Black Culture in Popular Media

Barack Obama is one of the most divisive figures in history. But no matter what side of the argument you look at, everyone considers Obama black. Obama, as an cultural icon, is not exempt from the power struggle. Obama is a champion in black America and gives exposure and a voice. At the same time, predominantly white communities use Obama as a villain and excuse to vilify related policies like the Affordable Care Act, calling it Obamacare to prey on racial fears.

Four NBA stars gave speeches on BLM at the ESPY awards in 2016. Example of using popular culture to make a difference(shift the power)












                         

  Google Search: Rap Artists

What is hip-hop? Hip-hop is composed of four elements: dj, emcee, breakdance, and graffiti. In today's popular culture, hip hop has been expanded to mean just about anything related to street culture. Hip hop clothes, hip hop dance classes, and hip hop music are all examples of distorted black culture. Hip hop originated in the 1970's from the Bronx, started by African Americans and Latinos to a lesser extent.

Kendall Jenner's Pepsi Commercial. Famous for marginalizing the Black Lives Matter movement. Speaks to Stuart Hall's point on how no matter how deformed the forms in which black people, communities, and traditions appear and are represented in pop culture, we continue to see the experiences that stand behind them. Despite its marginalization of the movement, Black Lives Matter gained exposure as a result of the commercial.

Beyonce: Formation

Beyonce's superbowl performance is an example of the struggle over cultural hegemony. Hall notes that the fight for power between cultures is often waged in popular culture. Beyonce's song references black history and appreciates predominantly black traits. She and her backup dancers wore costumes inspired by the Black Panther Party. Huge backlash from the media. Stuart Hall probably would've considered this "good" popular culture. Refers back to black experiences and expressivitiy