Black Male Masculinity

A documentary film by Byron Hurt. Hip Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes

It’s ironic that we criticize hip-hop for the degrading, violent and misguided images of masculinity, when the history of our culture idolizes these qualities in every other form of entertainment. By no means am I supporting or pacifying the negative aspects of hip-hop, but I find it interesting that the same judgments we place on hip-hop are for the same actions we see in films by popular White men. Who produced “Scarface?” Who produced “The Terminator?” Who was the terminator in “The Terminator?” Yet, for some reason, we tend to be more critical of these hyper-masculine behaviors in hip-hop. Unfortunately, I don’t think it is a coincidence that these are the same behaviors that Black men have been type-casted to posses.

                In the film “Hip Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes,” Byron Hurt examines the content and images that are expressed in our mainstream hip-hop society. As a hip-hop connoisseur, Hurt questions the messages that the music industry is sending to young men and women in the Black community. Although he doesn’t get many answers from people creating the music, the response from the people who are affected by the music demonstrates how the content destroys the values and unity within the Black community. I want to make it clear that not ALL hip-hop is destructive, but typically, the music that is mass produced and distributed is the music that negatively affects our communities the most. But, why? Many people believe that it’s because the record executives (White men) promoting the music, have never experienced the reality that this lifestyle represents. As popular rapper Jadakiss describes, “the big-man that, at the end of the day stamps the check… all scratch white [men].” They have no allegiance to the Black community, so as long as they can make money, they could care less rather or not it is destroyed.

                Although I do enjoy listening to some hip-hop myself, I am still vexed at why the destructive content is still accepted within the Black community. After so many years of recognizing its ability to instill negativity within our society, why haven’t these artists been outcast from mainstream?