Globalization of Art and Pop

Globalization of Art and Pop Culture

Music is a phenomenon that, more than other art forms, lends itself to the expression of social consciousness. This is particularly so among groups who experience conflict in their social environment, and who wish to instigate change. This is perhaps why American Hip Hop found such fertile ground once it reached the southern tip of the African continent. The American Hip Hop culture reached the South African youth during the 1980s (Clark, 2007).

During this time, the Hip Hop revolution in the United States provided fertile ground for the oppressed black youth of South Africa. According to Clark, this is one of the reasons why the genre in South Africa evolved to a much greater extent than in the rest of Africa. The country's political paradigm of the time created a sense of resonance for the youth when they heard the radical lyrics of the American form, particularly artists such as Public Enemy, who sang "Fight the Power" during this time. The themes of revolution and empowerment found a home in the hearts of the South African youth.

At the beginning, the art form was a mere imitation of the American version as advertised by the mass media such as radio and television. As it grew among the South African youth, however, the evolution of the art form became something unique to South Africa. Indeed, the music became a legal means of expressing outrage against the political systems of the time. As such, the music would be a vehicle for political opinion against Apartheid for more than a decade.

The first artist of note in South African Hip Hop was a group names Prophets of Da City. It is perhaps poetic that they were invited to perform at the inaugural address of President Nelson Mandela in 1994, an eventful year for politics in the country. Significantly, the inauguration of the first black president in the country signified the realized and potential hope of millions of oppressed black South Africans; also the community among which South African hip hop in its different forms thrived. As such, the music focused itself predominantly on the black community, and also particularly on the politically oppressed.

Hip Hop diverged into many different genres. Particularly, according to Clark (2007), there is a marked distinction between the Hip Hop found in Cape Town, in the south of the country, and Johannesburg in the North. Hip Hop first found its roots in the former, where the community and its artists were generally more politically and socially conscious. Interestingly, Cape Town's white inhabitants are more ardent followers of the music than those in Johannesburg. In the latter, the market is increasingly dominated by black Hip Hop artists.

An interesting phenomenon addressed by students of Hip Hop is the way in which Hip Hop focuses not only on the political struggle during the 1980s, but also that after the 1994 elections. While these were free and fair, the subsequent opportunity for the alleviation of poverty and further struggle received little attention. The political environment after 1994 allowed the rise of a small amount of black elite, with high paying jobs, most often in politics. Increasingly, the majority of black South Africans became disillusioned with the political system and those ruling it. In the opinion of many, they had simply traded one form of oppression for another - they are now exploited not only by white rulers, but also by those who are black (Clark, 2007). This is expressed in the current forms of South African Hip Hop. Artists working against the apartheid of the past are now working against the exploitation of the poor.

In addition to being politically oriented, Hip Hop also focuses on the African enjoyment of dancing. The earliest forms of this, also advertised and accepted via the media, included break dancing. Currently, South African Hip Hop has evolved to a form of house music called kwaito. This music is very popular among the black youth, whether oppressed or not. As such, it is a well established form of music in the country, with both new and established artists making a success of the market. Brown Dash for example has received raving reviews of his latest efforts, while Spikiri is an old favorite.

Interestingly, while the genre reach South Africa via the mass media, this is by no means a two-way communication effort. Kwaito is not well-known in the United States, and even online music lovers would struggle to find it in electronic, downloadable form. This is perhaps indicative of how truly indigenous this form of music has become in South Africa. As an instrument of protest, Hip Hop and its concomitant forms have become one of South Africa's greatest cultural assets. It is however also true that Kwaito artists such as TKZee and Boom Shakka have had great success in their performances abroad (Wright 1999)

While many have argued that kwaito and Hip Hop are not the same genre and should not be seen as such, others such as Steve Wright have called kwaito "South African Hip Hop." As such, the South African youth now uses the music not only to express their frustration and sense of oppression, but also the unique beauty and rhythm of each culture, story, and hope inherent in the South African nation (Clark, 2007). Specifically, some of the themes addressed by South African artists include class struggle, gender, corruption, HIV and racism.