Kitwana, Bakari. The hip-hop generation: Young blacks and the crisis in African-American culture. Civitas Books, 2002.

https://books.google.com/books?id=9TBxh0BCuRkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=hip+hop+clothes&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjO4d_ImOvaAhWDNd8KHT_YDvIQ6AEIKDAA#v=onep 

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.2307/3587669 

Ibrahim, Awad El Karim M. "Becoming black: Rap and hip‐hop, race, gender, identity, and the politics of ESL learning." TESOL quarterly 33.3 (1999): 349-369.  

What comes to mind

-the shoe laces

-the color

-the letters 

-its a stock image 

-its used for display

-the background

-the angle in which it is leaning against the wall 

-its outside

-the product tells me its suitable for outside

The choices that were made was the background for effect that was persuasive to consumers because its appealing to the eye. Also the color choices. Also the way it is leaning against the wall. 

Dr. Rudham

English 102

10 April 2018

                                                       Reflection 7 Theme

  The theme that I want to focus on which was to me the most important theme that was presented in Part One was the theme of family. Family was essential in the manifestation of part one because family directed the way in which Davis’s life was going and helped to shape her as a person. The relationship she has with her family is an extraordinary relationship, she mentions that her family isn’t really a family of talking to each other. In chapter 1 she addresses this by saying “We are a family of survivors and a family of doers, but we are not a family of talkers”. (Davis 31).  Even the individual relationships she has with her parents is extraordinary and shapes how she as a person is. Davis’s mother is a hard working mother but her ideal role as a mother is not in the place where it ideally should be. It is instead Davis’s older brother who fills in certain roles the mother is supposed to play, such as tucking in her at night, and fixing quick meals. With this difference being present in Davis’s life she may have different views on things that go on her life such as the views on police and even her own sexuality, possibly due to her own unique style of living. Not only does Davis have a unique relationship with her mother, she has a unique relationship with her father as well. The relationship between her and her father wasn’t strong at first and then the begin to build a better relationship. After their relationship being built up, he unfortunately passes away. This is a crucial idea because this is similar to a lot of other people like Angela Davis who fit under the theme of poverty, or even just being African American, where the relationship between them and their parents (a lot of times their father) is not strong. With the relationship between her and her parents not being normal, she is of course not going to have a normal perspective on life. Even though the relationship between her and her parents is unique it is clear to see that there is still a great amount of love between them. The relationship between Davis and her siblings is very strong as presented by Davis where she says “We love each other madly, my brothers, sister and I, and we are raised to look out for each other from the very beginning” (13). This is important because family is ideally supposed to be a foundation of love and support which then incorporates into the individual life. 

     Furthermore beyond the relationship between her family, what her family believes is very essential to how things transpire in Part One. Davis mentions that her family is in the religion of being a Jehovah Witness. Near the end of Part one she mentions how she begins to question the religion as well as the things that go on in the religion that in her eyes seems to be “irregular”. Due to what her family believes in directs what she believes in for herself, but as we readers witness that her believes becomes shook, which again goes back to the strength in the relationship between her and her family, because if the relationship between her and her family were stronger than she would possibly have a stronger believe in her religion. On page 72 she says “ I know I am supposed to be on a spiritual path, but the path that Jehovah’s Witness has me on does not feel liberating or purposeful” this shows that she has doubt which can be due to the events that are taking place in her life, overall expressing her family struggles. 

Dr. R

English 102

08 February 2018

                                                                     Motherhood

    From my perspective on Motherhood from my observations with my own mother there is a lot of challenges that come with being a mother especially being a mother that has pride and tries to be capable of doing everything to fit their child’s needs. First in foremost there is a lot of sacrifices that a mother has to do in order to be successful mother. From my personal life my mother had to sacrifice working in the daytime & started working at night so that she was able to take my brother and I to school without having to depend on someone else taking us to school. This leads to another key factor of motherhood which is independency. Independency in motherhood is where the mother is able or at least tries to her very best ability to do what she needs to do on her own without the help of others unless it is needed. One of the biggest contributions to motherhood for a mother is being true to herself, but then having to alter her lifestyle in order to properly raise her child. When a Woman steps into motherhood she usually has to prepare for the alteration of her lifestyle in order to provide proper needs of her child. This relates to the stories from Alexie because his mother was an alcoholic which caused a disruptency within his life. This goes to show that challenges are prevalent in motherhood and your life has to adjust for the well-being of your children. 

