Julian RobinsonHomework Response Five9/9/14

Relevant Background Information:

Hip hop comes in many different variations and is universal in its practice. The genre was
started in the early 1980s as a way of self-expressionism. However, to many young AfricanAmericans and other minorities at the time, it was an escape from the hostile environment that
the crack-cocaine epidemic created. Many artists at the time either made music to escape the
hysteria created by the drug, to discuss the struggles created by the drug, or to glorify the selling
of the drug. Hip hop has transgressed through many stages, from its infantile state as just party
music with a Disc Jockey to Gangster rap to Drill music to Horrorcore, and literally hundreds
upon hundreds of different sub-genres have been developed throughout the decades. Despite the
artists of the genre who actually supply substance in their music such as Kid Cudi, Nas, ASAP
Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, etc., the genre is often viewed as only violent and
misogynistic due to those who criticize the art hardly scratch the surface. Although this
conception is usually only held by people who dont actively listen or only hear what plays on
the radio (which even I will admit is pure, unadulterated, 100% trash, the kind of artists who
give hip hop its violent and misogynistic view by viewing it as a form of entertainment rather
than an art form.)
Figured World:
Hip Hop is prevalent along all walks of life. From New York to LA to London to Sydney
to Munich to Brazil, the genres outreach influences those from every corner of the earth. With
every song, every album, every mixtape brings you into the artists world. With their words, they
paint a world, whether it may be in one of the various Atlanta trap houses with boarded up
windows (commonly referred to as Bandos) or the streets of Harlem or the glorious lifestyle
in Hollywood, with each song, they bring you to another world. These worlds follow generally
follow common themes- for those who make trap or drill music, their worlds are going to be
filled with drug references, violence, and crime most of the time. For those who make existential,
conscientious hip hop, their worlds are going to be more liberating, positive worlds. The great
thing about hip hop is that theres always a world that can fit the listener- if one takes out the
actual time and looks hard enough, they can find a hip hop artist, album, or maybe just song that
they are able to relate to. As an international phenomenon, hip hop has no set place in which it
can occur. Of course its commonly played in nightclubs, parties, on the radio, etc. but its
generally a worldly concept. Typically, the only thing thats asked of hip hop fans is to enjoy the
music and support your favorite artists through your actions. Through all characters on the earth,
no matter creed, color, race, religion, socioeconomic status, etc., hip hop has spread to all walks
of life.
Actors:
Actors in the hip hop world dont have to be directly involved in the music business
itself. There are many icons in the culture who do not make music, such as Russell Simmons,
Johnny Wang, countless fashion designers, etc. There are thousands of actors one could choose
from, however there are certain actors I think of whenever I think of hip hop.
Nas- Nasir Jones is a rapper from Queens, New York, who often contends as one of the
best rappers alive. His debut album Illmatic released when he was only 21 and his single
for the album was released when he was only 15. Illmatic is arguably one of the best
albums in hip hop history, and since then every album Nas has released has received
Platinum or Multi-Platinum certification. Many newer rappers look to Nas as a source of

