The Characterization of Black People in Hollywood

From minstrelsy (minstrel shows), to movies, television, and music. The media has been using racial undertones to appeal to White America for as long as I can remember. The white powers-that-be control how we are portrayed in Hollywood.  Rarely will you ever find a black super hero with a white side kick, its usually the other way around. When black characters have a major role in comedy they hardly ever seem to be more than a buffoon. In horror films, they never make it to the safe haven but die before the rest of the cast reaches the Promised Land. I believe that this is a direct correlation to the Antebellum Era. White audiences still do not want to see black people succeed. In my opinion, they would much rather see us fulfilling a stereotypical role that includes: singing, dancing, or "juckin' n jivin". Black entertainers are expected to display the docile attributes that we are most "popularly known for". To this day, those are the types of roles that we are limited to.

However, I cannot place all of the blame on White America. Don't get me wrong, it is hard to dig yourself out of a hole that you did not create. At the same time, we have to take responsibility for taking on these roles. How we are portrayed in the media will never change as long as we continue to marginalize OURSELVES.

Hip Hop, the REMIX

There is a big difference between modern day rap and rap from the past two few decades. Hip Hop revolves more around mainstream appeal as opposed to actual lyrical content. Real "Hip Hop Heads" can see the differences between artist like Public Enemy and NWA or Tupac and Lil Wayne, lyrical content isn't the only thing that moves records anymore but rather the whole package. Being a rapper cannot be confined into a certain box because its about being more than an exceptional lyricist. It is more commercial; that is what Tanz meant in his article " Selling Down: The Marketing of the Hip Hop Nation" when he stated that Hip Hop has assimilated to mainstream media. A good rapper by today's standards, is someone who moves a massive amount of records. Drake would be a perfect example of this. His lyrics are good enough to have the general public and hard core Hip Hop fans hooked onto his music. A good rapper must aslo have the ability to connect with and hype up the crowd. Tyga is not what I would consider to be a "good lyricist". He makes catchy songs, but they have no substance and are lack luster compared to some of his peers. J Cole on the other hand, is arguably one of the best MC's to ever grace a mic but he lacks mainstream appeal. 

What's happening in the Hip Hop Culture today, reminds me of what's going on overseas. In the U.K., black music artist have almost been pushed out of R&B all together. Black and biracial singers like Estelle, Leona Lewis, and Emeli Sande have been put on the back burner. Meanwhile, white artist like Jessie J, Ed Sheeran, and Adele have become the new faces of the genre. This comes as no surprise to me, and has happened to other types of music in the past. Rock N Roll was once primarily a "black dominated genre"; a combination of Boogie Woogie, Jazz, Blues, and Jump Blues. Yet today, the genre caters more to a non black audience. Whereas, black artist are often times ignored. I believe that the same might happen to Hip Hop in the years to come.

My Hospitality Experience

Having had a job in fast food, has made me appreciate people who work in the hospitality industry so much more. I learned that a hospitality spirit is expected from an employee, in food services, at all times. Employees must go out of their way to ensure that guest feel welcomed. To accomplish this, you must go above and beyond to make sure that their visit is as pleasant and memorable as possible. I realized that this is easier said than done, after I had worked in our University's dinning commons for three months.

People take their food very seriously and at times, this can be a hassle. In the end, no matter how frustrated I became guest satisfaction was the main objective that I strived for. Through hard work and dedication, the spirit of hospitality can be achieved. Since I am a major in Hospitality Management these assets are very crucial. In the near future, I plan on pursing a career in recreation, food service, lodging, or special events. Although working in the dining commons was unpleasant, it taught me how to deal with my coworkers and customers professionally. It even helped me master my ability to organize, plan, implement, and measure performance. My job was effective in helping me build a great sense of confidence.