Common - Letter to the Free blog tasks
Social and cultural context
Read this Billboard interview where Common talks about Letter to the Free, political hip hop and contemporary American society. Use the article and the notes we have made in lessons (also available above) to answer the following questions on the social, cultural and genre contexts for Letter to the Free.
1) What other projects has Common been involved in over recent years?
He played out a more drawn out rendition of Letter to the Free at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival and also make new music, for example, "The general population" and "The Light".
2) What is the 13th Amendment of the American Constitution?
The alteration expressed that bondage was annulled and also automatic subjugation, expect in situations where a man has carried out a wrongdoing.
3) What were the Black Codes?
The Black Codes were laws passed by Southern states in 1865 and 1866 in the United States after the American Civil War with the aim and the impact of confining African Americans opportunity, and of convincing them to work in a work economy in light of low wages or obligation.
4) Why do people suggest that the legacy of slavery is still a crucial aspect to American culture 150 years after it was abolished by the 13th Amendment?
Mass incarceration was presented after the abrogation of subjugation and isolation. 'Offenders' was utilized as a reason with a specific end goal to confine the opportunity of the African Americans which proceeded with prejudice all through the nation and even till today.
5) Why was Ava DuVernay inspired to make the Netflix documentary 13th?
She expressed that she needed to be a backer for change and to bring trust,"I make this film in a place of hope which is how I try to walk through the day".
6) Focusing on genre, what was the most significant time period for the rise in political hip hop?
The 80s and 90s was a reflective of movement. It was the movement of black empowerment, black love and consciousness.
7) Common talks about other current artists that have a political or protest element to their music. Who are they? Are there any other hip hop artists that you are aware of that have a strong political element to their work?
Artists like Kendrick Lamar and Chance the Rapper are artists which are a "voice of revolution and say 'this is how we're changing things'". They are viewed as the voice and pioneers of the hip bounce period and are the good examples who feature parts of society that they think about off-base.
8) What album is Letter to the Free taken from? What was the critical reception for this album? You'll need to research this - the Wikipedia entry for the album is a good place to start.
Album - Black America Again
The album was given good reviews by Metacritic which rated the album an 88 out of 100. They said the album was "one of the year's most potent protest albums...The songs were emotional and loving". Q magazine said "Black America Again is a stirring reminder of the Chicago MC's relevance".
Read this Billboard interview where Common talks about Letter to the Free, political hip hop and contemporary American society. Use the article and the notes we have made in lessons (also available above) to answer the following questions on the social, cultural and genre contexts for Letter to the Free.
1) What other projects has Common been involved in over recent years?
He played out a more drawn out rendition of Letter to the Free at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival and also make new music, for example, "The general population" and "The Light".
2) What is the 13th Amendment of the American Constitution?
The alteration expressed that bondage was annulled and also automatic subjugation, expect in situations where a man has carried out a wrongdoing.
The Black Codes were laws passed by Southern states in 1865 and 1866 in the United States after the American Civil War with the aim and the impact of confining African Americans opportunity, and of convincing them to work in a work economy in light of low wages or obligation.
4) Why do people suggest that the legacy of slavery is still a crucial aspect to American culture 150 years after it was abolished by the 13th Amendment?
Mass incarceration was presented after the abrogation of subjugation and isolation. 'Offenders' was utilized as a reason with a specific end goal to confine the opportunity of the African Americans which proceeded with prejudice all through the nation and even till today.
5) Why was Ava DuVernay inspired to make the Netflix documentary 13th?
She expressed that she needed to be a backer for change and to bring trust,"I make this film in a place of hope which is how I try to walk through the day".
6) Focusing on genre, what was the most significant time period for the rise in political hip hop?
The 80s and 90s was a reflective of movement. It was the movement of black empowerment, black love and consciousness.
7) Common talks about other current artists that have a political or protest element to their music. Who are they? Are there any other hip hop artists that you are aware of that have a strong political element to their work?
Artists like Kendrick Lamar and Chance the Rapper are artists which are a "voice of revolution and say 'this is how we're changing things'". They are viewed as the voice and pioneers of the hip bounce period and are the good examples who feature parts of society that they think about off-base.
Album - Black America Again
The album was given good reviews by Metacritic which rated the album an 88 out of 100. They said the album was "one of the year's most potent protest albums...The songs were emotional and loving". Q magazine said "Black America Again is a stirring reminder of the Chicago MC's relevance".
Close-textual analysis and representation
Re-watch the music video several times to complete the following tasks in specific detail:
1) How does the Letter to the Free music video use cinematography to create meanings for the audience? (Camera shots and movement).
Re-watch the music video several times to complete the following tasks in specific detail:
1) How does the Letter to the Free music video use cinematography to create meanings for the audience? (Camera shots and movement).
