Alridge, Derrick P., and James B. Stewart. “Introduction: Hip Hop in History: Past, Present, and Future.” The Journal of African American History, vol. 90, no. 3, 2005, pp. 190–95. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20063997. Accessed 8 Dec. 2022.

Hip hop culture has become an integral part of American culture and history. Since its inception in the 1970s, hip hop has grown to encompass many different aspects of life, from music to activism and everything in between. This 2005 article offers a comprehensive review of of hip hop’s complex history and its multifaceted role in society today. The essay explores the evolution of hip hop and its lasting impact on society as outlined by Alridge and Stewart. This source is useful for my paper as it provides context for what my research is on. It gives me a good grasp of the history of hip-hop, and how its origins have influenced modern-day music and African-American culture. Although the source is a little dated, it is a vital reference for background information on my subject matter.

Byron Hurt Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, February 20, 2007 

Byron Hurt’s 2007 documentary film Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes can be seen as a milestone in hip-hop culture, uncovering and questioning a lot of the deeply entrenched problematics the genre became massively successful in spite of. As a former hip-hop fan and one of the few male youth activists of his generation, Byron Hurt puts himself in the middle of controversial subjects that come up when hip-hop is discussed, such as misogyny, homophobia and hyper-masculinity. The film documented his personal journey as he unravels the complex stories and power dynamics behind some of the most signifying signs of hip-hop culture. This source is very useful in terms of my paper. Along with providing a modern day analytical documentary underlining the development and commercialization of hip-hop, it delves into the shift in demographic and gives actual examples of how the consumer base has shifted from a predominantly black audience to a more white audience. 

Davis, Lennard J., 1949-. Enforcing Normalcy : Disability, Deafness, and the Body. London ; New York :Verso, 1995.

In “Constructing Normalcy” by Leonard J Davis, the concept of being in the “norm” is brought up. This ideology considers and conceives what the “average” should be and states that all people should seek this “normalcy.” Davis argues that the social concept of normalcy can have negative implications in modern-day contexts. When we take into conext normalcy as its own concept, this may create the problem we see today in perceptions of people with disease and illness. The problem then doesn’t become the person with the disability, but the way that society has constructed normalcy to create and perpetuate the problem. Davis first published his article on Constructing Normalcy in 1995, so it is a pretty dated source. Nonetheless, it is still a great and prevalent source present-day. The concepts of norms and living in the norms constructed by society rings true to this day. In comparison to my work, by emphasizig the norms associated with the hood and bringing in general examples that Davis addresses, my paper can blend well with the outside evidence.

Flores, Lucien J. “Hip-Hop is for Everybody: Examining the Roots and Growth of Hip-Hop.” Inquiries Journal/Student Pulse 4.05 (2012). <http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/a?id=1686>

From hip-hop’s humble beginnings in the southern section of the Bronx in the late ‘70s, it has grown to become a global commercial, creative, and economic powerhouse. With this dissemination, many critics argue that the meaning behind the artistic form was lost and it’s message was diluted with its globalization and subsequent commercialism. Earlier hip-hop artists took a very political approach and voiced their frustrations with a society in which blacks were oppressed, powerless, and underrepresented. After a growth in popularity, big record labels bought out more independent and local labels, with an overall goal of reaping the benefits of hip-hop’s rise to prominence. Subsequent to this fact, there was a major shift in the lyrical and cultural content of hip-hop. The industry changed, and there was more of an emphasis on appealing to young white teenagers, which began to consume up to 70% of hip-hop produced. This source is very useful as it uses statistics and references facts from many other sources. In terms of my paper, this source is very serviceable in highlighting the shift in hip-hop culture overall, and the reason for this shift being attempts to appeal to a wider consumer base, generally comprised of young white teenagers. 

