I personally found these chapters on Postmodernsim and and the Politics of the Popular to be very interesting, and relatable to all of us today. I would like to draw on a particular quote that draws on post modern pop music that I found to be extremely evident in todays music culture.

Postmodernism, which is the study of pop culture, has evolved into many different forms, ranging from art all the way to political theory and history. The meaning of postmodernism has evolved much over time, and is claimed and understood differently by many people. The quotation I want to expand on is actually a quotation in the text also, taken from the African American cultural theorist Cornel West. Taken from the context of music and preaching, he goes on to explain the cultural significance and ties of rap music:

“rap is unique because it combines the black preacher and the black music tradition, replacing the liturgical ecclesiastical setting with the African polyrhythms of the street. A tremendous articulateness is syncopated with the African drumbeat, the African funk, into an American postmodernist product: there is no subject expressing originary anguish here but a fragmented subject, pulling from past and present, innovatively producing a heterogeneous product. The stylistic combination of the oral, the literate, and the musical is exemplary…it is part and parcel of the subversive energies of black underclass youth, energies that are forced to take a cultural mode of articulation because of the political lethargy of American society” (386).

I think its interesting to touch on this because of how much rap music has grown in our society today. It has evolved so much, that it is difficult to reflect back and realize where the genre of music is rooted from. One point that struck me was that West claimed that it combines the black musical tradition that stems from liturgical ecclesiastical settings. Today, the style of music has evolved so much that it difficult to find any connection between the two right off the bat. Earlier in the chapter, it mentions “rather than a culture of supposed pristine creativity, postmodern culture is a culture of quotation; that is, cultural production born out of previous cultural production” (Storey 198). Today, rap music has evolved into a culture of its own, embodying not only a genre of music, but also a lifestyle. Its origins in preaching can be seen in certain rap songs, where lyrics are spoken more so than sung, and is done in a very objective manner. The style of music in itself, and how it sounds and is produced has also changed, also producing subcategories (ie hip hop, soul rap, “old-school rap, r&b).  However, in addition to taking what it used to be as a basis for its culture, it has produced a whole new culture for its listeners. Clothing brands, technology (in particular headphones and cell phones) etc have been able to incorporate rap culture into their marketing as well, appealing to those who enjoy rap in one way or another. Even certain social settings such as nightclubs have been able to fully embrace the rap culture, and it is distinctive. The genre is marketed in such a way, drawing almost fully from African American artists, however has successfully made its way into society as a culture of its own.  As a personal music fiend, I always find it interesting when a genre of music trickles out into more than just music, but a distinctive style in society that is visible in its listeners clothing, attitude, and way of life.