Dr. R 

English 102

12 February 2018

                                 

                                       Dominant/Marginilized Identification assignment

   Based on the chart on page 64 that shows the dominant and minority identification groups in the United States I identify with the majority of the dominant agent group and identify with and two groups from the Minoritized Target group. All of the groups I identify with are based on what I was born into from my parents. The two groups that I identify with that are apart of the minoritized/target group are People of color and the working class. I will forever be apart of the minority group of people of color, but my Classism identification is subject to change based on my future financial stature. For all the rest of the categories of identification I identify with the dominant agent groups. Starting of with sexism I identify with Men due to the fact of me being born as a male. For Heterosexism I identify as being Heterosexual due to my preference. I do not identify with Transgender or any opposing gender to the gender I am as a male. As far as the Religion I identify with is Christianity because it is what I believe in for the right spiritual path. I am able-bodied due to me not having any disabilities. I am a regular citizen under the Nationialsm oppression. Finally for my Ageism and my Adultism I am young-Middled age and I am an adult. Therefore overall I mostly identify with the Dominant social groups as opposed to the minority social groups. 

Dr. R

English 102

30 January 2017

                                              Family Feud Music Video Response

    My initial response to this music video is that it is very well directed as if it were a scene out of a movie. The video was also very classy and appears to showcase the well-being of people who are of higher wealth. The feelings I received from the video was that in the beginning I felt  there was a lot of hostility that was being presented with the fighting and the back stabbing, therefore negative energy was being presented to me. As the video went on I felt like it was more peaceful and introspective. The video speaks as if foremothers and forefathers should be connected with one another as displayed by the various year changes. The video ultimately suggests that people should have a strong relationship general. There is a line that says “America is a family, & the whole family should be free.” This shows how people should stick together despite of their differences, especially if they are living in the same country.I enjoyed the messaging of how obtaining money can disguise perception. For example lines such as “There is no such thing as an ugly billionare, also referring to your money as “handsome”, implies that your wealth stature can override problems that average people may be able to create about you. Overall this music video displays a high level of maturity that can apply to everyone who lives in America, especially those who have aspirations of wealthy stature. 

Dr. R

English 102

03 March 2018

                                                           Black Panther Review/Analysis

    In the movie “Black Panther” it was not only interesting because of the action packed scenes, but also it was interesting for the political injections that were inserted in the movie. Along with the political injections this movie included a majority African American Cast. The movie overall showed a great amount of identity for the African American race, which was extremely crucial because it showed a level of progression. The movie was a big blockbuster success because it showed how the central focus on African Americans can be a big mainstream success, due to the budget amount for the movie as well as the overall grossing. But it was the content within the movie that solidified why it was a big deal into conveying identification. An example of this is the amount of light and positivity that was shed on the fictional place of Wakanda that is set to be in Africa, which usually has a great amount of negativity shed on.

   The main character T’Challa had to be in the position of king in Wakanda after the death of his father. The problem that comes along with this is the challenge of an enemy by the name of Killmonger who is also African American, this then puts Wakanda at risk. This storyline alone expresses the theme of strength by allowing a black character to uphold a powerful position for the advancement of not only himself, but for the advancement of Wakanda. Similar to themes expressed in previous works exclusion was expressed by the transitioning of Wakanda being in the forefront from being a place of isolation in Africa. Wakanda was accustomed to be an isolated place to now being a technologically advanced society, which shows how the theme of exclusion translates into the theme of empowerment. 

    The themes expressed in the movie such as race, prejudices, ignorance and other political themes related to a modern society of today because we still go through unfortunate times such as these. An example of this was in the 2016 election where President Donald Trump was elected but many people were in disapproval of his elect due to the possibilities that he was prejudice towards other races such as hispanics as well as African Americans, along with that he was also suspected to be degrading to Women. This can be parallel with many opposing factors in Black Panther. The idea of a Black ruler in a society shows empowerment and how Black communities stick together as opposed to how there was a seemed separation in society due to the election. Another important theme that is expressed in Black Panther is family. T’Challa was trying to acheive being a strong Black man during the tragedies that were current in his life, he was not only trying to acheive this for himself but as well as for his family members such as his mother and his girlfriend. The movie was of relation to similar situations I may go through which is being a Black male an having to be strong in certain situations. Furthermore the location of Wakanda can be similar to my living conditions in Baltimore City because a lot of times limited amounts of hope can be inferred due to the history behind the location. Also in the city of Baltimore many people, especially in African American communities often feel like they have limited family ties, this is shown in Black Panther with Killmonger, which then expresses the theme of emptiness and loss. 

