Music's Power: Analyzing Racism Challenges in Hip Hop, Reggae, R&B

This essay explores the complex relationship between music and the fight against racism, focusing on how genres like rap, hip hop, reggae, and R&B have been used as tools for protest and social change. The paper delves into the historical context of racial discrimination, examining how music has provided a platform for marginalized communities to express their experiences and challenge systemic inequalities. It analyzes specific examples of how musicians have addressed issues of racial identity, discrimination, and social justice through their lyrics and performances. The essay also considers the impact of music on political factors and the role of music in promoting cultural understanding and equality. The analysis covers the evolution of these genres, highlighting their role in challenging racism and advocating for a more just society.

CAN RAP, HIP HOP,
REGGAE OR RNB
CHALLENGE RACISM?
IF SO, HOW? IF NOT,
WHY?

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
Protests From Music Has Challenged Racism............................................................................4
Challenge Racism Against Any Group.......................................................................................5
The Songs Challenge Racism......................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Race is a physical or social qualities which is categorizing the humans into different
sections by the society. This term was first used for the speakers who are sharing the common
language and then it was used for announcing national relationships. Race became a problematic
word in the 20th century which is why there are people who are offended with this word because
they do not want to be categorized through race. Colonialism is the period where the people
showed authority in the society and it was mainly on the economic factors. It was after the first
world war the colonization had to retreat itself which was between 1945-1975. It was during this
time that mostly all the colonies got there independence, and they all entered into post
colonialism and neocolonialist (Stewart and Scobie, 2020). There was a requirement for the
colonization to be removed from the world so that everyone could have their own independence
and have their own way of living without someone controlling on them.
Racial identities were created by the use of self categorization which were made by the
human being so that they could make the difference between people. Though, in today's world
the classification is made on the cultural, national identities and racial which is taken into offense
by a lot of people because they are not comfortable with the able which they are getting from the
world. Skin tone is the most offensive racial discrimination which the human beings do, and they
should not being doing so because the people do not choose there skin tone but it comes to them
naturally and one should not be categorized because of that factor. There is a lot of
discrimination done to the people who are having a racial categorization in the world like in
United States the Black American's will be treated different from the American's (Bradley,
2017). Before racial differences were made so that there is a classification of different people so
that there was a better understanding but now it is done for mistreating them in the world which
is not a positive environment for the people.
The impact of music on the political factors is huge because there are a lot of factors
which the rappers must consider when they are preparing a rap for the people of the world
because it is right to show emotions and feelings on a large scale, but they should not be
offensive for the other people of the world. Asian Dub Foundation is a band which performs rap
songs which a lot of instruments which include Sitar and other instruments which have been
taken from India. Asian Dub Foundation express the issues and other feelings and emotions on
the political factors of the world so that the people are aware of the factors which are taking

place in the world. This band has been active since 1993 and still is active (Mitchell, 2017).
There are a lot of political individuals who are using rap songs for the benefit but this is not for
that purpose but it is for the use of other factors.
MAIN BODY
Protests From Music Has Challenged Racism
It is very evident in today's world that there are a lot of changes which have come
because through rap and hip hop music people have used it negatively and positively in a lot of
ways possible. It is very important for the musicians to use this factor as a powerful way to
express themselves and leave a message or learning to the listeners which is a very important
thing (Sonnett, 2016). In the colonization period the white skinned people were superior to the
black people which was not fair because they were categorized, and they were not given the
freedom to do whatever they felt was right but just given the treatment of a slave from a long
time but music protests which have taken place in the past is very helpful for the future now.
There is a lot of equality in the field of music which can be seen in the industry and that is that
the people have started to accept the black people and there type of music which is rap. The rap
which these people do is far better and the knowledge they share through this form is incredible.
There has to be an equality which all the individuals have in the world and it is very important
for the people of the world and the people should make sure that everyone can express what they
feel and get through the people. The blacks have a long struggle in this aspect, but they have
there freedom and rights now which is making them feel safer and secure in today's world which
is the basic right of all the individuals of the world.
There is a lot of pain and suffering which the people wanted to take out through their own
ways which is very important (Morris, 2016). In the earlier times the black were so neglected
that the radio's did not play music for them or speak for there freedom and rights, and they were
not allowed to perform in the public and even if they had the courage to they were not supported.
Once, the black people started to get their own rights and freedom they started to make the
people more aware of the discrimination which was happening to them because of their skin type
and that is not fair in any case. There were a lot of challenges which came in front of the people
to get there rights and equality in the society. They were asked to keep quite and were not
allowed to put forward the discrimination which they were going through and that is a very

