Post your response to the reading here. In class today we wrote summaries. You can post them here as a group and as individuals. You can also post your quotes you shared and why.
Thursday, we will continue writing summaries. The next one is on Chapter 1, which you will be able to post below.
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10 comments:
Kimberly Peterson
English 1B (Tues and Thurs)
08/26/2008
Beef can be made into statement. It is an argument. It is when there are so many views that no one can even agree to disgree to find a solution. That is what causes a beef. Human nature allows a beef to go on until the end of time. The first chapter of the book, Know what I mean by Michael Eric Dyson, talks about the many different views about what hip-hop is, and what it is suppose to be. Everybody is a critic, and everybody has an opinion. Some of the opinions that come from different critics were often judgmental, while others were more relaxed. Dyson mentions that Wynton Marsalis (a jazz artist) claims hip-hip to be a "ghetto mintrelsy." They are praising to people, but are they getting much sucess in getting their message thru? John McWhorter whom is a social critic thinks that hip-hop is a way of supporting sterotypes which leds people in communities to eventually not be successful. Perhaps the message is not so postive anymore. Whatever hip-hop is, it is an art form and this does not mean that all art can be pretty. Whatever you think hip-hop is, it is in the eye of the beholder, since no one can come to an agreement about what it is suppose to be. The best critque I found was that hip-hop is "an effort to bridge the gap between then and now, and to offer the insight of past icons to the younger generation while engaging young folks' criticisms of their elders." Which probably was not meant to be a bridge gapper, in the begining of hip-hops career, but it has been seen as that. It makes America (and even possibly other countries since they too have had a big influence there), come together. Some people even think that hip-hop is dead. But how can hip-hop really be dead? There are so many views in the corruption and open awareness in the human minds that hip-hop will never be dead.
Haseeb N.
Faraj F.
Deon J.
English 1B: (Tuesday/Thursday)
August 26, 2008
The introduction to “Know What I Mean?” which was written by Jay-Z was very informative and eye opening. Jay-Z expressed his respect and love for Michael Eric Dyson, who is the author of the book. Jay descried Dyson as the “Hip-Hop intellectual,” meaning his knowledge and willingness to know, learn and greatly understand hip-hop and the counterparts is to be noted.
One of many statements that we enjoyed for this article was, “Dyson stands up for poor folks and for street culture when African Americans treat us with the same disdain that white society used to have for all of us,” which was expressed by Jay. We concluded that that quote talks about Eric’s open mindedness to the people that needs that “close attention” and the ones that don’t always get their voices heard, for whatever reason; Dyson designated himself to be the voice for them, while uplifting, education and motivating them.
Jay express that Michael understands the flaws in Hip-Hop, but he explains that there is a reason for that. Eric says the reason is just testimonies from what the artists see, on their day to day life. We, Faraj, Haseeb and I, believe this pieces that Jay-Z wrote, for the introduction, was certifying Michael Eric Dyson as HIP-HOP TRUE INTERPERTUR; and we couldn’t agree more.
Benjamin H.
English 1B: (Tues/Thurs)
The hip hop artist Jay-Z starts off the book, Know What I Mean? with a brief intro that honors the author Michael Eric Dyson. The intro is basically all about Dyson’s contributions to the hip-hop culture and how he is very knowledgeable when it comes to hip-hop. Towards the end of the intro Dyson is described as being someone that fights back toward the people that treat people with economic trouble with disrespect and he also does this for people that are from the streets. Jay-Z says about Dyson, “Neither the IRS nor the changing of taste of the public can take away what Michael Eric Dyson has given hip hop: respect and a better way to understand ourselves”. This quote stood out to me the most because it pays a great tribute to the author of the book I have not yet started reading.
The prelude is mostly the critics of hip hop giving their opinion on why they despise this culture and music, and Dyson gives his counter arguments to all of the critic’s and their ideas. Dyson doesn’t agree with most of the critics because he thinks that they don’t understand hip hop, and this is mostly because most of them don’t even want to take the time to learn about this fascinating culture.
Names:
-Ronnie T.
-Loren D.
-Jennifer N.
English 1B (Tu/Th)
Summary:
-Dyson grew up in Detroit. Even though his life growing up wasn't easy, instead of giving up on education and falling to stereotypes, Dyson showed people that they are the best out there. FOr not having anything yet making everything out of it. Dyson gives the reader an insight of his thoughts of what he think sof certain critics. For t he hiphop critics that mouth off and how hip hop is a disgrace to society with thier violence and ghetto lifestyle.
-Some critics like Kilson for example, judge writers like Dyson because they don't want their biases to be false; false accusations are made. Dyson is considered as the "Hip hop intellectual: because of what he contributes to the world about hip hop. He had shown to the world, to doubters, critics, how hip hop is an important arts movement from the younger color generation. Dyson explains that certain hip hop songs can be crude, however, everything in these songs are portrayed by experience. "Proper" people and schools worry about the explicit content too much to even bother listening to the lyrics that describe the many faces of the world.
