Conventionally, rap music is not associated with poetry at all. Over the years, rap music has received fierce criticism because it usually contains colloquial and vulgar expressions and is therefore negatively connotated. Brent Wood adds that “[the] reasons for this lack of attention include cultural differences between Euro-American and African-American sensibilities, the reluctance of academic poets and critics to embrace popular culture, and the inability of print-based analysis to deal adequately with oral artistry” (129). However, a closer look will reveal that the use of poetic devices and the questioning of political issues makes rap music poetically valuable. The objective of this paper is to show rap music as poetry and not only as popular culture.
Tupac Shakur’s song “Trapped” was published in 1991 and deals with the inequality and oppression of black people living in urban areas (see Prier 89). Tupac Shakur is considered one of the most popular and successful rappers in the 1990s. He is famous for the political and social issues in his songs, as in “Changes”, “Keep Your Head Up” and in “Trapped”. In these songs, themes such as racism, police brutality, poverty, the struggle of being a single mother, hopelessness, and the constant fear of getting imprisoned are portrayed.
Since my first focus is on poetry, poetic devices will be examined that prove rap music can be poetry. But I am also going to look for political issues represented in the song that are still relevant today. The Black-Lives-Matter movement against the ongoing police brutality and systematic racism against members of the black community has a strong social impact in the United States. The only thing that has changed regarding the US prison system is the drastic increase of prisoners in the last decades.
The second focus of this term paper will pursue the question, How are 1990s political issues in the US in the represented in “Trapped”? In order to get a better understanding of what “Trapped” is about, I will do research on police brutality and systematic racism as well as the prison system in the United States.
Table of Contents
1 Lyrics of “Trapped”
2 Introduction
3 Analysis
3.1 Formal Analysis
3.2 Stylistic Analysis
3.3 The Use of African American Vernacular English
4 Political Issues in “Trapped”
4.1 Systematic Racism and Police Brutality
4.2 The US Prison System
5 Conclusion
6 Bibliography
Objectives and Topics
This paper aims to analyze Tupac Shakur’s song "Trapped" not merely as a popular cultural artifact, but as a piece of sophisticated poetry, while simultaneously examining the underlying political and social issues of the 1990s in the United States that the lyrics highlight.
- The evaluation of rap music as a form of literary expression and poetic art.
- An exploration of stylistic and linguistic devices, including African American Vernacular English (AAVE).
- An investigation into systemic racism and police brutality within black communities.
- A critical look at the US prison system and its failure to rehabilitate inmates.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 Stylistic Analysis
Several stylistic devices give the song a poetic air. In the first line, the metaphor “You know they got me trapped in this prison of seclusion” (1:1) describes how the government is responsible for the poverty and exclusion black people, especially those from urban areas, have to fear in the United States. “They” stands for either the “Other” of government and politicians or for the American society itself. Tupac Shakur indicates that he feels caged and excluded and there is no way to get out.
It should also be mentioned that he talks about seclusion in order to express the social inequality of the black community caused by the government and corrupt police officers. The ellipsis “Happiness, living on the streets is a delusion” (1:2) signifies that the “thug life” and living on the streets is frustrating as “harassment by police often [leads] to fatal confrontations” (Edwards 65). Life on the streets means not only making a lot of money by selling drugs, it is also means dealing with gang violence, the constant fear of getting shot by the police and the “sense of hopelessness” (65).
Summary of Chapters
1 Lyrics of “Trapped”: This chapter provides the primary text material, which is referenced throughout the analytical sections.
2 Introduction: The introduction establishes the thesis, arguing for the poetic value of rap music, and outlines the focus on 1990s socio-political themes in the US.
3 Analysis: This section deconstructs the song’s rhythm, rhyme, stylistic devices, and the linguistic influence of African American Vernacular English to demonstrate its depth.
4 Political Issues in “Trapped”: This chapter links the lyrical content to real-world socio-political failures, specifically police misconduct and the punitive nature of the US prison system.
5 Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, reiterating that rap music serves as a profound medium for communicating social reality and political critique.
6 Bibliography: A compilation of academic sources, articles, and dictionaries used to support the research.
Keywords
Tupac Shakur, Trapped, Rap Poetry, African American Vernacular English, AAVE, Systemic Racism, Police Brutality, US Prison System, Stylistic Analysis, Social Inequality, Hip Hop Culture, Literary Analysis, Civil Rights, Urban Poverty, Rehabilitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper explores the intersection of political critique and poetic artistry in Tupac Shakur’s song "Trapped," arguing that rap music serves as a significant form of modern poetry.
What are the central themes discussed?
The core themes include systematic racism, police brutality, the socio-economic struggle in urban areas, and the failures of the American penal system.
What is the ultimate objective of the research?
The objective is to validate rap music as a legitimate literary discipline, moving beyond the stereotypes that often dismiss it solely as vulgar popular culture.
Which linguistic framework is applied to the analysis?
The author analyzes the song using literary criticism methods and evaluates the specific impact of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) in creating authenticity.
What characterizes the main body of the text?
The main body focuses on a structural and stylistic breakdown of the lyrics, followed by a historical and sociological contextualization of the political issues mentioned by Tupac.
How would you summarize the importance of the work?
It highlights how art acts as a mirror to societal injustices, specifically addressing the systemic barriers faced by the black community in 1990s America.
Why is the use of African American Vernacular English significant in the song?
The author argues that AAVE, including features like copula suppression, provides a layer of cultural authenticity that makes the song's narrative more immediate and real to its audience.
How does the author relate the US prison system to the lyrics?
The paper uses the song's metaphors of "trapping" and "cycles" to reflect on the high recidivism rates and the punitive, rather than rehabilitative, nature of the US prison system.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Sarah Lenhardt (Autor:in), 2021, An Analysis of Political Issues and Poetic Devices in Tupac’s “Trapped”, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1417947
