AFRAM Blog Post #2: Hip Hop as the Anecdote to Rockism

Allison Bennett


Initially, I struggled to see how pieces about rock music could possibly tie to discussions of hip hop’s origins and legacy. But after reflecting for some time, it hit me. Rockism is defined by Brooks as “an ethos, an ideological perspective, a method of writing about popular music performance that…means ‘idolizing the authentic old legend while mocking the latest pop star’” (Brooks 57). Though writing about rockism as seen through written rock critiques, Brooks makes it clear that is much more than that. It appears in everyday discussions about music, creating a “cult of ‘taste and authenticity,’” involving one telling another what is and is not “real music” (Brooks 57). Above all, rockism is past-oriented (thus perpetuating the status quo), and centers white male “guitar god[s]” at the expense of women and people of color, who are largely excluded from the narrative (Brooks 58). Rockism is the disease. Hip hop is the anecdote. Rather than “[chaining] artists, audience, and critic to an ideal rooted in the past,”, hip hop is fresh and current. As Jeff Chang aptly put it, hip hop is “CNN for marginalized young people all around the world” (Riley). He cites the example of the LA riots, and how many hip hop listeners knew all about the background behind them long before the mainstream news media caught on. Furthermore, rather than maintaining the status quo as rockism does, hip hop directly challenges it, frequently including lyrics of powerful social and political protest. For example, Chang describes how Hamada Ben Amor’s song “Head of State” in Tunisia “mobilized young people” in such a way that ultimately “translated into this physical commitment that overturned the regime” (Riley). Finally, while rockism glorifies white male “rockstars”, hip hop amplifies the voices of women and people of color. My two DJ selections exemplify this; one is by Noname, a young Black woman, and the other by Princess Nokia, a Latina woman. Noname’s “Prayer Song” (2018) speaks out against institutional racism, with lyrics like “gentrify all my people, there’s emptiness on the table,” referring to how communities of color all over the U.S. are being forced out of the cities they call home. Clearly, this song illustrates the power of hip hop as a mode for marginalized individuals and groups to resist oppression. On the other hand, “Heart” (2020) by Princess Nokia is an anthem of self-empowerment, with Princess Nokia singing, “I don’t need approval, not from you or any man” and “inside I am beautiful, and this is who I am”. This represents hip hop’s ability to lift up marginalized individuals in a truly inspiring way.





DJ Selections:


“Prayer Song” by Noname (2018) [warning: explicit lyrics] 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhgZYYa1K1w


“Heart” by Princess Nokia (2020)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUDt0jRzgYM

Works Cited:

Daphne Brooks, “The Right to Rock: Racial Mythologies, Feminist Theory and the Pleasures of     Rock Music Criticism,” Women & Music, Vol. 12, 2008.

Riley, Theresa. “Still Fighting the Power.” BillMoyers.com, 18 May 2012,             billmoyers.com/2012/05/18/still-fighting-the-power/#.VKsGHnJzchg.email.