Rachel Paiscik final response

Rachel Paiscik

International Studies 501

For my final reflection, I chose to cover Kelsey’s presentation on German Gangsta rap, and Brian’s on the role of Heavy metal and Gangsta Rap in Operation Iraqi freedom. I felt that these two presentations were connected because of the similarity of the musical forms.

In Kelsey’s presentation on Gangsta rap in Germany, I found it very interesting that after the reunification of the German state, the society at the time once again created ethnic barriers. To people on the outside, these things seem so absurd; how is that after a history of separation caused by atrocities like the Holocaust, a society would once again allow these barriers and minorities to feel less important than the majorities. I don’t have an answer to that, but the beauty that is created out of such seperations in society is very interesting. I found that the migration of rap in Germany among minorities was very interesting. It shows , to me, that music does not belong to one ethnic group. We are separated by different nationalities, languages, ethnic heritages, traditions, but in this glocal world that we live in, I find that there are perhaps more similiarites at our cores than differences. I find this best represented in music. The beats, the lyrics, the emotional charge of rap in America traveled over to minorities in Germany, and allowed them a venue in which to express similar emotions, regardless of time and place. Gangsta rap in Germany migrated from the US; however, the artists were not American citizens, but those Germans who were not of Germany ancestry; an interesting mix of appropriation: a music style by American artists, used by both non-German and non-American artists (German in their ethnic identity). I knew that there was a large population in Germany of Turkish immigrants, as well as populations of other ethnic groups, and it is interesting to hear about the way their music reflects their experience. In my own research of rap and hip-hop, I have found that while there is music that may be violently charged/degrading to women/stereotypical rap, the energy behind rap/hip-hop and the lyrical content often has much more meaning than meets the eye.

In Brian’s presentation of heavy metal and Gangsta rap with American soldiers in Iraq, he spoke about how the power of music psychologically affected the soldiers and prepared them for their experience. I assume that most soldiers don’t enjoy the risk of battle and war, and that as humans; going into such an experience may not be a natural progression. At first I was really shocked that soldiers needed to listen to heavy metal and rap in order to gear up- in the sense that it almost seemed wrong. Why should one feel the need to desensitize themselves to prepare for this temporary lifestyle? However, one thing that I have learned, especially in this class, is not to judge the music/disputed territory on morality issues, or whether appropriation is a good or bad thing; but rather, it is the nature of things. I have learned to look at these musical soundscapes as an objective bystander. So, I would imagine that being in the atmosphere of war time, there really isn’t much of an option to sensitize oneself, and especially me having never been in that situation, I cannot speak to the feelings that arise.

Going back to the nature of rap/hip-hop and the violent nature of Gangsta rap (As opposed to conscious hip-hop or pop-like songs), I see how the lyrics and the beats altered the mind sets of these individuals who had already pledged allegiance to their service, and were bound in their time and place to do their duty; whether their current mind set allowed them or not. Such is the necessity of things, when one is in a situation that is uncontrollable- as many of these disputed territories are- music plays a profound role in psychological states, in emotional well-being, in identity, in peoples’ very life forces. The same is true of heavy metal. Learning about metal in this class, it has opened my eyes- to understand to look beyond the sound, and really understand the history, the artists, the places and times that create such music. It’s not about necessarily forcing oneself to like a style of music; these come naturally, it is however to have respect and appreciation for the evolution of a musical style and tradition, and see how it affects the listeners, the artists, and all the people whose ears the music reaches.