Slang Makes Them Cool...

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    Tupac is the G.O.A.T - the greatest of all time, and I don't think there should ever be a debate about that. It amazes me how timeless his music is. He was way ahead of his time. He was killed a few months after I was born, and I still ride to his music. He and Prince are just about the only two artists my dad would play in the car. It was almost always Pac first, though. I'll forever remember hopping into my dad's powder blue, '64 Impala and hearing, "Makaveli in this... Killuminati, all through your body..." or "Keep ya head up, ooh child, things are gonna get easier." This latter song is really important to me, as it is a constant reminder that I have a pivotal role in my community - this is not limited to just my family or those that I know personally. I have to be a better brother, son, uncle, student, boyfriend - person. I think this song, like most of his others, also gives clear and authentic insight into one of Pac's internal conflicts - one that burdens a lot of "hood" people - the understanding of needing to leave the hood but feeling obligated to stay and be "loyal." This is the pseudo loyalty that I was supposed to show instead of going to college. 

    As we know, Starr doesn't necessarily battle with leaving the hood, but she battles with her hood nature showing up at the wrong times. When she tells us, "Williamson Starr doesn't use slang - if a rapper would say it, she doesn't say it, even if her white friends do. Slang makes them cool. Slang makes her 'hood.'" This is soooo common in today's society and pop culture in general. It can be infuriating. The difference in perception regarding concepts such as slang, could be the biggest factor in why people feel the need to stay in the hood. They are not loved, but people love what makes them them. We get a different glimpse of this when Davante refers to Chris as a "wigga" with his Js on. Slang and Js are only surface-level examples of this. I believe I shared with the class that my mom once said that I got to the university and got ghetto because I had worn my durag to class. I showed her a meme of a white lady wearing a "new trendy silk head scarf" to combat her statement. Similarly to Diary, this book is relatable on so many levels. My parents had us young, so it took them a little while to find their success, but my mom had one goal - get her babies away from the hood. My dad eventually left the hood after they split, but he still goes back a little to help a few people out. 





Comments

  1. Olivia TSeptember 19, 2021 at 7:26 PM

    "As we know, Starr doesn't necessarily battle with leaving the hood, but she battles with her hood nature showing up at the wrong times."
    You easily summarize some of the internal struggle Starr feels in one sentence- great job! I think that Starr struggles with her identity throughout the novel as she searches for her voice to fight back to the injustices to her community and friend. She has to walk the narrow line between her reserved self and her 'hood' self. Often we see this displayed as code-switching throughout the novel. Great job! You make some really really great points here.

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