Rap Music's Double-Voiced Discourse: A Crossroads for Interracial Communication

TLDR: In this paper, the authors focus on the public discourse of rap music as an ELECTRONically mediated forum, which is being used by participants in order to redefine their ethnicity and relationship to the mainstream.

Abstract: out historical precedent. Resultant problems are often exacerbated by the &dquo;hall of mirrors&dquo; effect of a mass media subject to manipulation by those who derive power from existing conflicts. We have many examples of how the mass media inflames tensions between different ethnic groups, and all too few examples of how these groups can use the media for creative resolution of their differences. One example of such conflict resolution can be found in rap music. I would like to focus here on the public discourse of rap music as an &dquo;electronically mediated&dquo; forum (Poster 1990) which is being used by participants in order to redefine their ethnicity and relationship to &dquo;mainstream&dquo; culture. Although rap is an artform primarily pioneered by black urban youth, the majority of its audience its non-black. This paradox is resulting in a heated debate which, I believe, can shed light on our efforts to come to an understanding of &dquo;what diversity means.&dquo; Rap music supplies &dquo;the only commentaries that many black youths will listen to,&dquo; the New York Times has noted (Leland 1989, 29). They are also increasingly one of the few commentaries many non-black youth take seriously. Stereotypes of rap as a forum for phallocentric boasting may be reinforced by highly publicized events like the 1990 2 Live Crew obscenity trial (see Adler 1990). But some critics close to rap argue that contrary