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inspiration and list him as one of their influences, showing his sphere of contribution to
hip hop.
Kanye West- Kanye West has been my favorite rapper since his debut album College
Dropout. Never afraid of controversy, Kanye has had his fair share of time in the
limelight, for better or for worse. Many consider Kanye to be a creative genius and leader
of a new cultural revolution and others consider him to be a cynical jackass. In any event,
Kanyes work in the studio makes up for any other blunders. Highly motivational, Kanye
encourages his fans to believe in themselves and is often seen alongside Kid Cudi as an
artist who boosts his fans self-esteem.
Charlemagne Tha God- Charlemagne is a hip hop talk show host who often interviews
various rappers and allows them to freestyle rap on the air. Many of his interviews have
caused tons of rippling controversy due to his personality and rather skewed opinions on
certain topics, therefore causing occasional chaos in the hip hop world.
Dr. Dre- Dre was the lead producer for Hip Hop legendary group NWA. Although the
group split in the late 80s, Dre continued to produce beats and solo albums which often
featured friends of his that were rappers such as the legendary The Chronic. Dre was set
to release an album entitled Detox, however its been set to release since the early
2000s. His work as a producer has inspired almost all contemporary producers, laying
down part of the framework of how to be a great musician.
Kid Cudi- Cudders first single was the hit Day And Night, a captivating song that
brought you into his mind. A Cleveland native and avid marijuana smoker, Cudis
fanbase is extremely loyal as he gets so personal in his music that his fans can relate.
Other well-known songs by Cudi are Pursuit of Happiness, Poker Face, New York
City Rage Fest, and Satellite Flight. Cudi serves as a huge inspiration for his fans after
battling his own severe depression that almost ended his life. He encourages his fans to
battle through any tough times theyre facing and offers his music and life story as an
inspirational soundtrack to do so.
Childish Gambino- Bino began his career as an actor/comedian/screenwriter and
eventually progressed into making music. Born Donald Glover, Childish released his first
studio album in winter of 2013. Although a newcomer, Childish is already seen as very
influential in hip hop, garnishing a huge fanbase in a short amount of time.
Soulja Boy- As with everything in life, you have the one thing that spoils hip hop and its
rappers like Soulja Boy. All of his songs are misogynistic and only discuss things like
sipping lean (a popular drug in Texas) and spending money. All in all, very detrimental to
the progression of hip hop. Somehow, people love him.
Artifacts- Tangible items that evoke certain emotions or responses
Jesus Chains- Necklaces that feature Christian-related pendants such as crosses or a
representation of Jesus. Often made out of gold, platinum, and diamonds, Jesus chains
are very symbolic of the hip hop culture.
Microphones- Unlike other genres of music, all a rapper truly needs is stage presence
and a microphone. The mic symbolizes the fixation on spoken word rather than the
instruments playing
Communities of Practice- Communities comprised of three or more individuals who work on
the same projects. There are many different groups or factions to discuss, such as the infamous
East vs West feud, G-Unit, etc. However these two are my favorite so far.

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GOOD Music- Kanyes music group comprised of him, Jay-Z, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, CyHi
Da Prince, Pusha T, and Teyana Taylor. Within GOOD Music is Watch The Throne, the
superduo of Jay Z and Kanye. GOOD Music as a collective have released one album,
Cruel Summer and plan on releasing another album soon called Cool Winter. Watch The
Throne has released their self-titled album and plan on releasing another soon.
A$AP Mob- One of my favorite groups, A$AP Mob is headed by ASAP Rocky and
includes ASAP Ferg, ASAP Twelvyy, ASAP Nast, ASAP Ant, ASAP Yams, ASAP Ty
Beats, and many others. The group has released a mixtape entitled Lord$ Never Worry,
featuring their hit single Bath Salt featuring Flatbush Zombies. The group has an album
releasing in stores soon entitled L.O.R.D.$, with their newly-released single Hella
Hoes. The group has stated that ASAP is an acronym with many meanings, the two most
common being Always Strive And Prosper and Assassinate Snitches And Police.
Domain- The shared devotion to achieving a set goal by the specific community of practice
Sharing their stories- Many rappers are in hip hop because they have a story to tell. They
enjoy entertaining and representing for those who are just like them.
Progression- Many rappers being making music to not only progress as a person, but to
escape the negative situations theyve been placed in throughout life, whether that be in
the ghetto or somewhere where they couldnt openly express themselves. There have
been many different eras in hip hop, where the beginning stages it was based on simple
drum beats to today where many instruments and electronic sounds are used in the
production of hip hop.
Recording their music- Recording a good album takes plenty of time and patience (unless
youre Kanye West, who produced the creatively genius album that is Yeezus in only six
months). Mixing, mastering, recording are all things rappers must go through in order to
create great projects. Firstly, if the artist writes their own lyrics, they have to write the
entire album, choose beats for every song and eventually song titles. They record the
track and either have their producer master the track or they have it sent off to be
mastered. They must do this for every song on the album, come up with a track listing, an
album cover, determine which songs will be singles, and then promote the album. Lots of
hard work goes into a release.
Fashion Designing- Many artists decide to enter the fashion world such as ASAP
Rockys modeling of Alexander Wang and dating of Iman Chanel, Kanye Wests
involvement with A.P.C., Givenchy, Nike, Adidas, and Louis Vuitton.
Literary Practices- The verbal, written, spoken and nonverbal communication customs of a
population.
Writing lyrics- Many artists communicate to their fans or even to other artists or political
figures or celebrities in general through their songs, whether it be through paying homage
to someone else or bringing slander to their doorstep.
Social Media- Its quite rare to find a hip hop artist nowadays who doesnt actively
involve themselves in social media to gain publicity
Observations- For my observations, I will be observing different albums by some of my
favorite artists, breaking each album in each observation. Most of the information was

