Look at the lyrics to the following artists' lyrics: Kanye West's "George Bush Doesn't Care About Black People," Mos Def's "Katrina Clap," Paposse's "Mother Nature," to songs composed in response to our government's response to the catastrophe August 29, 2005. Read the lyrics, do your own research and write a response taking into consideration hip hop cultural roots and whether or not this activism is to be expected. Reference Jeff Chang's book on the history of hip hop, Can't Stop Won't Stop, Introduction, Prelude, and Loop 1: Babvylon is Burning: 1968-1977.
"Dollar Day for New Orleans (Katrina Klap)"
by Mos Def
(Speaks)
This is for the streets, the streets everywhere,
The streets affected by the storm called, America,
I’m doin’ this for ya’ll, as for me, for the Creator,
(Chorus)
God save these streets,
One dollar per every human being,
Feel that Katrina Clap,
See that Katrina Clap,
(Verse I)
Listen homie, It’s dollar day in New Orleans,
It’s where there water everywhere and people dead in the street (eet eets),
And Mr. President he ‘bout that cash,
He got a policy for handlin’ the bruthas and trash,
And if you poor you black,
I laugh a laugh, they won’t give when you ask,
You betta off on crack, dead or in jail, or with a gun in Iraq (a aq),
And it’s as simple as that,
No opinion my man it’s mathematical fact,
Listen, a million poor since 2004,
And they got illions and killions to waste on the War,
And make you question what the taxes is for,
Or the cost to reinforce the broke levee wall,
Tell the boss he shouldn’t be the boss anymore (or or),
Ya’ll bae-li-means (???),
(Chorus)
God save these streets,
One dollar per every human being,
Feel that Katrina Clap,
See that Katrina Clap,
God save these streets,
Quit bein’ cheap brutha freedom ain’t free,
Feel that Katrina Clap,
See that Katrina Clap,
Lord have mercy,
Lord God God save our souls,
A-God save our souls, A-God,
A-God save our souls,
Lord God God save our souls,
A-God save our soul soul soul,
Soul Survivor,
(Verse II)
It’s dollar day in New Orleans,
It’s where water everywhere and baby’s dead in the stree (ee eets),
It’s enough to make you holler out,
Like where the fuck is Sir Bono and his famous friends now,
Don’t get it twisted man I dig U2,
But if you aint about the ghetto, Then Fuck You Too,
Who care bout Rock N’ Roll when babies can’t eat food,
Listen homie that shit ain’t cool,
It’s like dollar day for New Orleans,
It’s where the water everywhere and homies dead in the stree (ee eets),
And Mr. President’s a natural ass,
He out treatin’ bruthas worse than they treat the trash,
(Chorus)
God save these streets,
One dollar per every human being,
Feel that Katrina Clap!
See that Katrina Clap!
God save these streets,
Quit bein’ cheap brutha freedom ain’t free!
Feel that Katrina Clap!
See that Katrina Clap,
Soul Survivor,
Lord God God save our souls,
A-God save our souls, A-God,
A-God save our souls,
Lord God God save our souls,
A-God save our soul A-God A-God save us,
(Verse III)
Lord did not inten (yen-end) for the wicked to rule the world,
Say God could not inten (yen-end) for the wicked the rule the wor (o oorld),
God did not inten (yen-end) for the wicked to rule the world,
And even when they knew it’s a matter of truth, before they wicked ruling is through,
(Chorus)
God save these streets,
A-dollar day for New Orleans,
God save these streets,
Quit bein’ cheap homie freedom ain’t free,
God save these streets,
One dollar per every human being,
Feel that Katrina Clap!
See that Katrina Clap!
God save these streets,
Quit bein’ cheap brutha freedom ain’t free!
Feel that Katrina Clap!(Ha)
Ghetto Katrina Clap!(Ha)
Soul Survivor,
Lord God God save our souls,
A-God save God save our souls,
Feel that Katrina Clap!
Let’s make them dollars stack!
And rebuild these streets,
God save these streets,
God save these streets,
God save the soul,
Feel that Katrina Clap!
See that Katrina Clap!
