This term paper takes a look at how cultural appropriation works in the context of African-American music in general and rap music in particular. Relevant parts of Hari Kunzru's novel "White Tears" will be analyzed in order to understand the motivations and intentions that the two white twenty somethings have in their respective approaches to music that was made before they were born and to a subculture they never participated in due to their social backgrounds. The conclusion of this term paper then answers the following question: Was Carter right to reject the white rapper's business proposal?
Especially in a society like the United States with its long history of racial and cultural contacts and clashes, the appropriation of items from different cultural backgrounds is a strongly contested issue. The intensity of recent mainstream debates concerning the professional sport franchises of the Cleveland Indians or the Washington Redskins and their respective marketing of Native American culture is proof of that. When cultural appropriation is used as a vehicle of capitalism, it becomes debatable. Hari Kunzru's novel "White Tears", published in 2017, deals with exactly these topics when portraying the business ventures of two young white music producers and their shared search for vintage sound in modern day New York City.
In an early scene of the book, Seth and Carter, the producer duo, meet with representatives of a major label and their artist, a famous white rapper. Having heard of their vast archives of rare vintage sounds and their classic methods of production, the mainstream artists offers them the opportunity to work on his newest project, a tribute to all African-American music that was recorded prior to his birth in the Nineties. When Carter dismisses the project on the grounds of false cultural appropriation, he leaves his business partner as confused as the reader of the novel, since there is no further explanation offered and the plot continues.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Cultural Appropriation
2.1 Cultural Appropriation in the US
2.2 Cultural Appropriation in Rap Music
3. White Tears
3.1 The Producers' Social Blackness
3.2 Different Standards of Authenticity
3.3 The White Rapper
3.4 A Trip Down Memory Lane
3.5 For the Love of the Game
4. Conclusion
4.1 A Battle of White Privileges
Research Objectives and Themes
This term paper examines the dynamics of cultural appropriation within African-American music, specifically focusing on rap music. By analyzing Hari Kunzru’s novel White Tears, the research investigates the motivations of two young white music producers and explores whether the rejection of a white rapper's business proposal by one of the protagonists is ethically justified.
- The mechanics of cultural appropriation in the United States.
- The role of authenticity and "social blackness" in rap music.
- Critical analysis of the producer duo's perception of black culture.
- The conflict between artistic intent and economic interests in the music industry.
- The intersection of class, race, and white privilege.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 The Producers' Social Blackness
Early on in the novel it is revealed that Seth, the middle-class half-orphaned protagonist, met Carter, his upper-class would-be-partner, at a “liberal arts college upstate”, a “not-quite-Ivy school”. At this place they not only met and became acquainted, they were also culturally immersed by black music there – something they soon discovered as their common passion.
In an early production phase they try to copy Lee Perry's Jamaican production techniques from the 70s on analog equipment that Carter bought. Right then they have their first experience of cultural appropriation: We worshipped music like Perry's but we knew we didn't own it, a fact we tried to ignore as far as possible, masking our disabling caucasity with a sort of professorial knowledge: who played congas on the B-side, the precise definition of collie.
The first interesting notion in this quote is the desire of the two white producers to own a certain style of musical production and the cultural values it entails. This becomes clear since they realize that they do not own this music but decide to ignore it by focusing on the acquisition of extensive knowledge about band-members and slang terms for Marijuana.
How stereotypical their perception of black culture is becomes even more clear when the reader learns about how Seth and Carter perceive blackness in their surroundings:
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the scope of the paper, discussing the prevalence of cultural appropriation in the US and introducing the core conflict within Hari Kunzru’s novel White Tears.
2. Cultural Appropriation: This section defines cultural appropriation as a power-imbalanced process, analyzing its history in the US and its specific manifestation within the rap music industry.
3. White Tears: This chapter provides an in-depth literary analysis of the novel, focusing on the protagonists' experiences, their views on authenticity, and their encounter with a famous white rapper.
4. Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the previous findings and argues that while the rejection of the white rapper's proposal was appropriate, the motivation behind it remains complicated by the producer's own white privilege.
Keywords
Cultural Appropriation, White Tears, Hari Kunzru, Rap Music, Authenticity, Social Blackness, White Privilege, Music Production, African-American Culture, Subculture, Capitalism, Literature Analysis, Race, Ethnicity, Music Industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this term paper?
The paper examines the phenomenon of cultural appropriation within the context of African-American music and its portrayal in the novel White Tears by Hari Kunzru.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
Key themes include the exploitation of cultural products, the construction of authenticity in rap, social class dynamics, and the exercise of white privilege by music industry figures.
What is the core research question?
The research seeks to determine whether the protagonist Carter was morally justified in rejecting the business proposal offered by a white rapper regarding a cover album of black music history.
Which methodology is applied in this paper?
The paper utilizes a literary analysis approach, quoting and interpreting specific passages from White Tears to evaluate the motivations and perspectives of the characters.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body analyzes the socialization of the two producers, their definitions of musical authenticity, the characteristics of the white rapper, and the industry’s marketing strategies.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Relevant keywords include Cultural Appropriation, White Tears, Authenticity, Social Blackness, White Privilege, and Rap Music.
How is the concept of "social blackness" defined in the text?
It is described as a performative quality that certain white artists attempt to adopt to authenticate themselves and gain credibility within the hip-hop subculture.
Why did the producers feel entitled to "own" black music?
The text suggests their entitlement stems from their intense study and technical mastery of vintage sounds, leading them to believe that their specialized knowledge granted them a "right" to the music.
What role does the label executive play in the novel’s conflict?
The executive acts as the voice of capitalism, prioritizing profit margins and marketability over the artistic integrity or cultural sensitivity that the artists might initially propose.
- Citar trabajo
- Florian Arleth (Autor), 2018, Rap Music and Cultural Appropriation in Hari Kunzru's "White Tears", Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/490582
