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Joycelyn WilsonJoycelyn Wilson is an associate professor in the Ivan Allen College's School of Literature, Media, and Communication. Her insights about the role that Hip-Hop culture studies can play in the deconstruction of white-supremacist viewpoints were the focus of her article in The Bitter Southerner titled The Best Anti-Racism Teacher? Hip-Hop.
Excerpt:
Hip-hop culture, and the way I emphasize its humanistic value propositions, is a tool for building social justice, enhancing cultural respect, and dismantling racism. Its ideal of authenticity to self, society, and others is in direct contrast to an imaginary fear of replacement. White boys like these who march against other people, but who party to rap in their frat houses, are trapped by the grips of hate, fear, and violence toward others. The trap music they turn up to isn't for entertainment purposes only.
It can also serve to wipe the boo-boo from these guys’ brains, as Andre 3000 said on Outkast’s “Myintrotoletuknow.” Besides, I know no person of color who wants to be white or replace white people. The people I know who migrated to America embrace everything that comes with being their ethnic selves and are committed to eradicating societal burdens like racism and class inequality. A hip-hop lifestyle teaches this, among other lessons.
Essentially, what I'm outlining here is an anti-racist, anti-supremacist curriculum built on the sensibilities of hip-hop. Such a curriculum could rid the bogus stuff from the minds of these white men who think so highly of themselves.
Read full article.
