Why is the battle between good and evil a recurring theme in rap lyrics? What role does the devil play in hip hop? What exactly does it mean when rappers wear a diamond-encrusted "Jesus" around their necks? Why do rappers acknowledge God during award shows and frequently include prayers in their albums? "Rap and Religion: Understanding the Gangsta's God" tackles a sensitive and controversial topic: the juxtaposition--and seeming hypocrisy--of references to God within hip hop culture and rap music.
This book provides a focused examination of the intersection of God and religion with hip...
Why is the battle between good and evil a recurring theme in rap lyrics? What role does the devil play in hip hop? What exactly does it mean when r...
The thirteen essays selected for Power and Pleasure in Popular Culture aim to explain why popular culture is an irresistible guilty pleasure. This anthology forces readers to think about why they enjoy popular culture by asking questions about its relationship to power: Who truly has power over popular culture its creators or its consumers? Under what circumstances is popular culture empowering? When is it disempowering? Is pleasure contingent upon acquiescing to power, resisting power, and/or wielding power over others? These questions are considered from the perspectives of gender,...
The thirteen essays selected for Power and Pleasure in Popular Culture aim to explain why popular culture is an irresistible guilty pleasure. T...
