Rhythm, rhyme and reason: hip hop expressivity as political discourse

Abstract

IntroductionCan music as an expressive form contribute to public and political debate?Moreover, can the expressive output of music be seen to provide arguments that engage publics? Public sphere theory as most pertinently molded by Jürgen Habermas offers, in the words of Craig Calhoun (1992, p. 41), 'one of the richest, 170 best developed conceptualisations available of the social nature and foundations of public life', and hence provides a convincing framework in which to understand the democratic potential of various communicative practises. John Street (2012, p. 8) argues that it is when music makes the transition from the private to the public sphere that it becomes politically significant. He further calls attention to the value of the Habermasian concept of the public sphere as a means by which to understand the role of music in political participation. Similarly, Keith Negus (1995, p. 192) emphasises the public dimension of political music, arguing that music may gain political significance through 'processes of mediation and articulation through which particular styles of music are produced, circulated, experienced and given quite specific cultural and political meanings'. Also, David Hesmondhalgh (2007) highlights the importance of the 'aesthetic public sphere' in assessing the democratic merits of music. These writers provide valuable insight into the ways in which music becomes politically significant through mass mediation and public exposition, not least in emphasising how talk about music may be vital in political participation and action. However, they do not examine how music by means of its expressive properties may itself function as a contribution to on-going public debate. Neither do these writers examine the tension between the aesthetic expressivity of music and the centrality of verbal argument and communicative rationality inherent to Habermasian public sphere theory.In analysing rapper Lars Vaular's 'Kem Skjøt Siv Jensen' -a song that recently generated considerable public political debate in Norway -the aim of this article is threefold. Firstly, to examine how the lyrical and musical elements of the song constitute the song as political expression. Secondly, to examine the song's potential democratic relevance in light of central concepts from Habermas' theory of the public sphere and subsequent revisions of this theory. Lastly, this article considers hip hop expressivity within the parameters of communicative rationality. It is thus a study that both employs public sphere theory in order to examine the 171 political significance of hip hop music, and a study that addresses and discusses a fundamental theoretical problem of public sphere theory in relation to music. Upon its release, the song was subjected to a highly politicised public response (see Appendix for selected examples). The song, for instance, made headline news in the NRK's (the public broadcaster) late night newscast (airing excerpts from a live performance of the song), was publicly commented upon and condemned by...

Dougie Young and political resistance in early Aboriginal country music

“…Others have preferred to see music as part of the public sphere where issues are thrashed out, if not actual policy enacted. As Habermas would have it, music occupies the ‘wild part’ of the public sphere, before being laundered into the ‘serious part’ where ‘actual political decisions are made’ (Naerland, quoting Habermas, 2014, pp. 475–6).…”

“…475–6). Music – especially popular song forms – have the potential of providing not just historical evidence of a hidden story, but also a way to empathise with its survivors (see Naerland 2014, p. 447). Music also can communicate ‘disturbing truths’ if they draw on and respond to ideas already glimmering in the imagination of popular thought (Frith 1983, p. 62).…”

“… 3 See Naerland (2014) and Um (2013) on hip-hop. See Cusic (2002) and Van Sickel (2005) on country music.…”

Right Wing Populism and Hip Hop Music in Norway

“…In an interview study of key actors on the Norwegian hip hop scene -including rappers and critics -carried out by the author, this hostility becomes evident (Naerland, 2014b, for a list of informants see Appendix 3). Critic and hip hop historian Øyvind Holen understands this hostility as part of the cultural field's general antagonism against the FRP, and further reflects.…”

Editors' Introduction: Expressive Culture and Populist Radical Right Parties in Europe

“…Furthermore, music has been studied in terms of its role in social, political, and not least nationalist, movements (Negus 1996;Eyerman and Jamison 1998;Peddie, 2005;Cvoro 2012). More recently the role of music in political change and action has been explored in terms of its role within public sphere processes (Gripsrud 2009;Naerland 2014Naerland , 2015, and as a resource for (cultural) citizenship and political engagement (Inthorn et al 2012). …”