The video doesn't take after ordinary music video traditions as it just highlights long and medium shots. By doing as such the video can demonstrate the encompassing and condition in which the entertainers are in, appearing of the jail. This underscores how confined and disengaged the entertainers are and fortifying detainment. The moderate following shot toward the beginning of the video which leads into the jail enables the gathering of people to center around the reality of the subject and in addition inundating the crowd and set them up for the craftsman ground-breaking verses.
2) What is the significance of the constantly moving camera?
2) What is the significance of the constantly moving camera?
The moderate handheld development of the camera demonstrates the time going inside the jail and in addition the difference in treatment of dark individuals in America and how the gradualness of the video thinks about how gradually society has changed its treatment of African Americans.
3) Why is the video in black and white?
The utilization of high contrast shading plan in the video enables the video to center around the earnestness of the point. It additionally has implications of the past and servitude, a subject featured in the verses of the video. The utilization of high contrast may likewise have undertones to the entertainers or the black box being stuck in the past and in addition attempting to convey the significance and messages behind the specialists verses.
4) How is mise-en-scene used to construct meaning for the audience - prison setting, costume, props, lighting, actor placement?
4) How is mise-en-scene used to construct meaning for the audience - prison setting, costume, props, lighting, actor placement?
The jail setting is a programmed reference to how African american's treatment has been previously and how it presently is. It connects to the verses of the craftsman and in addition sending the message of video to the gathering of people. The words "No unnecessary commotion" out of sight shot of the music video has meanings of how dark individuals in America battle to stand up and have a voice. It demonstrates how America in the past has possessed the capacity to control this ethnic gathering by taking without end their voice to stand up. The foundation has a b-ball loop, which could reference to dark culture as the NBA is been commanded by dark competitors. Generally speaking the basic visuals of the video enables the crowd to center around the verses of the video.
5) Focusing on the track, what are the key lyrics that suggest the political message of the song?
"We ain't seen as human beings with feelings", this line alone is amazingly intense as it features the treatment of African Americans in the past and also today and how the craftsman sees prejudice today. The consistent reiteration of opportunity compares with the earth and hints how flexibility hasn't really been conceded to the African Americans who live in the US.
6) What is the significance of the floating black square motif? Discuss your own interpretations alongside Common's explanation of it in the Billboard feature linked above.
5) Focusing on the track, what are the key lyrics that suggest the political message of the song?
"We ain't seen as human beings with feelings", this line alone is amazingly intense as it features the treatment of African Americans in the past and also today and how the craftsman sees prejudice today. The consistent reiteration of opportunity compares with the earth and hints how flexibility hasn't really been conceded to the African Americans who live in the US.
Common describes the black square as "It represents the infinite thing about blackness and blackness can't be defined in time or space". This could likewise be translated as the dark individuals all in all and how they're dealt with. The black square is seen all through the video in the jail from the cell to the outside with the "No inordinate commotion" at the foundation. The dark square is additionally observed toward the finish of the video in an open field outside the jail, anyway it is setting down which could speak to death and how opportunity is allowed to the African American individuals toward the finish of their lives.
7) How does the video reference racism, slavery and the oppression of black culture? Make reference to specific shots, scenes or moments in the video.
7) How does the video reference racism, slavery and the oppression of black culture? Make reference to specific shots, scenes or moments in the video.
The multiple shots of inside the prison from the cell shots and the 'no excessive noise' text in the background all reference racism and how black people are treated in society. The content gives implications of how dark individuals are required to act and how they are relied upon to "quiet down and acknowledge it", taking their flexibility and voice away.
8) How can Gilroy's idea of black diasporic identity be applied to Common's Letter to the Free?
"Rappers like common seize on pimpology's prominence to poke fun at its pervasiveness". He utilises his voice and doesn't take after run of the hip hop music video traditions with a specific end goal to sparkle a light on social orders current issues and in addition convey a voice to the dark network. Letter to the Free features the political and social issues of contemporary America and attract regard for starting another rush of "Challenge music". "Protest music".
"Rappers like common seize on pimpology's prominence to poke fun at its pervasiveness". He utilises his voice and doesn't take after run of the hip hop music video traditions with a specific end goal to sparkle a light on social orders current issues and in addition convey a voice to the dark network. Letter to the Free features the political and social issues of contemporary America and attract regard for starting another rush of "Challenge music". "Protest music".
9) What other theories of race and ethnicity can be applied to this video? E.g. Hall, Rose or Dyson.
Hall's hypothesis can be connected to this music video as the music video orders dark individuals together as one and spots them inside a jail, connecting this specific race with a specific social class.
10) What current events in America and worldwide are referenced in the song and video?
10) What current events in America and worldwide are referenced in the song and video?
References to Donald Trump are made in the verses of the video and in addition past presidents "Shot me with your ray-gun and now you want to trump me".
