What Are The Similarities Between Folk Music And Rap Music

Folk music and rap music sound very different from one another. It would be difficult to compare the music of folk-legend Pete Seeger to the music of The Notorious B.I.G. from just listening to them. Despite this, folk music and rap music are very similar. This is because both genres aim to make the public aware of the many problems going on at the respective times. The social contexts and political messages are similar between folk music and rap music as both genres create social awareness through music. Folk music stemmed from social and political issues such as the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. African Americans in the United States were being oppressed because of the color of their skin. Black people in America were being economically and socially suppressed because of inherent racism in the United States. Systematic
Tupac’s Changes states, “I’m tired of being poor and even worse I’m black My stomach hurts so I’m looking for a purse to snatch, Cops give a damn about a negro Pull the trigger kill a n**ga he’s a hero” (2Pac,“Changes”). These lyrics convey the wrongful portrayal of black men as criminals. Sometimes, crimes are committed out of the very desperation that the American government caused. The second line of the song talks about the brutal and excessive force that the police use on African Americans; this is an issue that is still present. NWA’s song, “Nig**z for Life,” details white America’s perception of black people and rebuts the criticisms of the rap group. NWA says, “Why do I call myself a n**ga you ask me? Because police always wanna harass me…A million white motherf**kers on my back like I shot the President” (NWA, “Nig**z for Life). NWA is emphasizing the police’s excessive force in unnecessary stops of black men as well as the discrimination against them. This wrongful perception led to more misunderstanding and