important factor for them. Black history month is the protest for music for themselves and is still
celebrated because there was a lot of freedom and favor decisions which were taken for the black
people. The blacks were not being able to get the careers they wanted to like entire the
Hollywood or televisions or any other field which they have an incline towards (Rivera-Rideau,
2016).
It is very important that people do what they like and the blacks loved there music and
there freedom to express themselves. There were a lot of blacks who discriminated the whites
because they got there freedom, and they did not know how to use it in the right way therefore
the blacks got there respect in the society lower but there were a lot of people who used there
powers in the right ways and the whites accepted that and therefore the black people are having
the equal opportunity in the society like everyone else. There is a lot of language problem which
the people have because the Africans have a faster language than the white people and the
Africans were not even allowed to speak their own language before which was very unfair, and
they were forced to speak English which was not even there language (Rivers, 2018). Though,
now the blacks can speak and do whatever they like and if they are treated badly in any corner of
the world then they can sue the people who are doing that with them because they have a feeling
and emotion inside them too, and they have not chosen as to what they are today therefore
everyone in the world be treated the right way. Everyone has a different culture and way of
living therefore it is very important to understand everyone equally and there is a talent in all the
people around the world to show that they must have the rights and freedom to do that so that
they can make a satisfaction with their own lives and make a change in the world which will be
very helpful.
Challenge Racism Against Any Group
Rap is a type of music which is sung in a rhythmic speech for the people to enjoy but
there are a lot of motivates behind this type of music and this form of music is called rapping.
There is just a background one tune on which the rappers perform there entire performance and
is very difficult to that but to express there feelings and emotions it is very important that the
rappers do this for the people (White, 2017). There was a lot of misery that the black skin people
have faced and it was very unfair to them that they were not being able to express themselves the
way they wanted to and rapping is something the people enjoyed. People found rapping the best

way to reach out to the others in the society so that there is a change which can take place in the
world. Now the rappers are mostly black skin people who are very famous for the work they are
doing in the world which is very important for them so that they can make a change in the
society and the way the people who are looking to them.
Hip Hop is another type of music which includes rap in it and it is very important to have
a mixture of other musics in one. After the colonization there were a lot of changes which took
place in the society for the betterment of the people so that they can feel comfortable and
satisfied with their life's. There are nine elements which are included in hip hop in which four
elements are for understanding the music musically. In this factor there were a lot of music beats
and sounds which are put together for having a hip hop sound and that is showing there is unity
in the world which is a very important factor in the world. In this there are different cultures
music and sounds which are added in the hip hop sound tracks which are making the people
enjoy and having respect for one another which is a very important factor.
Reggae has originated in Jamaica in the 1960s. Reggae was boosted in the world because
of Bob Marley when he visited Zimbabwe in 1980 (Minestrelli, 2016). These songs are
promoting the cultural factors of the country which will help the people to grow so that there is a
better understanding of the people and the culture all around the world. There are a lot of people
who are not in favor of the country and it is very important for everyone to know. The music
which reggae is providing to its audience is lighter and better so that the understanding of people
are better and the music is not just entertaining and knowledge about also making the people
want to listen to it again and again. This music is being performed all around the world so that
the music can aware the people of the cultures around and that will bring a common
understanding in the people.
RnB which is rhythm and blues which was originated African American's community
which is making the music even more unique than it is in the world. Not everyone likes these
type of music but in today's world there are a lot of people who are appreciating music in general
therefore there is a huge growth in the society. The racism factor is being removed from the
society for the benefit of the people so that there is a growth in the society and this will increase
the factors of acceptance (Scarparo and Stevenson, 2018). These type of sounds focus on the
painful experience these people have faced, and they want the world to know about the misery
these people have gone through which is important for the world to know because there should

be a unity which is required in the world. If the people will be aware of the factors which the
African American have gone through then there will be lesser chances for the people to be unfair
to them again in the world and that is very important for them because they do not want to go in
misery again.
The Songs Challenge Racism
Tupac Shakur who wrote changes is a song about how the people wanted changes in their
life's and how long did that take for them to get. The song is on the racism which the people
faced who were darker in tone and that is not fair because they do not chose there color, but they
are happy with what they get and that is what matters. It is a very direct way of saying that the
people who are black can be hurt any how they want and these people are supposed to be treated
as slaves and nothing else which is not a fair treatment which they should be getting in a society
which is getting modern on a fast rate. This song also talks about the changes which are required
in the society so that there is a better living for his type of people but there are no changes which
are taking place and this is a very bad thing. There are a lot of changes which the person wanting
in the society, but they are not being able to get because of the factors that they are being
suppressed in the society from a long time, and they were not united to stand up for their own
rights and freedom to express themselves. There were no freedom to express their emotions and
feeling but now they are so that the people can understand them better and the people are ready
to accept those so that there is a unity in the society of the same category (Charles, 2018). The
cops who are supposed to make the people feel safe and comfortable in the city are the people
who are mistreating them and that is just the way it is and the people have a very wrong image of
the black people that they are not having money, so they snatch it from people to make
themselves survive and it is kind of true because they have no opportunity in life so how do they
grow themselves in the world and that is a very important factor for them and the people will
have to change that but in the end of the song the singer again says that there is no change which
is going to take place, and he makes peace with the situation which they are at that time.
Black or white is a song which is sung by Michael Jackson and in this song he talks about
equality which the world has made and that has to be removed so that the people can see each
other better and that is more important. The people should not differentiate between boy or girl
or black and white is what the message is that Micheal Jackson is trying to show the world. MJ is
trying to tell that for him it does not matter if the people are different because of there physical

