In the readings, Chang does a great job illustrating how governmental policy at the local, state, and federal level impacts communities of color. Too often the oppressive nature of urban based policy initiatives displaces families, uproots employment opportunities, and undereducates communities of stranded individuals that get caught up in a spin-cycle of crimminal activity, substance abuse, and lock out of the political process.
As a result of the barrage of blight that is left behind, voices of dissent and disdain emerge to showcase the cultural baggage caused by their social condition. In the post civil rights era, society has witnessed this outcry through the various elements of Hip Hop Culture; DJing, Break Dancing, Graffitti Writing, MCing, and Knowledge seeking.
Friday, September 12, 2008
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The Reagan Administration's policies was set up in a way that the rich was going to get richer and the poor was going to get poorer. Reagan had established tax cuts in order to boost the income of the rich and make the poor even poorer. People in the urban communities started lossing their jobs as a result of this. The average hourly earnings for manual workers dropped also. This caused people in the urban areas to commit crimes as Chang had stated in the text. These issues were expressed through grafittie, raping and MCing. Hip hop became a way to express the oppression that was going on in the hood.
Many people like to think as Reagan as a saint. But to those who were directly influenced think differently. That being the African American community. Reagan liked to blame them for the reason of inflation and overspending which is why he cut back programs that helped to service these people meaning they were getting less or no assistance or money to help out with bills and groceries. As a result, that community was getting poorer by the day. The best way to get their voices heard about the issue was through their music, hip-hop.
When It comes to Reaganomics, I am pretty sure that we all are on the same page. Also in Chang's "Can't Stop Won't Stop", he goes into the explanation of the effect that Reegan presidency had on the society. Reagan cut back a lot of programs and funding that was beneficial to the middle/lower classs community. The ideal of the decision was to help build the society with inflation and economics. But in actual reality it broke down the middle/lower class, which was basically African Americans. As result of feeling opressed, their reaction and emotional expression was showed through hip hop, grafittie and anything else that revolved around that genre. So the hood found an outlet to express their anger and be political at the same time.
Ronald Reagan’s policies dissected two decades of civil rights gains. He attempted to reverse the long-standing policy of denying tax-exempt status to private schools that practice discrimination, and he aligned himself with the apartheid government of Pretoria. All of the Reagan administration’s policies that disproportionately affected blacks in a negative way had an impact on hip hop. Hip Hop was like the black peoples news, and if things in politics and life in general were not right it would show up in the music. The songs carried messages about oppression and racist policies designed to destroy the black community, and undo the advances made during the civil rights movement. The Reagan policies made the already poor black communities poorer, and increased crime and made it harder to survive. Hip Hop reflected this with the messages in the songs.
Reagan's adminstration was set up in a way that seeme to make black people fail in numerous ways. By bringing a highly addictive drug into the communities and making the impoverished communites worse by changing the taxes. In the section of Chang's cant stop, wont stop he talkes about Reagans time in office and what type of things happened in the world and he goes into more fetail about what effects it had on hip hop . I think that it made hip hop have a source of substance and it actually helped black outs and made them feel empowered. Songs like fight the power which iwas released in 1989 showed what was going on in our country and gave the hip hop community a sense of empowerment because there was someone who understood what they were going through.
Reaganomics was a bad period of time for blacks. The Reagan administration definitely made it hard for the black communities to succeed. Between the tax cuts for the rich and the lack of funding given to the black communities this was the reasoning for the rich/whites getting richer and the poor/blacks getting poorer. The Reagan administration also introduced to the black community crack/cocaine they claim they didnt know this was going on but they did. This now created more crime in the black community and now more blacks were going to jail which were creating more jobs for the whites. With all this going on within our black communities they want a change and the only way they know how to do this is through expression which in return is Hip Hop this was letting everyone know what is going on within the black communities and how they were being treated and what need to change and how bogus this man was for the policies he implemented.
