Analyzing the functions of music in upcoming Rappers Essay

Prach Ly’s Power Territory and Rice functions as a link between his heritage as a Cambodian and his ambition to give back to those who became targets in the tragedy of Cambodia. He communicates the lyrics in a provocative rhythm which sets the tonality for the listeners in a grave and arguably concerned poise deeming his lyrics to be of a serious nature. His rap therefore takes a distinct tone that is akin to the musical function of other rappers who compose lyrics around their precarious lifestyles in the ghettos and their fight for survival amongst the hostility they are faced with everyday. As Prach relays in the telephonic interview, his urge to make music was met with a purpose around the time he discovered the true extent of the tragedies that were faced with the Cambodian people (Ly, 2004). Even though he was born at the time of the Cambodian massacre, his memory was only riddled with sparse recollections of the chaos, and through the eyes of his brother he managed to piece them together and write about it, his lyrics reconnecting with the adults who understood and the kids who appreciated alike. His intention was to use his music for emotional expression, a function that allows the artist to communicate more effectively than normal speech. While this sat well with the adult listeners, the song also seemed to incorporate the function of entertainment for the younger listeners. On a bigger picture, the powerful lyrics also contribute to the integration of society, largely educating the people of the struggle of the Cambodian people and reinvigorating their sense of compassion for them. Mandeep Sethi’s Adair Sethi is more focused on hip-hop as an art form that educates as well as entertains (Sethi, 2009). While he considers music as a tool for the oppressed, Adair shows that he intends the song to function primarily as a fusion of entertainment and emotional expression given the beat it follows and the lyrics that surround the regular questions about life and religion. His intention is further made vivid by the line Music has its own sound, as it invites the listener to indulge further into the entertainment function while still engaging in the mystical side of the rhythm that each artist utilizes in order to communicate a message. Sikh Knowledge’s Ch-Ching The music here functions primarily as a form of emotional expression. The slow beat and rhythm perfectly complements the mood that Knowledge is trying to set, and his lyrics, which discuss the conflict in Palestine, particularly the ruins of Gaza, aim squarely to inform those who do not know and those who sympathize equally. This function of music is of course a utility that highlight matters of grave concern to the public or a specific community and Knowledge reinvigorates the feeling by mentioning other more entertainment oriented music such as two-step bhangra and declaring that this song is nothing like them. Thus, he expresses himself in rap of matters that he finds deeply emotional putting himself on the Palestinian side of the battle. Conclusion One prevailing characteristic of the aforementioned rappers is their Asian American ethnicity, and it is evident that their origins greatly encourages their listeners to see their viewpoints, just like their chosen genre sets them up against stigmas of being unable to thrive in a field dominated by African Americans. The subject matter of the song, thus, becomes very important and the function of music in turn plays a much more important role in determining success. It is interesting to note that the rapper acquires acceptance a lot easily amongst people of his race before anywhere else as was the case with Prach who became a no. 1 hit in Cambodia whereas he composed the album elsewhere. It can easily be concluded from the popularity of these rappers that their ethnic origins account for a large percentage of their success, since that success takes root in first instance amongst the people of their own race. References Ly, P. (2004). Art of faCt: An Interview with praCh. (S. May, Interviewer) Sethi, M. (2009, October 26). The Brown Underground. (N. Dhillon, Interviewer)