The Struggle Of Growing Up In An Urban Environment To Soldiers At War: Analysis
In today’s hip hop music, many rappers compare the struggle of growing up in an urban environment to soldiers at war. For example, in the rapper Jay Z’s 2002 song “A Ballad for a Fallen Soldier” he points out, “On one side we got a hustler getting ready for the block (human beings) Other side you got the soldier getting ready for boot camp (soldiers) They're both at war (this is life)” (Genius, 2015). Jay Z grew up in Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects where he was exposed to drugs, poverty and violence which contributed to his lyrics in the song connecting his experience to a soldier at war. I think this metaphor is appropriate and believes urban life compares to literal war because in both situations you have to overcome adversity, are in a dangerous
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When a soldier leaves for combat, they experience extended periods of separation from their family members and have little or no communications with them. Some of the livings conditions are terrible. Sleeping in foxholes, eating small meals, spending extended hours enduring hard labor, and some even facing racial issues. During the civil war, African American soldiers experienced racial prejudice where they were paid $6 less than White soldiers per month. Furthermore, when they were captured by the confederates they were tortured brutally as opposed to soldiers of other races. People in urban environments are exposed to daily danger. For example, in Michigan people have to worry about being harassed by police officers, getting shot in a cross fire, or being attacked by gang members. Statistics for 2014 show that 2,137 people out of 100,000 were subject to murder, rape, assault and robbery which were most likely gang related incidents (Forbes, …show more content…
The statistics show both environments are dangerous. Turning to crime to support your family is not acceptable, but I can understand why Jay Z used the experience of a young person in urban cities to war. The life in urban cities like Chicago, Michigan, and Newark the crime rate is so high it makes people living there feel as if they are experiencing war. There are similarities between a ‘street’ soldier and an actual soldier that are ignored in today’s society. In my opinion, they have more in common than society would like to
When a soldier leaves for combat, they experience extended periods of separation from their family members and have little or no communications with them. Some of the livings conditions are terrible. Sleeping in foxholes, eating small meals, spending extended hours enduring hard labor, and some even facing racial issues. During the civil war, African American soldiers experienced racial prejudice where they were paid $6 less than White soldiers per month. Furthermore, when they were captured by the confederates they were tortured brutally as opposed to soldiers of other races. People in urban environments are exposed to daily danger. For example, in Michigan people have to worry about being harassed by police officers, getting shot in a cross fire, or being attacked by gang members. Statistics for 2014 show that 2,137 people out of 100,000 were subject to murder, rape, assault and robbery which were most likely gang related incidents (Forbes, …show more content…
The statistics show both environments are dangerous. Turning to crime to support your family is not acceptable, but I can understand why Jay Z used the experience of a young person in urban cities to war. The life in urban cities like Chicago, Michigan, and Newark the crime rate is so high it makes people living there feel as if they are experiencing war. There are similarities between a ‘street’ soldier and an actual soldier that are ignored in today’s society. In my opinion, they have more in common than society would like to