John Byrne

Ashlyn Walden

UWRT 1104

Nov 2, 2015

Assignment 2

Introduction:

Building a balanced man, That is the goal of SigEp as well as many other fraternities.

Fraternities are made in order to create relationships and assemble a group of people that will push

each other to be better individuals throughout their college years and expanding into the rest of

their lives. Every organization needs a base or foundation. We often hear that in order to build a

house, the first thing made is the foundation. In sports the foundation of every team comes from

their offseason and what they did in order to be competitive during the year. In Businesses the

foundation is the people at the bottom of the chain writing papers and working tirelessly in order

to help the business succeed during that month and that year. In greek life the foundation must be

maintained, people come and go through chapters and it is inevitable that people take over and

start up to make their Fraternity or Sorority great.

Greek Life is commonly seen differently through the eyes of those who are not a part of it.

People in greek life tend to get the raw end of the deal from the rest of the community around the

school. They are seen as kids who don’t care about school and love to drink and party. Now, while

it is fair to say that kids in greek life party and drink, it is unfair to stereotype just them. Many

college kids, whether in greek life or not make poor decisions. Kids in greek life should not be

seen as any different than others, and they can truly help out the community in many ways.

As part of a Fraternity, A member must devote many hours per semester to both studying

and volunteer work. Both of those are very important because it is not only impeccable to achieve

good grades, but to also help the community and where you are living outside of your school. In

any organization it is important to represent them and be wise in your choices because you are

automatically held to a higher standard. it is often seen that Greek organizations volunteer at

homeless shelters and food pantries as well as cleaning up rivers and streets to improve their

communities. This is because it obviously looks good to help people out and it is beneficial in

teaching College students to become better men.

Entering the Conversation

Despite having a bad Rap due to the media’s outlook, and stereotypes, Fraternities breed

many guys into men, this is shown by SigEp all over the country. The largest fraternity

nationwide is all about brotherhood and being able to contribute to society. Being able to

experience firsthand Sig Ep's impact on the community it truly shows that boys who join

fraternities are not in it just to experience fun and party filled lives during college, but to become

men in the process while gaining brothers that last a lifetime.

The things that fraternities due can range from all over, they help children at boys and

girls clubs, and thy clean up areas such as rivers, non-profit benefits and highways. It is

important to recognize that in the future Fraternities will push forward and gain more recognition

for their good services to society. SigEp is based on its balanced man program, brothers go

through three phases, Sigma, Phi, and Epsilon. Sigma is when you first enter the fraternity and it

is essentially your first semester, other fraternities pledge during this time, but SigEp does not

pledge. Phi is the next phase a longer phase where you experience a lot more, while Sigma is just

getting your feet wet and understanding what brotherhood is about, Phi generates the lifelong

bonds and special events that you experience with your brothers. Epsilon is the leadership stage,

Leaders are made through going to continuums as you are a junior or a senior. You show the

younger brothers how to become a great man and lead them in the right direction while staying

on task and setting a good example.

It has become clear that all that is seen by the media is when a guy in a fraternity rapes a

girl, or commits a murder, and it is evident by searching databases, The media loves to pull a

story out of the misfortune of others, and that will continue to happen until the end of time.

However, as fraternities come together and do more good than bad, I will continue to see that

they are more than just party goers and heavy drinkers.

Drinking has become a big problem and it is documented that Fraternities are supporting

drinking, that is untrue, People don’t drink because they are in a frat and all the other brothers are

doing it, but people are drinking because they either want a good time or they see that it is so

looked upon as something that is bad, however that is unproven and shows that adults or people

that think they know better are just being ignorant and act over aggressively to see that kids don’t

get into bad situation. I think that kids whether in a fraternity or not have to figure out on their

own whether something is good for them or not, and thus it is vulgar to stereotype fraternity men

because they drink and have fun with their brothers.

Banning brotherhood’s on campus’s would kill the hearts of so many throughout the

world. Reading articles about how the country could take away the lifelong bonds formed by

brothers is very unjustified. 85% of fortune 500 company executives were in a fraternity, thus

showing that it is very cultured and successful people come from these backgrounds. Therefore

banning brotherhoods would be unwise, because it hurts the development of some of america’s

finest and greatest men.

College is time to gain experience and being a fraternity man changes your life. It allows

you to enjoy college and help the community through various volunteership activities. Being

judged by people who aren’t doing what you do is hurtful, and seeing that the media gets

overhyped on the bad things about fraternities is unfair. I think that the media should look more

into what is good in the world and how fraternities help America for the better. Because it is true

that fraternity men are more than just party goers and drinkers based on the balanced man

program and many other philanthropy events.

Conclusion:

To conclude, I believe it is clear that the Media scrutinizes fraternities and doesn’t get

enough of what they actually do for society. This is because everyone needs an antagonist for

their story, and involving a fraternity makes it all the more interesting. So far I discussed how

their has been proposals to ban fraternities as well as how they are given a poor lighting in many

different media outlets.

In addition, It is important to stress that Fraternities do good things for society and

should be looked at highly because it looks good on colleges and it creates a happier

environment. Having people become friendly with one another is great, but being able to work

side by side with a brother is truly something special and the media shouldn’t just not scrutinize

fraternities, but promote them for what they truly are.

