>Introduction
> The sociological perspective is described as seeing the general in the particular. In this essay I will attempt to apply the sociological perspective to analyze song lyrics from the first verse of the song My Block by Tupac Shakur (see appendix for lyrics). Tupac (1971-1996) is the most famous gangster rap artist of all times. He was well known for his lyrics and their ability to express the grief of the Black community. He was an advocate for Black rights and very much against the societal system and class societies. Many say he exaggerated the conditions under which the Black community and the lower class were in because he was a wealthy man rapping about suppression. To other’s he was part of the petite-bourgeoisie, but he was consistent in attempting to better the conditions under which the lower class were in.
> Initially intended for the lower class Black communities, his songs were appreciated by members of all races and classes. In the essay I will try to explain the concepts of authority, sub-culture, roles, social-class and class-consciousness; I will then apply these concepts to the lyrics of My Block.
> Tupac 's position in the Black community was a highly regarded one in that it constituted the responsibility of representing Blacks in the media. Also, being from the lower class himself he had knowledge of the conditions in which the lower class were living in, specifically the Black community, and was able to relate to and comment on them. I chose to analyze his lyrics because I feel they apply to many societies. The song My Block is a song about Black struggles, and the way of life Blacks are made to lead. However when this song is applied to the Marxian ideology, it can relate to the conditions of the proletariat, in the bourgeoisie capitalist society.
> Because I said so
> Max Weber defined a form of authority known as rational-legal authority, which is “power legitimized by legally enacted rules and regulations” (