Jill Smith "Spectacle"

I enjoyed this chapter very much. I have to say that I am on the side of the post modernist side on this debate about spectacles in the public sphere. Being the music lover that I am, I have been exposed to rap music and all other music for that matter. I enjoy all forms of rap music and can remeber the first time I heard Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise." Public Enemy's such a great group because they believe in their message and rightfully so, they felt it was time for a change in society. Tupac Shakur also felt strongly about the need for change, his music is also very politically charged and I feel he is one of the if not the top poet of our time. The music that rappers make is poetry, pure and simple. The only difference is that it is "rapped" and put to a melody rather then collected in a book and read. I agree with McKee when he states, "These spectacular forms of communication 'speak of pain, struggle and survival despite periods of hoplesness'" (110). McKee then goes on to quote McGuian who says, "Rap itself is best seen as a cultural forum for urban blacks to articulate their experiences, concerns and politics" (110). A great example of this is in Tupac Shakur's song "Changes:"
"Come on come on I see no changes wake up in the morning and I ask myself is life worth living should I blast myself? I'm tired of bein' poor and even worse I'm black my stomach hurts so I'm lookin' for a purse to snatch Cops give a damn about a negro pull the trigger kill a nigga he's a hero Give crack to the kids who the hell cares one less ugly mouth on the welfare First ship 'em dope & let 'em deal the brothers give 'em guns step back watch 'em kill each other It's time to fight back that's what Huey said 2 shots in the dark now Huey's dead I got love for my brother but we can never go nowhere unless we share with each other We gotta start makin' changes learn to see me as a brother instead of 2 distant strangers and that's how it's supposed to be How can the Devil take a brother if he's close to me? I'd love to go back to when we played as kids but things changed, and that's the way it is
I see no changes all I see is racist faces misplaced hate makes disgrace to races We under I wonder what it takes to make this one better place, let's erase the wasted Take the evil out the people they'll be acting right 'cause both black and white is smokin' crack tonight and only time we chill is when we kill each other it takes skill to be real, time to heal each other And although it seems heaven sent We ain't ready, to see a black President, uhh It ain't a secret don't conceal the fact the penitentiary's packed, and it's filled with blacks But some things will never change try to show another way but you stayin' in the dope game Now tell me what's a mother to do bein' real don't appeal to the brother in you You gotta operate the easy way "I made a G today" But you made it in a sleazy way sellin' crack to the kid. " I gotta get paid," Well hey, well that's the way it is
We gotta make a change... It's time for us as a people to start makin' some changes. Let's change the way we eat, let's change the way we live and let's change the way we treat each other. You see the old way wasn't working so it's on us to do what we gotta do, to survive. And still I see no changes can't a brother get a little peace It's war on the streets & the war in the Middle East Instead of war on poverty they got a war on drugs so the police can bother me And I ain't never did a crime I ain't have to do But now I'm back with the blacks givin' it back to you Don't let 'em jack you up, back you up, crack you up and pimp smack you up You gotta learn to hold ya own they get jealous when they see ya with ya mobile phone But tell the cops they can't touch this I don't trust this when they try to rush I bust this That's the sound of my tool you say it ain't cool my mama didn't raise no fool And as long as I stay black I gotta stay strapped & I never get to lay back 'Cause I always got to worry 'bout the pay backs some buck that I roughed up way back comin' back after all these years rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat that's the way it is uhh" (Shakur http://www.alleyezonme.com/lyrics/2pac/0128/Changes.phtml).
This song demonstrates what poetry can do. He is speaking from his heart and from his own experience which is powerful. When this is brought into the public sphere it causes awareness and also gets people to think. I think Tupac said it best when he said, "Though our hands are chained like they are, they haven't taken music from us yet. So that's how I'll fight. People tell me don't quit like everyone else. I wont have no fear" (Shakur http://www.alleyezonme.com/tupacQuotes.html).

I think music is a great place for political messgaes. The late sixties and early seventies saw there fair share of politically charged music as a responce to the Vietnam War. Music has always had a place in the public sphere because it can reach people and bring people together.