Soul Survivor,
Don’t talk about it, Be about it, Peace.
http://mosdef.funky4u.com/2005/09/29/katrina-klap-lyrics/
Mother Nature - Papoose
I Got A $250,000 Personality
I Got Another Quater Mil Mentality
Im in the $500,000 Mood
I Cant Loose, Damn I Feel Like A Million Dollars
How Can i Rap about my life and claim honor?
When people out in new orleans dont have water
I Dedicate this to the sons who lost fathers
A Tribute to mothers who lost daughters
Because they pump chemical fumes into the atsmosphere
They put toxic fumes into the atsmosphere
They even launch aircrafts into the atsmosphere
They keep this up than somethings gonna happen here
Mother nature gotta clean her frame
So she forms a clycone full of winds and rain
This process has a name its called cleanin the atsmosphere
The government calls it a hurricane
Ohh child things are gonna get easier.
Ohh child things will get brighter
Ohh child things are gonna get easier.
Ohh child things will get brighter
They say wave water bore the children (cant understand him here)
They say gods gonna tumble the water
But when a tsunami happens in troublesome waters
The president aint hesitate to cross that border
He took a hole army wit him when he came to war
But when he traveled to new orleans he came with his dog
Is he indirectly trying to call us dogs?
Or just traveling with his pet i aint sure
A grown man cry how pitiful it is
His whole house split in half nowhere to live
He said I held my wifes hand i tried i did
But she let go and said take care of the kids
Alotta property was lost crushed by the trees
Evacuated the city they was forced to leave
They was forced outta their homes they would never leave
So why the media keep callin em refugees
Ohh child things are gonna get easier.
Ohh child things will get brighter
Ohh child things are gonna get easier.
Ohh child things will get brighter
Natural disaster look at the aftermath
They use it as an excuse to raise the price of gas
We worry about things like gettin the last laugh
But your mind state is half fast
Everybody wanna get the last laugh
But when somebody die cuz, the laugh never comes last the cry does
People searchin for food they call it lootin
Marshall law the cops shootin
So now hungry people on the run
They say this aint the time to point fingers
Tell em This aint the time to point guns
Donatin money thats thug love
But people dying over there donate some blood
I dont mean physically, I Mean spiritually
Donate some of your time out lyrically
Make a song that could reach somebody seriously
People who lost their lives your all livin through me
Ohh child things are gonna get easier.
Ohh child things will get brighter
Ohh child things are gonna get easier.
Ohh child things will get brighter
http://www.hiphop-universe.com/underground/lyrics/7314-mother-nature-papoose.html
Kanye West's "George Bush doesn't care about black people"
Now I ain't sayin' he's a gold digger, but he ain't messin' with no broke niggas, x2
George Bush don't like black people x4
Hurricane came through fucked us up round here, government acting like its bad luck down here,
All I know is that you better bring some trucks round here, wonder why I got my middle finger up round here,
People's lives on the line, you declining to help, since you takin' so much time we survivin' ourself,
Just me and my pets and my kids and my spouse, trapped in my own house looking for a way out,(...)
Five days in this muthafucking attic, can't use the cell phone I keep getting static,
Dying cause they lying instead of telling us the truth, other day that helicopter got my neighbours of the roof,
Its cool cause they said ther're comin' back for us too, that was 3 days ago I don't see no rescue,
See a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do, since God made the path then i'm tryin' to walk through,
What? Swam to the store tryin' look for food, corner stores kinda flooded, so I broke my way through, I got what i could but before I through the news said police shot a black man tryin' loot.
Don't like black people,
George Bush don't like black people x3
Now i ain't sayin' he a gold digger, but he ain't fuckin' with no broke niggas x2
George Bush don't like black people x4
5 damn days, 5 long days and at the end of the fifth he walkin' in like "HEY!"
chilling on his vacation sitting patiently, them black folks gotta hope, gotta wait and see,
if FEMA really comes through on an emergency, but nobody seems to have a sense of urgency,
Now the millions been reduced to crime, and I guess Bush said 'niggas been used to dying'
He said I know it looks bad just have to wait, forgeting folks too broke to evacuate,
Niggas starving and they dyin' of thrist, bet he had to go and check on them refinerys first,
makin' a killing of the price of gas, he would have been up in connetecuit, twice as fast,
After all that we been through, nothings changed, you can call red cross but the fact remains that,
George Bush ain't a gold digger, but he ain't fuckin' with no broke niggas x2
Come down Bush, come on come down x4
George Bush ain't a gold digger, George Bush don't like black people x3
Come down George , come on come down x4.
http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858588519/
Lil Wayne — Georgia ... Bush lyrics
This song right here, is dedicated to the president of the United States of America
Y'all might know him as George Bush
But where I'm from, lost city of New Orleans... we call him this
[Ray Charles sample:] Georgia.........