Dr. Rudham

English 102

21 March 2018

                          Identity Essay

  

   In any piece of work whether it is visual or has to be contextualized the identity of the person within that work is being expressed in various forms based on the person’s life. The various forms in which identity can be expressed includes through exclusion, soul-searching and hope. These all show themes of the larger theme identity because identity is personal and themes of exclusion, soul searching and hope all show introspectivity. There are multiple ways in which identity can be expressed, most of the time is a personal aspect, but often it can be shown through affiliations of culture, background and family.                               

  Often times the idea of being excluded can be visual to the audience and be shown to express how their identity is shown .Through the evidence of identity the audience observes the motives of the people in the story. Exclusion in a story expresses individuality and tends to be a primary component of context within the story. This is shown in the passage “Kind” by Sherman Alexie where the theme of exclusion is expressed and is shown to be apart of his identity. The story “Kind” by Alexie fits under the theme of exclusion because Alexie’s life is explained to the audience as being an outcast from a cultural standpoint. There is a quote that expresses the theme of exclusion that says, “We insist our damage is greater than all of the damage suffered by all the other damaged people.” (Alexie 295) This textual evidence shows exclusion that Alexie may feel based upon his racial identity. This textual evidence has personal connection because within my race a majority of people believe that African Americans suffered greater damage than most people of other races. Furthermore based off my race there seems to be a sense of exclusion under certain circumstances. More specifically in society certain races may feel a great amount of exclusion due to their race being observed as less superior. This connects to the overall theme of identity because it expresses Alexie’s identity through his struggles that he endevours. In the passage of Redefining Realness by Janet Mock the exclusion that she expresses it basically a form of isolation that converts into strength. On page xviii there is a quote that says “My ultimate goal with Redefining Realness is to stand firmly in my truth.” This quote showcases a personal goal of Mocks which is about believing in yourself before you look to others for anytype of recognition. Basically you have to be exclusive to help strengthen your personal goals. This has a personal connection to my because often times I have to understand my personal goals before letting other people know about them, but in order to acheive this effieciently I have to be excluded from other people. This is present in society because a lot of times people have personal goals but they may be looked down upon by other people, then what happens is people need to be excluded from the society. In the story of “Good Girls Marry Doctors” the narrator feels a great sense of exclusion throughout the whole text, but it appears the greatest sense of exclusion is when she goes to school and is seemed as unrelateable because of her culture. On page 183 it says “Although the easter bunny did make an appearance to our house it wasn’t enough to sustain a conversation in the cafeteria”. This quotation shows that she wanted to fit in with the people at school because she felt excluded based on her family background. This is relatable in a personal sense because sometimes in school I wanted to be able to have went through certain experiences, such as celebrations that my peers may have went through. This relates to the larger theme of identity because it appears that the narrator has some uncertainty about her own identity in regards to her culture. 

  

 In understanding your own identity you have to do soul searching to try and figure out what is best for yourself individually as opposed to trying to identify yourself with other people. Soul-searching usually expresses how a person is developed throughout the story. Throughout the video with the Transgender Children there was clear evidence that a lot of the children were somewhat conflicted in their decision in coming out as being identified as a transgender. “I’ve always seen myself as someone with a lot of identities and labels.” This video talks about a lot a person may go through when trying to identify your sexuality, and also one of the struggles that come along with it is that many people may believe that it is just a phase. This goes along with the bigger theme of identity because trying to find out who you are as a person, especially in tough situations is apart of shaping who you are as a person. In the video titled “The Bad Feminist” with Roxanne Gay she says that she identifies with being a feminist, however she also enjoys certain selections of music that contains degrading lyrics to Women. This shows that in your soul you have to go with what you truly believe in as oposed to going with how you may feel about a certain situation. In this particular situation Roxanne Gay presents a contradiction, which doesn’t alter her perspective on being a feminist. This relates to the larger theme of identity because there can be some complications in understanding who you truly are but your identity will come out in terms of what you are passionate about. In the story of  “Good Girls Marry Doctors” there is an on going idea of how the narrator was trying to alter her own life in an attempt to fit in more traditionally American Culture. This is going against soul-searching because she is looking towards others to compose her identity. Aside from this there is a direct quote in the text that links directly to soul searching. “When I was desperately trying to figure out who I was before I had no friends and no confidence at the moment .” (185) This quote ultimately relates to the bigger theme of Identity by evaluating how other people can alter your own personal identity. 

