This article explores how hip-hop music—with its grim portrayals of urban reality and youth manifestos—can be both the mirror and engine of a social movement, based on two divergent theories, new social movement theory and political opportunity theory, as well as the work of W. E. B. Du Bois. Contrasting the work of two prominent artists, the author examines the portrayal of women in rap and finds that these artists attempt to “represent” and influence reality and that they comfortably carry the mantle of movement leaders.
Anderson, R. (1999). United States life tables eliminating certain causes of death, 1989-91. In U.S. decennial life tables for 1989-91 (Vol. 1, No. 4, pp. 75-87). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.
2.
Butler, J. (1990). Gender trouble. New York: Routledge.
3.
Clemens, E., & Hughes, M. (2002). Recovering past protest. In B. Klandermans & S. Staggenborg (Eds.), Methods of social movement research (pp. 201-230). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
4.
Du Bois, W. E. B. (2000). The souls of Black folk. New York: Modern Library. (Original work published 1903)
5.
Duncan, G. (1996). Space, place, and the problematic of race. Journal of Negro Education, 65, 133-150.
6.
Dyson, M. (2000). I might not get there with you. New York: Free Press.
7.
Dyson, M. (2001). Holler if you hear me. New York: Perseus.
8.
Gladney, M. (1995). The Black arts movement and hip-hop. African American Review, 29, 291-302.
9.
Haraway, D. (1991). Simians, cyborg, and women. New York: Routledge.
10.
Harding, S. (1998). Is science multicultural?Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
11.
Henderson, E. (1996). Black nationalism and rap music. Journal of Black Studies, 26, 308-339.
12.
Latifah, Q. (1989). All hail the queen [CD]. New York: Tommy Boy.
13.
Latifah, Q. (1991). Nature of a sista’ [CD]. New York: Tommy Boy.
14.
Latifah, Q. (1993). Black reign [CD]. Los Angeles: Motown.
15.
Latifah, Q. (1998). Order in the court [CD]. Los Angeles: Motown.
16.
Latifah, Q. (with Hunter, K.) (2000). Ladies first. New York: William Morrow.
17.
McAdam, D. (1982). Political process and the development of Black insurgency, 1930-1970. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
18.
Melucci, A. (1996). Challenging codes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
19.
Ogbar, J. (1999). Slouching toward Bork. Journal of Black Studies, 30, 164-183.
20.
Owens, D. (1991a). Fly girl [Recorded by Queen Latifah]. On Nature of a sista’ [CD]. New York: Tommy Boy.
21.
Owens, D. (1991b). Latifah’s had it up 2 here [Recorded by Queen Latifah]. On Nature of a sista’ [CD]. New York: Tommy Boy.
22.
Owens, D. (1991c).Love again [Recorded by Queen Latifah]. On Nature of a sista’ [CD]. New York: Tommy Boy.
23.
Owens, D. (1991d). Nuff of the ruff stuff [Recorded by Queen Latifah]. On Nature of a sista’ [CD]. New York: Tommy Boy.
24.
Owens, D. (1991e). That’s the way we fly [Recorded by Queen Latifah]. On Nature of a sista’ [CD]. New York: Tommy Boy.
25.
Owens, D., Siskind, M., Peaks, A., & Crapps, G. (1998). Bananas [Recorded by Queen Latifah]. On Order in the court [CD]. Los Angeles: Motown.
26.
Owens, D., & James, M. (1989). Wrath of my madness [Recorded by Queen Latifah]. On All hail the queen [CD]. New York: Tommy Boy.
27.
Owens, D., Johnson, S., Apache, & James, M. (1989). Ladies first [Recorded by Queen Latifah]. On All hail the queen [CD]. New York: Tommy Boy.
28.
Owens, D., & Sample, J. (1993). U.N.I.T.Y. [Recorded by Queen Latifah]. On Black reign [CD]. Los Angeles: Motown.
29.
Parker, L., & Owens, D. (1989).Evil that men do [Recorded by Queen Latifah]. On All hail the queen [CD]. New York: Tommy Boy.
30.
Rose, T. (1991). Fear of a Black planet. Journal of Negro Education, 60, 276-290.
31.
Sandoval, C. (2000). The methodology of the oppressed. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
32.
Shakur, T., Anderson, D., & Troutman, R. (1993). Keep ya head up [Recorded by Tupac Shakur]. On Strictly 4 my N.I.G.G.A.Z. [CD]. Los Angeles: Jive.
33.
Shakur, T., & Ervin, B. (1993). Soulja’s revenge [Recorded by Tupac Shakur]. On Strictly 4 my N.I.G.G.A.Z. [CD]. Los Angeles: Jive.
34.
Shakur, T., Harding, M., Himes, T., Burns, W.Rivers, D., & Gass, J. (1994). Cradle 2 the grave [Recorded by Tupac Shakur]. On Thug life [CD]. Los Angeles: Jive.
35.
Shakur, T., Himes, T., Burns, W., Rivers, D., & Gass, J. (1994). How long will they mourn me [Recorded by Tupac Shakur]. On Thug life [CD]. Los Angeles: Jive.
36.
Shakur, T., Syke, Macadoshis, Mopreme, & The Rated R. (1994). Thuglife [CD]. Los Angeles:Jive.
37.
Watkins, S. (1998). Representing. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
