Write an essay explaining how white musicians are known for taking black musicians music and repackaging them for white audiences.
Explain Margo Jefferson’s argument in her essay “Ripping Off Black Music” (1973), making sure to define the concept of “minstrelsy.”
Talk about one or more of the following songs in detail, and discuss whether you think it is an example of racial mimicry in music, musical emulation, or both: “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones, “Hound Dog” by Elvis Presley, or “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele. (Remember to read up about the songs before you simply start writing about what you hear.)
Write some interesting concluding paragraphs that make an argument about whether minstrelsy persists in American popular music in sometimes imperceptible ways.