  In the process of trying to accept who you identify with it can be difficult to remain hopeful. In trying to initiate hope, trust comes into play because when you are trying to be hopeful you have to be trustworthy as well. In the song “Family Feud” by Jay-Z & Beyonce there is a line that says “Let me alone, Becky” which is reffering to speculations that Jay-Z may have been cheating on Beyonce. This line insinuates the hope he has that his relationship would be solid even after these speculations of him cheating. More visually depicted in the music video, there is a scene with a Woman stabbing a man in the back, which shows the lack of trust, that can be present in a relationship, which goes hand and hand with hope. A similar idea that showcases the lack of hope is present within the story “Forty knives” by Alexie. Abuse was a big theme throughout this story that Alexie witnessed and was aware of. Within this passage Alexie says “The abused can become abusers. It is a tragic progression.” (Alexie 13).  This shows that Alexie is suggesting that since abuse is what certain people are used to seeing they may unfortunately begin to become abusers themselves. This shows the audience the lack of hope that is present because of expectations that obtained based on the continuation of the tragedy of abuse. This has a personal connection to me because when an event that happens within my life that is unfortunate I may showcase a lack of hope because I have expectations for the possibility that it may occur again. This can relate to a societal issue because when there is a tragic event that takes place in the world, there is an expectation that the tragic event could possibly occur again, an example of this is the unfortunate situation of 911. This relates to the larger theme of identity because when trying to remain hopeful you are in touch with your personal values and morals, which are apart of your identity.  Within text or other content the opposition of hope is shown, but there are times where hope is directly expressed. In the passage “Redefining Realness” by Janet Mock she shows the audience how keeping to herself was presumably the best option in her situation of life. “My silence and my accomplishments would help me navigate the world without others’ judgements and would seperate me from stereotypes and stigma.” (Mock XV). This quote shows how remaining independent and introverted fueled Mock with hope because she wouldn’t have to encounter any negativity from stereotypes and judgement, which could possibly knock her off her hope. In relation to a personal situation of mines I enjoy keeping certain things to myself because I feel like it would keep negativity out as well as enable me to remain hopeful. This is similar in society because people who are not introverted often conform to society standards which can deter from who they actually are, ultimately tearing down their hope. Overall this relates to the bigger theme of identity because Mock is showcasing introspectivity which enables the hope that she has for herself. 

 

Dr. Rudham

English 102

30 April 2018

                                                             Pain & Power Essay 

   In any piece of work that focuses on the life of a person growing up based on the way that they live, there will always be some inclusion of the pain they go through, as well as the power that they obtain. Pain and power can be seen as two opposing ideas that have counter ideas, but they can also work together and have similar ways that affect a person’s life. There is application of pain and power in all events that take place in America today such as the events that take place within the federal system, or even the events that take place locally such as the high crime rates. There is also an application of pain and power in personal lives, for example, in my life where I am not sure the direction in which I am headed in life. The unawareness of where I am going in life causes pain, but my effort and determination of trying to initiate a sense of where I am going in life ignites power.  Similar ideas that deal with the application of pain and power are expressed in the book “When they call you a terrorist, A Black Lives Matter Memoir” by Patrisse Khan-Cullors where she tells her life story by telling all the trials and tribulations that she had to go through to get where she is at in life. From these trials and tribulations we see that pain can serve as a total opposite to power due to the connotations of negatives vs. positive, and we also see that pain can be connected to power, because power can be obtained through the pain a person may go through. In the book “When they call you a terrorist, A Black Lives Matter Memoir”  by Patrisse Khan-Cullors, pain and power interactions are expressed by the events she encounters in life, such as family matters, police interactions and sexuality identifications. 

