"The Language of Power" - bell hooks

“In contemporary black popular culture, rap music has become one of the spaces where black vernacular speech is used in a manner that invites dominant mainstream culture to listen—to hear—and, to some extent, be transformed.”

This quote is taken from bell hooks “The Language of Power,” tells us how in black rap music, they are using mostly AAVE language as well to send messages in their raps lyrics. Many rappers such as the late Tupac Shakur, or Drake sends messages behind their rap lyrics especially towards racism and police brutality against the African American community. Also, the famous pop singer Stevie Wonder would release dozens of songs telling us how proud he is to be black and shows us the role of Blacks or African American in the US history. This quote by bell hooks is telling her readers that black people use music to express themselves for the dominant mainstream culture to listen and possibly to an extent, understand the role and language of the African American community and its people.

While I was reading bell hooks article, I changed my perspective on music that is sung by famous rappers. At first, I only enjoyed the beat and lyrics, but now after reading this article, I have changed my perspective on the AAVE and rap music that are conducted by African Americans. I firmly believe that if many other people read hooks article, their views might change even at the slightest. Furthermore, I really hope that people understand what hooks are trying to tell her readers in this quote, and I also believe that not only towards this particular topic but to change their perspective at the most points that hooks have stated in her text on the AAVE language. A big issue that currently occurring today, is how many people misunderstand a lot of African American rap songs that use the sensitive word towards the African Community and black race, the N-Word. Several modern-day famous rappers such as Kanye West, Jay-Z, J-Cole, Wiz Khalifa and the late Tupac, all use the N-Word in their famous hits (rap songs), black people have their own way of using it, in AAVE it is used as “bro” or even “dude”, but it is still a very offensive word to use against black people if you are not black. Unfortunately, many fans of rap music are white and they misuse the N-word to the extent that they do not see it as an offensive term even towards the black community; studies show that many white people use the N-word to feel one with the black community or just to fit in with the black community or the modern day “trends”. The main reason on why only the black community can use this word with one another is that they both have been growing up feeling oppressed and discriminated, and many people in the black community could be brutally hurt by the police or even shot down at any second, and those white people cannot share the same issue, so, therefore, it gives them no right at all to use the N-word. Again, this word totally unacceptable to be used by anyone who is not in the black community, and if it is used by anyone who is not black could face severe consequences. Like a few months ago in Tennessee, USA. A white teenager was badly beaten down by a group of black people for continually using the n-word. Perhaps after many people read this article written by bell hooks, their perspective could be changed even at the slightest because bell demonstrates her messages using real-life examples, and I think that after reading her article, I have changed my perspective towards rap music that is talking or speaking for the black community while using AAVE language. It is more than just another rap music that I enjoy listening to.