Brief Assignment 1 – Annotated Bibliography

Thesis: Music has a positive influence on society that it has turned into a way to draw attention to change and inspire people to speak out on issues. 

Topic: How music can draw attention to current issues.

 

Khan, Katy. “Religion, Music, and the Question of Social Justice in Selected African American Singers.” Muziki: Journal of Music    Research in Africa, vol. 5, no. 2, Nov. 2008, pp. 179–187. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/18125980902796866. Accessed Oct 8,     2020

Summary:  The article discusses how religion and social justice tie together when individual artists write a song. Since the time of slavery, people have been using religious symbols in their music to come into terms with everything they went through in slavery. Its primary purpose is to show how music has helped people throughout time come together as a community and speak about what happened to them and their ancestors. 

Assess: The article is reliable because it is an academic journal researching music in Africa. It discusses the point of view of African American singers now reflecting on slavery and racism today. The author analyzes various songs like Kanye West “Jesus Walks,” Lupe Fiasco’s Muhammad Walks, and Scarface’s Somebody, which gives evidence on how music, religion, and social justice have had an impact and why it matters.

Reflect: I would use this source to speak on how music has always impacted not only now but also back then. In slavery, people used music and religion to explain what has happened to them and as a way out. This is still used today, and artists continue using music to demonstrate their frustration with racism and how their ancestors were treated back then. 

Quote: “ He argues that although most Negro spirituals did emerge from the Christian bible, the songs were deployed in secular situations where the songs became the tool of the struggle against racism in America.”

Paraphrase: The beliefs people of color had come from the bible, and religion was a massive part of their lives. Since religion was a huge part of their life, they took those ideas and merged it with the songs they composed to come to terms with the racism they had to deal with in America. 

Quote: “A key feature of the lyrics from the song is the fact they identify blacks as objects of ridicule, insult and un-accommodated beings in a country described as being ‘at war with ourselves’ (West 2008).”

Paraphrase: The lyrics of the song suggested that blacks weren’t seen as superior. They were suppressed and taken away from their humanity. The lyrics amplify that and say that they were always at war with themselves.

 

PEISNER, DAVID. “Hip-Hop’s Protest Era.” Rolling Stone, no. 1267, Aug. 2016, pp. 11–12. EBSCOhost,     search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=117043306&site=ehost-live.

Summary: This source portrays that music has the power to bring attention to the cruelty of what has happened in society. He discusses the response different celebrities have had to the black lives matter movement and how they responded to the police shootings. Famous singers wrote songs to bring awareness to the situation of Eric Garner and that they are disappointed that nowadays, minorities can’t walk outside of their house without police brutality is an issue. 

Assess: The source is written by a person in Rolling Stone magazine. This magazine is credible due to it being primarily known for its focus on popular culture. This person would have to be knowledgeable about music. 

Reflect: This source can be used to show how music can draw awareness to situations. It has useful information on how performers use music to acknowledge everything globally and how their voice offers a voice to others. 

Quote: “Love & Hip Hop star Joe Budden, who referenced Sterling and Castile in a four-minute freestyle over Beyoncé’s “Freedom,” said he decided to take action “when I heard that little girl” — the daughter of Castile’s fiancee — “having to console her mom after he had been murdered.”

Paraphrase: The quote shows how using music has impacted him and made him feel bad for everything happening. Hearing those emotions and feelings through a song impact you and makes you want to do something about it. 

Quote: “Her celebrity works in the function of social justice and does not overshadow the work,” he says. “When Beyoncé lists the names of the victims at her concerts or puts a link to lawmakers on her website, she invites more people into the conversation.” 

Paraphrase: Using music to share the names of every person of color that has been hurt recently or killed and has invited a worldwide audience into the issue. Not only people in that state who watched the news heard about the killings and abuse, but Beyonce fans also heard about it too and every pop news outlet. 

 

Rashid, Kamau. “‘Start the Revolution’: Hip Hop Music and Social Justice Education.” Journal of Pan African Studies, vol. 9, no.     4, July 2016, pp. 341–363. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=118030757&site=ehost- live.

Summary: The article expresses that Hip Hop is an expressive way to bring more awareness about white supremacy and racism. Hip Hop is something that is not from one generation, but it is passed down through different eras. The paper argues that in Urban communities, we see more of social justice through Hip Hop. 

Assess: The source is written by an author who studies African Studies. The journal is called “Journal of Pan African Studies.”This is an accurate source since it is an academic journal with someone who knows slavery and how African Americans have used it throughout time. 

Reflect: The source can be used to show how Hip Hop has played a role through tough times in Social Justice. It was a common way to stand up for what they believe in and their rights. It helps me speak about how music has been a way to communicate to the world every change that has happened and how it has affected people. 