According to Chang, Reaganomics in an attempt to lower taxes essentially just shifted the tax burden from upper class US residents to lower class US residents. In addition, to attempt to decrease domestic spending it brought an end to the funding of social programs. In the middle class and lower class communities largely made up of African Americans, the system of economics tore the community apart. Many families fell apart due to the added stress or debt and children were lead to roam the streets in search of entertainment due to there not being social programs. Furhtermore, the Reagan administration started an under the table drug trafficking directed towards the desperate torn down lower class communities in which people in seach of a way out of plaguing debt began to sell drugs further destroying and already destryoed community. A reccurring theme in Changs work is the need of the African American Community to be heard. Obviously, the government did not pay any attention to it. You can see this in the way a policy was passed totally disregarding the too well known effets it would have on the community. Therefore, the people needed an outlet that would rise to a larger audience to get their voices heard. This outlet ended up being hip-hop. Not just through music but through dramatic graffiti, style of dress, and dance. The community resourcefully found an outlet that could get them the popularity, representation, and outlet of expression they deserved. Most importantly it gave the community a identity that gave them respect.
As I stated last week, Reagan had a profound effect on what we consider the Golden age of Hip Hop. His administration laid down a economic plan to help the country. The policies were set up to decrease spending in the public sector, basically what the government pays for. Schools, hospitals, social programs all suffered a severed budget under Reagan. Now the Reagan logic is to give that money to people with money or ones trying to make money, through tax breaks and incentives. They basically wanted more money to be made in the country and everyone would benefit. They wanted to cure social problems with money. This reminds me of the World Bank and IMF and their structural adjustment policies. These institutions loaned smaller countries money to help them industrialize but they also told them how to rebuild. They wanted more trade, lower taxes and deflate the public sector. Its the same thing Reagan did over here. But instead of everyone in society getting money, only the ones at the top, elitist, collected the money tho and all the people at the bottom didnt get anything. This enormous social pressure produced some profound hip hop.
Unfortunately, Reagan took over during a time in which the country was enduring a high inflation rate as well as unemployment rate. The purpose of Reagan’s policies were to reduce the growth of government spending, marginal tax rates on income from labor and capital, government regulation of the economy, and control the money supply to reduce inflation with the sole purpose of cutting back on domestic spending while lowering taxes. Currently, these standards and tactics were dubbed “Reaganomics” by historians as well as members of society during this time period. Although it appeared as though he had great intentions upon implementing his policies, they ultimately further oppressed the members of the lower and middle classes. Therefore resulting in a decline in the racial barriers as a means of realization that society was divided by financial boundaries rather than color boundaries. Upon realizing their influence amongst the hip-hop community, which consisted of members of the suffering lower classes, MCs began to send messages through their music. “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and Furious Five told the story of the lower class lifestyle as a result of the current Reaganomics implemented within American society. In the end, the purpose of Hip-Hop was a means of escaping the hardships that life forces one to endure. Consequently, individuals would use their artistic abilities as a segway to showcase their feelings as a means of taking their minds off of the societal oppression imposed upon the community. Now more than ever were the foundations of Hip-Hop exploited as their were more instances of graffiti, MCing, DJing, and B-boying as everybody looked to showcase their identity and impose their influence within the community as they told their story.
The effect that the Reagan Administration's policies had on Hip Hop was that since times were so bad for anyone middle/lower class, many people began to use Hip Hop as their temporary get away from the everyday struggles directly caused by the Reagan policies. In chapter 9, of Chang's book it talks about how people saw the club scene as a chance to escape the oppression of time and vault the restrictions of social order caused by Reaganomics. The club scene and hard times also brought about unprecedented unity and peace among races within the Hip Hop community even though this was not occurring outside of Hip Hop.
Reagan's administration worked to undo a lot of social programs and advancements in education that the Carter Administration worked so hard to establish. Under Reagan's leadership young minorities weren't receiving quality education, our people were becoming poorer because of the tax cuts and the lack of social programs resulted in our people struggling through this era of administration. Our people weren't be taken care of by the administration so the frustrated used the Hip Hop culture to express themselves. The culture served as a medium to unify people through common experiences that they shared. Graffiti, DJing, MCing, and rapping were key players in developing an identity that others had to notice even though they were oppressed by administrations that really didn't care about the plights of minorities.
