Listen and Learn: Hip Hop That Uplifts and Enlightens; Edutainment and Empathy Via Narrative Lyricism: A Prosocial Approach to Rap

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groups in such disadvantaged communities; this left alternatives for attaining status, such as physical domination, exhibiting material wealth or displaying “verbal agility”, as described by Kubrin (2003). Rap lyrics early on were more or less fun and lighthearted, like those found in what is argued to be the song that first popularized hip hop in the U.S. and around world (Rapper’s Delight by The Sugarhill Gang, 1979). Influential hip hop artist and ex-gang member Afrika Bambaataa would eventually see hip hop as a powerful, pro-social means of bringing troubled ghetto youths together, and go on to form the “Organization”—a social support group which reformed Bronx gang members into local, cultural educators and mentors. This would later become a global movement known as Zulu Nation and one of the first examples where rap music was used to inform, uplift, and promote social awareness (Wood, 2004).

“(Socially-) Conscious Rap”

It was in the early 80’s when rap content itself began to explicitly address social issues; lyrics in a popular rap single “The Message” reflected the dismal socioeconomic circumstances of ghetto life in America (Wood, 2004). This type of rap was one of the first examples of “conscious rap”— a subgenre typified by intent of informing listeners via lyrics geared toward addressing social and political subject matter, critically. It is this type of lyrical narrative and rhetorical elocution depicting social circumstances that I argue possesses ability to increase socio-political awareness and empathy among listeners. These core elements which contribute to this style of lyricism—both lyrical narrative, and lyrics more reflective of rhetoric in terms of the manner of message delivery—grounded in social, political or socio-economic content underlie the theoretical framework for furthering research regarding opinion formation and rap music.

Of course, like all theoretical conceptual divisions and boundaries that are established in order to flesh out, explicate, and organize elements of any conceptual framework, delineating music genres and sub-genres from one another can be similar. “Gray” areas subject to interpretation become evident, and conceptually ambiguous dimensions of theoretically construed subgenres can be less easily distinguishable from others. Conceptually definitive characteristics of what is considered to be representative of “gangsta rap” will overlap with aspects seemingly indicative of “conscious rap” (or elements of “alternative hip hop”, “Reggaeton”, etc.). What is important is for researchers and critics to be aware that fundamental differences in rap music do exist and these differences can arguably become exceedingly important in social science research pertaining to outcomes of rap consumption. And more so, when divisions are made more salient, in-group and out-group members alike will likely benefit. That is, to say that out-group members—individuals not familiar with the cultural fiber underlying the message content—may begin to listen with a more objective, culturally-adept ear. By noticing the breadth of content and differences within the genre, outsiders may recognize and understand this prosocial and informative side of hip hop music; lending to better understanding of the culture, and likelihood of perspective-taking. Then, a step toward reversing negative attitudes may take place. And conversely, in-group members who receive less misguided backlash from outsiders and the general public may view their own craft in a more positive light, take pride in their identity, and endure improved self-esteem.

“Gangsta Rap”

The economic restructuring of America and the “get tough on crime” approach of the Reagan-Bush era are often linked with statistics implying a general degradation of living conditions in Black and Latino communities. The social, political, and economic forces that shaped these conditions included, among other things, globalization and deindustrialization (Rose 1994:21–61; Wadsworth 2004; Wilson 1996), residential segregation (Keyes 2002:44–45; Massey & Denton 1993), punitive criminal justice policy (Tonry, 1995), and a legacy of slavery and discrimination (Hawkins,1985). Over-policing, prosecution and imprisonment of young Black men between the late ‘60s through the ‘90s increased at abnormal rates (Kubrin, 2003). This type of concentrated disadvantage found in many urban African American communities remains unparalleled in predominantly White neighborhoods. Characteristics of such communities include unemployment, disrupted families, and isolation from mainstream America (Kubrin, 2003). These are some of the influences which helped to form a more explicitly counter cultural form of rap—gangsta rap.

By the time hip hop had reached the West Coast, cities in southern California were experiencing widespread, detrimental societal effects associated with rapid economic decline. In turn, rap content became reflective of the bleak living-environment. Communities such as Compton and Watts, two cities more well-known for popularizing gangsta rap, began producing a different sounding, “darker” type of rap whose lyrical content delved into more militant socio-political perspectives and opinions—however this was the subgenre of rap music that truly solidified rap’s foothold in America’s mainstream music scene, further establishing hip hop’s growing presence within popular culture.

Gangsta rap departed from earlier rap forms, which were often characterized as socially conscious and more politically Afro-centric (Keyes 2002:88, 158–59; Martinez 1997; Perkins 1996:19). The glorification of material wealth and flaunting of financial success became commonplace in rap music from destitute areas. Description of the classic, archetypal depiction of the “rags to riches” narrative (of particular relevance later discussed) became a status symbol. Even though its message content displayed a much different repertoire of subject matter than other leading pop music contemporaries of the time, the raw lyrics which explicitly challenged and attacked public policies and racially taboo subjects (i.e., firsthand accounts of police brutalities, racist agendas underlying the motives of the war on drugs, countercultural views of racial dynamics of welfare) appealed to mainstream, White popular culture. This style was considered less couth or politically correct in speech by the general public. Even today, gangsta rap differs from other types of rap mainly in that it is the musical expression of “ghettocentricity”, an expression engaging the “black youth cultural imagination that cultivated varying ways of interpreting, representing, and understanding the shifting contours of ghetto dislocation” (Watkins