Greek Life is important because it culminates so many college students. If people looked

at greek organizations for what they are, rather than how they are portrayed, more people would

join them, and we would be able to expand the brotherhood or sisterhood throughout campus. It

is also important because without greek organizations, a lot more money would need to be

poured into cleaning things up. these organizations do it as volunteer work and don’t ask for

anything in return, just trying to be brotherly and help others.

Finally, there lies curiosity regarding how fraternities are looked down upon, this is

because many times on college campuses there are Rape charges or Hazing charges that get put

very hard on the fraternities and look very bad to the public eye. however, what the public

generally doesn’t know is that many of the rape charges are dropped and most of the girls were

not raped. Obviously it suggests embarrassment for all parties involved, but to put the burden on

fraternities as a whole is unjust.

LIT REVIEW:

The SigEp history page releases all of the fraternities established facts. Thus releasing

information such as the fact that there are over 15,000 undergraduate students nationwide in the

Sigma Phi Epsilon brotherhood, more than any other fraternity worldwide. The fraternity was

established in November of 1901, now sports over 315,000 lifetime members and has a more

than 50 person professional staff. Sigma Phi Epsilon is recruiting at an incredible rate and has

shown that it will only continue to grow and get bigger.

The author of this article discussed the differences between average students versus

Greek students when it comes to drinking alcohol, and while students in fraternities and

sororities tend to be drinking at a higher rate, they have a much lower rate of alcohol use

disorders, showing that they are less prone to things such as alcoholism. It is important to see this

because it relates to the fact that people in the Greek system aren’t just drinkers and party goers,

but they have a very similar lifestyle to that of an everyday college student.

Assignment one can help me by doing Assignment one I was able to first hand see the

SigEp brotherhood and how they conduct meetings and bond with one another. Also going to a

volunteer ship event was helpful because it enabled me to firsthand watch as the chapter at UNC

Charlotte contribute to society by doing volunteer work.

The Sigma Phi Epsilon YouTube channel tells a lot about the fraternity, stating numerous

facts about how every brotherhood is responsible for to maintain a high GPA and contribute

many hours of volunteer work. It goes through numerous one-on-one interviews with brothers

and asks them about how this fraternity has changed their lives for the better.

In this very old article the author suggests that Fraternities are critical to student growth,

saying that Fraternities are a huge part of educational programs because of the major impact they

have on the school. Fraternities are seen as the giant group or the “in crowd”. This is very

interesting coming from something written so long ago because it really has not changed, many

people still believe that fraternities can be bad, and while that argument can be made, it is clear

that to those who are in them, they have a great sense of a family feeling.

This article discusses the defects of banning fraternities on campuses, one of the main

points he makes in in the last 2 paragraphs when he says that SigEp’s are balanced men because

they have instilled a program and followed through on making all of their brothers better. The

author then proclaims that it is true that even a fraternity that drinks isn’t always in the wrong

direction, he also states that it may be good for fraternities to not be so belligerent with alcohol

use, which in turn would relieve the public’s disdainful image on fraternities.

Works Cited

Lewis, B. (2005). Ban of Brothers.

Dickens, C. (1941). In Defense of Fraternities.

Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. (n.d.)Youtube.com

Byrne, John. (2015). Assignment 1

Brown-Rice, K., & Furr, S. (2015). Differences in College Greek Members’ Binge Drinking

Behaviors: A Dry/Wet House Comparison.

Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. (2012). History and Facts

Adam Beason

10/29/15

UWRIT 1104

Relevant Background Information:

I recently observed a television series about a normal family that turned bad when the

pressures around them caved in. In this series it showed the slow and subtle changes one family

took when their financial struggle began to get worse and worse. The man of the family, a 48

year old male teacher struggling to provide enough for his loved ones finds out early into the

series that he has cancer. The cancer they find out is terminal and the poor man does not have

much time left with his loved ones. On top of it all he can not afford his medication and he is

going to die soon and leave his family with nothing but a last name. He happens to be a

chemistry teacher and long story short he uses his amazing skills in Chemistry to produce Meth

so he can make some quick money for his family before he passes. Typically this man would

follow the rules and conventions of his figured world but when tensions tighten and wrap around

the man and his family he sees it as his only option to help his family. This man risks it all so

that his family can at least have a chance at not struggling once he is gone. None of this is for

him. He does this all for his family because like the main character in this tv series we are all

born with the natural instinct t protect. Now obviously this is a fictional tv show but it has some

truth behind it. As previously stated the Chemistry teacher is nearing his last days and he wants

to get some quick money to leave to his loved ones. Why would he go against our social rules

and moral rules and do something like make and distribute drugs? Did his family bring out these

bad tendencies? They were without a doubt the reason he picked up this strange job. In many

cases family brings out the good. We like to make them happy and see them smile. What if they

were not smiling though? How far would you go to help your loved ones?

Introduction:

Instinct:

We have an instinct about us as humans that makes us protective over others like us.

“Suddenly--chaos. From down the block hurtled a large mongrel street dog, barking and snarling

loudly, spoiling for a fight. Swiftly he lunged at the German shepherd, who sprang back at him in

snarling, furious rage. The two dogs pounced and snapped with bared teeth at each other,

growling and barking ferociously in an all-out serious fight. The noise was loud and shocking.”

()This short story of bravery clearly points out instinctive behavior we as humans have. “What

happened in this rescue was something primitive and powerful, a force thousands of years old.

