This past week in my Comm 110 class, we’ve been discussing music’s role in politics. Our professor posed the question of whether music can still be political and whether it can still be a calling for civic action as it used to be in the 1960s and ’70s. In class we watched the documentary, Sounds Like a Revolution. This film discusses many aspects of music in politics. It brings up the point that it’s hard for an overly political artist to make it big, because many labels won’t sign an artist who plays that kind of music. Every radio station is controlled by one of two big corporations, so if you try to get your song that doubles as a political message on the radio, it’s not going to happen. These days, most artists who do wish to perform this kind of music are signed to independent labels, so the general public doesn’t really get to hear them.
Today we wrapped up our discussion on music, and discussed if music can still make an impact, or if it’s just about selling out and getting a catchy song on the radio. One student used the example of Macklemore as an artist that still uses music to send a deeper message. Now I’m sure you’re thinking exactly what I was when I heard this: You mean the guy that wrote Thrift Shop?? This student explained that much of Macklemore’s rap is about serious topics such as his own struggle with drug addiction. In addition, he is also an avid supporter of gay rights. In his song “Same Love” off the Album The Heist (the same album of his hit single “Thrift Shop”). In “Same Love” Macklemore raps about how when he was a child he thought he was gay because of the stereotypes society gives gay people. He goes on to preach about how hurtful “that’s gay” and “faggot” can be. He also criticizes the homophobic nature of the hip-hop community. He compares gay rights to civil rights, explaining that everyone should be treated equally, regardless of skin color or sexual orientation.
I think it’s very refreshing to hear this kind of message come from a popular rapper. Rapper in the past have often reinforced a bad name for homosexuals, but Macklemore is trying to reverse that view. I think it’s so important to have musicians taking a stand for gay right, it’s just a shame that “Same Love” couldn’t be the song to top the charts for four weeks straight. When most people think of Macklemore, they usually think of “Thrift Shop,” a catchy song that’s about nothing more than shopping at a thrift shop. I think the issue is that even if artists are coming out with songs that have a deeper message, those aren’t the songs that are hitting number or being played on the radio.
I encourage all of you to listen to “Same Love” if you haven’t already heard it. This article has a link to the video at the bottom.
Sources:
Sasson, Eric. “Macklemore Bucks Trends With Pro-Gay Raps, Thrift Shopping.”Speakeasy RSS. The Wall Street Journal, 20 Feb. 2013. Web. 13 Mar. 2013. <http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/02/20/macklemore/>.
This was the first Macklemore song I ever heard, and I love it. I think it’s so refreshing to hear a rap song about something that matters rather than “pussy, money, weed”. (I hate stupid rap music SO much). I think music really does have the power to bring about political change, and this song’s popularity attests to that.
I am a HUGE fan of Macklemore. I remember the first time I heard “Same Love” I nearly fell out of my chair attempting to grab my phone to text all my friends telling them to go listen to the song. It made me incredibly happy to hear that they had all already heard it. This kind of music may be popular within certain groups of people, but I agree that it is a shame that it doesn’t get as much wide-spread recognition as the more catchy song. However, I know that many rappers view the genre as a means of expressing their political views, such as with Eminem’s “Mosh” (2004) and Lupe Fiasco’s “Words I Never Said” (2011.) Personally, I prefer the song with more meaning to the song with a better beat.
I love this! Artists like Macklemore and Lady Gaga really get their beliefs across such as homosexuality. These messages are extremely effective on their fan base! Bravo to Macklemore. I like him even more than I already did.
I think the hip-hop community is homophobic mainly because hip hop and rap have almost come together to form the hip/hop-rap genre of which whose lyrics mainly speak about doing drugs, having sex, and getting money. And being gay really does not go along with that style of musical performance. I do not think this is a homophobic view on behalf of the rap community; I think it is simply that part of the rap community is all about being extremely straight. On the other hand, I do feel that hip hop/rap is becoming more about being clever that talking about having sex, and with this, more gay rappers may appear.
This is so true. All the music nowadays is all about being catchy, I honestly can’t really ever listen to the top charts anymore because half of the music is stupid. (Although I do like thrift shop) I wonder if radios played music that had deeper messages if it would make a difference, I like to think it would because a lot of the music I listen to has deeper meanings and I am all for Civil Rights. I feel like our country needs to try harder in all aspects so that people really start fighting for civil rights issues. Even music can make a difference.