Keturah Sarno

AFAS 371 SP16

02/07/2016

Writing Assignment 2

The essence of rap is who we are Pastor Calvin Butts

In the 1995 documentary Looking for the Perfect Beat, it portrays

a different message and explanation of what rap is to different groups
of people and artist. Rap is described as a way of life and the
documentary successfully shows the importance that rap has had on
influencing pop culture around the globe. Throughout the
documentary the viewer is able to see the significance of how rap is
more then just words on a page but expressions that comes in many
different categories and not just promoting crime, violence, and
misogyny.
In the documentary we are featured with rappers like rap-master
Melle Mel, Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, Ice Cube, Snoop
Doggy Dogg, members of Public Enemy, Arrested Development, group
UFO, music critic Nelson George, poet Gil Scott-Heron, and many
others. All these people speak out about the pressing topics and
categories of rap including its history, social responsibilities, civil

rights, and urban experiences. One quote that stood out to me the
most was describing rap and furthermore the different forms of it like
break dancing and how it was important because it was another
expression of showing your energy to the music that was making you
feel good... (10:30). This was an important quote to me because it
explains that hip hop, rap, break dancing, etc. is more then
promoting violence but it is an expression of their realities and break
dancing uses those energies that may be negative and then turns
them around into a positive energy. Therefore, articulating themselves
with these different forms of hip-hop does this. I also believe that
because this is many realities people confuse it with that promotion of
violence when instead they are expressing their lives and what theyve
been through that isnt always picture perfect. This then leads to a
confusing picture of how others that may not understand these
situations view their music and may disapprove it because they dont
understand that bringing awareness about tough subjects isnt always
easy to project to others and using rap, hip-hop and break dancing,
makes this process possible. Furthermore, these ideas relate directly to
our readings in the book, Understanding African American Aspects in
Hip-Hop Cinema by Melvin Donalson. Because it discuses the way hiphop, break dancing, graffiti, and clothing, it connects well with the
different genres of how hip-hop is portrayed in movies like Tougher
Than Leather brought many opinions on how the depiction of how hip-

hop is played and brought negative responses by those who

positioned themselves in cinematic taste. (Donalson Pg. 21). It also
relates to situations in todays society through newscast where hip-hop
and rap is still seen as nonsense even though there are songs that still
have meanings and discuss or express things that happen in that
persons reality.
In the fictional film, Do the Right Thing, we see a wide range of
different types of personalities in a big city. One event that stuck out
the most to me in the movie was the character Radio Raheem and his
passion for music and rap by always carrying his beat box and blasting
his tunes. This was interesting because in the film he goes to order a
pizza at Sals pizza and is rejected for expressing his music in the shop
until he turns it off. I find this significant because later on in the movie,
Radio Raheem comes back to petition at Sals pizza shop and ends up
getting in a huge fight after Sal breaks smashes his radio with a bat.
This is symbolic because after this happens the cops are called and
eventually kill Radio Raheem while trying to break up the fights. This
reminds me of the text above and how it connects to the documentary
for the fight to express ones self through music and rap. Later after the
death of radio Raheem the movie ends with a song on the radio
honoring him. I find this important because it shows the community of
people and even though hard times people will never give up and stop

trying to express their culture and will continue to fight for recognition
even if its good or bad.
To conclude, hip-hop and rap music as a whole has generated a
lot of attention throughout the years and will continue to do so. In the
documentary Looking for the Perfect Beat, we were able to see and
understand the different roles rap plays in everyday life with
expressing ones reality and the fact that because it may be ones
reality doesnt mean that it purposely is meant to support or portray
violence. Similarly in the fictional film, Do the Right Thing, we see this
example again how violence isnt always what is wanted but a
response to poverty in cities where its hard to maybe find ones self and
this is why I believe hip-hop and rap is so inspiration because it lets out
that good feeling you get when you are able to express yourself.
Work Cited

Rap:LookingforthePerfectBeat.N.p.,n.d.Web.
TheUniversityofArizonaLibraries/AllLocations.N.p.,n.d.Web.07Feb.2016.
Donalson,MelvinBurke."Representin'intheBeginning':The1980s."HipHopin
AmericanCinema.NewYork:PeterLang,2007.724.Print.

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