Representation Homework

Representation Homework

Does Hip-Hop represent a rigid and narrow version of manhood?

Yes because in many videos men will have a lot of jewelry, good looking women around them, expensive cars and a lot of money. In the 50 cent video he is displaying all that and especially trying to show that he is though and strong by showing off his body a lot. Furthermore 50 cent shows of his money by showing off his cars, expensive jewelry and his expensive clothes many times. Therefore he is trying to say that to get good looking girls you need everything that he displays in his music video. Significantly, a sever amount of times he shows off expensive cars especially in the first scene of the video where he has a Lamborghini, does Donald Trump show off his money? 

The message of the story is that all girls are looking for men with money, cars and expensive clothes, whereas in reality many girls don't look for that - many look for good personality and in most cases looks. Also in 50 cent's video he is talking about a candy shop where he is trying to say something equivalent to a strip club due to the language he is using 'Lick my lolly pop.' This means he is trying to say that all men should have the qualities and privilege's that he desires to get as I have been saying may times to get good looking women. Also the women in the video where little clothing to show their good bodies, many girls show a lot of cleavage and dance very provocatively.

Lastly, 50 cent is inflicting that he will get all these girls not because of money nor cars but because he looks tough and has a muscular build - known as a mesomorph. And he says that all the wimps, weak men who could be nerds will not girls or the money because they need a good body. However Bill Gates can be classed as a nerd but he doesn't have a muscular body or look tough yet is probably a lot richer than 50 cent. This means that pop stars are stereotyped because they always want to look tough and show off their cars but in reality behind the camera they could be very clever and a nerd but don't show that because many people have an image on cars, money and girls in pop music videos. For example Blurred Lines unrated it has girls with no bra on showing off their body and how men who are rich only get them girls.

Grading

1/11

C2

What you have here is good and you have responded well to the question, using examples solidly. 

T: Try to use more examples and key terminology (see VCOP Blog). Pick out all of the technical aspects (Mise-en-scene, editing, lyrics etc) and how they help you come to your conclusions.