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gathered by listening to music and having a general understanding of such, and by using
RapGenius.com, a lyrical annotation website. I chose these albums because of their
outstanding quality and my ability to connect with them.
Observation One- Kanye Wests My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. I found that dividing
the tracks up by threes presented a central theme for the sections. My Beautiful Dark Twisted
Fantasy (or MBDTF) was recorded on what Kanye himself called a self-imposed exile
after undergoing many stressful events (Losing his mother, constant media backlash, legal
battles, always in controversy). The album basically takes you into Wests mind and tours
every cavern of his thoughts.
Dark Fantasy, Gorgeous, Power: Dark Fantasy, being the opening track for the
album, really sets the stage for the rest of the album. He discusses the famous lifestyle
while still reflecting on social issues present in todays society. Gorgeous features hip
hop legend Raekwon from the group Wu-Tang Clan and very talented artist Kid Cudi.
This specific song highlights social injustices (Face it, Jerome get more time than
Brandon and at the airport, they check all through my bags and tell me that its random)
and the perseverance to get what you want out of life, although sometimes the hardships
may come to tough (Chorus: Aint no question if I want it, I need it, I can feel it slowly
drifting away from me. Im on the edge, so why you playing? Im saying. I will never
ever let you live this down, down, down..). Power is indicative of his huge ego and all
the tragedies hes overcome and how hes created himself to be powerful in his true form.
The central theme in these three songs is social injustice and dealing (and defeating)
adversity
All Of The Lights, Monster, So Appalled: All Of The Lights is a very famous
song off of the album that features R&B singer Rihanna and basically talks about how
stardom can hurt and help you in the strangest ways. Monster features Jay-Z and Nicki
Minaj, as they talk about basically how powerful they are in their field, how they are the
elite. Essentially, a song constructed of arrogance (My presence is a present, kiss my
ass). So Appalled is honestly one of my favorite hip hop songs of all time. It features of
barrage of artists, including Pusha T, Jay-Z, RZA from Wu-Tang Clan, and CyHi Da
Prince. They basically discuss how they control the hip hop industry. (We above the
law, we dont give a f___ bout yall). The central theme in this specific group is
celebrity and how the artists involved are a force to be reckoned with.
Devil In A New Dress, Runaway, Hell Of A Life: Devil In A New Dress is essentially
about how he has recently broken up with a girl whom he had a toxic relationship with
and how they're trying to fix through their problems for the good of them both.
Runaway is him admitting that his internal conflicts are causing the relationship to go
wrong (Chours: Yeah I always find, yeah I always find, yeah I always find something
wrong. And you been putting up with my shit just way too long. Im so gifted at finding
what I dont like the most. So I think its time for us to have a toast). Hell Of A Life is
Kanye accepting his faults and working for a better future and finding someone who fits
him better (One day, Im gon marry a pornstar Nothing to hide, we both screwed the
bridesmaids). Someone who can match him in his mindset and rather twisted ways. The
central theme for this cluster is Kanyes tragic and complicated love life.
Blame Game, Lost In The World, Who Will Survive In America?: Kanye
summoned two of the worlds greatest singers for two of these tracks (John Legend for

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Blame Game and Bon Iver for Lost In The World. Blame Game picks up from where
the last cluster left off, the two in the relationship arguing about who should be at fault
when in reality, its both. (Chorus: Lets play the blame game, I love you more, lets
play the blame game for sure. Lets call out names, names, I hate you more, lets play the
blame game for sure). Lost In The World is pretty self-explanatory: Hes describing how
he feels now that his love and celebrity are gone. Hes stuck in a foreign land he knows
nothing about, trying to make his way. Who Will Survive In America is a great closer for
the album- it fits with the rest of the clusters central theme of uncertainty about the
future.

