Dr. Raphael Heaggans, assistant professor of teacher education, is the author of a new book that discusses how some elements of hip-hop music have roots in slavery. The book is titled The 21st Century Hip-Hop Minstrel Show: Are We Continuing the Blackface Tradition?
Heaggans notes that some of the negative elements of hip-hop mislead youth by psychologically enslaving them so that they exhibit behaviors and attitudes that contradict their history, struggle, and persecution.
His analysis shows that this “mis-education” continues perpetuating “black stereotypes” enacted in the minstrel show era, when whites in “blackface” would passionately and cruelly entertain other whites about their stereotypic ideas on black culture.
The book, published by University Readers, is available at UniversityReaders.com and Amazon.com.
For more information, contact Heaggans at 716.286.8315. To listen to the podcast, click the link associated with this story.
