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N*ggas in Paris: hip-hop in exile

Publication ,  Journal Article
Neal, MA
Published in: Social Identities
March 3, 2016

This essay explores the meaning potentials of the exportation of American commercial rap music (exemplified via rap stars Kanye West and Jay Z) through the metaphorical lens of the discourse of exile. This perspective opens a view to Black aspirations as a vagabond, deviant, unsettled, search for the good life. Using, for example, the uptake of West and Jay Z's song, ‘Niggas in Paris,’ in a socialist party candidate's platform ad to attract aspiring immigrant communities in France, both privileged and disadvantaged diasporic Africans, or Afropolitans, as argued herein, are of the world; but do not, necessarily, experience first-class citizenship, despite the state of their mobility. Additional examinations of digital, sonic, lyrical and material art are undertaken by the author to reveal the search for deeper meaning and freedom among Afrodiasporic populations within the United States and globally.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Social Identities

DOI

EISSN

1363-0296

ISSN

1350-4630

Publication Date

March 3, 2016

Volume

22

Issue

2

Start / End Page

150 / 159

Related Subject Headings

  • General Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
  • 4410 Sociology
  • 4408 Political science
  • 2002 Cultural Studies
  • 1608 Sociology
  • 1606 Political Science
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Neal, M. A. (2016). N*ggas in Paris: hip-hop in exile. Social Identities, 22(2), 150–159. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504630.2015.1121571
Neal, M. A. “N*ggas in Paris: hip-hop in exile.” Social Identities 22, no. 2 (March 3, 2016): 150–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504630.2015.1121571.
Neal MA. N*ggas in Paris: hip-hop in exile. Social Identities. 2016 Mar 3;22(2):150–9.
Neal, M. A. “N*ggas in Paris: hip-hop in exile.” Social Identities, vol. 22, no. 2, Mar. 2016, pp. 150–59. Scopus, doi:10.1080/13504630.2015.1121571.
Neal MA. N*ggas in Paris: hip-hop in exile. Social Identities. 2016 Mar 3;22(2):150–159.

Published In

Social Identities

DOI

EISSN

1363-0296

ISSN

1350-4630

Publication Date

March 3, 2016

Volume

22

Issue

2

Start / End Page

150 / 159

Related Subject Headings

  • General Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
  • 4410 Sociology
  • 4408 Political science
  • 2002 Cultural Studies
  • 1608 Sociology
  • 1606 Political Science