Postcolonial theory: blog tasks

Postcolonial theory: blog tasks

Wider reading on race and Old Town Road

Read this W Magazine deep dive on the Yeehaw agenda and answer the following questions: 

1) What are the visual cues the article lists as linked to the western genre? 

Of course, the visual cues associated with what could be classified as western—cowboy hats, cow prints, rhinestones, and fringed suede jackets, to name a few—are certainly not limited to the likes of Kacey Musgraves or John Wayne.

2) How did the Yeehaw agenda come about? 

“Yeehaw Agenda” by Bri Malandro, a Texas-based pop-culture archivist. Her Instagram account, also called @theyeehawagenda, functions as both an archive and celebration of black cowboy aesthetics in popular culture.

3) Why has it been suggested that the black cowboy has been 'erased from American culture'? 

The history of the black cowboy has largely been erased from American culture, and the “moment” black cowboys are having in pop culture right now has actually persisted for quite some time.

4) How has the black cowboy aesthetic been reflected by the fashion industry?

 Studio Museum in Harlem even held a “Black Cowboy” exhibition two years ago, featuring photographic works from Kahlil Joseph, Deanna Lawson, and Chandra McCormick that aimed to bring the black cowboy to the forefront of western history.

5) Read the section on Lil Nas X and Old Town Road. What does it suggest about race and the country music community?

When Billboard decided to remove the song, insisting that it “does not embrace enough elements of today’s country music” for it to be considered part of the genre, the Internet revolted, with many contending that the erasure of the song from the country charts reveals a problem with race in the country music community. 

6) What elements of the song and music video are suggested to be authentically country and western?

Its singer’s Southern twang is, after all, reminiscent of the twang in the voices of popular country musicians, the track incorporates a banjo, and the video backdrop appropriately matched the aesthetics associated with country music. 

7) What genres of music does the article suggest have been shaped by black influences? 

black artists have shaped the sounds of contemporary country music have historically been overshadowed by the emphasis placed on white artists. For example, a musician like Ray Charles may be more commonly associated with the blues or soul, but he was one of the few black artists who achieved crossover success and made major contributions to American country music in the 1960s.

8) In your opinion, what do you think has been the driving force behind the Yeehaw movement? 

I think its about going against racism and fighting for their rights.

 

Applying postcolonial theory to Old Town Road

Revise the postcolonial theories we have studied and apply them to the Old Town Road music video: 

1) How does the Old Town Road music video both reinforce and challenge black stereotypes in the media?

I think black people were sterotyped to be bad people whereas in the music vidoe at the beginig lil nas x, holiding a bag of money was being chased by other black poeple on horses to subvert the sterotypes and show them fighting to be seen and have equal rights.

2) How could you argue that the Old Town Road video challenges Gilroy's theory of double consciousness?

Lil nas x used black people at the amerian fence houses to subvert the streotypes as its usauly white people staring at black people unfairly, as they think they dont fit in.

3) How does Lil Nas X and Old Town Road provide an example of Hall's theory of race representations? Alternatively, you could argue against this if you prefer.  

Even though Li nas x won faily in the horse and car race the other person clamimed that Lil nas was cheating and played unfailry to represent how black culture were treated.

4) Are there any examples of Alvarado's theory of black stereotypes in the Old Town Road video? Why/why not?

Lil nas x was being chaesed at the begining to show black culute was treated ufairly and always seen as crimals.

5) How does Lil Nas X provide a compelling case study for bell hooks's theory of intersectionality?

Usuakly to see all balck people at a ameraian fence house is unsual but Lil nas x subverts that at places all black people in the scene, also the costume tansition inot Lil nas x wearing a cowboy suit with gliiter with other races to show the mix of colured people.