-consciousness, as far as we choose the right kind of rap music and the right Du Bois. Du Bois's inclination to Stalinism in his later years may be perceived as equally condemnable as the first album of the American gangsta rap crew NWA; but most importantly both Du Bois's radical political thinking and the emergence of gangsta rap are alerting and inevitable in a way. They were caused by the longstanding frustration of the black community in the US. The thesis compares the themes of Du Bois's collection of essays The Souls of Black Folk with the poetry of rap artists. An important part of this thesis is also a sketch of the development of African American progressive thought and social commentary, which is necessary to see the link between Du Bois and rap. It is also intended to make us see that the artistry of musicians such as Mos Def,...
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"Bad Nigga": Hypermasculinity in African American Culture
Sedlák, Ladislav ; Robbins, David Lee (advisor) ; Ulmanová, Hana (referee)
The aim of this thesis is to analyze and interpret the hypermasculine elements of African American performance in rap music. It shall examine the ways in which the performance works as well as its possible influence on the public; therefore, it shall also react to the widespread criticism of the genre. In order to understand the complexity of the issue, it sketches the history of African American men struggling to attain their manhood and it points out the damage done to African American masculinity during the era of slavery and the following period of Reconstruction. Moreover, it is necessary to trace back the inspiration that helped to constitute the hypermasculine images. To do that, we shall look into the folkloric tradition of figures such as the "bad nigger" and "badman" or "bad nigga;" and we shall see how these personas transformed into the modern figures of "gangstas," pimps and hip hop revolutionaries. In the next two chapters, the thesis discusses the relation of rap music authenticity and the performativity of gender, which is based on Judith Butler's gender theory as described in her book Gender Trouble. Regarding authenticity, we shall dissect the term itself and its potential meaning for a work of art. In the last few chapters, the thesis attempts to categorize hip hop masculinity...
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Du Bois and rap music: two ways of awakening of the African American self-consciousness
Sedlák, Ladislav ; Robbins, David Lee (advisor) ; Ulmanová, Hana (referee)
The aim of this thesis is to connect W.E.B. Du Bois and rap music as two immensely important influences on African American community by tracing the development from one of the greatest scholars in American history to the widely criticized musical genre. Du Bois is studied all over the world whereas rap lyrics are mostly ignored by scholars. Nevertheless, both can serve as extraordinary sources of knowledge and pride, both can lead to the awakening of African American self-consciousness, as far as we choose the right kind of rap music and the right Du Bois. Du Bois's inclination to Stalinism in his later years may be perceived as equally condemnable as the first album of the American gangsta rap crew NWA; but most importantly both Du Bois's radical political thinking and the emergence of gangsta rap are alerting and inevitable in a way. They were caused by the longstanding frustration of the black community in the US. The thesis compares the themes of Du Bois's collection of essays The Souls of Black Folk with the poetry of rap artists. An important part of this thesis is also a sketch of the development of African American progressive thought and social commentary, which is necessary to see the link between Du Bois and rap. It is also intended to make us see that the artistry of musicians such as Mos Def,...
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