Each adult male within earshot heard a sound that reached deep inside his male instincts and

jolted him into enraged defensive action”. Everyone on this planet is diverse due to culture and

the social influences around them but one thing is definite and that is the human instincts that we

are all born with. We have several instincts that have been brought to light in the recent years of

science but one that is most fascinating to me is the instinct to protect. “All the special features

of an adult male's personality, developed from boyhood--his muscles, will power, stamina,

competitive drive, aggressiveness and assertiveness, mathematical and abstractive powers of

mind, love for strategic planning and manipulating physical reality, strong sense of fairness and

ethical conduct--all coordinate toward a single great purpose in life: protection.” () Generally

humans are wired to protect each other especially the loved ones that surround them. The more

of a connection and the more of a bond with someone the more likely we are to jump into the fire

when we fear someone is in danger. Humans, males especially want to serve and protect their

loved ones and in some cases they go to extremes to do so. “”

Connections/Bonds

Family and loved ones are always a very important entity in the average life of a human

being. We crave attention even from birth. We live in our mothers womb for months in a tight

position and once we are born we crave to be close to our mothers which is why we cry when we

are not around them. We grow up with them or some other loved one taking care of us and

through this we gain bonds. These connections we gain and obtain with the people around us

make an enormous impact on us. Isolation is the worst kind of torture for someone to have to go

through. In life we crave it and when you cant obtain it effects us in a bad way. This is why is

prisons when someone has extremely bad behavior they put them by themselves because it is

Psychologically one of the worst punishments possible.

Now some people would argue it is good to get away from all of the commotion of the

world and it is, but in long intervals it can be extremely dangerous. It can have extremely

negative affects on our well-being and hurt us in the long run. “While solitude can stimulate

creativity and even improve our attention span, it can also have deadly consequences” ()This in

itself proves that we dont just want these connections with other people but we actually need it.

The bonds we make with people are so important and so meaningful specifically the connections

we make with family. With strong bonds comes emotions. The relationships with our family

typically form the strongest emotions. The emotions we typically feel for our family are typically

the stronger emotions like love.

Emotions:

Emotions are complex and unique. They are in everything that we do. Emotions are the

instinctual tool that humans are born with. They come from ones circumstances, environment,

and the relationships we make with who is within the environment. Some emotions are more

intense than others and sometimes emotions influence us to do things we would normally never

even think to do. Emotions can be just as much a curse as much as they are a blessing and gift.

Plato, a famous Philosopher once said that the human soul to a chariot “the intellect is the driver

and the emotions are the horses. Life is a continual struggle to keep the emotions under control.

No one person is perfect and everyone tends to let emotions get out of hand at some point.

Love:

Love is an intense emotion we get towards people after long exposure to them. Over time

we grow closer and closer and become attracted or drawn to them. Typically love is reserved for

people of kinship or people we deeply grow close to over the years. Love is a very strong and

powerful emotion. In saying this what happens when someone we love, someone we obtained

these relationships with is in trouble? Do we let them suffer or do we help? How far would you

go to help your loved ones?

Entering the Conversation:

Family is great. In many cases if it were not for our family then we woudnt have made it through

some of the obstacles that were placed in our lives. Our loved ones have been crutches for us

when we fall, life preservers when things get flooded, and parachutes when we are falling. These

family members and friends that have grown close to us and molded this special bond with us

mean something. Love is not an overly expressed emotion it is a reserved emotion for those who

have earned it. So that being said we would be utterly devastated if something were to happen to

them. The last thing we would want is for something to happen to someone whom we have

shared all these relationships and connections with. If your loved ones were struggling and you

knew you could help them you would most likely go straight to their aide. Your instinct to

protect comes out and the fact that you have this special connection with them only heightens

your want and your need to help them. Sadly nothing in life is perfect. Things happen throughout

our journey into the world. Our paths are sometimes blocked by obstacles and we get knocked

down on this journey. Sometimes we get to the point where we can not carry on anymore. We all

have those moments. Those moments where we have to call on the help of others to help us

because the task at hand is too complex for just one simple person to complete. No matter how

independent one person has become we will all have those moments where we are vulnerable

and need assistance. But what happens when a loved one calls out for your help? What does one

do when they see their loved ones in trouble? How far would you go to protect the ones you

loved?

When loved ones are in danger we tend to push moral and social rules to the side. We

have one objective and it is as if this objective was carved into our DNA from birth. Our instinct

to protect. In normal circumstances we would respect the wall and kingdom that is rules and

regulations but not if someone we cared about was in danger or needed our immediate help.

Normally we would help with respect to this great wall. In cases where someone's loved ones

are in need of dire help regulations and rules are torn to pieces if it means saving them. It is our

instinct to help when we hear the cries of other and not only that but these are no ordinary

creatures calling out these are the voices of the people that we grew close knit relationships with.

How far would you go to protect the ones you loved?

Conclusion:

How far would you go to protect the ones you loved? When loved ones are in trouble we

may go to extremes and great lengths to protect them. Social and moral compases are completely

thrown out of whack when it comes to helping someone we have great compassion for. In

society we have rules and regulations that we must respect but what the people that wrote up all

these rules didnt realize is is when loved ones need our help there is nothing an individual

wouldnt do to insure the safety of the ones he/she cares about. Diverting from the rules in our

figured world may be looked down upon but it is to be expected when our loved ones need us.

Assignment Two Research Paper

Is Hip Hop it’s own culture?

