I have never been familiar with the rap genre, let alone Chicana/o rap. All I ever really knew was that the genre was developed for and by underrepresented communities of color. In chapter three of Next of Kin, author Richard Rodriguez talks about the development and impact that Chicana/o rap has had towards various cultures and generations. Chicana/o rap has not had much commercial success mainly because artists within the genre are not major names such as Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Tupac Shakir (Rodriguez, 101). A lot of times people even question this type of rap because they do cannot relate to its message or significance. Rodriguez also makes the argument that although Chicana/o rap was supposed to bring awareness to the marginalized community, it still carries strong misogynistic messages and bashing towards individuals within their own group. Although I do agree with what he is trying to say, I feel like the ‘mainstream’ rap tends to do the exact same thing. In modern days, both ‘mainstream’ rap and Chicana/o rap have distanced themselves from the original social justice topics that people would use to communicate suffering and mistreatments among underrepresented communities. Women are often referred to in a dehumanizing matter so I do not know what makes both types of rap any different. If Chicana/o rap wants to be more successful and memorable, then I think it should be more inclusive and political towards events that are going on in our society today. Maybe there will be a change in audience and attention. Why would the mainstream be anymore appealing than the other? Why do you think it is so common (AND ACCEPTED) that rap focuses on women in such a negative way? Do you think people would find rap less appealing if it got more political and serious? What does the audience find so amusing about homophobia and sexism within rap music? Do you think the audience even understands what homophobia and sexism is and how it negatively affects our society?

In this weeks reading, Ch 3, author Richard Rodriguez focuses on Chicano/Latino Rap culture “…seeking to address the politics of masculinity and working class identity in relation to the family and Chicano nationalism as mobilizing forces within a contemporary popular culture frame” (96). Rodriguez discusses how Chicano rap and hip hop culture  perpetuate this idea of heteropatriarchy (sexism and homophobia) in the community. He critiques various Chicano rappers, notably Kid Frost’s music, showing how the lyrics are ethnically and male centered, marginalizing other communities of color, gay community, and women. One example that Rodriguez uses to prove his claim that Chicano/Latino Rap is rooted in heteropatriarchy is by comparing Kid Frost’s lyrical content with Corky Gonzales’ poem, “I Am Joaquin,” noting the similarities of how both works are directly associated with Chicano Nationalism and how both steadily use “La Raza” as a mechanism to bring male unity, which gives us a sense that this unity is among males, straight males that is, not gays or lesbians, or women-but, hyper masculine men. In short, he shows how Chicano rap culture can be male centered/hyper masculine placing straight males at the center, dangeroulsy not acknowledging women, gay community, or other people of color, placing them in a inferior position.

While he challenges Chicano rap culture and how it perpetuates heteropatriarchy (homophobia and sexism), Rodriguez also acknowledges the importance of rap and hip hop artists who create spaces for discourse addressing the sociopolitical injustices happening in the community. However, as Rodriguez notes, Chicano rap culture doesn’t have to overcompensate when it comes to manhood; they do not need to be hard, or tough gangstas to be a man. Or, when it comes to La Raza, it shouldn’t mean that only the “homies or homeboys or bros” can claim it. La Raza is about men and women uniting together, not just “males, preferably with gansta leanings” (121).

Questions: What are some other examples that Rodriguez uses to address heteropatriarchy in Chicano Rap?

Do you agree that Chicano rap which overcompensates the Chicano identity loses perspective audiences?

Do you agree with Rodriguez position on Chicano Rap???

Do you think Rappers/Hip hop Artists are even conscious of their homophobia and sexism in their music? Or is it simply about the dollars, and they could give a rats a$$ about how it influences our youth or perpetuates these systems of oppression?