  Family is a major theme throughout the book that represents both pain and power. The incorporation of family helps to strengthen Cullors in terms of her mental state growing up, as well as may have caused a sense of pain for Cullors due to the odd relationship with some of her family members. One of the most notable odd relationship between Cullors and one of her family members is the relationship between her in and her mother. The relationship between Cullors and her mother was odd because it was if her mother was distant and her other brother had to be the one and step as her older guardian. In part one Cullors says “It is Paul who says, Go on now, time to go to bed, while Mommy is on her second job, whatever it is.” (13). This can resemble pain because there seems to be a lack of traditional bond between Cullor’s mother and herself. Another unusual relationship in Cullors life is the relationship between her and her father. The relationship between Khan-Cullors and her father was weak at first because he was not very active in her life at first, but in the process of her growing up he became more present, and then they begin to develop a good relationship. Unfortunately in the end of part one he passes away. This can represent a mixture of pain and power because there is power in gaining a better relationship with a person who you did not have a good relationship with a first. The pain that is represented is the fact that relationship wasn’t strong at first, and then she had to experience the passing of the person who gave her strength. Khan-Cullors says “I want my father to have dignity in his death as he was never afforded in life.” (105)  This breaks down a great sense of pain because there is an incorporation of remorse that seems to be present for her father’s presence, because it seems as if Cullors wanted more out of the relationship between her and her father, and it seems as if she wanted the best. Although there is a strong correlation between family and pain that is present within the book, there is also a strong correlation between family and power. Cullors mentions that she has a strong relationship with her siblings. Having that strong relationship with your siblings or any family in general, can be an uplifting part of your life that represents power. Cullors mentions this in part one where she says “We love each other madly, my brothers, sister and I, and we are raised to look out for each other from the very beginning.” (13).  This shows a great sense of power in family because essentially family is supposed to have your back, and this is clearly expressed by Cullors as she was raised to have this mentality. In the last chapter of the book Cullors describes her current family situation of having a loving spouse as well as a child, which resembles what she has overcome in life to get to where she is at of a much more peaceful place.  In a larger perspective in America people in black communities often have family as symbolism for either pain or power. Black communities can use family as symbolism for pain because, unfortunately there are instances where black families are often broken up due to issues with law, or simply relationship issues within the family, which is shown in perspective within this book. Also in America, family in Black communities can be symbolic for power because family may be all that they have, so they will value it and have a great sense of power in family. 

  Another major theme that represents pain and power is the racial tensions that are present throughout the book. The racial tensions that Khan-Cullors encounter and witness are usually escalated from the police. Cullors observations of police activity were present when she was just a young girl, which shows readers that her perspective on the police was established at a young age and was apart of her growing up. In chapter 2 Cullors says “By the time I was nine, police had already raided our small apartment in search of one of my favorite uncles.” (20). Furthermore before telling readers this she says that she was arrested at the age of 12 years old. These experiences of law enforcement interaction at a young age are scaresome and definitely showcase pain, not only because of the interaction but also because of the reasoning behind it, which is simply because of discrimination. Cullors argues how law enforcement is left with a wide interpretation of what can be identified as a member of a gang. Small characteristics such as riding the bus with a friend or even picking someone up late night can be associated as some sort of gang activity in the eyes of the police. Cullors goes on to say “They often give police overly broad discretion to label gang members without having to present any evidence or even charge someone with a crime.” (57). A great sense of racial profiling is observed here and represents pain because of how injust it is to label a person based on what they do and what they look like.  A major figure in the way that Cullors views the police and their horrific actions is through her brother Monte. Monte suffers with mental illnesses, while going through this he goes through major discriminatory events and is incarcerated. This is extremely painful within itself because having to deal with a personal with anytype of illness can be painful emotionally. Cullors says he has been stripped, beaten and starved, kicked and humiliated by the cops. So they get to call him the threat. They get to call him the harm. They get to charge him with terrorism. (117). This is where the epitome of the whole book is described by labelling Monte as a terrorist, which is essential to a larger implication that Black Lives Matter and there has to be some sort of push for change. This represents power because through the pain Cullors encounters within racial discrimination and law enforcement interaction, power is ignited because self awareness and awareness of the culture is deeply analyzed and push for change is used in an uplifting, therefore igniting a great sense of power for Black communities. There is also ideas of perspective that play a role where there is a misinterpretation of labelling people, where the police may view Monte as a “terrorist” or even where Cullors views the police as terrorists. This is in great relation to the events that occur in America today where there is great tension between African Americans and law enforcement. 