Jesse Hodges

UWRT 1104

Walden

October 22, 2015

Introduction/Background:

It’s 1986, and Rappers Rev Run and DMC of Hip Hop act “Run DMC” are performing in

front of a sold out crowd at New York’s Famous Madison Square Garden. As a part of their

“Raising Hell Tour” the duo from Queens, New York would change the genre of music forever.

Right before the performance of their hit song “My Adidas”, Rev Run asked everyone who was

wearing adidas at that concert to take off their shoes and wave their Adidas in the air. With

Adidas Executive Angelo Anastasio in attendance for this special concert, Adidas took a leap of

faith by making a bold move becoming the first major company to formally endorse a rap group.

With all of that being said, hip hop was a genre a music that was made for African Americans to

focus on the positives out of life rather than the negative aspects that can be so tempting to

engage in. Hip Hop saved many children from the mean streets of their local neighborhoods.

Over the past 30 years, African American s were able to use this specific genre of music to

express themselves in a way that was never thought of before. This form of music would be used

as a gateway for many African Americans to leave a current situation that was terrible and create

a new situation that brought the best out of them. Hip Hop made the DJ, MC and most

importantly, the people around them feel a sense of pride about their actions and culture as a

race. This was the beginning of a culture, a new American culture.

Hip Hop has always been a part of my life. My parents, specifically my dad, grew up in New

York City during the years that hip hop was being born as a genre of music. My dad grew up in

the South Bronx and as a teenager saw hip hop grow into this phenomenon that we know of it

today. My dad’s best friend is a rapper known as Diamond D who was successful in the music

industry as a hip hop. With that being said, I was always around hip hop growing up in New

York and formed this uncanny love for it with not much thought about the culture and way it was

being perceived by others. It’s almost like I didn’t have a choice but to love hip hop with the

background I came from.

Review of Relevant Literature:

Hip Hop rightfully has a culture in addition to being a genre of music. The culture aspect

isn’t touched upon as much as it being talked about as a genre of music but the culture is present

and it is real. New York was a war zone with gang influences and prominent drug use. Hip Hop

was just coming along as a genre of music. DJs would set up at local parks and DJ for many

hours in a day. This would be the birth of a new culture and revolution. (Price 2006). As it grew

as a new phenomenon, hip hop progressed over the years. As time went by, many artists started

to focus on many different things whether it was money, drugs or women. Hip Hop has

dramatically moved away from its original roots. (YouTube 2012). The language and diction has

changed drastically over the years with more profanity and the isogloss of the many different

areas that hip hop diffused to. As a culture, hip hop has its own language although it might not be

as different than others. If we can consider things French and English why can't we have a black

conscious contribution? Ebonics or black speech have contributed to the progression of the hip

hop culture. Orality and verbal dexterity are highly appreciated skills in black American culture

(Perry 2004). Rich Porter was a famous hustler in New York City in the late 1980's. Many of the

rappers imitated this man and used his name in song lyrics such as Jay Z and Nas. Rich Porter

was the first gangster to have a real impact on hip hop as a culture because rappers were now

able to tell stories about that way of life and not be scrutinized for it because rapping was better

than actually doing the illegal activity. (Rich Porter Story 2012)

Hip Hop has brought and blended many other cultures into its own culture. Hip Hop is a

unifying factor and has unified many different parts of the world that you would have never

thought would be connected. European, Latin and American culture have come together to

contribute to the one culture they have in common…Hip Hop. The late 1990’s and early 2000’s

provided many rappers from the pacific of the united states. The west coast had a very large

black rapper population with an even bigger white audience most of the rappers some of which

made it to mainstream hip hop started underground. Underground hip hop has gained an

audience that really recognizes true talent as opposed to mainstream artist. Underground hip hop

are the roots of the genre and mainstream takes away from the true essence of hip hop. Some

artist like “Too $hort” had a white following even when he was a small town underground rapper

rapping at local night clubs. (Harrison 2009). Although this part of the country had some

Caucasian following of underground rap, the majority of the country didn’t gain the same

exposure. Instead, Mainstream hip hop was their focal point. Mainstream Hip Hop has

illuminated many of the white community to listen to artist who are getting exposure by

corporate America. Hip Hop music, no matter how widely accepted it is, gives a voice to the

voiceless. More than just a genre of music, hip hop gives the youth a voice that had prior been

mute (Kitwana 2005). Not just Caucasians across the united states have felt the wrath of hip hop

but many countries across the globe has put some sort of twist on the genre of music. The world

has heard the voices of hip hop and it is safe to say hip hop has influenced a majority of the

world. Hip Hop is a genre of music that is so flexible that many cultures can adapt to it. Hip Hop

has put its stamp on the world over the past 35 years in a very significant way (YouTube 2011).

Hip Hop has come a long way from the streets of New York. Dispersing throughout the united

states and the globe, hip hop has changed throughout different hoods and communities. Hip Hop

is a genre of music that can be conformed due to any circumstance that presents itself (Hodges

2015).