Noooowww
This song is dedicated to the one wit the suit
Thick white skin and his eyes bright blue
So called beef wit you know who
Fuck it he just let him kill all of our troops
Look at the bullshit we been through
Had the niggas sittin on top they roofs
Hurricane Katrina, we shoulda called it Hurricane (Geeoorrggiaa) Bush
Then they tellin y'all lies on the news
The white people smiling like everythin cool
But I know people that died in that pool
I know people that died in them schools
Now what is the survivor to do?
Got to no trailer, you gotta move
Now it's on to Texas and to (Geeoorrggiiaa)
They tell you what they want, show you what they want you to see
But they don't let you know what's really goin on
Make it look like a lotta stealin goin on
Boy them cops is killas in my home
Nigga shot dead in the middle of the street
I ain't no thief, I'm just tryin to eat
Man fuck the police and president (Geeoorrrggiiaa) Bush
So what happened to the leverage, why wasn't they steady
Why wasn't they able to control this?
I know some fok' that live by the lever
That keep on tellin me they heard this, stole this
Same shit happened back in Hurricane Betsy
1965, I ain't too young to know this
That was President Johnson now
But it's president (Geeoorrggiiaa) Bush
[Chorus - 2X]
We from a town where (Georgia)
Everybody drowned, and
Everybody died, but baby I'm still prayin wich ya
Everybody cryin but (Georgia)
Aint nobody tried, there's no doubt on my mind it was (Georgia) Bush
Noooowwww
I was born in the boot at the bottom of the map
New Orleans baby, now the white house hatin, tryin to wash away like we not on the map
Wait, have you heard the latest, they sayin you gotta have paper if you tryin to come back
Niggas thinkin it's a wrap, see we can't hustle in they trap, we ain't from (Geeoorrggiaa)
Noooww it's them dead bodies, them lost houses, the mayor say don't worry bout it
And the children have been scarred, no ones here to care bout em
And fash out, to all the rappers that helped out
Yea we like it they callin y'all, but fuck president (Geeoorrggiaa) Bush
We see them Confederate flags, you know what it is
A white cracker muthafucka that probably voted for him
And no he ain't gonna drop no dollas, but he do drop bombs
R.I.P. Tay 'cause he died in the storm, fuck president (Geeoorrggiiaa) Bush
See us in ya city man, give us a pound
'cause if a nigga still movin then he holdin it down
I had two Jags, but I lost both them bi-tch-es
I'm from N.O. the N.O. Yea!
[Chorus] niggas like ta poop
([DJ Drama:] oh yea, you thought we was done? Naw)
YEA!