   Another major theme in the book that showcases pain and power is the ideas on sexuality. Sexuality is addressed in the book with a variety of different ways on how it is utilized to convey a larger idea of identity. Sexuality in the book showcases the independence and individuality of Cullors as she grows up in her life. There are often times throughout the novel where Cullors identifies herself as being “queer”. The term queer generally means weird or bizarre, but it is often times associated with being homosexual,  or having a “different” sexual preference. Cullors expresses her sexual identification by starting off in Chapter 6 by saying, “I always knew I wasn’t heterosexual. Which is not to say I focused on that as a child.” (74). Shortly after this she goes on to say that many LGBTQ kids struggled with depression because people tend to get depressed when they are forced to deny their humanity. This shows how pain and power cooperate into concepts of sexuality identification since there is usually a strain on a person’s life when having to deny their sexual beliefs to be more accepting to either society or the people around them. This can be painful because you are not being expressive to who you truly are as an individual. Furthermore pain can be present in this because there seems to be neglect in helping to uplift those who identify with different sexual preferences, as shown in the book where Cullors says that there were no Gay Straight Alliances or LGBTQ groups. This relates to America in modern times because it was only 2 years ago where there was a law passed for homosexuals to get married, which was extremely controversial because people believed that it was improper for people to marry each other within the same sex.  In Chapter 11, Cullors mentions Richie who was a feminist. Richie was a feminist who was blocked from getting information about sexual assault out into the school newspaper. Cullors mentions that Richie says that “It was their responsibility to talk about sexual assault, their duty to force people to think about women’s sexual organs differently.” (171). This has a similar idea of apparent discrimination in sexuality differences, this time instead of sexual preference discrimination, there is discrimination on how Women are treated and how awareness appears to be limited. Also with similar consequences of sexual preferences, sexism rights leaves a person standing independently while being neglected, as shown with Richie where Cullors says that “The experience changed him and by the time he was 18, he had moved out of his parents home.” (171). The pain of believing rights based on your personal beliefs is shown, and the power comes into play where justice is served, or your perspective is empowered by some sort of organization. In this case regarding Richie power comes into play by receiving global attention, causing the school that was blocking his opinions to back down on the blockage of his opinions. 

  Based on my knowledge obtained from the various themes that were present in the book by Cullors, such as police interaction, family endeavours and sexual situations, my knowledge and understanding on the Black Lives Matter movement is broadened to realize that the meaning behind the movement goes deeper than just trying to evenly distribute justice amongst African Americans as justice appears to be distributed amongst other races. I have now viewed the Black Lives Matter movement as a movement that shows how individuality, is used to uplift individuals within the African American community, but in larger implication showcase how standing up for an issue that affects you can spawn a whole new generation of freedom affecting other people besides the individuals that you were trying to stand up for. My perspective of this was obtained through the views of other discriminations in the book, for example sexuality, where it takes one person to be the leader and say that there is injustices going on, and then stand on that statement enabling awareness to be spread eventually pushing for a change that is positive. Along with my enhancement of understanding the Black Lives Matter movement I have obtained the distinguishments as well as the connections between pain and power, through the content in the book provided by Cullors, where I now understand that pain can be a total separation from power or power can come from a solution that derived from going through pain. Furthermore I understand the influence and role establishments such as school and prison have on affecting the movements such as Black Lives Matter, or any kind of rights that need to be established. 

