Marxist Interpretation Of Where Is The Love

The first song I chose to dissect is “Where is the Love” by the Black Eyed Peas. For starters, the Black Eyed Peas are a very diverse hip-hop/pop group. The members of the group are will.i.am (African American), apl.de.ap (Filipino American), Taboo (Mexican/Native-American), and Fergie (White). They have released a number of hits such as “The Time” and “I Gotta Feeling.” However, they really struck a chord with Americans when they released “Where is the Love” in 2003. “Where is the Love” not only has a very catchy tune but it also conveys a very important message. This issue that was that the people of our nation were constantly in conflict, and that the only way that we will resolve our differences is to just love each other. One line in the
The Conflict theory can be defined as groups in society competing for limited resources. In the song, it talks about how the races of America do not get along and that there is racism everywhere. For years, there has been a constant struggle for resources and opportunity in America, however, ever since the beginning of this country, whites and those with power have been given the best chance to receive these resources. This power has led to oppression against the minorities and lower classes who do not have the equal opportunities to get these needed resources. However, the Throughout history, the fight for resources has led to many institutional issues such as slavery and segregation, most of these issues created by the upper class against minorities and the lower class. The sad thing about the message of this song, is that little has changed since this song was released 14 years ago. The Black Eyed Peas even had to re-release the song in 2016, to bring the message back up to the people of America. They did in 2016 after their had been large civil unrest between African and White Americans after a growing number of black teen shootings. Hopefully, the remake of this song will continue to open the eyes of people who are blind to this
“Tupac Amaru Shakur was born on June 16, 1971, in New York City, to Afeni Shakur, an activist and a member of the New York 21, a group of Black Panthers arrested for planning to bomb sites in New York” (H.W. Wilson Company 2). From the beginning, Tupac was influenced by social issues. Throughout his life he dealt with the impact of black oppression. “In 1992 he filed a $10 million lawsuit against two Oakland police officers who, he alleged, had assaulted him in 1991. In March 1993 the rapper was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon, and in October 1993 he was charged with (and later cleared of) two counts of aggravated assault in the shooting of two off-duty police officers in Atlanta, Georgia” (5). All of these incidents are not necessarily the fault of police, however, some of these arrests may have been the result of the difficult relationship between blacks and the police. This issue is still very prevalent today and Tupac talked about it in numerous songs. For instance in “Changes”, Tupac says, “Cops give a damn about a negro? Pull the trigger, kill a nigga, he's a hero” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXvBjCO19QY). “Changes” references this problem, as well as, how African-Americans have been subjected to racism and poverty even after the “changes” of the Civil Rights Movement. An important line in the song says, “I got love for my