Money money money get a dollar and a dick
Weezy Baby that crack, muthafucka get a fix
Got money out the ass, no homo but I'm rich
Bout to go get surgery and put some diamonds on my wrist YES
Yep, I'm a muthafuckin trip
I'ma trip to Japan and buy some brand new shit
Nine hundred to a grand, get you twenty eight grams
If you talkin bout bricks, I'm the interstate man
And the women say damn, them niggas don't say a damn thing
Boy I bet that shotty make you bounce like a bed-spring
Walkin a thin line, gotta defend mine
And wit no pen I'm sorta like a bomb BOOM
Young toon, yea that's what my people call me
Fifty thousand for the cause, tryin keep the reaper off me
I drink a lotta syrup, bitches say I'm sleep walkin
Big money for the grill, so I'm never cheap talking, yea
Keep talking and the flame leap off the hip
And keep sparking, pap pap sleep softly
Yea, nap nap, nap sack, three forties
Like fuck another nigga, nigga just don't be da target
Young New Orleans nigga, nigga just don't be retarded
We done lost everythin and you lookin like a bargain
Purple weed, purple drink, purple heart sergeant
I'm the best rapper in the game no argin (arguing)
And I don't ever write, pause
Un-pause this, so keep ya bitch ass lines inside the margin
Lil Wayne dot com bitch log in
Put a pillow under your knees and keep ya jaws in
All in ya girl mouth, use her like a toilet
They usually want a baller and the young nigga ballin
Mike Jordan, pardon my swag
Even my father rich as fuck and all my brothers left the family
We said fuck it bought two houses in Miami
I can't wait to do cribs, MTV c'mon get at me
Any rapper wan get at me, tell ya label contact me
Half four hundred for a feature, wanna battle, I'll beat ya
I'm a beast, I'm a preacher, I'm the son of miss cita
Mom dukes, my jeter, she the reason, she the reason
Everybody woman wanna be da boy diva, not even
There's a 305 dime I wanted ever since I seen her
Got a topic of this evenin, hotter than a tub steamin
Gotcha girlfriend dreamin of one day bein Trina
Notta sim seemer, ten ki's in the Beamer
Got a white girl drivin, couldn't do it much cleaner
I'm fly in the sky like that muthafuckin ribbon
Bitches got my name on em, and the nigga still livin
Spend a condo and a club, one bottle won't do
Two bottles won't do, bottles for the whole crew, thanks
And bring me that Patrone, I don't play
No ice I like my drink straight, not gay
And bitch that bank come everyday, I'm paid
I wish a nigga come invade, get sprayed
I stomp a nigga out like I got ten legs
Then they fish the nigga up out the lake in ten days
Behave, no ho, I'm on that Rage Rov
Cash Money, Young Money, ho that money age old
And can't a cage hold this animal from Hollygrove
Sorry mami I be stoned, I be, I be, I be blowed
Got me copy rock star, Weezy Baby fuck these hos
Gotta pay me now for me to even take these hos
Price sizin for a show and the flow
So either Drama is my nigga, or that boy got doe
Go figure that's my nigga, that's my nigga, my nerve
If anybody else want it, sixty thousand a verse
http://www.lyricsty.com/lyrics/l/lil_wayne/georgia_bush.html
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Hurricane Katrina Freewrite
-Dexter English
Hurrican Katrina struck a little bit into my freshman year in college, my girl friend at the time was in school at in the south where she expierenced a lot of it first hand. I didn't understand the seriousness of the situation until turning on the news, listening to the radio, hearing my favorate hip hop artist lashing out at Bush and his lack of effort to help these people who became refuduees in a city they call home.
At the time rapper Lil'Wayne was, still is in many eyes, the face of the south and hip hop, and anxious to see his response he didnt fall short of spectacular with a song intittled "Georgia...Bush." You feel his anger, the voice of the south, the voice of a people forced to fight for every meal, and looked upon as crimnals.
" They tell you what they want, show you what they want you to see
But they don't let you know what's really going on
Make it look like a lot of stealing going on
Boy them cops is killers in my home
Nigga shot dead in the middle of the street
I ain't no thief, I'm just trying to eat
Man fuck the police and president (Georgia) Bush."
How can police officers shot and kill those forced to turn into preditors by the their own Government who they put their trust and money into. Lil'Wayne hit the nail on the head with this song and clearly expresses his anger with the Government and how they try to cover up Americas worst natural disaster.
To see how hip hop can put rap beefs, parties, albumns aside to ralley around a city, a state, which is living hell on earth shows the love they not only have for fans but their brothers and sisters under Christ. Coutnless amounts of money donated, time, songs shows and proves that no matter how "thug" rappers may seem they also have a heart.
I wouldnt argue against anyone that Hurricane Katrina was one of the most horrible catastrophies in U.S. history. It was unexpected and it was horrible.
I do however disagree with artists such as Lil' Wayne and Kanye West, claiming that the government doesnt care about black people. The poor response to the disaster wasnt because the government didnt care about the black community, but because of their lack of preperation in response to such a great disaster. Had this disaster taken place somewhere else, such as the west coast, I beleive the response would have been the same.
