Thursday, September 8, 2016

Exploration Three by Joe Campanella

In Dave Marsh's essay, "Fortunate Son", he uses characterization to describe his hometown and the people of the community. Dave Marsh grew up in Pontiac, Michigan, an industrial town where mostly blue collar workers live. The author describes some of the people he grew up with as kids and what it was like to be a part of this unique community. He was forced out of his home due to corporate restructuring of the land. He characterizes the situation and the people responsible because of how it had a big impact on him negatively. But Dave Marsh also sheds some positive light in the essay. I like how he describes music and how it played an uplifting role in his life. He especially connected with Motown records and Smokey Robinson. In the essay he states "that these singers spoke for me as well as to me, and what they had felt and were able to cope with, the deep sorrow, remorse, anger, lust, and compassion that bubbled beneath the music". Dave Marsh explains that music helped him change his outlook on the world. The music gave him something to relate to and artists he could connect with.





An artist that means a lot to me would be Kendrick Lamar. He talks about social issues and injustices that need to change in this country. He is a hip-hop artist from Compton, California. He makes it known in his music that without his hard-work and motivation, he would still be in the projects. In spite of hip-hop today, Kendrick still uses depth and meaning behind his lyrics as well as catchy beats and hooks. This is the biggest separation between Lamar and mainstream rap. His music helps you gain an interesting perspective of his background and experiences.





 

3 comments:

  1. As a African-American Literature Professor I once had said about rap: Rap was the medium to which people explained the world that they saw around them. By the looks of it Kendrick Lamar's music keeps that philosophy by sticking to his experiences in life.

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  2. I like Kendrick too! Is there a specific song that you enjoy most to reflect on his background?

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  3. I love Kendrick and the way he uses his position as a platinum artist to rap about the current issues in America

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