How Has the Legacy of Protest Songs Evolved?

How Has The Legacy Of Protest Songs Evolved?
Name:
Institution:
How Has The Legacy Of Protest Songs Evolved?
In Laura K. Warrell’s article “Fight the Power”, she laments the current state of ‘urban’ culture that “has become a trend factory” and “reduced the complexity of the art form” CITATION War02 \l 1033 (Warrell, 2002). She draws her arguments from Public Enemy’s explosive 1989 hit single “Fight the Power” which not only brought hip-hop to the mainstream with its musical thrill but also with its unapologetic stance on racial discrimination. The protest song is credited for its outspoken nature, which was uncommon of hip-hop songs of the period and what Warrell describes as shock value, and its mainline connection to the social and psychological struggles that many black Americans were enduring. “Fight the Power” was notable for its wit and downright rebelliousness toward an indifferent and discriminatory society that continued to “comfort itself with notions of multiculturalism and political correctness” CITATION War02 \l 1033 (Warrell, 2002).
I think that Warrell was right in lamenting the then state of culture that had been polluted by commercialism and was devoid of the entertaining and snarling rebellion of yesteryears. Hip-hop songs after “Fight the Power” decade lacked either the profoundness or capacity to resonate with people the way the hit single did with its searing and candid lyrics. Very few songs of the period can be classified as protest anthems and even those that revolve around civil rights issues fail to sufficiently channel any tension or rebelliousness in the raw manner of “Fight the Power”. They lack the virility needed to stir people into action or even remind them of their political strength and right to defy the oppressive establishment. However, the legacy of protest songs has evolved and thrived since 2002 with the advent of such groups as Black Lives Matter, queer identity, transgender, and feminism in the Obama era. With a Democrat and the first black president in the White House, protest songs took a fresh meaning as music consumers started identifying with their messages.
Unlike the protest songs of the 2002 era that seemed to be less of anthems and more of isolated bursts of frustration and anger, those of the Obama era trended towards not only addressing civil rights issues but also celebrating identity and supporting movements of traditionally marginalized people. Unlike the calm political climate of the 90’s that could have led to the dwindling of protest songs and the deterioration of urban culture as an art form, the songs of this period focused on less ephemeral issues. For instance, Lady Gaga’s 2011 acclaimed single “Born This Way” focused on q...