2/2

Rap, Culture, & God
ReligionAFAS 335
02/02/12

Tennessee arrested development
Def look up the lyrics

Bone thugs and harmony the crossroads
Meditation on death and dying
Melancholia and lamenting

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Frederick Douglass, American slave
Narrative by F.Douglass

1) the tragedy of slavery:
His first master was a cruel man who took great pleasure in whipping ...nothing could move the iron man from his bloody purpose.
Speaks of the dehumanization effect of the exploiting nature of slavery,

2) spirituals:
The slave songs that a lot of times were accompanied by the work,
Revealed, at once, their deepest hope and dreams as well as the darkness of the sadness...
He thought that the spirituals communicated mo the volumes on the topic of slavery....
Musical form born in America, through the experience of suffering and anguish --- and hope...

3) role of education and emancipation:

Started to Learn to read thru the wife of one of his former masters... Despite rules against it. The master : ignorance produces servility , passivity...
Thru his learning becomes a leader, education was the pathway from slavery to freedom... The key to freedom
He shows absolute passion and admiration for and developed diligence with reading...

Especially upon reading of conquering arguments against slavery.
Another scholar on the topic, eloquent ....Cornell West...



4) christianity and slavery:

---his master went to a camp meeting where he was converted to Christianity..
instead he was much worse (cruel and vicious) of a man after than before...

(Fred) He excoriates and denounces the associationgs of christianity and slavery..
He reveals this hypocrisy that repeats throughout history
--- true Christian conversion is a change of mind and heart, a greater compacts of Loveland compassion
And presuit of justice.

.."I asser that the religion I encountered in the south is just a cover to this hord fal grossest acts against other human beings"..

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Clip: Belly

(Todd Boyd. At USC has good commentary on the film..
Discusses nihilism and then those who advocate the meaning of life... Education... Spiritually.)

Nas line as sincere...I've been reading this book and it's got me thinking about a whole new way a new format