Critique: Chapter 6 of The Hip Hop Wars

Chapter 6: Just keeping it real

          Chapter 6: Just keeping it real in “The Hip Hop Wars” speaks about how rappers portray the phrase “just keeping it real”. It states how Hip Hoppers use that phrase as a defense mechanism as a response towards criticism. Most rappers use their raps to tell their own stories and struggles. However, with those stories, they may demonstrate “violence, crime, support sexism and homophobia” as stated in the text.  

This chapter dispute how “just keeping it real” is both a good and bad. By “just keeping it real”, people are able to know the truth about the poor black community that our government tries to hide. On the contrary, there are some people who rap and declare themselves as real but are speaking falsely about what they do, just because it seems cool. “Just keeping it real” can be viewed through many aspects and not just speaking about the troubles, however, it should also acknowledge the accomplishments of the black community.

  This chapter questions “Why are there few music videos or radio played songs about the extraordinary sacrifices that neighbors, teachers, coaches, mothers, ministers, etc. make to help keep the community together”. I agree with this completely, rappers are supposed to be story tellers, so why not tell stories of the positive things that go around with the people in their community. 

        Overall, this chapter really caught my attention on how people view rap and hip hop. The audience for which it was written, is for both those who are interested and  those for are not knowledgeable of what rap and hip hop is. It provides both sides of what people see rap and hip hop as, and what rappers try to portray in their music.