Goodwin's Theory applied to the genre of Rap/Hip

HopUsman Majid

Links between Lyrics & Visuals Links between Music & Visuals (Complimentary,

Contradicting or Amplification Genre characteristics Notions of Looking Voyeurism Demands of the record label Performance based, Narrative Based or Concept

based music videos

Goodwins theory is based on 7 main principles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4UqMyldS7Q

Ice Cube – Today was a good day

Lyrics & Visuals Goodwin suggests lyrics will make constant references to

visuals on screens. Visuals will reinforce what the lyrics say. An example of this can be seen in In Ice Cube’s video – Today was a good day. The lyrics depict a man who is reflecting his best day as in Today was a good day. In the image below it portrays a man and a women together sharing their love, This is further emphasized on screen when the so called couple are sharing an intimate moment on screen although soon after it is synchronized with dropped her off at 1 with a clock suggesting it is one o clock, suggesting and maintaining that stereotype of what is typical of an every days rapper life.

“Woke her up at around 1 she didn’t hesitate to call Ice Cube the Top Gun”

These are depicted as the certain traits associated with a particular music genre. For example a Rock video you would expect traditionally to have the performance of a live band. Typical rap videos you would expect them to have the following characteristics as a necessity; Jewelry, hoods, urban clothing, drugs, wealth/money, cars women and a narrative based story. A trait of many rap hip hop music is to perceive the artists as if he is living this actual life of what is really fake but made out as if it’s a reality. For e.g. women, cars, mansions, guns, dangerous dogs and jewelry is that iconic that traditionally everyone aspires to be however reality suggests this may not be the case as it is an admiration in a world where traditionally teenagers are hoping to be one day emulating big time rap stars such as Dr Dre, DMX, Ice Cube and 2 PAC.

Genre characteristics

Genre conventions

Notions of looking plays on the idea of gaze and the way someone in particular is seen, for example, in a lot of music videos women are often presented according to Goodwin as objects furthermore by Marx as sex objects.

Notions of looking however is not just restricted to women, it may also represent. Notions of looking however is not just restricted to women, it may also represent men in a particular way such as controlling or violent as cheats etc. In this video representations are of teenagers. They are portrayed as very sneaky. This is shown through the fact they were alone knowing they’re alone with their parent not at home.

Notions of looking

The record label has a certain control over the artist they sign. It is ultimately up to the record label to decide what the artist should be represented as. For example, for women the label may require the artist to come off as sexy in order to appeal to men and reach that target audience. For men the same thought process could be applied, being represented as sexy would reach out to the target audience of women. This is crucial as particular genders are more inclined to listen to certain genres of music For e.g. Women who are interested in urban music are more likely to listen to R&B. So men appealing as sexy would draw in women audiences.

Demands of the record label

As well as being part of the genre characteristics narrative is also its own category with in Goodwin's theory. The narrative allows the music to come to life, like a story. It connects all the dots with in the categories that Goodwin identified. Narrative can either be fragmented . This is typical of some rap/hip hop videos which have a narrative but not as much to the extent of which is associated with R&B for instance. For e.g. ice cube pictured with lyric and visuals with the voice over effect. I quote “Had to stop at a red light not a jacker insight”. Furthermore “Cause just yesterday them fools tried to blast me saw the police and they rolled right past me” emphasizing a rappers every day life highlighting his day with events such as running away from the police hooking up with friends, smoking chronic… playing basketball etc.

Narrative based

Images of Lyrics & Visual