Rap Analysis of the Songs "Rebel Soul" and "Can I Kick It?"

Short Paper (2.5 pages, due end of Wednesday 5/11)
Compare & contrast 2 songs, one from each list below (all available on youtube). Make sure you find original versions (not remixes) and/or official music videos!
List 1:
Isis (Lin Que) - "Rebel Soul" (1990)
Monie Love - "It’s A Shame (My Sister)" (1990)
MC Lyte - "Paper Thin" (1988)
Salt-N-Pepa - "Tramp" (1986)
List 2:
A Tribe Called Quest - "Can I Kick It" (1990)
Ice Cube - "Endangered Species (Tales From the Darkside)" (1990)
Snoop Dogg - "Who Am I?" (1993)
Wu-Tang Clan - "Protect Ya Neck" (1992)
For each of the two songs you choose, address in your 2.5 page paper:
1. General context: (concise overview of time period, place, relevant history. This can be brief: consider including just enough to situate the song and artist. You'll be asked for more details on context in your final paper.)
2. Lyrics: what do they address? How are they delivered? Can you find examples of the dozens, signifying, word play/hidden meanings, etc. as we've discussed in lecture? You’re required to use Imani Perry’s reading when analyzing the lyrics. Make sure you incorporate her verbal archetypes and ways of signifying (see week 4, slides 20-22).
3. Sounds: (production, sampling, instruments, general vibe, etc). Think like a producer. What’s going on musically? How is the song constructed? What’s catchy about it or otherwise sticks out? What sonic elements make up the overall sound? Also consider the verse/chorus forms we’ve discussed, use of hooks, etc. We fully understand all of us have varied levels of musicality. Do your best here.
4. Overall meaning: (tie the lyrics, sounds, and context together: this can also be brief, but do your best to think critically here). Pointing out tensions and contradictions within songs can be interesting and helps make for engaging papers. Keep your eyes/ears out for those instances. You’re also welcome to draw on visual elements in music videos, but leave the bulk of your analysis to lyrics, sounds, and artist context.
Find an effective way to compare and contrast as you work through the paper. This can be structured however you see fit. Again, focus more on #2 and #3. We're looking for analysis and that you're able to draw from and incorporate what we've been discussing in lectures.
Remember that it’s only 2.5 pages! Your analysis doesn’t have to be incredibly detailed for the short paper. Be concise and deliberate, but also show us that you're thinking critically about the songs and how they work and drawing from lecture content. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with too much material, try and focus on a few parts of each song that you find most interesting, or that you feel outline main themes/strategies of the song. Reach out to your TAs with specific questions.
Notes on paper formatting:
Use an introduction / body paragraphs / conclusion format. Note that your introduction should introduce the paper, not the artists/songs. It might be helpful to write your introduction last, once you’ve synthesized the paper as a whole.
Use Times New Roman (or similar) font, 12pt, double spaced with standard margins.
Cite sources and provide a works cited section at the end of your paper (this does not count towards the 2.5 page requirement). You won’t be graded on citation format for this paper, but will be for the final paper, so it’s worth getting some practice. This is a useful link with paper-writing guidelines and an auto-create MLA citation tool.
Grading Rubric (out of 10 points):
2.5pts: engaging with lyrics for both songs (including meaningful use of Perry's chapter and ideas)
2.5pts: engaging with sounds/music production for both songs
2pts: meaningful attempts at compare/contrast
1pt: providing relevant general context for artists/songs
1pt: overall meaning for each song (synthesizing lyrics, sounds, context)
1pt: adhering to structure (outlined above