Critique of the Appropriation on Black Culture by White Suburban Youth

Student's Name

Julie Lemley, Minnesota State University, Mankato

1st Student's Major

Communication Studies

1st Student's College

Arts and Humanities

Students' Professional Biography

Julie Lemley is a full-time student at Minnesota State University, Mankato, working part-time as a school paraprofessional since 2002 and is also a yearbook co-advisor at her current assignment. She is currently working toward her degree in Secondary Education to complete majors in English and Speech Communications and is an active researcher. She lives in Madison Lake, Minnesota with her fiancé, Jim. They have a blended family of six children, Jinny, J.C., Justin and Terri with only the two youngest, Robbi and Jaida still living at home. Non-academic activities enjoyed include reading, construction, refinishing, archery and various outdoor activities.

Mentor's Name

James Dimock

Mentor's Email Address

james.dimock@mnsu.edu

Mentor's Department

Communication Studies

Mentor's College

Arts and Humanities

Other Mentors

Kristen Treinen

Abstract

This critique is an examination of the appropriation of black culture by white suburban youth as being not only racist, but sexist. The primary view of this phenomenon is through the lens of hip hop culture and its commercialization by patriarchally dominated white corporations to increase profit by targeting the music to white suburban youth. This creates a distinct change within the critical content of the culture as an original context by replacing it with a focus that objectifies women, encourages violence and glamorizes the consumption of drugs and alcohol. In addition, there exists an intentional promotion of luxury consumerism that is far removed from the predominant realities within urban black experience. This phenomenon is definitely racist and simultaneously sexist. It creates a need for competition between the two races to maintain a hypermasculinity that is damaging not only to males, but females as well, on the basis of degradation of women by men that is further promoted in a manner in which females become willing participants in their own objectification and denigration. A metamorphosis is then created whereby white supremacist assumptions about black culture are perpetuated and masculinity, as a performance, further marginalizes women and creates a movement of regression in response to advancements achieved by feminism.

Recommended Citation

Lemley, Julie (2007) "Critique of the Appropriation on Black Culture by White Suburban Youth," Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato: Vol. 7, Article 9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.56816/2378-6949.1096
Available at: https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/jur/vol7/iss1/9

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