Entering The Conversation:

Growing up many kids enjoy watching their favorite rappers on television in their videos,

award shows and talk shows. As they get older, some actually take interest in the genre of music

and decide that is what they want to pursue in life. The majority of the time it is in high school

where most people say that they want to pursuit a music career after they graduate. I know this

because I went to Highschool with a few of them. It is very hard to make that a reality because

only a few small time local rappers get a big break and make it big time. Although the fame is

great, there is a very slim chance that you will make it mainstream and collect checks to live a

sustainable life on. My point is, pursuing a career in the hip hop industry directly out of high

school without consideration of any other type of alternative such as trade school, cosmetology

school or direct employment is not worth passing up higher education if you haven’t thought it

out for a reasonable amount of time and do not have a dying passion for the culture and genre of

music. Do not pursuit hip hop because it’s a fad right now.

Some people will argue that college is very important and is the only way to obtain a

decent paying job in today's American society. College is a great thing to pursuit after high

school but, as people say, college isn’t for everyone. With that being said, alternatives have to be

sought out. Some people go to cosmetology school. Some go to trade school. And some people

try and figure out what they can do to obtain an abundance of money easily. One of those ways is

to try and become a big rap star. The problem with that is, it is really hard to get the right

exposure, it takes a lot of time so you need to be patient, and even if you do these things, there is

no guarantee that you will make it big. Kids that are trying to become big time rappers nowadays

are doing it because it is a trending fashion rather than having a sending passion. Which means,

Kids that do not have a musical state of mind are trying to manipulate this industry to benefit

their own well being. Artist such as Ice Cube and Dr. Dre who were recently depicted in the

movie Straight Outta Compton, were artist who were lyrically and musically talented who loved

music at a young age before they knew it could make them millions of dollars. People like this,

Music Pursuits them, they don’t pursuit music. Many kids try to force something that isn’t there.

If you love music, money shouldn’t be a deciding factor whether you continue to make it or not

whether you get a big break or not.

The alternative for this dilemma is to continue to further your education if you would like

while producing music at the same time. Two artist that I know, Vic Bank$ and D.O.P.E. are

current students at Eastern Carolina University and University of North Carolina at Charlotte

respectively. Both of these artist are student-musicians that are balancing trying to get their

degree and pursuing their music careers. “It may be hard at times but I have my priorities in life.

My education and music are both equally important to me so I had to do what I had to do” says

Vic Bank$. Ambition is what’s going to get these type of people far in life because they are not

focused on one thing. They have goals in life and a career in hip hop is just one of them no the

only one. “I chose the stage name D.O.P.E. because it is a slang term for “cool” or “good”. When

people say ‘oh man that’s dope” I get a feeling of yes that is me; because it is relating to

something that is good. I Dare to Overachieve and Profit Everyday, and that is what D.O.P.E.

stands for.”

A family member that I am close with dropped out of Stony Brook University to pursuit

his hip hop career. Although his parents didn’t agree with his decision they understood because

music has been a part of him since he was a child. He is very musically talented and knows how

to play numerous instruments. He started a music group called Training Camp Frat Gang. They

consist of 4 rappers and 2 singers. All of the artist are trying to find themselves in their music

because they live for this. They put their heart and soul in their music and they have a true

passion for the music. They respect the hip hop culture and the artist who came before them.

Again, I am okay with people who honestly love music and could not live without it.

People who dare to achieve greatness in life are the people who make it in life. Hip Hop

is a great outlet to succeed at a fast pace but it should be for the right reasons. The fame could be

short lived if you don’t play your cards right. There are many things that need to be put into the

culture of hip hop to revolutionize it each and everyday. Creative minds advance the culture of

hip hop and the genre of music. If you can not say that you have tried make a contribution to the

advancement of hip hop as a culture and genre of music, then in my eyes you were never a part

of the culture of hip hop to begin with.

Conclusion:

Hip Hop is a culture as well as a genre of music. Hip Hop has contributed to the lifestyle

that people choose to live and the way they interpret music. Hip Hop is a way a life and is very

influential on the youth. The Youth should see and use hip hop as a tool to express themselves

but not use it as a scapegoat or alternative to getting a higher education. Hip Hop is a great way

to contribute to the Black American culture but not everyone is cut out for that because only the

strongest contributions will last in the culture. Our youth need to better prioritize their lives

because it is very manageable to contribute to hip hop as well as pursuing a higher education.

Hip Hop is something you do because you love it, not for the money. Next thing you know; our

youth will start farming because it can bring them in 6+ figures. Will our youth ever understand

the importance of a college education?

Works Cited Page · Kitwana, B. (2005). Why white kids love hip-hop: Wankstas, wiggers, wannabes, and the

new reality of race in America. New York, New York: Basic Civitas Books.

· Perry, I. (2004). Prophets of the hood: Politics and poetics in hip hop. Durham, North

Carolina: Duke University Press.

· Harrison, A. (2009). Hip hop underground: The integrity and ethics of racial identification.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Temple University Press.

· Price, E. (2006). Hip hop culture. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO.

· Hodges, J. (2015). Assignment one discourse observation: And Ya don't stop 30 years of

hip hop/ What is beef? 1, 8-8.

· Resurrection: The Rich Porter Story [Motion picture on DVD]. (2012). United States.

· What Ever Happened to Hip Hop? (2012, December 15). Retrieved October 18, 2015.

· How Hip Hop Changed the World. (2011, November 18). Retrieved October 18, 2015.

Assignment Two

Benefits to Rap Music

UWRT 1104-009

Brandon Burgess

20 October 2015

Introduction

So far it has been about ten years total. Ten years that I have been rapping. However, I have only

been recording and producing for five years. About 95% of my music is clean. Being that it is in

the Hip-Hop/Rap genre it does not necessarily have to be. I like to keep my music clean because

Commented [1]: I feel like you could combine into one sentence. You can make a strong first sentence that sounds more confident about your rapping. this could be the best sentence of the paragraph.

