on the culture industry. Although this article was written in the 1940’s we see
that it still relates to our popular culture today. Adorno and Horkheimer were
well ahead of their time. I will be talking about this article as it relates to
our society today and to rap music and music videos of today. Adorno and
Horkheimer state that culture industry is the entertainment business. Indeed, it
is. In the music industry, music is strictly for entertainment. The lyrics and
music videos are made to entertain; mostly men. Culture industry produces highly
standardized products. Each product is kind of like a product from before.
Adorno and Horkheimer also state that the culture industry also manipulates the
consumer. Culture industry creates a false need. Culture industry also creates a
lack of choice. Since all the product is highly standardized there is really not
much to choose from. Adorno and Horkheimer also explain that culture industry
creates homogeneity because everyone Is just consuming the product because it is
all the same.
In this case, the product is the music or the song. I have picked four song lyrics to focus
on. These four songs that I have chosen are also very highly standardized. They
are all talking about money and women in very derogatory ways. They manipulate
the consumer and create false need in the sense of making the consumer think
that they need a lot of money to get beautiful women to do everything that they
are doing for the rappers in the music videos. It also creates a lack of choice,
since all the music is the same, you cannot escape listening to the things that
they are rapping about and you have no choice but to listen to these lyrics.
Which brings me to homogeneity; you only pick to listen to this type of music
because there is nothing else to choose from.
The first song is “No Lie” by 2 Chainz featuring Drake. It is
standardized because it is talking about money and disrespecting women. Drake says “Aw that looks like what’s her name; Chances are it is what’s her name. Chances are if she was actin’ up then I fucked her once and never fucked her again. She could have a grammy and
I’ll still treat her ass like a nominee. Just need to know what that pussy’s
like so one time is fine with me.” 2 chainz says“I bought my boo bigger tits and a bigger ass.” And “got your car note in my cup and your rent in my swisher.” Both of these are talking
about money and how he has so much of it he can modify his girlfriend.
The next song is “I love Dem Strippers” by 2 Chainz featuring Nicki Minaj. 2 Chainz says “let’s play big bank take lil bank, you are looking at a shark in a fish tank. When I’m in my kitchen, I make plenty cash. Tell shawty come here, she
got plenty ass.” This is the very
first verse and he is talking about how he has money and about a girl and her
body.
The next song is “rack city” by Tyga. He says “rack city bitch
rack, rack city bitch. Ten, ten, ten, twenties on your tities bitch.” In this
line he does both talk about money and degrade women.
The last song is called “Making love to the Money” by Gucci Mane.
In this song he is actually talking about money as if it were a woman. He says
“Making love to the money, I swear the sex’s great. I kick them hoes out, but
let the money stay.” This song is yet again talking about money and disrespecting women.
The homogeneity in rap music is obvious. The same things are rapped about over and
over again just modified a little bit. The subjects of rap songs are almost
always money, women, sex, cars, violence, and drugs.