1. What is your general impression of any 2 specific arguments Giddings makes in the essay (i.e, Jay-Z as cultural agents or "africanisms" in Jay-Z's lyrics)?
First, I was impressed by Giddings’ assessment of “the Africanist spiritual value of recognizing reality as a composite of both the tangible and the ethereal/illusive,” (p. 11). The spiritual dimensions of hip-hop are not discussed much, and it is refreshing to encounter this perspective. Second, I appreciated Giddings interjection of gender issues into the assessment of Jay-Z’s lyrics and their “Africanisms,” particularly with regards to the concept of machismo. It is interesting that Giddings connects female background vocals and the blending of male/female in African-American music with corresponding social realities.
2. Of the 4 cultural africanisms/core values, introduced by Giddings and exhibited in Jay-Z's lyrics, which 1 (or more, if any) is most convincing to you that African Americans have an African heritage; and how specifically does the essay illustrate this?
The communal core value is inherently political. Giddings tackles the complexities of communal values, first by showing how hip-hop artists like Jay-Z grapple with the dichotomies of “dumbing-down to audiences for optimal profit,” while...
Works Cited
Giddings, G. Jahwara. “Afrocentric Jay-Z.”
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