Dr. Rudham

English 102

11 May 2018

                                                    Cultural Item Essay English 102

  The choice of clothing that a culture is associated with can be essential to the perception of that culture by giving off the inference of rebellion, innovation or social acceptance. The choice of clothing can also be a African Americans signature apparel, then it can become a universal choice of clothing, ultimately monopolizing the societal standards and degrading the meaning for the minority group it once belonged to. This can be shown in hip hop culture where one small piece of clothing or accessory is presented by popular hip hop artists, and is then adapted by the consumers of their music and is then presented to society and then becomes more socially acceptable. This is shown generation after generation within the hip hop culture. The most recent example of this instance is the popular shoes Yeezy by Kanye West. Yeezys were a shoe brand under Nike that was most notable for one model called the “Red Octobers”. After Nike didn’t pay Kanye West the royalties he requested for them to pay, he left Nike and went with their biggest competition of a brand which is Adidas. Kanye West going with Adidas was a huge step forward because it allowed more freedom, which ultimately revolutionized sneaker culture. Yeezys under adidas have no inclusion of the signature 3 stripes that Adidas always includes on their shoes. Furthermore Yeezy’s tend to appropriate “ugly” sneakers and give off the perception that they are valuable designer sneakers even though they are generic. Despite this Yeezy’s has become one of the most iconic shoes in hip hop history. 

  There are two major aspects of identification that Yeezy’s fit under which include race and class. While race plays a minor role into the association of identification of Yeezys, class is the biggest factor of identification for Yeezys. Due to the creator of Yeezys being Kanye West, an African American visionary who is strong in various arts which include music, visual arts and fashion people will support him and his shoes regardless because of the simple fact that it is by Kanye West. Since Kanye West is most prominently known for his position in the hip hop community a majority of his fans are African American, therefore there is a great amount of African Americans who are interested in his designer sneakers. The only problem with this is that a great amount of African Americans are in the low to middle class. This is where class comes into play and is the biggest identification for yeezys. Due to the fact that Yeezys are a shoe of limited products and of high price range the only people who are able to actually afford them are people of higher class. Class separation is the biggest factor for Yeezys expanding upon just being a sneaker that appeals to African Americans. 

  The visual aspect of Yeezys plays the biggest role into the contribution of its meaning as well as the way that it is interpreted. Yeezys are a very generic shoe with limited designs and a limited type of model variation. The most distinguishable feature that Yeezys possess are the shape which consists of a narrow pointed design. This design revolutionized the sneaker culture by making this distinguished appearance of the shoe popular and adapted by various other shoe companies including competitors such as New Balance and even the original home to Yeezys, Nike. Along with Yeezys opening a new door for design in modern day sneakers, they also have appeared to take a less popular style of shoe and make it a trendy and hip style to rock., which is shown in the Yeezy Wave Runner 700. This model of shoe appears to have some resemblance to Sketchers, which is a shoe brand many believe to produce shoes that are hideous and are mainly appealing to people of older age. In an recent article with Complex titled “Dear Sneakerheads, Leave the Dad shoes to Dads” the article was essentially saying that the Wave runner 700 by Yeezys were not worth the amount that they are retailed for because they are essentially the same shoe as sketchers. “As Kanye himself became a dad, and as he continues to steer Yeezy based on his personal likes and dislikes, he’s unwittingly—or perhaps wittingly—raised a whole generation of youths who are now willing to pay whatever it takes to dress like a 40-year-old father of two” says Complex.  Due to the calculated choice of design for yeezys the meaning behind it is clear that Kanye West is trying to cultivate a new way of looking at fashion choices instead of trying to make designs that he knows his intended audience will be into or expecting. This can be compared to what another person who is in hip hop who is not very well known by the name of Ian Connor where he basically utilized the design of vans and changed up the stripe on the sign to a lightning bolt. This was an intentional move that was expected to be well received by the audience of younger people because the design was already familiarized, where as Yeezys intentions were to grab consumers by an angle that they did not expect, which gives off the meaning of innovative designs that are abnormal. Visual aspects in advertisement are also essential for the marketing of Yeezys because of the specific backgrounds and color schemes that are used that give off a persuasive deliverance to viewers because of the advertisement being appealing to the eye. 

