Unit 1. Questions.
Balam Ajpu has changed the world of hip-hop by engaging in it through a more sacred approach. Creating songs with specific meaning like the Nawal album with songs representing 20 different spirits is an example of a unique form of artwork. The group argues that playing music well that has some societal conscience is what makes the music important.
Does the use of Tz’utujil language influence the effects the song has on the intended audience?
Does the use of a local language create a hindrance to the spread and acceptance of this version of hip-hop to the other languages and cultures?
What impact does the collaboration with other hip-hop rappers who use different languages to rap, has to the growth and expansion of Balam Ajpu as a group?
Does the approach of using hip-hop created in local language help provide a social and political representation for the group’s culture?
How impactful is Balam Ajpu’s music to reducing the stigmatization built around the Mayan culture?
How could the use of another music genre such as reggae or RnB influence the achievement of the music objectives by Balam Ajpu?
How does hip hop from this group differ from the hip-hop of US origin?
Does the Balam Ajpu music approach converge with their argument as to the components of good music?
Does commercialization hinder the realization of the objective of these artists by making the music unaffordable?
Music created with an intention to preserve different cultural practices has gained root in the entertainment industry. The use of indigenous languages in music creation to achieve social representation for a given culture is a trend that has been undertaken by many upcoming artists. Tihorappers crew for instances uses the Maya language in its music with an objective of preserving the Maya culture. Other teams which have achieved recognition by use of their native languages to deliver their messages include; Juchirap which rap in Zapotec and Vayijel crew which raps in Tzotzil. Brayan and Dario also use Embera language from Colombia as an approach to reviving it. The style is on the verge of extinction with just 80,000 Colombians using the language.
Does the use of a native language in the music industry help preserve a culture of a given group in the society?
Does the use of a language only known and understood by the locals limit other culture from knowing more about the culture involved?
Does rapping in local language limit the target market for the rappers since its directed towards a specific culture?
Does this kind of music help preserve the cultural and traditional practices of a particular culture for the sake of the future generation?
Does the use of this approach help to restore the lost glory of a specific culture and offer the culture a platform for social representation?
Does the use of hip hop as the only genre in preserving the cultural beliefs, languages, and traditions, help meet the objectives?
How effective would the use of other music genres be in the preservation of a given culture?
What other music or artwork genre can be used to preserve the culture of a given group effectively?
Does the production of this kind of music for commercial purposes affect the authenticity of the music?
Does the commercialization aspect of the music deny the locals who may not afford the chance to listen to the music?
Does the copyright aspect introduced through commercialization hinder the use of music by the society for cultural purposes?
Unit 2.
Hip-hop is seen as part of the culture of the Latin Americans with many upcoming Hip-hop artists coming from the race. Among the big names which have acquired international recognition from Latin America are; Mare Advertencia Lirika, Kontra, Cazzu, Lil ark, Shecka Sanchez, Liberato Kani, and Michael Marichal. These artists are using the art to address the issues facing society such as female empowerment, criticizing the oppressing policies and protection of the culture from getting eroded. The rappers have been using music to express their feeling about the issues affecting society.
Do the use of an indigenous language in songwriting and singing protect the language from extinction?
Why does the artist seek to use the hip-hop genre in expressing their mind instead of other music genres like reggae?
Do the use of local language act as a hindrance to achieving an international audience for the artists?
How effective is the use of Hip-hop in expressing one mind in Latin American countries?
How has been the growth of the hip-hop genre in the recent past in the Latin American countries?
How effective is this music genre in protection and preservation the Latin American culture?
Does the use of music help achieve social representation for the Latin American cultures?
What are the risks associated with using music as a means of expression on the part of the artists?
Why do many Latin American artists use their local language in their music art?
Does the use of music influence change in policies or specific behavior to the society?
Does the environment on which the artist lives determine the context of the music he/she will produce?
Do the artists have a role to perform in the shaping of the society behavior and norms?
Chiptune is an 8-bit sound developed in Japan to be used as video game tracks. Japan is known as home for the best video games in the world. Development of these soundtracks to be used in these games is therefore in order. New approaches have been developed and used to add more value to the current chiptunes. The growth of chiptune soundtracks has seen many artists emerge and create a career out of it.
How does the use chiptune affect the game acceptance in both the local and international market?
Does the existence ready market for the tunes in the gaming industry promote the growth of the genre?
Does this genre promote the preservation of Japanese gaming culture?
How can the gaming industry motivate the chiptune artist for their contribution to the success of the industry?
Has the genre developed as a result of the gaming industry?
Unit 3.
Migra corridos songs are meant to portray the harsh conditions suffered by the immigrants as they sought to change their living status. These songs are propaganda aimed at discouraging the Mexicans from migrating into the US. These songs portrayed a situation whereby there is suffering at both the ends. The songs were strategically written using Mexicans native languages so that the target audience could get the message. Information about the suffering at the border and even after crossing the border was meant to create a situation where there is no hope for immigrants. The music approach was also intended to eliminate the mentality on the part of the immigrants that crossing the border was a rite of passage.
Did the songs show the actual conditions at the border and past the border?
Was the use of the native languages in the Migra corridos songs effective in delivering the intended message?
Do the songs discourage the immigrant from undertaking the speculated dangerous endeavor of crossing the border?
How does the music impact on the immigrant’s beliefs given that they considered crossing the border as the rite of passage in their culture?
How practical is this approach of using music by the US government to discouraging the illegal migration of the Mexican?
Are there any other effective approaches can the government implement to curb the problem of illegal immigration other than through music?
How does the culture of the immigrants affect the immigration behavior of the Mexicans?
Does the music approach fully describe the conditions undergone by the Mexicans immigrants in the United States?
Do the immigrants have their version of the story about the conditions undergone in the process of crossing the border?
Are there no benefits achieved after successfully crossing the border?
What drives the immigrants into undertaking this dangerous process despite the many stories and songs aimed at discouraging them from undertaking the process?
Do the immigrants cross the border mainly for financial reasons?
How do the songs affect the future behavior of the Mexicans immigrants?
Does the traumatizing nature of the songs affect the immigrant’s future behavior towards crossing the border?
Unit 4
The fastest growing ethnic community in the US is the Latinos and the Latinas. However, the cultural impacts of these communities are not felt when considering the American cultures. Measures should be undertaken to ensure the voice of these ethnic groups acquire an avenue to raise their voice, and also their cultures achieve social representation. De-colonizing approaches ought to be adopted to ensure fairness and equality in representation. Decolonizing approaches which can be utilized are; cultural rituals, traditional dances, visual art performance, use of cultural spoken word performance. Through understanding these concepts about these ethnic groups, the Americans will embrace and appreciate these fast-growing ethnic groups.
What causes the inequality and unfairness in social representation of these cultures?
How can de-colonizing approaches help reduce the inequality and unfairness and ensure that all the cultures achieve equal cultural representation?
Does decolonizing approaches effectively address the issues of unfairness in inequality in recognition on the part of these ethnic groups?
Which other approaches can be undertaken to ensure that equality and fairness are achieved for the Latinos and the Latinas?
How does traditional music approach influence recognition of these ignored groups?
How does the use of cultural dances help educate the Americans about the culture of the Latinos and the Latinas?
How does theater performance promote the recognition and acceptance of these ethnic groups by the American?
Does entertainment through traditional music boost coexistence between these two groups and the American?
How does understanding the Latina and the Latino cultures change the Americans perception towards these groups?
Does understanding the American culture on the part of the Latinos and the Latinas create an avenue for recognition?