What's glorified in Greek mythology and in rap music? LEt's talk about it.
Greek mythology has left a significant impact on literature and Western culture for millennia. Ever heard the expression "Achilles' Heel" to demonstrate a fatal sign of weakness. It comes from the Greek god Achilles and his feeble ankles. I have lost count of the times people have compared their journey to the grocery store to that of The Odyssey, claiming their trip was just as tumultuous. The word "narcissism " is from a Greek myth: a young man who fell in love with his reflection in the water and became so obsessed with himself he refused to move away from it to even eat or drink and died.
All throughout this course, we discussed themes of oppression and power imbalances present in Greek mythology, themes that are relevant in modern culture. One way people discuss their experience with oppression through allusions in music.
All throughout this course, we discussed themes of oppression and power imbalances present in Greek mythology, themes that are relevant in modern culture. One way people discuss their experience with oppression through allusions in music.
At the time of Kanye West's album, The Life of Pablo release, he was in 53 million dollars in debt. He made a collaboration with Nike to promote his shoe line-- Yeezy's and said that he did not "get a percentage of the sales...". Thus, Kanye was in debt.
Throughout "Saint Pablo," he reflects on how he came about his wealth, what others were saying about him, and questioning his faith. Here are a few lines:
Throughout "Saint Pablo," he reflects on how he came about his wealth, what others were saying about him, and questioning his faith. Here are a few lines:
In Greek mythology, Medusa was once a beautiful woman who broke her vow of celibacy to Athena, who in return, cursed her: whoever looks at her turns into stone. It is also said that Medusa was vain, and once Athena cursed her, Medusa was a beast; she caught everyone's eye, and not in the way that she would have wanted.
Capitalism is not liberating; it's oppressive. In our society, it's praised to have an insane amount of wealth (see Jeff Bezos). Kanye's comparison between money and Medusa symbolize that both can be beastly, and just as paralyzing: Medusa was literally paralyzing, as she turned her victims into stone; money was metaphorically paralyzing, as people are caught up in opportunities to get quick cash, which is where Kanye went wrong. He was caught up in his potential success and did not know when to stop, until he was begging Mark Zuckerberg for money.
Everyone wants to be successful and rich, until you get there, and you are millions of dollars in debt. Unless you land a successful clothing line like Kanye did with Yeezy, the song "Saint Pablo" and the Greek myth Medusa warns us to not be so vain and obsessed. Whether it be with our looks or our money.
On a side, note, The Life of Pablo is an amazing album, and I recommend listening to it. A lot of Kanye's older work is introspective and worth listening to.
Capitalism is not liberating; it's oppressive. In our society, it's praised to have an insane amount of wealth (see Jeff Bezos). Kanye's comparison between money and Medusa symbolize that both can be beastly, and just as paralyzing: Medusa was literally paralyzing, as she turned her victims into stone; money was metaphorically paralyzing, as people are caught up in opportunities to get quick cash, which is where Kanye went wrong. He was caught up in his potential success and did not know when to stop, until he was begging Mark Zuckerberg for money.
Everyone wants to be successful and rich, until you get there, and you are millions of dollars in debt. Unless you land a successful clothing line like Kanye did with Yeezy, the song "Saint Pablo" and the Greek myth Medusa warns us to not be so vain and obsessed. Whether it be with our looks or our money.
On a side, note, The Life of Pablo is an amazing album, and I recommend listening to it. A lot of Kanye's older work is introspective and worth listening to.
Scuplture of Alpheus and Arethusa, 1568–70
Battista di Domenico Lorenzi
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Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake's "Holy Grail," released in 2013, was nine-year-old Marcela's favorite song. After this in-depth analysis, that still has not changed.
The album cover is of the river god Alpheus and Arethusa. In the Greek myth, Alpheus fell in love with Arethusa. She fled to a different spring, but he eventually united his waters and caught up to her and did every time she tried to evade him. This sculpture depicts a brief but sour interaction between the two, where Arethusa decides she doesn't want a relationship with him, so she jumps into the spring. She feels trapped, with no way out.
Here, Jay-Z raps about his experience in the spotlight and how suffocating and oppressive it is.
The album cover is of the river god Alpheus and Arethusa. In the Greek myth, Alpheus fell in love with Arethusa. She fled to a different spring, but he eventually united his waters and caught up to her and did every time she tried to evade him. This sculpture depicts a brief but sour interaction between the two, where Arethusa decides she doesn't want a relationship with him, so she jumps into the spring. She feels trapped, with no way out.
Here, Jay-Z raps about his experience in the spotlight and how suffocating and oppressive it is.
Jay-Z is trying to escape fame, so he keeps "jumping into the river," but it keeps catching up to him. All the instances fame has hurt his relationship with his wife and friends, he felt buried in it. But it was the that brought him out of poverty. As you can see in the lyrics below, he creates a dialogue wondering if fame is better than being miserable and poor. Jay-Z battles between feeling guilty for having fame or feeling miserable for being a spectacle for the world. The dialogue he is having with himself demonstrates the struggle with having to choose between being rich/famous and miserable or poor and more miserable.
Fame and power are glorified and something many wished they had. In "Holy Grail," Jay-Z gives examples of why both of those concepts can destroy powerful people's lives.
Fame and power are glorified and something many wished they had. In "Holy Grail," Jay-Z gives examples of why both of those concepts can destroy powerful people's lives.
Throughout the "Holy Grail," Jay-Z mentions big-name celebrities who have had a complicated relationship with fame such as MC Hammer, Mike Tyson, Kurt Cobain, and Michael Jackson (each name is hyperlinked with articles of scandals/problems that the celebrity had during their career). To the public, their lives are just for entertainment and drama. It is often forgotten that celebrities have faults, so we cannot be disappointed when they are on a pedestal and make a public mistake.
Next, we have Trippie Redd and Chris King's "Can You Rap Like Me Pt. 2." (Here is part one, but it's important to know that Part One and Two do not create a storyline.) In this song, both artists rap about their involvement and success in the rap industry, gangs, drug dealing, and pimping. Specifically, King alludes to the Greek myth, King, Midas, talk about how successful he and Trippie are compared to other rappers.
According to the Greek myth, King Midas found the god Dionysus's companion, Silenus, wandering around. For his kind action, the god granted Midas a wish. The King wished that everything he touched would be turned to gold, but after almost starving to death, he realized he made a mistake (Midas). It is interesting because Chris King only has one golden plaque, and it's from this song.
According to. the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) a single and an album must each sell 500,00 units and follow the different requirements for units to be able receive a gold plaque. The double entendre with the plaques as well as the allusion to the Greek myth, we can overlook the fact that Trippie and King are rapping about how their gangs are killing anyone who is against them. Unchecked violence and power perpetuate oppression; gangs run neighborhoods and create unsafe environments for families.
Just as King Midas had the golden touch and almost died of starvation because he was so focused on the material aspect of wealth, perhaps Chris King does have the touch.
According to. the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) a single and an album must each sell 500,00 units and follow the different requirements for units to be able receive a gold plaque. The double entendre with the plaques as well as the allusion to the Greek myth, we can overlook the fact that Trippie and King are rapping about how their gangs are killing anyone who is against them. Unchecked violence and power perpetuate oppression; gangs run neighborhoods and create unsafe environments for families.
Just as King Midas had the golden touch and almost died of starvation because he was so focused on the material aspect of wealth, perhaps Chris King does have the touch.
Photo used under Creative Commons from It's No Game