Commented [2]: I think you can use a more attention grabbing first sentence. One that pulls the audience right into your paper.

I plan to change the views and opinions on rap music in a lot of people. Every song I produce is

based on a true story either from my past or someone else’s. I speak on heartbreaks, hearts I have

broken in the past, and once told the story of my good friend that committed suicide at the age of

16. I plan to tell a story with every song I record. Not only do I want to tell a story, but I also

would like to relay a message to my fans that they can use in their own personal lives.

I got into music from seeing my father perform on stage at different clubs. All of which were

recorded and preserved on VHS tapes. My mother and father were not together while I was

growing up. I do not consider myself conforming to the stereotype of “not having a father”. I still

saw him, it was just on alternating weekends. I lived in North Carolina and he stayed in South

Carolina. My mother would make the hour and a half drive to take us to meet him. Then it was

another hour and a thirty minutes to get back to his house. During that time he would have the

radio on in the car. My sister and I were not ever focused on the radio. We preferred to listen to

our father freestyle over the original words and kill the beat every time. When I was 9 my father

would take me to the barbershop and we would freestyle for our friends that happened to be there

at the time. The “crowd” loved us and would always want more. It’s safe to say we gave the

people what they wanted.

Nowadays, my father no longer raps with me in the barbershop. He now spends his time

promoting my websites, showing off my music videos, and enjoying the company of his other

son; my younger brother. My stage name is D.O.P.E. and it stands for Dare. Overachieve. &

Profit Everyday. The fans in the barbershop are still always asking for more of me. I know I’m

D.O.P.E. but I think they’re addicted; pun intended! I hate that many people view rap music as

something negative and demeaning. If we want change we have to work for it. From ten years of

Commented [3]: Please elaborate. Are you saying that you do not like "dirty" rap? I myself like all rap and see nothing wrong with either.

Commented [4]: When did your father get into music? what era did he come up in? how were you in clubs at a young age?

Commented [5]: would you consider your fathers rapping to be more of a southern flow? Is his rapping more about the bars or the beat? Has southern rap kill hip hop?

Commented [6]: I like how you included this personal experience. It really draws the reader into your writing. It also shows that you put a lot of thought into what you are writing about.

experience I know that there is good in rap. I plan to spread that “good” until everyone is

convinced.

Review of Literature

On a hot day at the end of summer in 1973 Cindy Campbell threw a back-to-school party at a

park in the South Bronx. Her brother, Clive Campbell, spun the records. He had a new way of

playing the music to make the breaks of the musical interludes between verses longer for

dancing. He called himself DJ Kool Herc and this is When the Beat Was Born. From his

childhood in Jamaica to his youth in the Bronx, Laban Carrick Hill's book tells how Kool Herc

came to be a DJ, how kids in gangs stopped fighting in order to breakdance, and how the music

he invented went on to define a culture and transform the world [1]. Imagine a book that

celebrates hip-hop and confronts the cult of authenticity that defines its essential character.

Deftly balancing an insider's love of the culture with a scholar's detached critique, where the

author traces hip-hop's rise as a cultural juggernaut and challenges widely held notions that hip-

hop is socially dangerous. Speaking about black youth in particular [2]. How about a collection

of lyrics and their meanings that together tell the story of a culture, and an art form? One that

speaks on a moment in history, and one of the most provocative and successful artists of our time

[3].

The extraordinary impact of hip-hop music is undeniable. At the forefront of this global

phenomenon stand artists who broke new ground, both musically and politically. This work

provides substantial entries on the most revolutionary hip-hop artists and innovators, and offers

coverage of each icon's influence in shaping hip-hop music [4]. Some people think Jay-Z is just

another rapper. Others see him as just another celebrity/mega-star. The reality is, no matter what

you think Jay-Z is, he first and foremost is a business. This title tells the story behind Jay-Z's rise

Commented [7]: This sentence is very good. It provides good imagery and sets up the review nicely.

to the top as told by the people who lived it with him. Speaking on the benefits of music he and

other well-known artist have made [5]. In perceiving all rap and Hip-Hop music as violent,

misogynistic, and sexually charged, are we denying the way in which it is attentive to the lived

experiences, both positive and negative, of many listeners? This question is explored in great

depth in this story. There are multiple ways that rap and Hip-Hop can be used by listening and

discussing, performing, creating, or improvising [6]. The text describes the first-hand

experiences of the music with at-risk youth, and discuss the ways in which contributors have

used rap and Hip-Hop with fans, respectively. Within these sections, the contributors provide

rationale for the use of rap and Hip-Hop in a more positive field to validate the experiences for

those for whom rap music is a significant mode of expression. More than providing tools to

incorporate rap into a positive field, this text enhances the artist’ cultural and professional

repertoire. Hip-hop is a global phenomenon; and in the United States, a massively successful

corporate enterprise predominantly controlled and consumed by whites while the most prominent

performers are black. This book finds answers to certain questions by interviewing everyday

people. Instead of turning to performers or media critics, it focuses on the music's fans (young

men, both black and white) and the resulting account avoids romanticism, offering an unbiased

examination of how hip-hop works in people's daily lives [7]. Think about the struggles an artist

goes through before and after fame and also what they had to go through to make it as an artist.

