Hip-Hop Research Proposal
Introduction
Hip-hop music has been a significant cultural force for more than four decades, providing a forum for black and brown voices to communicate who they are, their problems, and their reality. One of the recurring ideas in hip-hop is the representation of hustling and grinding one’s way to the top despite the challenges and competition that stand in the way. On the other hand, how hip-hop shows hustling has often been criticized for making illegal activities look cool and for spreading negative stereotypes about people of color, especially black and brown people.
The purpose of this research is to investigate the connections that can be drawn between hip-hop, hustling, and poverty. It says hip-hop has given us a way to understand the many different parts of the hustle, including the social, economic, and political reasons why people do it. This framework was provided by hip-hop. At the same time, society has made it illegal for people to hustle on the street, thereby supporting the notion that a person’s mistakes and not flaws in the system are the only causes of poverty.
This study will examine how hip-hop artists have busted these myths and show what hustling in low-income areas is like. The research examines the lyrics, music videos, and interviews with several hip-hop musicians to figure out the messages and themes of the hustle in hip-hop music.
Research Questions
What kinds of hustles are shown in hip-hop music, and how do they show how poor people really live?
How has hip-hop provided a framework for understanding the relationship between poverty and hustling?
How has society criminalized those who hustle in the streets, and what are the consequences of such criminalization?
How have hip-hop artists changed the way people think about the hustle, and what do they say about what life is really like in poor areas?
