M.I.A. on Letterman Singing "Paper Planes"
The recorded live performance of "Paper Planes" by hip hop artist M.I.A. on David Letterman's Late Night in 2007 is the focus of this paper. M.I.A.'s performance is a solo act (with a single back-up singer) as well as a DJ (who is at the rear of stage and not in the spotlight). The venue is Letterman's show and M.I.A. performs before a live studio audience. The performance drew some controversy as the "gunshots" that are supposed to ring out as part of the effect of the show's music were muted and diminished so that instead of loud bangs they came across as toy pop gun sounds. When this first happened in the performance, M.I.A. actually stopped and looked behind her to her crew as though she was surprised at the diminishment in one of the more emotional impactful moments in the song, which is about how passports are manufactured illegally in border towns so that people and criminals can come and go, regardless of the lives that are lost in the process. M.I.A. is drawing attention to a serious issue in this song, and the gunshots used in the sound effects of the song are supposed to deliver an emotionally wrenching punch to the psyche -- but on television the producers apparently decided that the violent sound of gunshots was too provocative.
Nonetheless the performance retained the core elements of the song. There was the staple sampling of popular hip hop artitstry. In this case, M.I.A....
Saudi Arabia is known as the home to the hip hop group, Dark2Men, who competed in MTV Arabia's Hip Hop Na reality show. Break dancing has also become popular as a pastime in the region. Though the exact music distribution and sales numbers are difficult to establish, there is huge listenership especially in satellite TV and radio Gana 45() Hip hop culture in the U.S. Hip hop has been a part
L. Cool J. into box-office stars. Like rock and roll in the 1950s, hip-hop has become the great cultural bridge in these times" ("Hip Hop: The history," Independence, 2006.). However, in some of its manifestations, the original intent of hip-hop music to parody and critique mainstream culture has been corrupted by materialism. There is a distinct contrast with the original voices and visions of artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash
men in the hip-hop world. She has been a spokesmodel for Jenny Craig, a company that explicitly utilizes her 'real woman' image to sell its weight-loss product. "She's a CoverGirl and, off-screen, manicures a wholesome image" (What's worse, 2009, Querty). To emphasize her critique of Black male desire and to create another image for a Black woman to 'be' in the world would challenge prevailing norms and the new
As hip hop developed in urban environments, it has historically concerned itself with themes addressing the minorities dwelling in these communities. This is a tradition that has continued up to the present day. The main concern in hip hop lyrics is with the "struggle." This struggle can be personal or political in nature. In addition, there is also one strain of hip hop rapping known as "party rhymes" that are
Sadly, what began as a means of artistic expression has evolved into a phenomenon that has centered on exploiting women and glamorizing crime and violence, leading listeners to believe that this is not only the acceptable way of treating women, but also that the crime and violence are socially accepted norms. Works Cited Alridge, D. & Stewart, J. "Introduction: Hip Hop in History: Past, Present, and Future." Journal of African-American History. 90(3) Summer
Hip-Hop Music Throughout history, popular music has changed constantly. Every time a new category of popular music is introduced to a new generation, there is always controversy. Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Madonna and even country and westerns Loretta Lynn broke barriers that everyone was real upset about at one time. They are now highly respectable. In time, the controversial music becomes accepted and new artists push through more limitations. Because of
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