Media Ethnography, Living Archives: Collaborative class: IML423 and ANTH327

Music in the Riots by Sasha Mason

https://archive.org/details/final-draft-project-2
Music in The Riots 

The purpose of this piece is to explore the use of music from the sacred sounds of the black church to the defiant beats of hip-hop, as a means of empowerment during times of protest and unrest. Transitioning from the discomfort of the unsettling absence of music, replaced only by the clamor of sirens and chaos, to the juxtaposition of musical defiance embodied in Ice Cube's album "The Predator," and concluding with the transcending harmonies of the Freedom Singers during the civil rights movement, the project seeks to evoke an emotional response. It recognizes music as a visceral experience rather than a mere observation. The piece opens with a remix of raw civilian captured riot footage and news media set to Ice Cube’s “We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up”, a song written after the riots, displaying his furious reflection. The second section begins with a woman stating, “this is not Hollywood” reminds viewers that this is not entertainment but a lifeline. The piece ends with instructions for the audience to let the powerful music of the choir envelop them, encouraging them to make a personal discovery of how the music affects them.
 

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