Albert Dennie
Eng 201A 1-2:50
9/26/2008

Hip Hop = Violence
Violence has surrounded the world let alone the communities of minorities the most. In the new generation hip hop referred to as gangsta rap, artists do not take the time out to promote positive albums meaning the lyrical content that is exercised. It is expressed that record executives only want what will sell. But, what sells? Is it the violence within the lyrical content that attracts its listeners? This paper will consist of three points about hip hop: the first point that will be made is how has hip hop influenced society before gangsta rap? the second consists of how it is viewed amongst societies new generation? And the third and final point that will be made is what can we do as a society to bring back the real meaning of hip hop?
In the early days of hip hop the music was exhilarating. It had a meaning and there was no violence or disrespecting of women, let alone the exploitation of both. Mcee’s as they were called simply rapped about everyday life in a positive way. There was no so called “beef” that turned into street violence. If another rapper felt like they were being dissed they would battle. The meaning of battle can be described as dancing or freestyle rapping against there opponent with numerous people surrounding them in the park applauding it. As I listen to the original hip hop the beat is body motivating and Run Dmc, a talented hip hop artists does not use verbal obscenities in his music or videos. In the 1986 hit “Tricky” by: Run Dmc he, describes how tricky it is in the society he lives in as far as corporate America. He does not speak of robbing at gun point or kidnapping, etc…
You can detect love and a sense of meaning in this original music.

In the year 2008 over 3 decades have gone by and hip hop has taken a turn for the worse. The meaning of this so called gangsta rap is not a good one. Artists feel that they should only rap about sex, drugs, violence, and the exploitation of all three is what is selling records. Record executives also believe that if you do not make an album that the people want to hear than we will not sign you to a record deal. Artists put these albums out knowing the outcome and reactions of society but continue to still exploit. They put these albums thinking nobody is going to do what I say; they just want to hear it. Well, I’m sorry to say that this new generation doesn’t know any better. As I listen to new music from new artists all I hear is “I own this block” or “if you don’t like it I will shoot your hood up” or “I’m going to slap that women and make her sell her body for money”. Not saying that these artists do not have a message, it’s just that the message that is being displayed is not a good one and is viewed by most minorities in poverty because that’s where most of the music is aimed at. I believe you can rap about where you are from or where you have came from but it is how u exploits it. So many crimes come from music, television, and video games. The violence that is exposed is viewed by people who intake the information negatively and don’t realize the consequences because they are not given. There is a difference between Nas, who is a prominent rapper but speaks with a positive meaning, opposed to DMX, who is a rapper but his meaning is negative. I believe that you can say that Nas would be hip hop because he speaks of how we can make the world a better place if we all make a change starting with ourselves and not settling for this society that the corporate America has made for us. I say DMX is the opposite because, he talks about how he has lived in poverty and what he had to do as a child but, he is not in poverty anymore so why not send a positive message now that you have made it out the “hood” as it is referred to. You can get a sense of hatred and oppression and animosity towards the world in DMX’s music while NAS posses a positive outlook on life, happiness, and bringing back the African American culture.
My third and final point is how can we turn gangsta rap back into hip hop? I believe we can bring back hip hop. I believe we can start at the record executives company’s. I feel that if we as a people strike against offensive music than artists and the companies who represent them will have no choice but to make a change to the message it displays and the content that it is displaying. We can also listen to the music and not react negatively but, react intelligently meaning know the consequences for actions stated in the music. Instead of rapping about armed robbery lets rap about how we can start groups and clubs that our youth can receive positive guidance. If artists give positive music a chance, they will see that people actually like listening, and they might get people to put down guns, and stop using verbal and physical violence to sell music. If there were more artists such as; Lauryn Hill, Mos Def, Common, Nas, Erykah Badu I believe that hip hop will still posses a positive meaning and will not equal violence. Until we do so we as listeners are vulnerable and susceptible to this music called “gangsta rap”.
So now that I have shown how music was, how it is now, and maybe a solution to the messages it promotes it is up to us as listeners to want a change and to make a change. We are the stepping stone for a change. Executives will have no choice but to change the music we are protesting against to music that we want to hear because we are the audience. I myself love to listen to the various different messages of various artists of rap but, I have come to realize that if I do not like it than I can turn the station or turn it off. If more people turn off negative music and only positive music is promoted than record company’s have no choice but to listen and make a change!

Some of the qualities i believe that makes a good writter are; knowledge of correct english, getting all the facts of what they are writting about, not just finding information and jotting it down but taking all context into your own interpretation. some writters i think write from the heart and that has to do with feelings. you can't write something about feelings if the feelings you are talking about is not how u feel. in your work i believe you must be honest!

Revised Changes Essay

Albert Dennie
Eng201 A 1-2:50
9/13/2008

College Success = Success in Life

I’ve been out of school for five years and have worked on and off at various retail stores as well as warehouses. I was seventeen then and not sure what I wanted to do with my life. Five years later, I know this is not it!

One evening I was sitting in the living room watching TV. And this Everest College comes on the screen yelling “get off the couch and call xyz…” So I got off the couch and went to my computer and applied for admissions to the nearest college which, happened to be the College of Alameda. This was early august 2008. The college sent me an email confirmation upon my approval for admittance a day later. After that, I was advised to schedule an Assessment Exam to see what I remembered and didn’t from five years ago. I was kind of tensed but this wasn’t a pass or fail test. When I got my results I walked over to the counselor’s bunker where I spoke with a counselor who referred me to Brenda Bias, one of the teacher’s in the Transformative Learning Center, Sspire. She told me that the program would required that I maintain no lower than a C-average and above, and participate in college tours, information sessions pertaining to colleges, writing classes and other activities I need to obtain a four year degree.

College can help people make better decisions by broadening their minds to things unknown. A way I think college can help is by getting to students to open a book and “read between the lines (Adler 376)”. In “How to Mark a Book scholar Mortimer Adler points out that students need to “annotate” when we are reading and for a better understanding. So far college is helping me pay attention to words I did not know. I have picked up Tupac Shakur’s Holler If You Hear Me and I have read into it and got an understanding before it was assigned in class to read.

The first step in my transformation was leaving the TV. alone. Before the Everest College experience, I’d already felt that my mind needed to be nourished with knowledge. I felt like I didn’t know a lot of words and I needed to know the meaning and how to use them in context. I wanted a better job of course; I had to get more education. I believe that now that I am older I need education the most. I need education for a better understanding on life.

"The world is yours"

Nas explains how he is scared and terrified every time he holds the “mic”. “Mechanical Movement” meaning he is taking his time and pacing himself. Nas says that thief’s live by a code and easy enough for the average minority can understand, and the only time when they go about their shady business is at night time. The addiction that NAS has for “hip hop” is like a person who is addicted to an addictive drug. The mind motivation of NAS comes to him such as; “PAPPY MASON” (who is Perry mason, a detective who is very good). NAS speaks of the struggles that he is overcoming and there is nobody that will stop him. He also speaks of not wanting his children by pointing guns at baby pictures. “The world is yours” to me is defined as; nobody can stop me, there are broad societies that exist with many different opportunities. He is out to get “DEAD PRESIDENTS” which means money and he wants to be represented by the number of how big his “money stack” is.