AFRAM 337 Blog Post 4

In "Country Music Is Also Mexican Music," Hurtado highlights how country music is portrayed in modern America. For all of my personal life, I have associated country music with "white" or "American" culture. From the pure whiteness of the genre for all I've known, I completely dissociated myself with ever trying to listen to the music. However, the author mentioned that Department of Homeland Security recruits their agents at large country festivals. The ironic part of that fact is that country music has deep roots in Mexican culture. Country, arguably the most "patriotic" genre, isn't actually from America? Trump notoriously hates Mexico and blames many of America's own issues on the bordering country. However, "Trump failed to note that without Mexican culture, the beloved American genre might never have existed" (Hurtado). With America's long history of wronging everyone else but themselves, it's not surprising at all that America basically erased the history of the things they "claim." I think it's just one more reason why America's culture is filled with vultures. Moreover, in "Finally, Filmmakers Tell the Forgotten History of Seattle DIY Self-Defense Group Home Alive," Laina Dawes discusses the event of Mia Zapata's rape and murder. While discussing Mia, the author mentioned the "grunge scene" in Seattle and how "there was this lack of history talked about that no one of our generation knew about" (Dawes). With both of these articles, the erasure of facts and history seems to be the trend. White culture is essentially taking (stealing) from other cultures, claiming them as their own, and rewriting it for future generations. Sad.
For my songs, I chose a song by Bhad Bhabie and another by 6ix9ine. I absolutely despise these artists, but I believe they fully embody the term, "culture vulture." People like Bhad Bhabie, a white woman who often tries to talk in African American Vernacular English to try to act more "hood" or "credible." Her rise of fame was only thanks to the way she talked and how she presented herself. Later claiming that she can "act like this" because of how she was raised. Sadly, she does not acknowledge how white people have been ripping off cultures for years without any credit. Nowadays, white people are trying to join the hip hop scene and acting as if they have been there all along. In the case of 6ix9ine, he is truly and utterly repulsive. Without any African heritage, 6ix9ine says the "N" word more than most. He claims he's the best at what he does (rap) without even thinking about the repercussions of how much he steals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPw_izFr5PA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW4YGJRUgc4

by Johnny Le