Observation Two: Childish Gambinos Because The Internet. The album itself is already
divide and labeled using Roman numerals with an interlude between each section. Childish
Gambino (Also known as Donald Glover from NBC TV shows 30 Rock and Community) has
stated that this project was inspired by his realization of just how technology has changed the
way social interactions occur (and not specifically in a good way). The album essentially
displays how technological advances have hindered the average persons ability to function
properly and cognitively in society. The album is actually a guide for a screenplay he wrote,
with certain songs corresponding with certain events in the screen play.
I. The Crawl, I. The Worst Guys, I. The Party, I. Pink Toes: This group
of songs is composed of generally upbeat songs. The Crawl discusses his new
lifestyle, partying every night, lusting after various famous women (Elle Varner,
gotta crush on her: gotta wait in life for that. Aint nobody got time for that!). The
Worst Guys features Chance The Rapper (whos going to be here for homecoming!)
Both rappers are relatively new, and are far from the stereotypical rapper. The
Worst Guys is about their status in hip hop, and how they stand out from everyone
else. During the screenplay, Gambino (named as The Boy) and Chance (his friend
in the production) are enjoying the beach and celebrating as celebrities would. The
Party follows the form of an actual party. It starts out slow and smooth, explodes into
fast, rapid action, and then ends abruptly. Pink Toes is mainly made for the
screenplay, in which The Boy begins selling drugs once he learns that his dad is dead
and doesnt know how long his fortune will last. His girlfriend Naomi doesnt think
its a good idea because hed make a terrible dealer, but she becomes accustomed to
the lifestyle.
II. Worldstar, II. Shadows, II. No Exit, II. Zealots of Stockholm (Free
Information), II. Earth: The Oldest Computer (The Last Night): The second
cohort of songs all vary greatly. Worldstar is based off of the hip-hop-based video
website WorldStarHipHop.com. He discusses the various actions rappers commit
that would garnish much attention on Worldstar. He references many popular videos
and stories on Worldstar (Put shrooms in my roommates coffee and got more likes
than a white girl talkin.) Shadows is about him admitting to Naomi his true feelings,
although he cant quite get it together. He knows he loves her but knows his flaws are
plentiful. No Exit features R&B singer Miguel and offers a rather dark view into
Gambinos mind. With a smooth, ominous beat and rather deep and dark voice, the

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song is a clear contrast to the feel he tends to give off in other songs. Zealots of
Stockholm really highlights most of his points about newer technology and its effect
on society (And anybody can walk into any Dennys and wait til Im walkin in it
with a gun that they 3D printed and finish it) and the song was meant to offer a
contrast between life and death. The song has a feature by singer Kilo Kish. Earth:
The Oldest Computer (The Last Night) features Azalea Banks and the song compares
Earth to technology, as a way of affecting human behavior.
III. Telegraph Ave. (Oakland by Lloyd), III. Urn, III. Life: The Biggest
Troll (Andrew Auerheimer): Telegraph Ave is meant to seem like Gambino turned
on the radio and a new song entitled Oakland by singer Lloyd, who sings the chorus
on the actual song. The songs content is essentially Gambino expressing his, at first,
reluctance to be in a committed relationship with Naomi, then finally trying to give it
a shot. Urn is a very short song, in which Gambino sings over a slow melody, and the
song basically highlights how hes kind of just watching life pass him by. Life: The
Biggest Troll discusses how he views life as one big troll (joke). He reflects back on
his life (as himself, and as The Boy from the screenplay) as if life is some kind of
rouse.
IV. Sweatpants: Sweatpants is a flashy, celebratory song full of cockiness to give the
feel of how he hides behind his false life to protect himself. Hes stated that its
entitled Sweatpants because rich people wear whatever they want. The entire song,
as far as the screenplay, is a cover up for how he truly feels. (Dont be mad cuz Im
doin me better then you doin you Rich kid asshole, paint me as a villain And
Im born rich, life aint fair..silver spoon coon hoe!)
V. 3005: 3005 was one of the singles from the album that was extremely up-tempo
yet if you pay attention to the lyrics, is actually very sad. Gambino talks about how
lonely he is and how most of his friends and girlfriends are only around because
of his mass fortune. This is, of course, before he meets Naomi in the screenplay.
Observation Three: Kid Cudis Indicud: Indicud is a play on words, the title stemming from
the species of Cannabis, Indica. Cudi is known as an avid marijuana smoker, so the title is
pretty genius. This project is like no other, with him including tracks with him not even on them,
pure instrumentals and regular songs. The project was intended to be a testament to his
producing ability. Cudi has stated that he grew up on Indicud, as opposed to the more laid back
Man On The Moon series that made him famous. Ive chosen my favorite songs 11 from the
project to do observe.
Unfuckwittable, Just What I Am, Young Lady, King Wizard:
Unfuckwittable is truly a very inspirational song, backed by words of encouragement and
empowerment. (Intro: You can flynobody can touch youyou can fly..) This song
offers a great contrast to Cudis previous albums, where he mostly talked about his severe
depression. Just What I Am features lifelong friend King Chip. The song is basically
Cudi accepting his faults and working toward a better future, however hes pleading with
god to just understand that he has his faults yet he is pure at heart (Im just what you
made me god, fuck yes Im so odd). The latter half of his songs lists his struggles hes
overcome and how hes kept his head above the water and pushed through it (I diagnose
my damn self, these damn pills aint working fam. In my spare time, punching walls,
fucking up my hand, I know that shit sound super cray but if you had my life youd