Quote: “Hip Hop also became a new social canvas upon which the failures of the civil rights movement, the violent suppression of the Black Power movement, the sweeping changes of post-industrial society, and the painful dislocations of urban transformation and mass criminalization might be reconceived and reconstructed as the signifiers of a new social possibility- one wherein Hip Hop, as a cultural composite, might also reflect this new cultural movement.”

Paraphrase: Hip Hop has become a way to deal with the civil rights movement, the suppression during the Black Power Movements, and everything that happened with crime raising(police brutality). Hip Hop has become its own movement for social justice and has served as a way to communicate everything that has been happening with everyone.

Quote: “ Pulido argues that Hip Hop provides a rich textual discourse which resonates with many Latino/a youth, often providing counternarratives to the intolerance, racism, imperialism and class subordination which reflects their lived experiences.” 

Paraphrase: Hip Hop can also create a different narrative to all of the problems faced with African Americans and that is what is being shown to the youth. However, it is still a reflection of what is happening in their daily lives and it still a form of communication about what each individual goes through. 

 

Sachs, Aaron Dickinson, and Scott M. Schönfeldt-Aultman. “A Dialogue on Hip-Hop, Social Justice, and Pedagogy.” Pedagogy,     Culture & Society, vol. 26, no. 2, July 2018, pp. 265–281. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/14681366.2017.1389767.

Summary: This journal is based on an interview with Professor Scott on using hip-hop in the classroom. They discuss the challenges faced since the professor isn’t black. He discusses that even though he isn’t he is knowledgeable when it comes to racism and is still learning with everyone else. He says that he feels the most meaningful way to communicate everything that has happened to teens is through hip hop and all of them agreed. 

Assess: The interview is reliable because it is a direct interview with the Professor. Primary sources tend to be more reliable than secondary sources. Also, since he is using Hip Hop to teach we are able to learn how teaching students about issues through music helped them. 

Reflect: I will be using this interview because it shows the power of music. Not only artists used them as a way out but teachers use them as a way to speak on issues since it is what is more appealing to students. Also, Hip Hop is something that has always been in history and we could hear perspectives from multiple generations. The interview will allow me to have the input of someone who was teaching about issues that never went a way through music since I have sources of artists, teachers will be a new input. 

Quote:  “they would bring much of the knowledge about hip-hop, and I would provide the academic hip-hop readings and theory. I knew I could navigate conversations around race, class, gender, and sexuality within hip-hop, and that there was a vibrant local hip-hop scene (much of it rooted in social justice issues) to draw upon.”

Paraphrase: Music makes these difficult conversations about race, class and gender and secuality much more easier than just readings. It’s more unity and more teamwork since teens already have that knowledge and he would just bring in the theory and help them analyze the songs. 

Quote: “ my sense that students of color didn’t often have classes that reflected their experience.”

Paraphrase: Music allowed people to have a voice. Before that students do not have time to reflect on their experiences, they just had the basic things they were supposed to learn in schools. Merging music which students enjoy with their experiences allow them to be more aware since not many classes allow that to occur. 

 

Trecek-King, Anthony. “On Our Way Programming a Martin Luther King Jr Concert for Youth Choir.” Choral Journal, vol. 56, no.     8,  Mar. 2016, pp. 10–21. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=112392822&site=ehost-live.

Summary: The paper speaks on how music is used to further adapt on the ideas of Martin Luther King. It shows the importance of music and concerts focusing on social justice and shining light on racism and inequality. 

Assess: The source is reliable because it is a journal that focuses on musical groups and singers. This means that they would be knowledgeable on how important music is to advocate for social justice and for continuing to emphasize Martin Luther King’s message. 

Reflect: I would use this source to connect the past with the present. While Martin Luther King is dead, his message is still important until this day and is used to speak on racial issues. Music is used everywhere and at every time to advocate for rights, it’s never died down no matter the era. 

Quote: “ Concerts with the focus on King’s message of social justice, highlighting the struggles of the past and present, provide an opportunity to begin a conversation. As conductors, music educators, and leaders, we have to be willing to have the conversation.”

Paraphrase: Concerts are held to emphasize martin luther king message. The song emphasizes the importance of every struggle throughout time. It shows the importance of artists continuing to have the conversation with the public about the struggles that colored people had to endure and still do endure. 

Quote: “Music held significant importance during the Civil Rights Movement. These songs helped to lift the spirit and told stories of the struggle for social justice. Freedom songs (also known as civil rights anthems or protest songs) were sung in many different situations from mass meetings, demonstrations, sit-ins, workshops, and even in jail.”

Paraphrase: Music was a huge part of the Civil rights movement, the songs served as a way to come to terms and communicate the struggles of social justice. Freedom songs were not just used in the movement but everywhere else to continue to shine light on that message and spread awareness.