Music Videos: Postcolonial theory

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 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? 
The visual cues associated with what could be classified as western—cowboy hats, cow prints, rhinestones, and fringed suede jackets, to name a few.

2) How did the Yeehaw agenda come about? 
In September 2018, the trend of black pop-culture figures wearing cowboy garb was dubbed the “Yeehaw Agenda” by Bri Malandro, a Texas-based pop-culture archivist.

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?
Over the past few years, their popularity has surged to the point that Pyer Moss—a label that prominently presented western-inspired looks in its fall/winter 2018 runway show—featured the Compton Cowboys in the look book for their fall 2018 collaboration with Reebok

5) Read the section on Lil Nas X and Old Town Road. What does it suggest about race and the country music community?
Just as black artists have had a hand in the invention and popularization of genres including, but not limited to, rock and roll, punk, riot grrrl, and electronic music, the ways in which black artists have shaped the sounds of contemporary country music have historically been overshadowed by the emphasis placed on white artists

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?
Just as black artists have had a hand in the invention and popularization of genres including, but not limited to, rock and roll, punk, riot grrrl, and electronic music, the ways in which black artists have shaped the sounds of contemporary country music have historically been overshadowed by the emphasis placed on white artists 

8) In your opinion, what do you think has been the driving force behind the Yeehaw movement? 
I think social media and the rapid spread of trends and awareness has and a major influence of the success of the yeehaw agenda.



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?
The video features typical hip-hop culture elements, such as flashy jewellery, luxury cars, and stylish clothing. These elements can be seen as reinforcing the stereotype that black success is often measured by materialism

2) How could you argue that the Old Town Road video challenges Gilroy's theory of double consciousness?
The "Old Town Road" video portrays Lil Nas X as a black cowboy, blending elements of country and hip-hop cultures. This integration of identities challenges the idea that black individuals must navigate between conflicting cultural worlds


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.  
By mixing country and rap, Lil Nas X subverts the typical representation of black artists being trapped to specific genres (hip-hop, R&B)


4) Are there any examples of Alvarado's theory of black stereotypes in the Old Town Road video? Why/why not?
There are elements of humor in "Old Town Road," in the scenes where Lil Nas X's cowboy persona interacts with modern suburban life and with the cameos from chris rock


5) How does Lil Nas X provide a compelling case study for bell hooks's theory of intersectionality?
Lil Nas X, a black artist, breaking into the country music scene with "Old Town Road" disrupts the mainly white space of country music. His success highlights how racial boundaries in music genres can be crossed



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