When Reagan took office the Reagan policies shifted most of the tax burden to middle class and wroking class and kept unemployment rates high. As mention in the book his era made the gap between the rich and poor higher than ever, and drastically declined the net worth of minority families.His trickle-down- theory basically reversed the earning of civil rights and how it influenced hip-hop. The oppresion that African Americans were facing during the Reagan era shined through in the hip hop culture. Hip hop was the voice of African Americans; it was an identity. It was a way For African American people to recognize and express themselves.
Unlike most, I don't believe that there's someone in Washington that sits in a chair and thinks, "what law can we make to get richer and make the poor, poorer?" Nevertheless, I believe that there are people in Washington that sit in a chair and subconciously thinks of policies that conserve the "liberties" that were granted to them and others like them that the disadvantage don't have access to. More importantly, I know that there isn't anyone in Washington that sits in a big chair with some real authority and thinks, "How can I influence these otherwise conservative policies to be more benificial for the disadvantaged populations?"
As a result of these characters or missing characters, policies like those of Reagan, are enacted without full consideration and analysis of how ALL populations will be affect or disadvantaged by the policy. As a result, it's just as Reggie said, but with a little twist: The rich get richer, the poor get jailed.
In this concept, the rich get richer from the conservation of their resources, liberties and wealth that increase as ours (disadvantaged Hip-Hop generation) are taken away because we have no outlet other than Hip-Hop to espress ourselves and of, of course, no money to afford a good lawyer to defend oursleves from the circumstance.
Although the Regan Administration made our country grow further into poverty and debt, it also did birth some great things like none other. In the case of Hip Hop, Chang describes how Hip Hop Culture changed during his time in office. It became more than an outward expression of the peoples' daily struggle. It took steps deeper, in my opinion. The Message, for example, made the country become away of what was happening not just in NY impoverished neighborhoods but in the country as a whole. As a child in the 80s, I witnessed Regan on TV EVERY Thursday, just in time for the Cosby show to air. I know he was continuously talking about the economy and the infamous War on Drugs. I remember The Message being played on the radio every twenty minutes or so and had no understanding of what it meant. Being older and witnessing Regan/Republican politics being repeated in the 21st century I can't help but wonder if current Hip Hop artist will speak out about more than sex and drugs. Regan’s policies on poverty are repeating, low-income Americans are being moved around and their housing projects are being torn down. The rate of employment has dropped immensely since we've had a Democratic president. Just as Regan's Administration we are a country at war again and unfortunately Hip Hop is not expressing these things as it did in the 80s. And the handful that are get NO play on the radio.
The Reagan Administration, did not do a lot to help African Americans and the poor. Reagan once said that: "government cannot solve the problem, but government is the problem". He felt that government should stay out of people's lives and let people govern themselves, but when you have a population of poor people, the majority African-Americans who cannot provide for themselves, there is a problem. Reagan's Administration cut a lot of programs that were geared to assist blacks and the poor, because of his lax government style. When urban youth felt that their voices were not being heard by government and others they turned to hip-hop and expressed themselves through, music, art, grafitti, etc. Even today we still see urban youth who want to be heard, have an identity and a voice, and they express it through, pimped-out cars, loud music, etc.
Black people suffered greatly from the policies instituted under the Reagan Administration. Mechanisms where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer affected the financial gap between the upper class and middle and lower classes. Small things such as the difference of incarceration time for crack and cocaine kept black men in the prison system longer than their white counterparts. The hardships of this time period gave birth to hip hop. While black people were able to band together to fight a common cause that was spread across the nation. It was us against the government and hip hop told the world that we weren't going to take it.