appearance, but he did care for himself which is why he is a very debatable topic for the world
because his song says something else, but he himself does not believe in it (Dahlin, 2019). There
are a lot of people who are having equality in the world and that is a very bad factor because it
will be because of this factor that the world will not be able to function as one and that is a very
important factor for the world. MJ gives examples that he has seen brighter people or brighter
items which has gotten duller by time and therefore the people should not judge another person
because of the color but should have an understanding of the people within. There are only two
possibility that the people can be right or wrong and if one is wrong then there should be peopled
who can change that so that there is a better understanding and the world will be functioning
better where everyone felt the same way, and they were all getting treated equally. There has to
be and understanding of both the sides of the story so that the actual result can be taken out from
the situation and that is a very important factor because there is no one who can be unfair just
because of the way they look or because of there color (Scarparo and Stevenson, 2018). The title
of the song only makes the factor of racism very clear for the audience to know what the song
will be able and there are a lot of actions which have been taken for the betterment of the people
so that there is a growth in the world mentality and that is very important because there are still a
lot of people who are judging the people from outside and that is a wrong approach to anything
and the people should be very clear of what they are doing so that there is a better life in the
world.
CONCLUSION
In today's world there is no challenge in the world in terms of music because the world is
changing with time and that is a very good change but before when the people did not have the
rights and that was not right. There were a lot of unfair problems which the black people faced
and that is not a good sign for the world because all the people have a right of their own, and
they deserve that as well.
Music has really made a lot of people aware of the situations which have happened in the
past and the people are working on that factor so that they can have a better living in today's
world. Music has made a long way for the people for showing there emotions and feelings
through one talented event.

People in today's world will not know the struggle what others have been through for
them but there are a lot of freedom and satisfaction which everyone is getting because of the
changes which have taken place in the world.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bradley, A., 2017. Book of rhymes: The poetics of hip hop. Civitas Books.
Charles, M., 2018. Grime Labour. Soundings. 68(68). pp.40-52.
Dahlin, C., 2019. Counternarratives in Hip Hop Music: Themes of Marginalization.
Minestrelli, C., 2016. Australian Indigenous Hip Hop: The Politics of Culture, Identity, and
Spirituality. Routledge.
Mitchell, T., 2017. Doin'damage in my native language: The use of'resistance vernaculars' in hip
hop in Europe and Aotearoa/New Zealand. In Music, space and Place (pp. 108-123).
Routledge.
Morris, C., 2016. Finding a voice: young Muslims, music and cultural change in Britain.
Rivera-Rideau, P.R., 2016. Panabay Pride: A Conversation with Los Rakas. In Afro-Latin@ s in
Movement (pp. 195-209). Palgrave Macmillan, New York.
Rivers, D.J., 2018. Where is the Love? White Nationalist Discourse on Hip-hop. In The
Sociolinguistics of Hip-hop as Critical Conscience (pp. 101-129). Palgrave Macmillan,
Cham.
Scarparo, S. and Stevenson, M.S., 2018. Reggae and Hip Hop in Southern Italy: Politics,
Languages, and Multiple Marginalities. Springer.
Scarparo, S. and Stevenson, M.S., 2018. The Legacy of the Posses Beyond Genres and Across
Generations: Randagiu Sardu, Mama Marjas, Claudia Aru. In Reggae and Hip Hop in
Southern Italy (pp. 193-222). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Sonnett, J., 2016. Ambivalence, indifference, distinction: A comparative netfield analysis of
implicit musical boundaries. Poetics. 54. pp.38-53.
Stewart, J. and Scobie, N., 2020. Fantastic Voyage: The Diasporic Roots and Routes of Early
Toronto Hip Hop. Contemporary Musical Expressions in Canada. p.305.
White, J., 2017. Controlling the Flow: How Urban Music Videos Allow Creative Scope and
Permit Social Restriction. Young. 25(4). pp.407-425.