    The way that Yeezys are interpreted gives off an essential meaning for what the brand is and who people should attribute the controversial ideas to. It is well known that Yeezys is a brand under Adidas, but often times people recognize yeezys as their own separate entity. The interpretation of who Yeezys may be associated brand wise is important because if there are any controversial ideas taking place the Yeezys brand will most likely take the heat as opposed to the adidas brand. This has been shown recently where Kanye West publicly stated that slavery was a choice. This remark left many people to believe that Adidas was going to separate themselves from Kanye West because they did not want to have that negative association. They decided not to separate themselves from Kanye West and part of the reason why is because of the way the branding is set up. Yeezys also show a great sense of rebellion under the adidas branding as far as the design for the shoe goes. Mostly every pair of adidas have some inclusion of the three stripes that are present on the side of the shoe, where as yeezys have no inclusion of this feature on any of their shoes. This is rebellious because it is not following the cultural norms for adidas which again shows a great sense of separation. This differs from the previous partnership yeezys was in with Nike because Nike actually had their logo present on the side of the Yeezys. This ultimately shows a great sense of control for Kanye West because he is basically able to utilize the platform of having support by Adidas and do whatever he wants with his shoes. Culturally this is a big step because it is rare that anybody (especially African Americans) who have a partnership with a clothing brand is able to have complete control of how they want to market, sell and design their product. Therefore this is setting a new standard for how people should market/brand their shoes. This is shown where another hip hop superstar Pharrell Williams, used the adidas brand for his shoes “human race” which ironically looks similar to Yeezys. This concept is mentioned in the article “Becoming Black: Rap and Hip Hop, Race, Gender and Identity, and the politics of ESL Learning” where it is said that “Black students have influences by what they culturally learn.” (Ibrahim 3). In this content culturally Yeezys is paving the way for the independency for anybody who wants to get supported by a major company and maintain their individual freedom of their product. 

  Yeezys overall role in society is to revolutionize the fashion industry by giving off a new perspective, breaking through normal barriers and expanding upon its expected audience. Yeezys provide a new perspective of fashion due to the other brands that tend to go along with Yeezys, including Supreme, VLone & Off White. All of these brands are expensive brands that are obtained by younger people. When a younger person wears most of these brands at once they are considered a “hypebeast” which is a term used to describe a person who wears these brands to give off the perspective of being cool or being of high quality. The people who are usually able to afford these brands are usually middle to higher class people, and usually are of White or Asian race. This is where the race barrier is broken because even though African Americans want to be able to wear Yeezys many of them cannot really afford them. This helps Yeezys culturally because their brand is expanded to other audiences, then they surpass being known as a “hip-hop” orientated shoe to being a cultural imprint. Also in society Yeezys make it fashionable to appropriate clothing that is viewed as ugly or plain. Therefore a new perspective has spawned opened the eyes of many people realizing that they can be innovative with their fashion choices. Society now looks at Yeezys as the universal default shoe for any shoe that has the same shape as Yeezys, similar to how society looks at any shoe that is similar to the style of Converses. This is a big deal culturally considering the fact that Yeezys aren’t as accessible as Converses but society knows how to identify a pair. It is also a big deal that Kanye West himself is the front and center of attention when it comes down to Yeezys because as stated in the book “Free Stylin’: How Hip Hop Changed the Fashion Industry” by Elena Romero “Black people in fashion were considered to be more behind the scenes and very few were upfront and center.” (XV). This piece of text from this book is informing people that Black people used to have a minimized role in the fashion industry, currently with examples such as the Yeezy brand, Black people are being valued front and center, which is a positive cultural step. In larger implication there is a bigger role that Yeezys play in society that has a negative connotation with it which is brainwashing. As stated earlier Yeezys are generic shoes and are retailed at ridiculously high prices, which many people are being “brainwashed” into believing they are worth high value. This can pose the question “To what extent are Yeezys used as a placebo to fulfill a person’s fashion fetishes.” This question can be highly opinionated but from personal experience of not having an extensive amount of money to waste on shoes, I would say that yeezys can be overrated and are not worth their retailed prices. I would also argue that Yeezys makes it seem like their shoes are highly fashionable while they are just generic pairs of shoes with fresh ideas. Nonetheless their cultural impact is recognized and appreciated due to the innovations that they have made for present and future generations. 

                                             

                     Final Reflection 

   Over the development of this course I grew as a writer because I learned that it was actually okay to incorporate personal experiences at appropriate times during the composing process of your writing. Prior to coming to this course of English 102 I used to think that unless a prompt asked for it, it was unnecessary to add personal background in your writing. I also learned that it is important to crucially analyze what is going on in any piece of text or even a visual work. An example of this was taking a look at an image and then cropping it to find the deeper meaning and understand the larger message that is being portrayed. In my future classes I will take the strategic analogy aspect of interpreting meaning with me because it is a tool that helps to be fully aware of what others are trying to convey, as well as a way to fully express yourself.