It’s Not Me, It’s You: Considering the Worthy Sacrifice Hip Hop Artists May Need to Make to Reclaim the Heart of Hip Hop, its People by Sharieka Shontae Botex April, 2019 Director of Thesis: Dr. Wendy Sharer Major Department: English The origins of Hip Hop evidence that the art form was intended to provide more than music to listen to, but instead offer art that delivers messages on behalf of people who were not always listened to. My thesis offers an analysis of Jay-Z and J. Cole’s lyrical content and adds to an ongoing discussion of the potential Hip Hop artists have to be effective leaders for the Black community, whose lyrical content can be used to make positive change in society, and how this ability at times can be compromised by creating content that doesn’t evidence this potential or undermines it. Along with this, my work highlights how some of Jay-Z and J. Cole’s lyrical content exhibits their use of some rhetorical strategies and techniques used in social movements and their use of some African American rhetorical practices and strategies. In addition to this, I acknowledge and discuss points in scholarship that connect with my discussion of their lyrical content, or that aided me in proposing what they could consider for future lyrical content. I analyzed six Jay-Z songs and six J. Cole songs, including one song from their earliest released studio album and one from their most recently released studio album. I examined their lyrical content to document responses to the following questions: What issues and topics are discussed in the lyrics; Is money referenced? If so, how; Is there a message of uplift or unity?; What does the artist speak out against?; What lifestyles and habits are promoted?; What guidance is provided?; What problems are mentioned? and What solutions are offered? In my thesis, I explored Jay-Z and J. Cole’s lyrical content in a deeper way than I had as a fan who believed that their lyrical content and use of their platforms as artists at times evidenced the ways they can be leaders in the Black community and shapers of society, but also evidenced how they delivered potentially counterproductive lyrical content that may benefit in them progressing in their own careers, but may not guarantee them serving as innovative problem solvers for their communities. I listened to and read the lyrics of the songs to document instances in the lyrics where the artists are potentially offering lyrical content that is helping and uplifting their community, or potentially hindering their community. My research questions are: Do the lyrics and careers of Jay-Z and J. Cole potentially suggest that you must rap about certain topics and issues or promote a certain lifestyle to be crowned the King of Hip Hop or considered an elite and successful rapper? Sub-question: What do the lyrics of artists like Jay-Z and J. Cole, who are crowned by some as the King or top M.Cs typically promote or speak out against? Guiding questions: What does it take to be crowned the King of Hip Hop? What type of lifestyle do Jay- Z and J. Cole promote and denounce in their art? What do their lyrics suggest or say about where they are from and their lifestyles? What message do their lyrics share about social issues such as poverty, health issues/disparities, race, consumerism and capitalism? What do these successful artists typically sell and promote in their lyrics to consumers of their art? When these artists decide to use their platform and the press to publicly advocate for those they identify as their audience, what is their message and perspective? It’s Not Me, It’s You: Considering the Worthy Sacrifice Hip Hop Artists May Need to Make to Reclaim the Heart of Hip Hop, its People A Thesis Presented To the Faculty of the Department of English East Carolina University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in English by Sharieka Botex April, 2019 © Sharieka Botex, 2019 It’s Not Me, It’s You: Considering the Worthy Sacrifice Hip Hop Artists May Need to Make to Reclaim the Heart of Hip Hop, its People by Sharieka Shontae Botex APPROVED BY: DIRECTOR OF THESIS: ________________________________________________ Wendy Sharer, Ph.D. COMMITTEE MEMBER: ________________________________________________ William Banks, Ph.D. COMMITTEE MEMBER: ________________________________________________ Nicole Caswell, Ph.D. ACTING CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH: ________________________________________________ Tracy Ann Morse, Ph.D. DEAN OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL: ________________________________________________ Paul J. Gemperline, Ph.D. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Working on my thesis has been a learning and growing experience for me, and I will use what I have learned when I work on future projects. My thesis is work that will always be a reminder that I need to remember who the work is for and why I am doing the work. Along with this, working on my thesis has affirmed the need to trust myself, be confident in my decisions and to not let doubt or uncertainty result in me acting in haste and making decisions too quickly, but instead to always remember how important every step of the process is. I thank God that I have been blessed and supported to feel good about my work, even when I could only talk about what I could do to make it better or reflect on what I should’ve and shouldn’t have done. I thank my mom for always encouraging me to pursue what I love and teaching me that it is important to consider how I can help people in the process. I also thank my mom for reminding me to stay focused, trust in God and believe in myself. I thank my dad for instilling the three Ds: dedication; determination, and discipline in me and for reminding me to take pride in everything I do. I thank my parents for teaching me to value education, raising me to care about my culture, community, have respect for my ancestors and find my own strength in the ways they were strong. I thank my wife for her encouragement, uplifting words, her interest in my work, her support, and for reminding me not to overthink things or be too hard on myself, but for always supporting me and acknowledging the time and energy I needed to invest in my work to go as hard as I needed to in order to get the work done. I thank my brothers for caring about my work, showing an interest in my work, and engaging in discussions with me that let me know that even if I don’t have a classroom to learn in, that any environment or space can be a learning environment as long as I am sharing it with them. I thank my late paternal grandma for always encouraging me and showing me what it meant to be dedicated and prepared to preach a sermon and getting in the pulpit and delivering a message that showed how well she was prepared. I thank my late maternal grandma for encouraging me to use the gifts God gave me, and for her love and support. I thank my late maternal grandfather, who showed me what it means to be resilient and put others before self. I thank my other two late grandpas for the support and encouragement they provided. I also thank family and friends for their support throughout this process. Considering all the challenges, joys, prayers, moments of self-reflection, ways I know I need to improve and the lessons I learned, I am grateful that I was blessed with the opportunity to write a thesis that has helped me improve as a thinker, writer, scholar, student, researcher, reader, person, and in so many other ways. I am grateful for my thesis committee chair, Dr. Wendy Sharer. I thank Dr. Sharer for inviting me to explore my interest, encouraging me, sharing an abundance of knowledge and feedback, her thoughtful questions and for responding to a higher amount of e-mails and questions than I ever imagined I would ask about one project. I also thank Dr. Sharer for her patience, meeting with me to talk about my work, her willingness to listen and for working with me. I thank my committee member, Dr. William Banks, for his interest in my work, the great questions he asked, the reading recommendations he provided, feedback he shared, and for his encouragement and support. I thank my committee member, Dr. Nikki Caswell, for always expressing curiosity and interest in my work, providing encouragement, sharing thoughtful suggestions and ideas, and for her questions and feedback. I thank Hip Hop, and all the scholars and people inside and outside of the university whose work has inspired me, motivated me and challenged my thinking. I thank East Carolina University’s English Department for accepting me and the work I’ve done. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………...................1 Research Questions.......…………………………………………………………………..........….9 Before I Found Out I Could Rap, My Life Wasn’t All That……………………………...............9 Selecting the Rap Songs………………………………………………………………………….14 Chapter Summaries………………………………………………………………………………15 CHAPTER 1: If You Ask Jay-Z’, He’ll Tell You, “I’m Out for Presidents to Represent Me…..19 If I Am Not Making Money, Then Why Am I Making Music? An Exploration of Jay-Z’s Lyrical Content and His Ambitions as a Hip Hop Artist………………………………...28 CHAPTER 2: If you Ask J. Cole, He’ll Tell You, “I Don’t Want No Picture With The President.”………………………………………………………………………………………..57 The Come-up and What Comes After.…………………………………………………..60 Now that I’m Rapping, I Made It.