University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 5-2010 "Rapping About Authenticity": Exploring the Differences in Perceptions of "Authenticity" in Rap Music by Consumers." James L. Wright UTK, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss Part of the Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, Ethnomusicology Commons, Social Psychology and Interaction Commons, and the Sociology of Culture Commons Recommended Citation Wright, James L., ""Rapping About Authenticity": Exploring the Differences in Perceptions of "Authenticity" in Rap Music by Consumers.". " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2010. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/760 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by James L. Wright entitled ""Rapping About Authenticity": Exploring the Differences in Perceptions of "Authenticity" in Rap Music by Consumers."." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Sociology. Suzaanne B. Kurth, Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Robert Emmet Jones; Hoan Bui; Debora Baldwin Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by James L. Wright entitled “Rapping About “Authenticity”: Exploring the Differences in Perceptions of “Authenticity” in Rap Music by Consumers.” I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Sociology. Suzanne Kurth Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Robert Emmet Jones Hoan Bui Debora Baldwin Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official student records.) “RAPPING ABOUT AUTHENTICITY”: EXPLORING THE DIFFERENCES IN PERCEPTIONS OF “AUTHENTICITY” IN RAP MUSIC BY CONSUMERS A Dissertation Presented for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree The University of Tennessee, Knoxville James L. Wright May 2010 Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my love, my soul mate, Tamika Wright. Your quiet support during this process was a motivating factor in my completing this project. I will always love you. To my mother, Carolyn Jenkins. Only a mother can guide children from a far. Thanks for your listening and supportive ears when times got tough. There is a reason why I chose to defend on December 1st. To my grandmother and grandfather, Mary and Jesse Wright, you have always supported me in everything I’ve done. I really appreciate and love you both. To my children, Lexie and Tyler Wright. Words can’t express how much your love and support has inspired me to complete this journey and reach my goals. ii Acknowledgments I want to thank all those who helped me complete my Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Sociology. I would like to thank Dr. Suzanne Kurth for her guidance, support, and effort in helping me achieve this goal. From the first day I stepped on campus in Knoxville, Dr. Kurth has been that support mechanism I needed to fulfill this dream. I would like to thank Dr. Robert Jones and Dr. Hoan Bui for volunteering their time and effort in serving on my committee. I’d like to thank Dr. Debora Baldwin for volunteering time and service to this project on short notice. I’d like to also acknowledge some very important friends I’ve met along the way. Darrell Walsh, who’s been a very good friend and confidant in this process. Keep working bro…you’re next. Dr. Angel Geoghagan, words can’t express how important you’ve been to me and my family. God couldn’t have made a better, more genuine person. Dr. Shirley Rainey, who was my voice of reason through this process. I thank you for constantly checked up on me through tough times. Regina Russell, who’s been that voice of reason when I was going through tough times and didn’t want to become a burden to my wife. My brother, Travis Wooden. I love you bro. Dr. Christopher Mobley, who came into my life at a time when I was contemplating giving up on this process in iii pursuit of other opportunities. Thanks for the words of encouragement and objective eyes when proofing my document. I’d also like to thank Donna Seagle, Kathy Long, Dr. Kay Andrews, Dr. Warren Mackey, and the late Dr. Glayds Crates. You took a chance on a young African American man and placed him in a position at Chattanooga State to fulfill personal dreams and accomplish professional goals. I am forever grateful. To my professional colleague in this journey, Jackie Hill. You are at the finish line…get it done! Afterwards, we’ll celebrate. To the Alpha Alpha Rho/Alpha Alpha Delta Sigma chapter of Phi Beta Sigma, especially Brian Rann, Jermaine Maxton, and Andre Taybron. You guys are the best. After all these years, we are still close. You don’t know how important those Facebook messages and Blackberry IM’s meant over the last few months. I really appreciate your support. Blue Phi…You Know! Lastly, I’d like to thank good friend, Anne Carroll; my father, Jesse L. Wright, Jr.; step-mother, Patricia Wright; brother and sister, Eric and Candi Wright; my in-laws, Linda and Jesse Ware; my aunts, Juanita Wright, Donna Douglas, and Linda Price; my uncles, James W. Wright, Charles Jenkins, Lawrence Price, and Eddie Ware; my many cousins (you know who you are) and other friends who supported me during this process. iv Abstract Historically, social scientists have not only marginalized rap music as a viable unit of scholarly analysis, but failed at attempts to understand the thoughts and actions of rap music consumers. This study analyzes the connection between rap music’s (and the artists’) authenticity and how those perceptions of authenticity affect music consumers’ decision making process, thus providing a possible explanation as to why music fans purchase rap music. The goal of this research was to see if the reasons rap music fans provide explaining the rationale behind their purchases match the images and perceptions presumably held by the general public about rap music. A snowball sample was used to survey a total of 30 rap music “experts.” The findings from this study indicate the concept of authenticity is very important in validating not only rap music, but rap artist, rap music fans, and hip hop culture as a whole. The findings from this study provide empirical evidence supporting the importance of authenticity as a construct and the use of rap music as a unit of scholarly research analysis. By justifying the importance of authenticity to rap music and hip hop culture, this research proposes that authenticity may well v be used as a means to maintain existing relationships with a fan-base and as a marketing tool used by record companies to attract new fans and generate album sales. vi Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………1 Rationale ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………2 Purpose and Questions………………………………………………………………………………………3 Rap and Hip Hop………………………………………………………………………………………………………4 Subgenres ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………9 Authenticity ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………10 Chapter Summary ……………………………………………………………………………………………………10 Overview of Remaining Chapters ……………………………………………………………11 Chapter 2: Rap Music and Hip Hop in Context ………………………………………13 The Historical Evolution of Rap/Hip Hop Music ……………………13 Spatial/Territorial Context…………………………………………………………13 The Evolution of the Rap Music Genre and Hip Hop Culture………………………………………………………………………………………………………………15 The Cultural Significance of Rap and Hip Hop Music ………22 Issues of Identity ……………………………………………………………………………………………26 Chapter 3: Exploring Authenticity in Rap Music and Hip Hop Culture …………………………………………………………………………………………………………31 The Structural Basis for Emerging Questions about Authenticity ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………31 Socially Constructing Questions of Authenticity ………………34 The “Question” of Authenticity ……………………………………………………………37 “Marketing” Black Culture ……………………………………………………………38 vii Commodifying Black Music ………………………………………………………………42 Challenging Authenticity in Rap Music ……………………………45 “Keepin’ it Real”: Authenticity in Hip Hop ………………47 “Keepin’ it Real”: Maintaining Ties to Urban Areas…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………49 “Keepin’ it Real”: Delivering Personal Autobiographies ………………………………………………………………………………………50 “Keepin’ it Real”: Identity and Personal Experiences …………………………………………………………………………………………………54 Social Location ……………………………………………………………………………………………………61 Authentic “Blackness”: “Street Cred(ibility)” and Criminality ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………65 Chapter Summary ……………………………………………………………………………………………………67 Chapter 4: Methodology ………………………………………………………………………………………………70 Personal Perspective ………………………………………………………………………………………70