Why White Kids Love Hip Hop-Book Review

by Rachel Wacker

Hip hop is notoriously associated with the African American population. There has been an infiltration of the White population into this genre leading to the questioning of many as to why the White population would be attracted to a music genre rooted in African American beliefs and perspectives. Bakari Kitwana’s book, Why White Kids Love Hip- Hop: Wankstas, Wiggers, Wannabes, and the New Reality of Race in America, aims to address some of the major factors pertaining to the infiltration of White society into a predominantly Black genre of music. The quest to understand white Americans’ fascination with the hip hop genre is a vast chasm of possibilities varying from personal influences to racial interactions.

            In the Preface of the text, Kitwana address the significant role of race in all things pertaining to society. One very important acknowledgement is that generation X and the millennium generation are the first generations that have not lived in the times of racial segregation. This fact allows these individuals to create a new assessment of how race is addressed in America today. The youth of today have a better grasp than previous generations when applying the principle that “all men are created equal” to their behaviors and communications. These advancements in racial thinking lay the groundwork for the cultural fluency allowing the White individual to become involved and show notable appreciation for hip hop.       

            Kitwana seeks the perspectives of the white youth as well as the black kids in analyzing what causes the attraction of white youth to hip hop. It is important to note, “Most hip-hop kids--- while, Black, Latino, Asian and Native American—are taking from popular culture what they find useful, fashioning it to local needs, claiming as their own and in the process placing their own stamp on it” (Kitwana 3) emphasizing the personal liberty that is allowed in hip hop. Kitwana seeks out individuals to get honest perspectives as to why they are attracted to this musical genre and willing to cross the cultural lines of society. The honesty revealed in the answers from a varied pool supplies useful and candid answers. One very striking revelation was that of a thirty-three year old homemaker, “The perfect $500,000 houses. The perfect overscheduled kids. The perfect husbands. We love life, but we hate our lives. As so I think we identify more with hip-hop’s passion, anger and frustration that we do this dream world.” (5) If the audience reflects upon the beginnings of hip hop it is evident that regardless of race, there is discontentment in everyone’s lives leading to an individual’s quest to find an outlet for their frustrations and feelings. Regardless of color, Kitwana stands firmly on the belief, “…. That hip-hop has been the response to the reckless abandonment of young people in this country” and this leads to this genre’s adaptability to the emotional needs of society. (19)

            The factors leading to the rise of hip hop in the black culture as well as the white culture are quite similar. The American Dream, a once thought unattainable ideal for the black family, becomes increasingly more difficult for the white family to attain as well. The economy has played a significant role in the dissolution of achieving the level of success. “Some are drawn to hip-hop’s escapist messages. Some are caught up in the contemporary climate of pop culture that makes hip-hop the flavor of the month. Still others feel the same sense of disenfranchisement as other dispossessed Americans, Black and otherwise” (36)

            The civil rights movement’s ideology and profound impact on society have also factored in to the acceptance of hip hop by the white community. “The repositioning of African American culture as a cornerstone of American identity, specifically connecting the civil rights movement to America’s ideal of freedom and justice for all, raised national awareness of Black American culture at least superficially”(37) which allows for the rise of the African American entertainment icons such as Bill Cosby, Oprah Winfrey, and Michael Jordan. Their public acceptance had a resounding effect on the platform of social acceptance leading to the acceptance of hip hop.

            The emergence of hip hop on the mainstream culture results in a business conglomerate allowing for the integration of the Black artistic sided supported by the advantageous business dealing of white individuals. When put in summation, “What comes out of the corporate hip-hop industry is packaged and sold as hip-hop, but it is a distortion of hip-hop culture.” (47) The resulting impact of the white influence solely based on the business aspects of contribution is suggested to make a correlative appeal for the white consumer to hip hop.

            There is no better way to answer the question of why white kids love hip hop other than to say, “The answers are endless. But the further you dig into individual lives, the more layers of complexity you’re likely to find. Race in America is complicated by many factors…… Each person has a unique story that brought him or her to hip-hop.” (78) The attempt to decipher the reasoning is as baffling as attempting to decipher why there is still racism in twenty-first century America.