-Dyson compares the difference between hip hop artists and rappers. Rappers may seem like hip hop artists, rapping about the difficulties of the world. However, the difference between the two is that rappers haven't experienced what they rapped. Hip hop is achieved through experience. Dyson had work on the world becoming one, so that there are no longer "them" but only "us." Dyson not only stand up for his culture, but stand up for "poor folks and for street culture" of which they are being treated how African American were treated by the caucasian society.
Quote:
-"Our lives are not rotten or worthless just because that's what people say about the real estate that we were raised on. In fact, our lives may be even more worthy of study because we succeeded despite the promises of failure seeping out from behind the peeling paint on the walls of every apartment in every project." (pg 6; xi; top paragraph)
Robin Cepparo
Eng 1B (T/Th)
Dyson begins his book, Know What I Mean, by introducing the controversies and benefits of hip-hop and its counter culture. Dyson has a strong personal attachment to the counter culture and defends it and the people who subscribe to it. He defends it because he believes there is more to it than the negative stereotypical lifestyle and persona that hip-hoppers or rap artists embrace. He has faith in the artistry itself, the real life stories that are shared through the music and the fact that education and learning do play a big roll in the music. Dyson, as a scholar, defends his faith in hip-hop from other writers, primarily African American conservatives, like John McWhorter. McWhorter believes that hip-hop culture reinforces negative stereotypes around African American youth and retards their success; strong words coming from someone who should be better able to relate to the circumstances that many African American youth encounter in todays society. So, Dyson counters with examples of artists like Common who use hip-hop as a form of expression and art to get their message across. Martin Kilson, an African American professor with strong biases against hip-hop is also confronted by Dyson arguments. I appreciate the way he takes on a fatherly roll toward hip-hop and his defense of it; he makes a great argument over the fact that we should appreciate and study this form of abstract art just for the fact that many other countries around the world are emulating and copying it as well.
Dominique West
English 1B
[Tues, Thurs] 9-10:50
Michael Eric Dyson is a hip-hop writer legend. He know what he's talking about and the important role that hip-hop plays. Its for everyone who wants to understand the culture and know what its really about. Dyson is a true genius in how he expresses his thoughts on hip-hop. Jay-Z makes it known how wonderful he is and how great of an artist [writers are artists also] who deserves mad respect.
Aaron Lederer
8/27/08
Intro Summary
Jay-Z introduces us to Michael Eric Dyson by first speaking about Dyson’s childhood. He was raised like many inner-city youth are, surrounded by trouble, tragedy, and pitfalls that if not avoided, can easily be fallen into. Instead of choosing to sell drugs as a means for getting some pocket money, Dyson chose to focus on his schoolwork.
Dyson can be considered the “hip hop intellectual.” He is the medium between the hip hop artists and the average listener who doesn’t grasp the basic concepts of hip-hop, or ignorantly dislikes it and stereotypes it all into the same category. A good response to those who think hip-hop is all drugs and violence would be what Jay Z stated on page ten, “Yes, our songs can detail the drug business and our choruses can bounce with lustful intent. However, those things did not spring from inferior imaginations or deficient morals; these things came from our lives. They came from America.” Hip Hop lyrics aren’t created out of some fantasy world. This is what actually goes on in the inner-city neighborhoods. As much as those outside of the neighborhood would like to overlook the situation instead of changing it, the people experiencing the difficulties have a right to speak about their lives.
To keep it short, Dyson is a hip-hop anomaly. It’s not too common that a young man born into struggle and raised on hip hop can turn out to be a professor at Georgetown University. But Dyson did it. Hip-Hop needs Dyson, just like he needs hip-hop. I believe Dyson can be the front-runner for hip-hop in its challenge to breakdown the medias stereotypical barriers it places around the genre.
John Rawson
English 1B (Tues/ Thur)
Rap superstar, Jay-Z wrote the intro to, “ Know What I mean?” about it’s Author Michael Eric Dyson. Described as the, “Hip Hop Intellectual,” because of his world class education, he speaks to the fact that hip hop’s negative themes aren’t made only in rap; they’re made as a product of American life, and that hip hop merely suggests the same social situations that are relevant to people.
Dyson translated hip-hop to people who lack the understanding of its message. “Dyson came from the bottom and told those on top what was up.” (Jay-Z, xi) He compared great intellectuals to current hip-hop artists, showing a dominant culture the importance and power of hip-hop.
Aerin O'Leary
English 1B
The introduction to “Know What I Mean?” which was written by Jay-Z dealt with a whole lot of information it was very in depth and answered a great deal of questions that helped me to understnad opinions and views of Dyson.
Hip hop artist Jay-Z showed his love for Dyson, the author of the book. Michael Eric Dyson grew up in the streets of Detroit. He has seen the "struggle" and now has aspired to become a well known hip hop scholar among many other things. In the into Dyson defined hip hop as an "art form that traffics in hyperbole, parody, kitsch, dramatic license, double entendres, signification, and other literary and artistic conventions to get its point across" The intro speaks about hip hop, "beef" the youth, music and other topics.
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