Univerza v Mariboru Filozofska Fakulteta Oddelek za anglistiko in amerikanistiko MAGISTRSKO DELO Jožef Kolarič Maribor 2017 University of Maribor Faculty of Arts Department of English and American Studies Master Thesis: Intertextuality of Literature in Billy Woods’s Lyrics Mentor: Professor Victor Kennedy Co-Mentor: Assistant Professor Dr. Janko Trupej Jožef Kolarič Maribor 2017 Acknowledgments: I would like to thank my mentors for their open-mindedness regarding the selection of the topic of the thesis. Thank you, Professor Victor Kennedy, for all the support and encouragement you gave me throughout the years of my studying, in my progression as a writer, intellectual development and the creation of this thesis, and thank you, Assistant Professor Janko Trupej for all the feedback and support in the writing of this thesis. I would like thank Billy Woods for his time, help, permission to use the song lyrics and willingness to give me insight into his writing. This thesis would not be the same without his cooperation. I would like to thank my family for supporting my studies. Disclaimer: All Billy Woods’s lyrics are used with the artist’s permission granted via email. Abstract The thesis analyses how literature has been integrated into rap lyrics. It looks at how allusion and intertextuality are the main stylistic techniques to integrate literature into rap lyrics. The thesis is divided into two parts: the theoretical and empirical. The theoretical part explains the concept of genre, allusion, text and intertextuality. The second part of the theoretical part analyses post-colonialism and its four main concepts: imperialism, colonialism, post-colonialism and neo-colonialism. It contextualizes how the development of rap music as a genre evolved from the African-American experience in the United States and is directly connected to race relations, the Civil Rights Movement and slavery in the United States. The early development of rap music is explained in the historical context and the most common speech figures in rap are elaborated upon. The empirical part makes a historical overview of the integration of literature into rap music and analyses Billy Woods’s lyrics. The lyrics are analysed from three perspectives. The first two being how intertextuality is used to portray race relations, post-colonialism and to give the text an additional layer of interpretation. The third aspect addresses how the writing of Daniil Kharms and Flannery O’Connor has been adapted into a rap form by Billy Woods. The last part of the thesis deals with how specific writers have influenced individual rappers. The appendix includes a conversation conducted with Billy Woods for this thesis. Key words: Billy Woods, allusion, intertextuality, rap, hip-hop, post-colonialism, race relations, Daniil Kharms, Flannery O’Connor Povzetek: Magistrsko delo preučuje, na kakšen način je literatura vpeljana v rap besedila, kako sta intertekstualnost in aluzija glavni stilistični tehniki integracije literature v rap besedila. Magistrsko delo je razdeljeno na teoretični in empirični del. Prvi del teoretičnega dela razloži sledeče koncepte: žanr, aluzija, tekst in intertekstualnost. V drugem delu teoretičnega je predstavljen postkolonializem v povezavi s štirimi glavnimi koncepti: imperializem, kolonializem, postkolonializem in neokolonializem. Rap kot žanr je postavljen v kontekst povezave z afro-ameriško izkušnjo v Združenih državah Amerike in je neposredno povezan z odnosi med rasami, gibanjem za državljanske pravice in suženjstvom. Zgodnji razvoj rapa je postavljen v zgodovinski kontekst, predstavljene so najpogostejše retorične figure. Empirični del magistrskega dela prinaša zgodovinski pregled integracije literature v rap in analizo besedil Billya Woodsa. Besedila so preučena s treh vidikov. Prva dva se nanašata na intertekstualnost, uporabljeno za prikaz odnosov med rasami, in postkolonializem v besedilih Billya Woodsa. Tretji vidik se nanaša na prilagoditev sloga pisanja Danilla Kharmsa in Flannery O'Connor, prilagojenega rapu v besedilih Billya Woodsa. Zadnji del magistrskega dela se nanaša na vpliv pisateljev na določene raperje. Dodatek magistrskega dela vsebuje pogovor z Billyem Woodsom, izveden za dotično magistrsko delo. Ključne besede: Billy Woods, aluzija, intertekstualnost, rap, hip hop, postkolonializem, razmerja med rasami, Daniil Kharms, Flannery O'Connor Contents 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Theoretical Part ................................................................................................................................... 3 2.1. Genre ............................................................................................................................................ 3 2.2. Allusion ........................................................................................................................................ 3 2.3. Text ............................................................................................................................................... 4 2.4. Intertextuality ............................................................................................................................... 5 2.5. Post-Colonialism .......................................................................................................................... 9 2.6. Race Relations in the United States ............................................................................................ 12 2.7. Early Development of Hip Hop Music ....................................................................................... 14 2.8. Structure and Figures of Speech in Rap ..................................................................................... 15 3. Empirical Part .................................................................................................................................... 16 3.1. Historical Overview of Literature in Rap ....................................................................................... 16 3.1.1. 1980s – General Concepts, Allusions and Intertextuality ....................................................... 16 3.1.2. 1990s - Continuation of Literary Allusions and Intertextuality.............................................. 18 3.1.3. 2000s – Diversification of Allusions and Intertextuality ......................................................... 21 3.1.4. 2010s – Expansion of Allusions and Adaption of Books into Rap Records ........................... 22 3.2. Analysis of Billy Woods’s Lyrics .................................................................................................. 23 3.3. Race Relations ................................................................................................................................ 23 3.3.1. Tinseltown ............................................................................................................................... 25 3.3.2. Lucre ........................................................................................................................................ 28 3.4. Post-Colonialism ............................................................................................................................ 30 3.4.1. Black Ark ................................................................................................................................ 30 3.4.2. Cuito Cuanavale ...................................................................................................................... 32 3.5. Adaptation of Writing of Daniil Kharms and Flannery O’Connor ................................................ 41 3.5.1. Zulu Tolstoy ............................................................................................................................ 43 3.5.2. Dreams Come True ................................................................................................................. 43 3.5.3. Borrowed Time ........................................................................................................................ 44 3.5.4. Scales ....................................................................................................................................... 44 3.6. Rappers as Writers .......................................................................................................................... 46 4. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 49 5. Bibliography ...................................................................................................................................... 52 5.1. Discography................................................................................................................................ 52 5.2. Filmography ............................................................................................................................... 53 5.3. Literature .................................................................................................................................... 54 6. Appendix ........................................................................................................................................... 63 6.1. Conversation with Billy Woods ................................................................................................. 63 1.