In a world that consistently undervalues women in general and black women in particular, male -dominated hip-hop has a bizarre love/hate relationship with sexually attractive women.

by faiyyaz1988 (student)

The contexts of communication used in this video are, public communication since a small number of people (the panel) address a larger group of people (the audience). Mass communication is also present since a small number of people (the panel) send messages to a large, anonymous, and usually heterogeneous audience through the use of specialized communication media.( the video). Additionally, group communication occurs as three or more people interact, in an attempt to achieve commonly recognized goals. Both visual and verbal communications are used in the video, since there are visual display of information, such as photography, signs, symbols and designs. Hip Hop Vs America is an example of an electronic form of visual communication. With respect to verbal communication, sounds, words, language and speaking were all employed in this video as well.

In a world that consistently undervalues women in general and black women in particular, male -dominated hip-hop has a bizarre love/hate relationship with sexually attractive women. Both black males and black females tend to be equally complicit in the exploitation of females in hip hop, more often than not as a direct response to label and market pressures that underline the consumer status quo. In a culture still so deeply patriarchal, what chance do they have to think outside the dominant ideology? The fact is, as long as black people continue the trend of selling their culture whole-sale so that a few of us can prosper from them, then we should not be surprised at the end result. However, I believe that the critique of the industries sexual politics seems to me ultra-conservative and outdated. Indeed, what bothers me more in hip hop is not the representation of black women as much as the virtual exclusion of black female emcees that would help bring a balance to those images, but why these women are automatically seen as "exploited”? The women that are in these videos have pleasurable times and enjoy what they do for the most part, and are proud of it. They think it is sexy, they get paid, and it makes them feel superior. As Nelly put it “ They are adults, who can make adult decisions…..the rappers didn’t grab them up and tell them ‘ you are going to be in my video’, they signed a contract with the requirements etc.”

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Exploitation assumes that they are being controlled or forced in some way, which they are not. In fact, their behaviour pleases themselves and it's not only just for men who hold more social power and therefore use them. I also take issue with all of these bourgeois blacks that would find female 'degradation' in rap more noxious than guys rapping about actually killing black males. The writer, Kim Osario, makes a lot of sense in what she is saying, but unfortunately, little will get changed because it is all about the mighty dollar that rules everything. Reflecting on television programming like The Flava of Love, former Source editor-in-chief Kim Osario's sexual harassment ruling and books like the New York Times bestseller Confessions of a Video Vixen, Kitwana adds: "Throughout the last decade, from Congress to the campus center, hip-hop's troubling representation of women is the question that will not go away. This tour hopes to ensure that solutions to this debate go beyond the ivory tower to intervene in the lives of everyday people.” By sharing her emotionally charged story, she hoped to shed light on an otherwise romanticized industry. I cringe at some of the images presented within it, music's portrayal of women and even the violent messages in some of hip-hop's greatest songs. However, the issues of misogyny, violence and homophobia are not hip-hop's issues; they are individuals’ issues that are brought to hip-hop. Why are black men being blamed for disrespecting black women? Where does that impulse come from? These women make decisions to be a part of the videos; they are not forced into them. The question that should be asked is, “Why do women make that choice?”

Many of the common persuasive techniques in this video were used, for instance the bandwagon technique where rappers such as T.I and Nelly urged the audience believe something because everyone else does. The testimonial technique was applied throughout the entire video .Famous people endorse a product or idea. There was also the emotional appeal, where the rappers used words or images that appeal to the audience's emotions For instance, words like “struggles”, “ghetto life” and “inspiration”. These rappers appealed to positive emotions, such as desire for success, and sometimes negative ones which appealed to emotions such as fear. The subliminal messages in this video are apparent when rappers, interviewed on the red carpet, defend Hip Hop by saying “Hip Hop is a means of staying tough….we can not show fear and weakness” Other say that the ghetto life is an inspiration their sounds, and if criminality and violence as well as racy footage is what their experiences are about, then that I what their music will reflect. Another rapper stated that “ Hip hop was the ‘right way’ of doing things, given his situation and lifestyle” I n addition Fifty Cent, claimed that However some ask the question “Is Hip Hop, which once uplifted individuals, now poisoning the minds of the youth”. At times the plain folk method of persuasion was used, whereby artistes claimed to be “just like us, trying to achieve a goal in their lives”. These persuasions were actually effective in influencing the way one thinks and acts.

These are just a few of highly effective techniques of persuasion. These persuasion techniques are very effective in that they involve, creating a need or an appealing to a previously existing need. In addition, it appeals to the need to be popular, prestigious, or similar to others. Music videos and television commercials provide many examples of this type of persuasion, where viewers are encouraged to purchase items so they can be like everyone else or be like a well-known or well-respected person. Television advertisements are a huge source of exposure to persuasion considering the number of hours of television viewed each year. Furthermore, the persuasion techniques were effective because they often make use of loaded words and images. The power of a subliminal message thrives with the help of the deepest part of one's consciousness. It can be in any media and can be taken in visually or through what one hears. The use of subliminal messages in any aspects of our lives is getting wider and wider. Whether such is good or bad is probably up to the person and his own intentions in making use of a subliminal message and trying to influence the people around him. Effective media strategies deliver a uniform message to alleviate the spread of misinformation that often becomes a barrier to understanding or implementation. Strategies can be styled to meet varying levels of interest. Many people rely heavily on the media for information about events, plans, or projects that affect them. The media are an important resource for people; hence it’s popularity and effectiveness. A wide range of effective techniques were used in the video, because of the complexity of the message.

Bibliography

Steffans, K., Hunter, K. Confessions of a video vixen.Amistad. 2005