"At President Bush’s request, Congress has provided a total of $16.7 billion in Federal funds under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) program to help rebuild damaged housing and other infrastructure. This unprecedented program represents the largest single housing recovery program in U.S. history" This quote is from the Homeland Security website. After discovering this fact I couldnt help but wonder why so many people made it to appear as if the government made no effort in taking action in the response.
I feel for the people of the Gulf Coast, but find it disheartening that they show so much resentment towards the government. Recovery can not happen overnight, and everyone can not be helped at once. I care about everyone making up our nation, and I beleive the slow releif should be viewed as the governments lack of preperation, not lack of heart.
I also disagree that the government and society doesn't like black people. Unfortunately there still is prejudice left in the world, but it will not be long until that prejudice is almost gone. Yes, Hurricane Katrina was at most one of the most devastating natural disasters known in our time, and happened to occur where black communities thrived, but just because there wasn't as much relief as people wanted doesn't mean that the government and society weren't trying. There are a lot of perspectives on this issue. I honestly DO think that way more could have been done, but I don't think that the reason behind the lack of support people expected was race related whatsoever. There are many other races in New Orleans who also suffered as well and didn't get help.
Munkhjin Munkhbaatar
English 1B
Professor Sabir
Hurrican Katrian Freewrite
Hurricane Katrina has occurred in New Orleans, Louisiana in August 29th 2005. Because of the Hurricane Katrina thousands of people lost their loved ones and their homes. This was the biggest disaster that occurred in the US after nine eleven. Katrina had destroyed many bridges, buildings and homes. It cost billions of dollars to build back New Orleans. At the time when Hurricane Katrina had occurred I was in Mongolia and I watched about it on the news. I was very nervous because at that time my parents were traveling to Atlanta to visit their friend and they were talking about going to New Orleans. I was so worried and waited for my parents to call me. I was happy to hear for them that they did not to New Orleans instead they went straight to Atlanta.
Many songs were made about Hurricane Katrina. My favorite song about Katrina is Little Wayne’s song because Little Wayne is originally from New Orleans. The song is about the president George Bush. Many people say that George Bush did not care about the disaster and he did not do anything to help people in New Orleans. The one I do not agree is that George Bush does not like black people. As a President of the United States he should treat people equally no matter what their race is.
Saudia Said
Hurricane Katrina Freewrite
Hurricane Katrina was one of the worst natural disasters I saw in my generation. Many countries around the world was appalled to see the slow response of the Bush administration. How could the government not aid the victims in basic needs food and water. I therefore believe that race and class had a lot to do with the the response.
After experiencing the 4th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, everyone seemed to forget about it. This year August 30th, 2009 passed a weekend of sadness and heartache. While individuals celebrate Michael Jackson's 50th birthday it was the same day as the 4th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
In the news, there were nothing really said about the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The news in Florida did not even cover anything about Hurricane Katrina this weekend. Channel 13 news did not publish an article on their website about any Hurricane Katrina.
In fact they had an article about Michael Jackson's death on August 25th, 2009. This shows that individuals probably forgot about hurricane katrina
Erica Williams
August 28, 2009
English 1B
TTh 9-10:50
Assignment: Hurricane Katrina
“My own feeling is that the idea of the Hip Hop Generation brings together time and race, and polyculturalism, hot beats and hybridity. It describes the turn from politics to culture, the process of entropy and reconstruction”. The latter passage is from Jeff Chang’s “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop” prelude to his book. This, in my opinion, describes the important role of hip hop in both the political and the musical arenas.
Four years ago almost to the day, New Orleans, Louisiana suffered a great tragedy. But still to this day, Hurricane Katrina’s destruction still haunts the city. At this point, who do the people of New Orleans turn to? Their voices obviously not strong enough to be heard by anyone in the government or by FEMA must rely on someone much bigger than them in the eyes of the government to speak for them. It has become apparent that not even the voices of activists, musicians, and other famous people could change the minds of the federal government. I remember watching the television in the days following the disaster feeling sadness and disappointment that I could not help the people of New Orleans myself. How could we just sit back and watch this happen (I thought to myself)? I started to get scared thinking to myself if the government can’t rescue the American people from a natural disaster, what will become of us? It was the words of Kanye West as he stood next to Mike Myers shortly after the hurricane, to rattle a few people’s feathers. The infamous phrase was “George Bush does not like black people”. Kanye’s statement eventually became a song, and the premise of my essay.
Those were such brave words to say on National television, I thought after hearing it. Then finally, just a few days ago, I read the lyrics to “George Bush hates black people” It takes a person like Kanye West, a huge icon in the music industry to spark a flame and be the one to say what I’m sure so many of New Orleans natives wanted to say. In the hook of the song Kanye says”George Bush ain’t a gold digger, but he ain’t fuckin with no broke niggas”. The “broke niggas” in my opinion referred to America’s poor black population in America, specifically the New Orleans residence, the purpose for the song. The unfortunate part is that even though the song may have made a few people feel uncomfortable for a while, it eventually wore off. The circumstances in New Orleans are still no better in the poor areas of the city, where the residence who once lived there cannot afford to rebuild.
In an article written just a few days ago, it says “Under Bush, FEMA frequently argued that local governments viewed the storms as a chance to get rundown buildings replaced with federal dollars”. At this point, who do you blame? Do we blame the local, state or federal government for the way things are in New Orleans? Maybe would should blame them all. The statement made by Kanye was very gutsy, but is it factual? We will never know. But it does hold true that the hip hop generation places a large part in being the voice for people who can’t be heard. They may not be able to move mountains, but they can certainly speak and be heard.
Work Cited:
1. Jeff Chang, “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop”, 2005
2. Ben Evans and Becky Bohrer, “Promises Promises: Praise for Obama on Katrina”, Associated Press. August 27, 2009
3. Kanye West, “George Bush Hates Black People” sample from “Gold Digger”, GOOD Music. CD 2006
Itzel Diaz
English 1A
Lil Wayne’s song Georgia Bush was to me the perfect response to what happened after Hurricane Katrina; he strongly expressed the cruel reality that people was living and at the same time he let those people know that they had a voice through him. His song does not sound like a “selling records” type of song, it has a tone of freedom of expression, a cry for help and a call to people to wake up; Lil Wayne message was to let the world know the injustice that was committed by the United States of America government to the victims of Katrina and also to let those victims know that he was praying with them. I loved the way he manage to make such a strong song sound like if it had a little hope in it. Even though I was listening to the situations the hurricane Katrina victims were going through, it made me feel like I could do something to help them.
Kwan, Eugene
English 1B
9/2/09
Hurricane Katrina Free write
It is easy for me to forget how great of a responsibility the news media has when it comes to broadcasting unbiased truth. People are seizing necessary supply because there were non available for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina, but it is viewed as looting when a black person is doing it, and it is viewed as surviving when a white person is doing it. (West, Kanye) Another example of failure to publish unbiased news is when news coverage is focused more on the squabbling of which agency is to be blamed for the lack of foresight and response, and less coverage of the details of destruction that has occurred due to carelessness from the government.
Since the news media is unwilling to fulfill this duty it is natural for hip-hop artists to uphold the truth that has yet to be told. The shift in responsibility directed towards hip-hop has to do with timing. Hip-hop is the current defining cultural movement and it has fallen upon this movement to not only keep it real but “to keep it right”. (DJ Kool Herc)
Mos Def is a example with keeping it right in his song “Katrina Clap”. The subject matter is the Hurricane Katrina aftermath. The content expressed is a direct reciprocation of how the government is in part responsible for the destruction of the greater area of New Orleans, and their response to the destruction. When money is diverted from reinforcing the New Orleans levee it comes to question as to where is the government’s leadership taking this country.