Filled with inspirational messages, this paper is sure to make anyone who doubted benefits of rap

music look twice at it.

Entering the Conversation

In the world of modern music, it seems appropriate to say that almost any topic related to rap

songs and their lyrics has been widely debated, discussed and analyzed. Whatever the outcomes Commented [8]: great transition sentence. This sentence gives the 3 topics you will discuss when entering the conversation. This sentence makes me want to continue reading.

of such discussions, it is very useful for us as human beings to develop things in our lives. When

people talk about rap music the first thing that they think about is the songs with their fast beats

and lyrics, which may only be appealing to a particular group of listeners, such as teens and

young adults. The upbeat tempo is something which may assist in making it less appealing to

older people. However, rap music has extraordinary hidden benefits that most people usually

overlook in the music world.

For us rap music lovers, it is quite definite that we keenly appreciate rap songs because of their

unique characteristics that provide maximum entertainment. There are only a few people who

realize its benefits in terms of using those same lyrics as a medium to communicate with other

people and represent the story of their life. I read somewhere that rap is classified as an urban

poetry of lyrical resistance. Thus, it is not the music of villages; like country music. The lyrics of

rap songs are generally based on people's life experiences, and it is essential that you listen

carefully, so that you are able to find out the variety of experiences represented in the song. It

may even help you in understanding things going on in your own life. There are some other types

of songs that represent people's lives; such as the songs of country music. However, what you

will get from rap music is completely different. This is because country music is usually about

the lives of people in rural areas, but rap music deals with both rural and urban life.

One distinct, noticeable point when you are listening to rap music is that it focuses very much on

the lyrics, rather than the sound or rhythm of the music, which means that rap music seems to be

the only musical genre that aims to tell people about what is happening in their everyday lives,

and what they should do about it. Now is the time to turn our view to the actual benefits of rap

music and learn more about them all to extend your knowledge, as well as to absorb the beauty

Commented [9]: Great distinction. Rap isnt the same as country and people who dont know hip hop dont realize that this culture is way different that other genres. Rap tells stories that other genres do not.

of other cultures. Afterwards, try turning on some rap music. Listen to it and let the knowledge in

the song improve your life as well.

Rap music has been popular since the 1970s, and successful rap artists have traveled and

flourished in many countries around the world. At times, the violent or otherwise distasteful

lyrics of some rap songs have led parents and other authoritative figures to believe that rap music

is bad for teenagers. The lyrics of Hip-Hop/Rap music perpetuate stereotypes of African

Americans, but can also possess a plethora of benefits for teenagers. "Rap" is an acronym for

"rhythmically accentuated poetry," according to Abbreviations.com, and the words and language

structure of rap lyrics are often highly poetic. Not only in the sense of rhyme scheme but the

deeper meaning behind the lyrics. The “story” you could call it. They use techniques such as

simile and metaphor, rhyming, onomatopoeia, puns and other forms of wordplay.

Listening to such rap songs can help teenagers understand language, its use and the power of

language formation. Rap lyrics can also help teenagers to develop their critical thinking skills.

Not all rap lyrics tell a story. I am not sure how some people even make it into the career. I feel

as though some rappers literally go into the studio and say the first thing that comes to their head

and the lyrics are not cohesive. I call these guys “Dr. Seuss Rappers”. They pick the first word

that rhymes and just go with it. Sometimes there isn’t a single poetic line in their songs. I

confess, I once was going through something with an old female friend of mine. I did a little bit

of drinking and later on that night was pulled over by an officer of the law. The cop was merciful

and took me home. The next morning I woke up with a terrible hangover but made a song with

such a deep story behind it about the events of the previous night. Everyone that has heard this

song has fallen in love with it. Three girls told me that it made them cry. I even got it played on

the radio station here in Charlotte, North Carolina. The point that I am making is that, by

Commented [10]: make sure you indent each paragraph. It is sometimes difficult to tell when you switch to something else. Indenting would make that easier.

engaging with lyrics that actually have a meaning behind them, someone is able to pinpoint the

rapper's viewpoint or lyrical pose. The listener is also able to articulate whether and why they

agree or disagree with the lyrics. These examples are all beneficial to a teenager's critical

thinking. Rap music can help teenagers in an English or Language Arts class. A student could be

struggling with the material and rap music could help them to understand different techniques.

Since rap music is highly poetic it could encourage teenagers to join poetry clubs. This gives

them an opportunity to express their feelings in a safe environment, and it would also in turn

keep teenagers out of the streets so they would get in less trouble or none at all. Every

Wednesday a few friends and I perform at a club and our music is positive. It stills appeals to the

listeners and gets them engaged in the music but we keep the lyrics meaningful.

Freestyle rap unlocks creativity in the Brain. I love to freestyle. I have made many meaningful

songs just by freestyling and never putting a pen to any paper. When I first began rapping I was

shy and would never freestyle but after a while and with a lot of practice I got better at it. I would

freestyle at the back of the bus with friends that always wanted to hear me. I began to read the

dictionary to expand my vocabulary. I wanted to rap with much larger words to show my true

skills. Not only that, I also wanted to know what the words meant so I would actually make sense

while I was rapping. Lyrical improvisation, used widely in freestyle rap, seems to occur in areas

of the brain associated with motivation, emotion, language, and motor skills. Freestyle rapping

increases activity in areas of the brain linked to creativity and decreases it in areas associated

with regulation and supervision Freestyling is just speaking from the heart and also what is on

your mind. Being able to tell a story with your emotions is very creative.

Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI) to watch activity in the brains of

freestyle rappers, researchers found that unfocused, improvised music vocals were responsible

for higher activity in the frontal cortex of the brain, an area associated with human creativity.

Rapper Jay-Z seems to intuitively understand what the researchers are finding: "It fits my style to

rhyme with high stakes riding on every word and to fill every pause with pressure and

possibility. And maybe I just have ADD, but I also like my rhymes to stay loose enough to

follow whatever ideas hijack my train of thought, just like I like my mind to stay loose enough to

absorb everything around me,” he wrote in his book Decoded.

Rap is typically accompanied by programmed, metronomic musical beats which maintain a

perfectly steady rhythm without speeding up or slowing down. This aspect of rap is beneficial to

teenage musicians who want to improve their rhythmic abilities and adherence to a regular beat.

In particular, rap music makes an excellent backing track for drummers to practice with. When

an artist chooses a musical beat to rap to they choose it because that beat makes them feel a

certain way. Rappers go through hundreds of beats and listen to them all, nodding their heads

and tapping their feet on the ground along with the beat. They listen to many that sound great,

but they eventually find the one that sounds perfect and makes them feel just right. The musical

beats that accompany rap lyrics can help music making teenagers better understand how their

own beats should sound and flow. An integral part of hip-hop culture, freestyle rap draws upon

improvisation, spontaneity, rhythm, and rhyme to communicate lyrics and blend musical beats

with language.

Rap music and dancing go hand in hand. Dancing to rap music is a high-energy way for

teenagers to blow off steam and get cardiovascular exercise. Music is most effective when it is

matched to the current excitement level and emotional state of the listener. The music stimulus

can then be used to help guide a client in the desired direction of excitement or emotion by

slowly changing its characteristics. When the tempo and physical performance are well matched,

Commented [11]: Can you possibly get a shown study with this? I myself cant dance and never feel the need to dance when listening to rap.

an average person's endurance is prolonged. This makes sense just by thinking about how much

longer you can run/exercise with or without the right kind of music. Matching music tempo and

physical activity increases endurance. By finding the right kind of music a teen athlete or a teen

exercising can train better and get fit in a more exciting and musical way.

The lyrics of Hip-Hop/Rap music perpetuate stereotypes of African Americans, but can also

possess a plethora of benefits for teenagers. These benefits include a better understanding and

knowledge of Language, an improved sense of rhythm for dancing, and lastly enhancing ones

endurance for physical activities such as exercising, dancing, or sports. Some parents would have

you believe that rap music is and always will be bad for teenagers because it teaches them about

drugs, and violence, and that women are derogatory and should not be respected. If parents

simply do their job of raising their children in a positive way then a teenager should be able to

listen to rap music and only benefit from its pulsating beats and alliterative verses.

Conclusion

As we know, rap music is a topic which some people find negative. It perpetuates many

stereotypes of African Americans. However, it still manages to possess a multitude of benefits

for the listeners of rap music. If you cloud your mind with the negativity you will never see the

positive side. You will never understand how freestyling helps with creativity. Teens need a way

to express their selves and not everyone can draw, paint, or sculpt. Everyone can in fact turn on

the radio and listen to some music. I’m sure we could all use a little extra help in an English

class, and rap music possesses the power to help with an understanding of language. The articles

that I have read have given me great information on my topic of beneficial rap music. I, on the

other hand, have chosen to speak from experience. Rapping for 10 years and producing other

young artist for 5 has helped me to see the good in those people and their music. I choose only to

Commented [12]: very true. Good and strong statement. This hits close to home for teens like us I like it.

Commented [13]: I think you have a very good conclusion. You do a great job of referencing what you are bringing to the table, as well as reflecting on how it relates to you life. I love it

produce the positive rappers because positivity is what I want to spread. I plan on changing

people’s views on the music. They do not have to see it as something harmful to the ears and bad

for teens and young adults. We should be working to correct the lives of young boys and girls in

the world now. They are in fact “the future”. Believe it or not, the fate of the world rest on them.

Possible diminishing this stereotype we hold for rap music is the first step in a much needed

revolution. I believe that if people started changing their mind, many teens would stop acting the

way that the do now. They only act out because they feel that people already see them as bad

people. If given the proper chance, do you think that behavior in teens would change? Maybe

schools could have open mic nights for students to come and express their selves with music,

poetry, or even just motivation speeches. How much could this idea help out a troubled teen?

Maybe it could keep them out of the streets and out of trouble. Just maybe.

References

[1] L. Hill and T. Taylor, When the Beat Was Born. 2013.

[2] J. Ogbar, Hip-hop revolution. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2007.

[3] Jay-Z, Decoded. New York, NY: Spiegel & Grau, 2010.

[4] M. Hess, Icons of hip hop. 2007.

[5] Z. Greenburg, Empire state of mind. New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2011.

[6] S. Hadley and G. Yancy, Therapeutic uses of rap and hip hop. New York, NY: Brunner-

Routledge, 2012.

[7] M. Jeffries, Thug life. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2011.

[8] B. Sean, 'Road to Hall of Fame', Detroit, Michigan, 2015.