Throughout January, Oprah Winfrey Network hosts a month-long celebration
honoring civil rights legends, as we approach the 50th anniversary of
the historic Selma to Montgomery marches. Her programmes Oprah's Master Class has a civil right special. On of the guests is Jay-Z.
He said that he believes that hip hop has done more for racial relations than most cultural icons. While the statement might seem bold, he gives nice justification.
He says: "This music didn't only influence kids from urban areas," Jay-Z says.
"People listen to this music all around the world, and took to
this music." So the influence is not limited to any one group, age range, background or geographic location.
He adds that racism is, as he believes, a tought behaviour, most probably at home. He explains that it is not possible to be a racist when hip hop is listened at home.
It is hard not to agree with his arguments. It is not very probable that somebody would listen to, for example, Jay Z but didn't like his skin color.
It is not the first time Jay Z touches the subject of racism. Part of his song 99 problems is about racial profiling.
(...)So i...pull over to the side of the road
And i heard "Son do you know why i'm stoppin you for?"Cause i'm young and i'm black and my hats real low
Do i look like a mind reader sir, i don't know
Am i under arrest or should i guess some mo?
"Well you was doin fifty five in a fifty four"
"Liscense and regestration and step out of the car"
"Are you carryin a weapon on you i know alot of you are"(...)
Additionally, the music video shows him being stopped. The scene is clearly stage-managed, but he gives a date when it happened, so it's quite probable that he really was racially profiled.
This song is just one of many about racism and racial profiling, clearly these are very popular topics among hip hop artists.
