THE SIGNIFICANCE
The feud between Jay Z and Nas elevated hip-hop beefs to a whole new level of public attention. These two artists are some of the most prominent icons in the music industry, and when they went after each other through their songs “Takeover” and “Ether,” the fans faithfully tuned in. The significance of this historical beef is how they were able to persuade their fans into aligning themselves with their favorite artist. In his song “Takeover,” Jay Z took shots at Nas by indirectly insulting...
The Civil Rights Movement introduced Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X as agents of change within the African American community; while both of these men aspired for equality for the African American community, their ideas conflicted in how they would achieve their shared goal. In Malcolm X’s 1963 speech, “Message to the Grassroots”, he promoted a school of thought that stressed the idea of a revolution through violence; this concept was a direct contradiction to Dr. King's ...
The beef between Tupac and Biggie Smalls was more than an infamous note in the history of Hip-Hop, their beef signaled a rift within the structure of hip-hop itself. The beef brought to light ideas greater that an East-Coast-Vs-West-Coast mentality, it personified the duality of style within hip hop with concepts such as: indirect vs direct aggression, and the difference between an individual’s image and claims of authenticity. In 1994 Biggie Smalls released “Who Shot Ya”, the song blurred...
Hip-hop has traditionally been a patriarchal driven culture, however, the introduction of the Lil Kim and Nicki Minaj beef signify the beginning of a changing landscape within hip-hop. The indication of changing norms within hip-hop is revealed in an old-school vs. new-school school of thought, brought to the forefront by Nicki Minaj and Lil Kim; specifically, Lil Kim being referred to as belonging to the “classical period” of hip-hop. The idea was presented by Nicki Minaj in a not-so-subtle...
A staple in the entertainment industry is conflict, better known as "beef" in the hip-hop and rap genres. Beef refers to the disagreement or dislike between multiple parties of people that generally sparks the taking of sides by the intended audience. Whether analyzing conflicts during presidential elections such between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump or conflicts involving hip-hop and rap amongst icons such as Jay-Z and Nas, there is the opportunity for audiences to pick sides and "endorse" their representor of choice. While the context and content may differ, the rhetoric, tactics, and goals draw similar correlation. From discrediting an opponent, to trash talking, to becoming the “King of Rap”, the potential impact of beefs on the audience that they target monumentally affect their cultures. The fascination with conflicts in hip-hop and politics derive from their pull of the most basic of human desires and need for identity: need to be right and be on the winning team. In this section, beefs between various groups and individuals will be analyzed to determine their impact on cultural norms, use of geotagging, reference to gender roles, and larger influence in society.