A Hip Hop Theory Of Justice

“Let’s get free, a hip hop theory of justice”, by Paul Butler is an article about how hip-hop has made such a big impact on all different aspects of culture since it has come out in the South Bronx, NY in the 1970’s.  Butler talks about all the different effects hip-hop has had on all different parts of society.  He talks about how it has effected everything from the community and the government and everything in between.  Butler believes, as he says, “hip-hop has the potential to transform justice in the United States.”  Considering Hip-Hop is a semi-recent type of music it offers a fresh approach to the media.  Butler believes hip-hop has transcended rap music and that it is the most diverse form of American pop culture.  Hip-hop is very controversial in the law because most hip-hop artists  take one of the two approaches to the music style.  The two types differed dramatically one addressed political issues when the other one was the complete opposite and was nick named “gangster rap.”  In the article he uses an example from washington post which I think sums up the two perfectly. He says,  “One is a “conscious” side where political, social and cultural issues are hashed out in verse.  The other side is the bling-bling, the music that embraces the glamourous life, the live- now-I-got-mine attitude found in countless hits and in flashy videos where hootchy mamas bounce their backsides and Busta Rhymes exhorts, ‘Pass the Courvoisier’.”  Both of these styles of hip-hop have caused much controversy over the years and I think thats what hes trying to say.  It made a great commercial success and influenced some of the most popular fashion types with its loose, baggy clothing.  Politically wise it make a huge impact on race because it was predominantly african american artists and market studies show that 70% of people who buy hip-hop are white.  Hip-hop artists have reached out to their communities and the government making a huge impact and connection with all different classes of society.  The unfortunate part of this is that most of the percentage of hip-hop listeners are not actively involved in their communities.  Butler goes on to talk about how Hip-Hop plays a role in the justice system and the media.  We now now this is a very popular music genre but most of these artists have faced struggles or are facing struggles that get made public.  He compares the statistics of hip-hop artists incarcerated to different races of men.  He compares the different races to incarceration statistics.  Butler says, ”  So when people say that hip-hop glorifies criminals, it is more accurate to think of it as respecting African American and Latino men.”  I think he trys to make this point because he is trying to say some people can relate to what these hip hop artists are talking about and everyone comes from different situations and goes through different things.  Everyone needs something to relate to and it is possible these artists are only speaking the truth.  And when artists shout out their inmate friends or family how are people not supposed to relate to this when so many are in the same situation. He makes points on how people of the hip hop community are targets for the police.  Butler wants people to understand that many African Americans can relate to this or any body who comes from a poverty ridden lifestyle, and that these are the struggles they face and people should be able to respect that.