Dissertation
THE BLOCK ALBUM: HIP-HOP'S REIMAGINING OF BLACK LIFE
Washington State University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
05/2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000006586
Abstract
This project is an examination of the ways Hip-hop builds a Black Public Sphere that challenges the hegemonic public sphere. In this examination I call this Black Public Sphere the ‘Block’. On the Block, Hip-hop reimagines Black life to produce a Black social life that is in defiance of social death and prison life. Specifically, this project is concerned with the Blocks of Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Dead Prez, Killer Mike, Jay-Z, and Nipsey Hussle. Additionally, this examination takes a look at what I call Neo-Hood Films. The films that are analyzed are ‘The After Party’ and ‘Dope’. The analysis of these films articulates the ways in which they infuse elements of Hip-hop to create Blocks to challenge past notions of Blackness and masculinity. Finally, this project concludes by asking how can we use the idea of the Block in the pursuit of freedom.
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Details
- Title
- THE BLOCK ALBUM
- Creators
- Charles Allen Ross
- Contributors
- David J Leonard (Chair)Mary Bloodsworth-Lugo (Committee Member)Amir A Gilmore (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Languages, Cultures, and Race, School of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 187
- Identifiers
- 99901122439301842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation