Tupac in the Nature of Politics

  For this paper you need to write at least a FULL 8-page term paper examining the relationship between politics and Tupac Shakur. The research question to address is: Did Tupac play an influential factor within Hip Hop culture affecting politics? You will expound on this and explain how Tupac affected politics. Things to include in the paper is his ties to the Blake Panther Party Movement, lyrical analysis of his song “Brenda’s Got a Baby” and how socially conscious he was in his songs like “Changes”. Explain his protest work and how Tupac was concerned with connecting with the people who listened to his music, especially those that lived in the ghetto. He wanted to empower them to grow beyond where they came. Tupac profoundly said that he didn’t know how to change the world, but that he knew that if he truthfully talked about the conditions of his community that someone listening to him would be inspired to make the necessary changes. Tupac’s music was the contribution that he was making to see that change. NOTE: Everything mentioned in the paper needs to tie into the nature of politics. Make sure to start the paper off with a strong unique hook relevant to pop culture to intrigue the reader to keep reading. Make sure at the end of the introduction paragraph to have a clear and concise thesis stating: “In this paper I will argue……” Make sure to have a strong conclusion providing in which you (a) remind the reader of the major points advanced to prove your overarching thesis and (b) allude to the larger implications of your argument and/or interesting questions your paper raises. NOTE: You must use AT LEAST 10 scholarly books/articles. One of the scholarly books will be Courtney Brown, Politics in Music: Music and Political Transformation From Beethoven to Hip-Hop. I will upload a pdf with selected chapters that mention Tupac and Hip Hop. PAPER REQUIREMENTS: The paper will be graded based on four major components: Clarity of argument, Strength of argument, Observance of technical requirements, Originality of argument 1) Clarity of Argument • Provide an introduction in which you (a) try to get the reader interested in reading your paper and (b) present a clear thesis. Your thesis should, in a sentence or two, explain what your argument is and why/on what basis you are making that argument. • Structure your argument by making a specific point in each paragraph of the body of the paper. Use transitions between paragraphs so that your argument flows logically from one point to the next. • Make sure, along the way, to define clearly any terms that may not have an obvious meaning. • Provide a conclusion in which you (a) remind the reader of the major points advanced to prove your overarching thesis and (b) allude to the larger implications of your argument and/or interesting questions your paper raises. 2) Strength of Argument • Avoid talking about the subject in a general way. Bring in specific examples to prove your point. • Do not throw a quote in your paper and expect the reader to understand how it proves your point. Make sure you explain how the quote proves the point you’re making. • Your paper should not read as a collection/stream of quotations. Rather, you should use quotations judiciously, in such a way that they do not obscure, but rather enhance your analysis of the text. • Lazy arguments will receive grades appropriate to them. If even you wouldn’t buy the argument you’re making, you should keep working on it. (But, note, even if you would buy the argument, that doesn’t mean others will; this is why I strongly recommend having others give you feedback on your paper!) • The best way to avoid making a lazy argument is to force yourself to address major counter-arguments. Think about the kinds of debates we’ve had in class all semester. Anticipate some of the points that might be raised to challenge your thesis statement, and address those objections head-on. 3) Observance of Technical Requirements • Did you use correct grammar and spelling? Did you cite your sources properly? Did you format the paper correctly? Did you abide by the page requirement? Make sure your paper conforms to the technical requirements listed above. 4) Originality of Argument • Papers that do not go beyond what was said in class, that do not demonstrate independent thinking, will receive lower grades than papers that do.