            The use of hip hop in the film industry expanded the parameters of exposure of the genre as well as provided the initial attempts at exploring that white kids’ reasoning behind the captivation of hip hop. Films such as Black and White and Bulworth attempt to harness some sort of hint into the thought processing and appeal of the black hip hop culture to the white youth. These films used multiple ways of addressing the issues associated with this sensational attraction to a divergent culture. These approaches ranged from parody, appropriation, generational gap, and interracial dating. (114) The presentations of these films allowed for the audience to walk away with their own perspective and the ability to apply any new found knowledge to everyday situations. Films that use the approach of parody and appropriation allow for the white audience to gain erroneous perceptions of black culture. “In absorbing aspects of Black youth culture, largely via popular culture, your whites have created their own subculture”, which allows for the recreation of perspective of the hip hop culture through the eyes of the white society. The generation gap is emphasized by the role of the economy in the lives of families and households. The gaps in the home are filled with the popular culture streaming into the home. The role of interracial dating addresses the once feared now somewhat more accepted social phenomenon. No matter the differing styles or approaches, it is safe to assume, “….in this world of America’s new racial politics there is another constant: there are no fixed rules. Everything is subject to investigation, interrogation and overthrow.” (133)

            A very fascinating portion of the book addresses the role of Eminem, also known as Marshall Mathers, role in cultivating an appeal for the white youth towards hip hop. Criticisms of Eminem, particularly by the magazine The Source, swirled the controversy surrounding the integration of the white artist in the hip hop culture. “The old racial politics rooted deep in the annals of America’s reconciled racial history relies heavily on the stereotypical assumptions about race and exclusivity. Much of the race card—heavy criticism levied against Eminem by the Source followed that tradition to the letter.” (137) The criticisms of Eminem did not bode well with a new more progressive generation. The success story of Eminem is still privy to speculation, “…especially in an America where the old racial politics still dictates what’s acceptable. In such a climate a white rapper, no matter how good, is bound to be considered suspect by Blacks.” (139) Eminem opens himself up to intense scrutiny as he journeys through the uncharted waters of success in the world of hip hop. It is quite a relevant issue posed by the younger Black community, “fear that the pain and despair of young Black America, which is at the core of hip-hop’s message, will be ignored—again—as the spotlight shines instead on a similar but slightly different white middle-class American alienation.” (161) The massive discussion which has been brought about by the success of Eminem correlates to the position of young American society, and their ability to address the core issues surrounding race in America.

            The progression of society to be able to entertain the possibility of integration in a predominantly black genre of music such as hip hop correlates to the advancement of ideas and concepts on the political platforms as well. “Hip-hop politics” is a use of terminology indicative of the progression of cross cultures. The issues that are of the greatest concern to the white hip- hop activist equate to a significant number of issues that are of great concern to all races.

            There are significant challenges to establishing a fluid relationship across racial lines. These issues confront social issues that directly relate to the acceptance of white involvement in areas such as hip hop. Kitwana lists six hindrances that must be overcome in order to advance the hip hop activist agenda as well as hip hop culture. “Hip-hop politics, just like hip-hop music and culture, has an intrinsic appeal to all Americans. If we fail to create a new language for discussing issues once deemed “Black” we will remain prisoners of the old racial politics.” (192)

            This book delves deeper than the surface reasoning of why the white youth of America have become passionate about the genre of hip hop. Kitwana examines the basic functions of race in America and how it equates to the acceptance of cross culture appreciation of hip hop. The complexities of the issue are staggering and at the same time there is hope. Hope perpetuated by the adversity to revert back to already settled issues on race. The battles of the great civil rights leaders have been progressive in the realm of thinking of today’s youth to believe that dialogue is paramount. Jesse Jackson’s address to the Democratic National Convention in 1984 is quite applicable to the acceptance of differences.

America is not like a blanket—one piece of unbroken cloth, the same color, the same texture, the same size, America is more like a quilt: many patches, many pieces, many colors, many sizes, all woven and held together by a common thread. The white, the Hispanic, the black, the Arab, the Jew, the woman, the Native American, the small farmer, the businessperson, the environmentalist, the peace activist , the young, the old, the lesbian, the gay and the disabled make up the American quilt.

Even in our fractured state, all of us count and fit somewhere. We have proven that we can survive without each other. But we have not proven that we can win and make progress without each other. We must come together. (187)

Should judgment be cast upon the white youth of today for their interest and appreciation of the hip hop genre? Is it indicative of the continuing racial divide that has plagued our nation for generations? The dialogue must commence, the mutual respect and understanding must abound, and the appreciation for all cultures must have precedence. Bakari Kitwana’s book does an outstanding job of examining the totality of Why White Kids Love Hip Hop.