The articles in the “Knowledge Bank” column of our blog analyzed the trickle-down economics and “Reaganomics.” I quickly saw the negative effects of these theories and policies and immediately connected it to what we are going through right now with the second-coming of the “Reaganomics”…the “Bushnomics,” and its affect on the music that Hip-Hop artists produce today. Jeff Chang did a great job analyzing the effects of such negative political policies and initiatives like the “Reaganomics” and showing how it made the poor even poorer, and the rich getting richer…which led to unemployment, crime, and drug abuse deeply in oppressed communities. Hip Hop gave the platform to the disenfranchised to speak out against the lowering of taxes to the wealthy by the Reagan Administration. Chang also discussed how these negative side-effects led to the creation of Hip-Hop, and the social conscious lyrics that these Hip-Hop artists expressed directly and indirectly to the world.
As of today, we are currently going through a recession led by the Bush Administration that is comparable to, if not worse than, the recession led by the Reagan Administration in the 1980s. Differentiating between how Hip-Hop artists who were affected by the Reagan Administration and it’s “Reaganomics,” and Hip-Hop artists who are currently going through the second-coming of the “Reaganomics” led by the Bush Administration are extremely different with their aim at addressing political, social, and economic issues that are plaguing the disenfranchised communities. Most Hip-Hop artists of today are, or at least being portrayed as going along with the “Bushnomics” and the current political administration’s ideology of capitalism. Most of the Hip-Hop lyrics that are being pumped out in mainstream media air-waves today are not speaking out against or voicing for change of political and economic policies like the “Bushnomics.” You will mostly hear in mainstream media Hip-Hop lyrics that will coexist with such negative policies & initiatives that effect the disenfranchised. You will hear current Hip-Hop albums and songs like: “Get Rich or Die Trying,” “Money On Mind,” and “Money Straight;” which are profoundly different from the albums and songs like: “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back,” “Hard Times,” and “The Message” that were from Hip-Hop artists during the Reagan recession.
Becuase of the decisions made by Reagan's administration, it made it harder for lower income people to move up economically, it actually made them worse off. The people were suffering from minor inflations and decreasing chances of employment. Becuase of this people(black) began to express what they were going through and many different forms and one being hip pop. Strikes and protests were even supported by the biggest mc's of that time.(i.e; Run DMC performing at the university to support the students during their protest.)
During the Reagan administration there were tax cuts for the rich with the idea that it would generate the economy and make people invest more. What it really did was give the rich a chance the get richer because they invested in the places like the new growing suburbs while leaving the urban areas in shambles. At this time Hip-hop music was really hitting the scene and making a name around the nation and the world. MC's really used there music, voice, and fame to let the world know what was going on. The poverty in the cities was a growing trend all around the nation so it caught the heart of many that were willing to listen. While to mainstream media tried to make hip-hop music seem so devilish it spoke the truth that the United States government did not want the rest of the world to know about.
"..blame Reagan for making me into a monster, blame Oliver north and Iran contra.."
Jay-Z
For some individuals in the African American community Reagan was a necessary evil that fueled hip hop with the ammunition to fight back against the injustices that engulf the every day life of individuals living in a make your own way society. In essence Jay-z public enemy and NWA all were given a reason to speak out against the machine we all despise, the government whether it be at the local, state or federal levels. From the loss of jobs to the budget cuts in youth programming we are still feeling the effects of the Reagan administration to this day the only difference being is that we refer to it as “Reaganomics”.
The Reagan administration was a perfect storm, so to speak, in that it completely redefined class in America. Economically speaking, the middle class pulls to the rich or to the poor depending on economic and societal conditions. When it pulls to the poor, there are usually strong social policies in place by the government that help the poor class and create a stronger base at the bottom rungs of the economy. When it pulls to the rich, the poor get left behind but many middle-class families overspend and live a life they aren't accustomed....this is what happened during Reagan's Presidency.
The middle class pulled to the Rich and many middle class families were living beyond their means. However, the poor and underclass got left behind in the wake. There were no policies in place (beginning of Affirmative Action) that would help the plight of the underclass. Instead, it was expected that the rich and the middle class would spend and circulate money into the economy, and in turn help the poor class out of the gutter. It didn't happen this way.
