Ralph Ellison The Message Analysis

African American hip hop culture gained popularity in the decades following the Civil Rights movement that ended in the 1960s. In today’s society, we refer to the music of the 1970s and 1980s as “old school” hip-hop. These songs are notable for the simple rapping techniques used as well as lyrics that primarily focus on party-related subjects. The song titled “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five is an example of an old school hip hop song that strayed away from the typical party-related lyrics and focused on telling a story about life in the ghetto. This song ultimately changed the content and tone of hip hop forever by accurately proving Ralph Ellison’s three-step process as part of the blues music, portraying the harsh life in the hood, and ultimately becoming one of the most successful rap songs of all time.
He states a descriptive three step process which demonstrates how singing the blues “doesn’t reaffirm the brutal experience; it reaffirms the value of life” (Sanchez 7). The blues genre is said to be about seeking the energy and strength to keep going. The lyrics in the song “The Message” are tied to the reality of surviving in a society made dangerous for all black citizens. The process affirming that a song can be categorized as blues music consists of “(1) fingering the jagged grain of your brutal experience; (2) finding a near-tragic, near-comic voice to express that experience; and (3) reaffirming your existence” (Sanchez 6). By creating this song, artist Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five are a near-tragic voice that have experienced the harsh life in the ghetto, and can be accurately heard reaffirming their existence. “The Message” ultimately portrays that the content of rap music is much deeper and more real than the party-themed subject matter other artists of the 1980s