“Gunna &amp; Future – Pushin P (Feat. Young Thug) [Official Audio].” YouTube, 6 Jan. 2022, https://youtu.be/9g08kucPQtE 

The iconic rap duo of Gunna and Future came together and devised their hit single “Pushin P (Feat. Young Thug).” The song has hard hitting beats, swagged out rap verses, carefully placed ad-libs, and soulful vocals, which showcase the idea of “pushin P,” which means to essentially flaunt and show off your excessive wealth. This source is very useful in conveying a modern day example of how the genre of hip-hop has shifted to a more hyper-masculine, consumerist, and materialistic culture. 

Robinson, Chris A., “The Effects of Commercialization on the Perception of Hip Hop Culture and Black Culture in Mainstream Culture in the United States” (2011). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 554. <https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/554>

Hip hop culture and black culture have played an integral role in mainstream culture in the United States, both in terms of artistic expression and social politics. This essay focuses on these cultural contributions in light of Chris A. Robinson’s thesis, The Effects of Commercialization on the Perception of Hip Hop Culture and Black Culture in Mainstream Culture in the United States (2011). Robinson’s thesis outlines how the commercialization of hip hop and black culture has heavily influenced the perception of these cultures in mainstream culture, both positively and negatively. This source speaks exactly to the content of my paper. It talks exactly about what I am in my paper; the history and cultural contributions of hip-hop, and how commercialization has shifted this culture to become more mainstream and homogenized.

Rose, Tricia. Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America. Wesleyan Univ. Press, 1994. 

In her book, Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America, Rose Tricia provides an incisive examination into this revolutionary form of music. Rose Tricia delves deep into the complex, intertwined nature of rap and black culture and the impact it has had on America over the last several decades. Throughout her book, Rose Tricia explores various aspects of rap and hip hop, including the role of gender, the dynamic between mainstream and underground music, and the influence of rap content on its listeners. Ultimately, Rose Tricia provides a comprehensive and eye-opening account of rap and its far-reaching effects on contemporary America. This source is very useful in terms of analyzing and examining hip-hop as a form of music, and how it has been interweaved with black culture throughout the ages. Although the source is a little dated, it still provides good context from a book around the time period. 

Sugarhill Records. “The Sugarhill Gang – Rapper’s Delight (Official Video).” YouTube, 24 Aug. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcCK99wHrk0. 

This source is the music video for The Sugarhill Gang’s single, Rapper’s Delight. As Hip-Hop became more recognized, it made a transition from being more local and streets-focused to becoming more televised. This song and music video by The Sugarhill Gang was the first to bring major recognition to the genre of hip-hop and bring notable changes in the commercialization of it. They paved the way in creating a platform for other MCs to hopefully get recognition and sign to more major labels. When “Rapper’s Delight” was first televised, there was no youth representation and the racial makeup in the video was majority white. This led many people to believe that this was a “double-edged sword” for hip-hop because it enabled the art form’s rise to dominance, but it also appropriated to what the more white audience wanted to see in their music and visual representations. This source is useful in giving a firsthand example of the origins of the commercialization of hip-hop, and how these breakthrough artists wanted to conform to what the consumers wanted in order to be signed by these bigger record labels and gain more popularity. In terms of my own research, this source is useful in providing actual context to the time, and showing directly how the people back then saw the diffusion of hip-hop unfold. 

Yo! MTV Raps. Created by Ted Demme and Peter Dougherty, MTV Europe, 1988-1995 

Yo! MTV Raps was an influential and groundbreaking music video show for hip-hop music, created by Ted Demme and Peter Dougherty in 1988 for MTV Europe. Yo! MTV Raps ran from 1988 to 1995 and featured interviews, performances, and music videos from rap and hip-hop artists from around the world. Its cultural impact and influence on the global hip-hop industry is undeniable, making it a fascinating topic to explore. This source is useful in referencing how media has had a significant influence on the mass spread, diffusion, and commercialization of rap. This reference shows how modernization further perpetuated the stereotypes and outlook of what white people perceived  hip-hop and rap was.