Instead, the poor class got poorer and sicker. There was the introduction of crack into neighborhoods. Even the strongest of these communities could not withstand the power of this drug. One such community was hip-hop.
Hip-hop was affected by crack and the destruction of black communities across the nation. Eventually this "party music" that helps people forget about their problems became a podium from which to share the problems of black communities. Hip-hop essentially became a new type of literature (media) for black youth and young adults.
As for a far reaching argument...which, I am not sure applies here. The Reagan administration is responsible for the massive amounts of white kids listening to hip-hop. Had it not been for the Affirmative-Action campaign, the idea of an "invisible culture" and the early 90's grunge rock craze would not have occurred and eventually lead into white kids searching for and finding an identity in hip-hop. This argument is very rough and based on the theories of Paul Roediger.
Sorry this is late, my entire basement was flooded and I was helping clean up.
While Hip Hop started on the of goals of providing an outlet to inner-city kids to end gang violenc, Reaganomics had a huge fundamental shift in economic distribution as supply side economics soon began to be viewed as a zero sum gain for the poor.Reaganomics purpose was to:
1. reduce the growth of government spending,
2. reduce marginal tax rates on income from labor and capital,
3. reduce government regulation of the economy,
4. control the money supply to reduce inflation.
However, its purpose was not met. IT left out the youth of color, and its ultimate purpose backlashed on the Black community. The Black community wasnt reaping the benefits of the Reaganomics.
Undoubtedly many of those in Hip Hop who boasted about material wealth took their cues from an increasing number of rich inner-city drug dealers, all of them were imitating the lives they saw on shows, like the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. many of those in Hip Hop who boasted about material wealth took their cues from an increasing number of rich inner-city drug dealers, all of them were imitating the lives they saw on shows. no one imagined the trickle down theory would lead to inner-city kids to obtain expensive cars, clothes and jewelry of the rich, what did trickle down to the inner-city was drugs and guns. Jobs, better schooling and economic opportunity did not trickle down to these neighborhoods. In fact, the impending drug epidemic of the mid 1980’s would soon almost sever any connection the inner-city had with investment coming from the mainstream.
Due to the policies implemented by the Regan Administration, people had to find an outlet. When we talk about hip hop, we talk about hip hop, we often speak of it in terms of activities and black people had to embrace these activities that we know of as the foundational roots of hip hop to compensate for activities that were being taken away from them through the tightening and cutback of funds given to social based programs. The hip hop culture sprung to the forefront like never before with activities of the block party and even rent parties. The voice of hip hop began to change, as people's rhymes began to get more politically fueled, such as Church D and Public Enemy. New leadership began to emerge in the black community and instead of this leadership being from the baby boomers and political activists, this leadership was coming straight from the mouths of the new urban griots, rappers and mcs.
Ronald Reagan and his administration was probably the worst thing to happen to America next to Pearl Harbor and September 11th. But on a serious note, I agree with what mike1447 said about Reaganomics. Reagan had the idea distilled in his head that putting up mcDonalds in poor neighborhoods would create job oppurtunites in poor communities. People in many communities don't really consider working at fast food spots a real job. Anything minimum wage is pretty much considered chump change then, and even now unless you a teenager. People saw crimes as more appealing than flippin burgers. As crimes went up, so did the community. They sought out other outlets such as Hiphop to relieve themselves of the stress caused by Reagan and his administration. Hip Hop just expanded to bring out the message to the people of what was truly going on.
The Reagan Administration played a vivid role in the hip hop world during the 1980’s. We are talking about a time period where it was all about the money. The administration, of course, lowered taxes and set up many programs to show that they cared so much about the community. Many of the programs fell through because no one attempted to keep them up. The rich got richer and to poor got poorer, but the administration was ok with this it was more money in their pockets. Blacks caught on to these activities and used hip-hop to its advantage. Reagan managed to become labeled as the “first hip-hop President,” but artist such as Grand Master Flash came out with hits (the message) to show the community that we will not let you continue ruining us.
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