Blacking Up: Hip-Hop’s Remix of Race and Identity

Written by Rizoh. Posted in Culture

Published on May 16, 2010 with 8 Comments">8 Comments

What’s driving white identification in hip-hop culture? Is it simply rooted in admiration? Is it inspired by a desire to transcend race? Are we witnessing a new chapter in the continuum of stereotyping and cultural appropriation? These are some of the questions filmmaker Robert A. Clift seeks to answer in his documentary, Blacking Up: Hip-Hop’s Remix of Race and Identity

California Newsreel is offering the full clip for free viewing until May 31st. After that, the documentary will be available for purchase on the California Newsreel site. Peep the trailer above or hit the link below to watch the entire thing.

[Raise one to Soulbrother V2]

Rizoh

Rizoh is the most powerful man in all the lands. He lives in Houston where he earned a BS in Nerf Herding. He's the founder of The Rap Up, the editor of Roc4Life.com, and is in the Grammy-awaiting band Pervertable Disciples.

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  • http://twitter.com/moneda moneda

    “Or are we witnessing a new chapter in the continuum of stereotyping and cultural appropriation?”

    Yes.

  • http://twitter.com/moneda moneda

    “Or are we witnessing a new chapter in the continuum of stereotyping and cultural appropriation?”

    Yes.

  • http://twitter.com/moneda moneda

    After having actually watched it: it was enjoyable. Good look, Riz.

  • http://twitter.com/moneda moneda

    After having actually watched it: it was enjoyable. Good look, Riz.

  • http://www.hiphopisread.com/ Ivan

    WWA @ 1:13 !!!!

  • http://www.hiphopisread.com/ Ivan

    WWA @ 1:13 !!!!

  • evaeva

    There’s a crucial element to this debate that’s totally ignored by the film: skill. To me, the minstrel show stuff is offensive not only because it’s aping a perverted idea of “black culture,” but also because it doesn’t take rap music seriously as a craft. A craft is something you work hard to get better at, and your skill is what gives you the right to do it, not your color. This otherwise excellent film flashes Eminem’s picture and doesn’t mention the fact that he is widely considered one of hip hop’s greatest emcees: how does that change the equation? When you go out to make a movie about rap music, and you don’t even talk about the skills that are at the foundation of the culture, you can’t exactly get all self-rightous and say these Cracked Out jerks don’t take the art seriously: you don’t either.

  • evaeva

    There’s a crucial element to this debate that’s totally ignored by the film: skill. To me, the minstrel show stuff is offensive not only because it’s aping a perverted idea of “black culture,” but also because it doesn’t take rap music seriously as a craft. A craft is something you work hard to get better at, and your skill is what gives you the right to do it, not your color. This otherwise excellent film flashes Eminem’s picture and doesn’t mention the fact that he is widely considered one of hip hop’s greatest emcees: how does that change the equation? When you go out to make a movie about rap music, and you don’t even talk about the skills that are at the foundation of the culture, you can’t exactly get all self-rightous and say these Cracked Out jerks don’t take the art seriously: you don’t either.