Who could better understand the discrimination if not a person who constantly has to deal with it? The slavery has ended for a long time now, with the price of a civil war in United States, the society where this phenomenon was most popular. Africans have suffered and they have accepted pain and humility, and at a point they ravaged, turning against those who have caused them pain, so that the future generations not to suffer what they suffered. And nowadays Black people are no longer slaves. Not without their will. The society they live in creates jobs, paying them for their services. Nonetheless, they are the ones that usually occupy the blue collar positions. They take orders from their masters, while they accomplish their duties. If in the past the Africans were considered goods and were not treated equally, today they are discriminated, being considered inferior in skills, aptitudes, intellect and being exposed to social stereotypes, according to which they only create troubles, are involved in criminal actions or are unable to hold steady jobs. Discrimination is a modern form of slavery, which maintains the Black people in a social frustration. This frustration often erupts and there are various forms through which Blacks exhibit their feelings regarding the way that society treats them, from violent outrages and riots through arts.
Music is an artistic form of expressing the social distress, pain and humility, very much utilized as a communication means by Africans who suffered discrimination. The movie “La Haine”, created in 1995 by Mathieu Kassovitz explores the roots of racism and the phenomena associated with it, such as xenophobia (in the cases of immigrants), police brutality, stereotyping.
“They were all dressed in uniforms of brutality” (Bob Marley, “Burnin’ and Lootin”, in Kassovitz, “La Haine”) is a metaphor expressed through music, indicating the police as the oppressor that uses the uniform as weapon of discrimination. “Je n’ai plus aucune chance de crever de mort naturelle” (Expression Direct, “Mon Esprit Part en Couilles”, in Kassovitz, “La Haine”). These lyrics talk about the immigrants’ life, who are permanently searched for, followed, and their steps are permanently monitored. As the three friends from the movie (a Jewish, a Muslin and an African), who can never be at piece, are permanently on the run and followed by police, the Black immigrant communities experience various forms of aggression, brutality and violation of their right of equality.
Discussing about equality, the social inclusion policies, meant to integrate the people belonging to disadvantaged groups (victims or racism, ethnic, religion, age, gender discrimination, etc.) have a good objective and finality – introducing persons from these disadvantaged groups in all the social levels. Nonetheless, the fundament is wrong. Considering that all individuals are guaranteed with liberty and equality from their birth, there should be no use of creating these programs that bear a social responsibility, because people should not need to be re-established with their social rights, that they possess apriori, once they are born. Like this, the social insertion programs become a social paradox.
The essence of the movie “La Haine” indicates the development of teenagers into haters of the social systems in which they live, being simple victims of discrimination. They gather pain, shame, humiliation, frustration and develop them into rage. Vinz, the Jewish boy from the movie rehearses his hate speech in front of the mirror, directed to police. Hubert, the Afro - French teenager from the movie controls his fury and his anger through boxing. Rap music is a way of expressing the rebellion against the political and social status of the minorities in France and it is also linked with the relationship that the country has established with the African and Caribbean colonies. This has intensified the nationalist spirit, but in the same time the racism in France. Through hip hop and mostly through rap, Africans illustrate their individuality, their race identity, in response to racism, claiming their origins, while challenging the enrooted French social stereotypes and conceptions about race and citizenship (Helenon 151).
This aspect, the sense of community, speaking proudly about the cité is similar with how rap developed in United States. The rap in U.S. it is the most popular form of rap in the world, and it highly contributed to multiculturalism, strengthening the Africanism and the African individuality, identifying the Black communities with African – American figures that have succeeded (Michael Jordan, Denzel Washington, Whoopi Goldberg or Selena Williams, to name a few). They have become role models for the African people living in United States, also as for Black people all around the world (Helenon 159).
Moreover, in the recent political context, where United States has a Black President, who is at his second mandate, the sense of Africa belonging increases even more, developing the proudness of being an African – American, and becoming more trustful and more self-conscious. This relation has developed into rappers exhibiting national pride, on one hand, but also accusations addressed to President Obama because of his policy that has raised the unemployment rate and the poor housing projects that divides the country more than ever. Nevertheless, the election of a Black President has raised the positive thinking of Blacks, an aspect expressed also through rapping: "On the positive side, I think Obama provides hope and challenges the minds of all races and color to erase the hate." (Nas, “Black President”, in Richburg, „Rhyme & Reason”).
The French rap is also influenced by this political movement, as the pride of being Black, having African roots increases now that the strongest country in the world has a Black President, who represents all African people from his top position, making them dream and hope for a better life, raising their moral and increasing their self – respect and their self - determination.
Works Cited
Helenon, Veronoque. Africa on Their MindL Rap, Blackness, and Citizenship in France. N.d. Print.
Kassovitz, Mathieu. La Haine. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUlD30PSzSs">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUlD30PSzSs. 1995. Canal Plus. Movie.
Richburg, Chris. Rhyme & Reason: Hip Hop’s Curious Relationship with President Barack Obama. 2013. Retrieved on 14 February 2013 from http://www.hiphopdx.com/m/index.php?s=editorials&id=2024. Web.
