Queen Nzingha Lecture 6 with Veronica Mason. In the 1970’s Hip Hop music represented the voice of Black American youth in regards to racism, oppression, poverty and Black urban life experiences. It also gave Black youth a platform to address and celebrate Black history, challenge dominant mainstream thinking and encourge a sense of empowerment. However, fast forward to today and hip hop has become one of the most popular global music genres, racking in millions of pounds from an abundance of fans, including young white boys wearing hip hop inspired clothing, using hip hop slang,spitting lyrics and street-dancing. So we are all one big happy family, right? This lecture will explore the ways that hip hop has influenced white masculinities and will question whether hip hop encourages cultural diversity or reinforces racist stereotypical thinking.
Queen Nzinga was an African Queen who fought against the European invasion of southern Africa (Congo/Angola). The Queen Nzinga lecture series will feature African female academics/holders of expert knowledge, speaking on topics of their choice on a monthly basis. The Nzinga lecture series will provide a regular platform for women of African descent to highlight important issues in an academic setting. You can view some Queen Nzingha Lectures on our YouTube page.