Intergenerational Engagement with Hip Hop: Parents as Mediators of African American Adolescent Consumption of Popular Culture

Abstract

Now imagine there's a shorty, maybe five maybe four. Ridin' 'round with his mama listening to the radio. And a song comes on and a not far off from being born, doesn't know the difference between right and wrong. Now ain't trying to make it too complex, but let's just say shorty has an undeveloped context about the perception of women these days. His mama sings along and this what she says, Niggas, I'm a bad bitch, and I'm bad bitch. Something that's far above average and maybe other rhyming words like cabbage and savage and baby carriage and other things that match it. Couple of things are happenin' here, first he's relatin' the word bitch with his mama-comma, and because she's relatin' to herself, his most important source of help and mental health, he may skew respect for dishonor.-Lupe Fiasco Bitch Bad (Waco, Jordan, Giannos, & Boyd, 2012)The study reported in this article addressed the socialization messages African American female adolescents receive, the hip hop cultural movement as an educative site, and the role of parents and educators in countering the dominant scripts and facilitating media literacy among these young women. first hip hop generation, born between 1965 and 1984, have entered adulthood and middle age and now have children impacted by musical content and imagery that influenced them (Kitwana, 2003). Today, young people all over the world are identifying with and using popular culture to define themselves, for many of them, the adults in their lives are as well.Based on the (mis) representations of Black women and girls in the media, the author co-created a media literacy group and designed a pedagogical intervention to deconstruct media messages of Black women and their meanings. work with this group was intentional in historicizing stereotypes about Black women and encouraging Black adolescent females to (re)define Black girlhood for themselves. In addition to fostering a reaffirming space for Black girls to create or maintain, a positive self-identity, the author also sought to explore the intergenerational engagement with hip hop occurring in the household of the girls, based on dialogue conducted in the media literacy group. By exploring relationship dynamics and level of dialogue with these girls and their parents, the findings contribute to the literature on Black family socialization. This research also adds to the literature that examines students' out-of-school time, and the environmental and social determinants of academic success.THE HIP HOP CULTURAL MOVEMENTA revolution in youth culture was launched through the evolution of hip hop and effects youth's multiple identities. Television, another form of popular culture, has nudged its way into this space as well. Aisha Durham (2010) referred to the music in hip hop and its imagery as hip-hop media. There are several television shows, on a variety of networks, in which hip hop is the basis. VH1's & Hip Hop-New York, with spin-off, Chrissy & Mr. Jones, as well as & Hip Hop-Atlanta, with a spin-off in the making based on a controversial couple, Stevie J and Joseline Hernandez. Additionally, several hip-hop artists have created television shows: rap mogul Sean Diddy Combs' Making the Band and Who Wants to Work for Diddy, William Flavor Flav Drayton's Flavor of and subsequent spin-off shows I Love New York and Chance of Love, RunDMC artist Reverend Joseph Run Simmons' Run's House, rapper Clifford T.I. Harris' Family Hustle, rapper Jayceon The Game Taylor's Marrying the Game and Bravo channel's The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Hip hop continues its reach into film with three films, 8 Mile, Hustle and Flow, and Get Rich or Die Tryin', all receiving Academy Award nominations. 8 Mile, starring White rapper Eminem, received the Academy Award for Best Original Song for Lose Yourself from the movie soundtrack. song was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. …