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understandBut, I cant fold, some poor soul got it way worse. Were all troubled, in a
world of trouble.) Young Lady features Father John Misty and discusses how he met a
beautiful intelligent girl who he cant seem to get out of his head, shes a cut above the
rest but hes having a hard time relaying that to her. (That's what turns a nigga on, strong
feelings that I have. You'll probably never, find out ever; I'll admire from afar, star. Keep
doing all the great things you're doing, you got it going on, young lady). Cudi refers to
her as a star, relating back to his previous space-themed projects (Man On The Moon
series, WZRD, etc., Satellite Flight). King Wizard is another testament of Cudders
pushing through life and keeping a clear head and being strong. Stating that hes going to
essentially blow past the competition and everyone will realize his greatness very soon.
Immortal, Solo Dolo Pt. II, Girls, Beez: Indicud was released after a small
hiatus by Cudi and many thought the album would be disappointing and Immortal is
basically about the restoration in his own confidence not only as a musician but as a
person. (Spent the last month feeling bad 'bout myself, I couldn't speak anything of real
hope. And the day came when it hit me like lightning through my veins, a sudden change
in my groove, in my walk). Solo Dolo Pt. II features one of my favorite musicians
Kendrick Lamar and highlights how he only needs himself and how you must watch the
people you trust. Girls features Too $hort and is basically just a rant about the life he
lives, how hes enchanted by all of these different types of women. Beez features
legendary Wu-Tang Clan member RZA, while Cudi only does the chours of the song, the
RZA raps on the chorus about his elitist lifestyle.
Brothers, Burn Baby Burn, Lord of the Sad and Lonely: Brothers features
King Chip and A$AP Rocky. The central theme around the track is brotherhood and
sticking together, the indestructible bond between the best of friends. Burn Baby Burn is
extremely self-empowering, with Cudi taking his angst out against those who doubted
him. Lord of the Sad and Lonely is actually one of my favorites and discusses his
position as leader of his audience. (Lord of the Sad and Lonely and the ones who feel
like shit on the daily).
Interview: For the interview portion, I interview my father. Norman Robinson was born in
Syracuse, New York and spent lots of his time in New York City (where hip hop was born) and
Philadelphia. He grew up when hip hop was first conceived and has had a front row seat into hip
hops maturation.
Q: What age did you get into hip hop? Do you remember the exact year?
A: My first experience with hip hop occurred in 1983. The first hip hop song I ever heard was by
Sugar Hill Gang.
Q: With you being so experienced with the art form, what does hip hop mean to you?
A: Hip hop is a culture. Its the graffiti, djing, and rhyming. The art was brought in by the inner
city culture, it gave the citizens of urban areas an outlet, something to do besides getting in
trouble or just sitting at home all day.
Q: What impact did hip hop have on the culture its derived from?
A: Hip hop was a positive influence for urban kids back then. Rap stands for Rhythmic
American Poetry. The art told stories of the inner city and brought light on the negative
situations created by the environment. When hip hop started, it was a positive influence on the
community and still is today, but to a lesser extent.

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Q: How do you feel about the expanding diversity in hip hop?

A: Hip hop has expanded so far from its hearth since its creation. Its become an international
cultural hearth which has negative effects for the black culture that hip hop was derived from,
but good for the international hip hop scene.
Q: Name your favorite rapper from the different hip hop eras
A:
80s-95s: Rakims
95-00s: Nas, Biggie, NWA
00s: D-Block (Jadakiss), Nas (again)
Present: Kendrick Lamar, ASAP Rocky, Jay-Z
Q: In what way has commercial success affecting the state of hip hop
A: It brings hip hop outside of the hood. Its slowly but surely assimilating into the American
culture. Its the way commercial artists will always get more airplay than artists who treat hip
hop like an actual art form
Q: In what state is hip hop currently in?
A: Whats on the radio nowadays isnt really hip hop. Its just noise. True hip hop is dead.