Donald Keesey identifies that, typically, in new-historical criticism, critics “think of history in terms of power relations and they are fascinated by the 'circulation' of power within society” (411). Terry Eagleton in his essay “Literature and History,” discusses the issues surrounding the new-historical movement in literature, which includes a much larger, broader umbrella of what is and what isn't literature. He identifies that “certain forms of law and politics, a certain kind of state, whose essential function is to legitimate the power of the social class which owns the means of economic production” (424).

When considering the words of Eagleton and Keesey, one cannot but look to the lyrical and social implications of hip-hop and it's subsequent culture. Carl S. Taylor and Virgil Taylor specifically identify that “hip-hop, like rock and roll before it, is not only a genre of music; it is also a complex system of ideas, values, and concepts that reflect newly emerging and ever-changing creative, correlative, expressive mechanisms including but not limited to song, poetry, film and fashion” (251). The Taylors also noted that “hip-hop is not a monolithic voice or idea but rather a complex hybrid of democratic values, street culture ideology, prison culture philosophy, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, jazz, world music and reggae doctrine” all rolled into one amorphous, changing creature (252).

It is also noted that “many young people are drawn to hip-hop not only because it is exciting to them, but also it provides them with a brutally honest view of life” (Taylor 253). Marc Anthony Neal identified the rise in hip-hop's societal prevalence because of being deemed “the music of a generation of young black urbanites affected by urban deterioration, economic decay, and the proliferation of recreational drugs” (129). Neal also notes that in the early days of the hip-hop boom, it was the “acceptance that hip-hop represented an essential 'Blackness' that was urban, youthful, and threatening” (130).

The overarching sentiment that surrounds hip-hop and the new-historicism is what Eagleton describes as “ideology” which “is not in the first place a set of doctrines; it signifies the way men live and their roles in class-society, the values, ideas and images which tie them to their social functions and so prevent them from a true knowledge of society as a whole” (425).

In modern rap is it possible to ignore what Eagleton says? Not entirely, as the new hip-hop culture is a relation of power. Hip-hop power in the 1990's was established through guns, gang violence, and violent acts against rival groups. Moving away from gang violence, though, has established a new form of societal power in the hip-hop culture: money, women, materialism, jewelry, cars, and attitude. The new hip-hop is the perfect example of what new-historicism is all about; culture and society are no longer mutually exclusive of the art or the artist as they have all come together. New historicism specifically identifies the issues of power and belief structures in a society, and what better way to examine these issues than by studying hip-hop?

Some rap artists have fallen into the trap that Eagleton speaks of insofar that they are unable to see beyond the hip-hop lifestyle that has been perpetuated through generational changes. Others, however, have taken a broader approach to hip-hop with the intention of bridging racial, social and economic gaps in the world. Artists such as Tupac Shakur stands as an example of one who ultimately was subject to his culture, giving in to the less desirable actions of urban culture, but came to rise above it and preach tolerance and harmony, not only between rival rap gangs, but with different races, religions, genders, etc.

Tupac Shakur, in 1996, was gunned down in Las Vegas in a drive-by shooting. Prior to his early and untimely death, Shakur was involved in the now famous East Coast-West Coast rap battle, which raged between the east's Bad Boys Record Label fronted by Puff Daddy, né Sean Combs, and the west's Death Row Records fronted by Suge Knight and Dr. Dre.

Shakur gained infamy for his lyrical ability and a penchant for continually using slams against the competing record label, with his most famous track “Hit 'em Up,” in which Shakur alleges to have had sexual relations with the Notorious B.I.G's wife, Faith Evans.

After Shakur's death in 1996 his record label continued to release material that had been recorded prior to the murder, including the Grammy nominated song “Changes” in 1998. Unlike his previous endeavors in which Shakur was known for continually speaking out against his fellow rappers, he spoke to a different audience in “Changes.” Instead he spoke of racial unity between blacks and whites, against police brutality and injustice, drugs, and violence (both independent and gang-related).

Shakur starts by identifying the role that race plays in the country by noting that “I'm tired of bein' poor and even worse I'm black” and that the “cops give a damn about a negro/ pull the trigger, kill a nigga he's a hero.” In this, Shakur has also closely addressed the issues surrounding police brutality, especially race related brutality.

Shakur next addresses the issues facing the youth, by stating “give crack to the kids who the Hell cares. One less ugly mouth on the welfare.” In this, Shakur is alleging that the Government isn't attempting to end the drug problem because it largely affects the lower-class citizens enrolled in welfare programs and that they are just another hungry mouth to feed.

Next Shakur discusses the importance of healing old wounds, specifically those with his hip-hop brethren and to bridge the racial gap between black and white. Shakur states “We gotta start makin' changes/ learn to see me as a brother instead of 2 distant strangers/ and that's how it's supposed to be.”

Shakur then goes on to describe that “I see no changes, all I see is racist faces/ misplaced hate makes disgrace to races/ we under I wonder what it takes to make this/ one better place/ let's erase the wasted,” in that, unfortunately, nearing the new millennium, there was no end in sight for racial equality. He even went on to state that “both black and white is smokin' crack tonight.”

Unfortunately, Shakur claims, “the only time we chill is when we kill each other/ it takes skill to be real, time to heal each other/ and although it seems Heaven sent/ we ain't ready, to see a black President.” In Shakur's world view, it is shown that the only time a people can co-exist is after tragedy had struck. In his instances, “to be real” with others was to make things right between Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records, as well as kick racism out of people's lives.

Shakur then goes on to describe how “it ain't a secret, don't conceal the fact/ the penitentiary's packed, and it's filled with blacks.” Instead of lending himself to the ways of radicalism by attempting to show how the justice system is corrupt, he asks that we face the simple fact that the prisons are primarily filled with African-Americans. He goes on to discuss the growing problem and trend within the black community to be “stayin' in the dope game” even after being allowed all the opportunities in the world and foregoing the hard work, pain and suffering of the civil rights movement.

Shakur explains that “it's time for us as a people to start makin' some changes” in which he calls for us to “change the way we eat, let's change the way we live/ and let's change the way we treat each other.”

Instead, however, Shakur sees nothing but rising escalation, both in gang violence, the “war on the streets” as well as the global unrest in “the war in the Middle East.” He once again accuses the government of being unwilling to help and claims “instead of war on poverty they got a war on drugs/ so the police can bother me.”

Once more Shakur returns to the issue of police injustice, in which he calls upon those subjected to it to not allow the police to “jack you, back you up/ crack you up and pimp smack you up” because the police “get jealous when they see ya with ya mobile phone.”

As the song comes to a close, though, Shakur notes that “and as long as I stay black I gotta stay strapped/ and I never get to lay back/ 'cause I always got to worry 'bout the pay backs.” This feeling addresses the notion that as long as he remains who he is and as long as his skin remains dark he'll always have to keep his firearm at the ready because of the crimes he committed against his fellow humans in years prior.

For full text of Tupac's lyrics to "Changes", go Here.

Kevin McGinnis