1) Find a current commerical in which a hip-hop artist advertises a product. Discuss the video as it relates to the role of marketing and advertising in the artist’s career. Make sure you provide examples to argue the thesis that hip-hop artists have (or have not) blurred the line between music and merchandise. Is hip-hop more open to identifying itself with brands? Is hip-hop more entrepreneurial than rock or pop? “…has black talk been used openly, knowingly, and not mockingly to sell products” (Savan 195)?
Here is the link to the Kanye West Absolute Vodka Commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Uk7ohIpHAY
This commercial is an advertisement for Absolute Vodka by Kanye West. I believe that the line between music and merchandise is very blurred as does Savan. Music and merchandise are so intertwined that every commercial advertising something popular has an artist there to appeal to the public and most likely their music in the background. I'm not so sure that there every really was much of a line between the two to because they compliment one another so well. Hip-Hop is more open to identifying with brands because it is the popular brand of music in today's current society, but when the next type of music becomes more popular then that will be the main way of marketing through music. I am not so sure that black talk has been used to sell products as much as most people believe it is. Common language among the advertising appeal group would not be considered any type of language other than slang because it is used among the group normally. I believe the pop language of the targeted marketing group is what is used and all the language appeeals to that specific group.
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I argued that black talk is used in commercials today; however, you made a very strong point that common language may be used more often. I think though that black talk is now more respected in commercials than ever before.
ReplyDeleteI agree zack, its not really "black talk" its just whats popular thats being said. And your right about advertising changiong with the music, but how soon do you think rap will die out due to another, more popular form of music?
ReplyDeletehaha nice commercial, also I agree with u about how Hip-hop is in now but may get taken over by a different genre of music, the world has changed many times musically, I also believe today in its current advances in technology are bolstering Hip-hop for the time being, look at all the rappers using the "T-pain" voice changers.
ReplyDeleteBut isn't Savan saying that pop culture evolved out of African-American vernacular?
ReplyDeleteWhat is Andrew talking about when he says "T-pain" voice changers??? I am really out of it....
"I'm not so sure that there every really was much of a line between the two to because they compliment one another so well." This was a good point.
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