Chang, Jeffery. Can’t Stop Won’t Stop. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2005
West, Kanye. YouTube. January 3rd 2006. Google. September 2nd 2009 < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2elYnsqG-MM>
Melissa Carpenter
English 1B
Freewrite: Hurricane Katrina
Hirricane Katrina was a devastating experience for people across the world. It was an event that most will never forget, especially those who where victims of the disaster. After it occurred many people looked to the government for what their response would be. At the time Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans president Bush was in office. Although their are many views and opinions in whether or not he helped the poor people of Katrina, I personally feel that president Bush did not do all that he could to help the black community. The government allowed unfair judgments to be passed, such as the "Two-Photo Controversy" (1), and made it seem as if president Bush was doing all that he could to help the victims. Just as how Lil Wayne's lyrics explain the governments treachery: "They tell you what they want, show you what they want you to see
But they don't let you know what's really going on. Make it look like a lot of stealing going on. Boy them cops is killers in my home. Nigga shot dead in the middle of the street. I ain't no thief, I'm just trying to eat. Man fuck the police and president (Georgia) Bush."(2) In my eyes prejudice will be alive for many decades to come. The end of slavery did not mean that racism would end, and in today's society many people pass judgment just because they feel superior over another group. An example I could use today is how Obama recently because president. It was an outstanding achievement for a african-american man to become president but along with the achievement came a million perceptions against him. Now that there's a black man for president it seems that people expect so much more from him and criticize him more highly than they did with president Bush. While watching the news one day I noticed that the people tended to scrutinize his name and expect him to fix all of George Bush's mistakes overnight. But thinking back to president Bush with hurricane Katrina they let president Bush take his time to rescue the Katrina victims and make things right. In my eyes that is a example of prejudice and unfair treatment.
Works Cited
1.)http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/educational/teachable_moments/katrina_2_photo.cfm
2.)http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/lilwayne/georgiabush.html
I love these lyrics. I mean, granted they all are saying the same thing basically, however, I love that they are relevant to what's happening in lives of common people. Just like us, those rappers were not in New Orleans when the Hurricane hit, therefore, their opinions are ones that we can all relate to. Of course, Lil Wayne felt it more than the rest because he said that he had family from there as well as friends.
I think that hip hop for the most part should not be like this. I understand that there are certain issues that need to be addressed at particular times, however, no genre just be full of disaster, natural or not. Even full of only protest. No, just like it was in the infant stages, hip hop should be a clear reflection of what is out there. We ought to still have some party songs; still have songs about love; still have songs about pain; still have songs about dreams, but we can expand it to national events like the election; like the terrorist attacks; like the war; like the hurricane.
I understand that if songs like these were to be put on MTV, they would shift the opinions of prospective customers all the time and that's dangerous for the business-minded rappers. Therefore, I understand why they are on Youtube or not even that.
I can't expect that to change, but I can make the choice to purchase those songs and support those artists myself. I actually already do. I think that it would have been amazing if there was a CD put together by the biggest rappers whose proceeds would have went to the hurricane victims.
When I think about the group Dead Prez I think that they are right on point bc with all of their political lyrics theu didnt fail to have party songs.They can be racist, however, in that hip hop is to be real, I can't say that they are wrong for being real.
Ilene Lee
English 1B
TTH 9-10:50
Hurricane Katrina Freewrite
Hurricane Katrina was an unforgettable natural disaster that caused tragic living conditions and deaths for innocent Americans. The United States was not prepared for the results of this catastrophic event, nor were they ready to take on the responsibilities that were needed to save the lives that were affected.
Hoping to spark change and motivation, hip hop artists began to release songs that were relatable to the people of Hurricane Katrina. Their music sought out the voices of millions of Americans witnessing the victims of Hurricane Katrina and vocalized their concerns towards the issue. It brought a new perspective towards the voice of the hip hop industry and showed that celebrities, just like us, had concerns and fears over the tragedies sweeping the nation.
The hip hop industry was never the typical outlet for social response towards political issues and concerns. It was rarely a place where people looked to for social reform and activism within their society. The subject of many hip hop songs focused on drugs, women, sex, and gangs – typical characteristics that Americans were used to.
When artists utilize their abilities and fame to fight for a cause, they are going against the norm of typical hip hop artists and taking a stand for what they believe in. As society is used to listening to similar subjects, it is obviously an unexpected stance for artists to share their perspectives in political reform and justice. It shows that artists today have gone above the roles that they are expected to play and grasp the idea of reaching out to the public through the most engaging method- using entertainment as a link to conveying powerful lyrics and influential messages.
Derek's freewrite shows the neglect of coverage for Hurricane Katrina. It is unfortunate to admit that American culture no longer focuses on those struggling in New Orleans. We are more interested in the relations regarding Michael Jackson's death than the natural disaster that affected many innocent lives. No one really seems to care.
- Ilene
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