Hip-Hop Music and Social Identity - An Analysis on the Construction of Jim Smith in the Movie ‘8 Mile’

Yi Wang

doi:10.20849/ajsss.v6i4.952

Abstract

When it comes to American hip-hop music and rap music, people always think of the African American singers in loose clothes, the flashing lights on the dirty stage, all kinds of alcohol and cigarettes, as well as many drunken scenes. However, such a familiar scene is indeed an authentic portrayal of the United States. If you have heard about hip hop music, it is not difficult to find that many hip-hop lyrics are often full of dirty abuse, cold ridicule and sharp criticism. In a sense, hip hop music and rap music can be considered a kind of 'voice resistance' from the lower class of American society. However, it has not changed their current situation, and hip hop music and rap music are still regarded as inappropriate for children and teenagers. It is noteworthy that in recent years, with the popularity of hip-hop music, people from all over the world have gradually paid attention to this unique music style. At the same time, more and more people from the lower class of the United States are also be concerned by the U.S. government.

Highlights

The movie 8 Mile is a biographical movie starring hip-hop singer Eminem, and it tells the personal experience of a young man from Detroit (Grundman, 2006)
As a young white man who lives in the black community, Jim is often discriminated against by the other black gangs because of his white identity
At the end of the film, Jim depends on his fantastic rap skill and performance beat doc papa, which established his prestige among the other black groups, even the black thug leader who did not let him enter the bar before showed his appreciation for Jim

Summary

Introduction

The movie 8 Mile is a biographical movie starring hip-hop singer Eminem, and it tells the personal experience of a young man from Detroit (Grundman, 2006). In this film, instead of using novel narrative techniques to make the film plot more attractive, the director uses simple narrative lines throughout all of the plots, which makes this film more likely a documentary in terms of impressions. Jim is a misfit within a crowd of black hip-hop singers; he always mingles with his black brothers who idle about all day They are all facing pressure from family, work, society and all the other aspects. This essay will discuss what caused Jim Smith's life in dire straits

Social Class and Hip-Hop Music

Findings

Conclusion