Songs written by African Americans in the 1890s had
many similarities as well as differences with songs that were written in
the 1990s by African American artists. Slang has always been used
regarding of what the era was. In the 1890s blacks wrote certain
words the way one would pronounce it. For example, the word there
would be spelled "dere" or have would be spelled "hab." The songs
I chose to compare are exactly the opposite where the song titled "Money"
by Walter Stephens contains little if any of slang. On the
other hand, Jermaine Dupri wrote a song featuring Jay-Z titled "Money Ain't
a Thang" contains a great amount of slang. When looking at both titles
one can assume ofcourse that they are both talking about money. For
Stephens, his song could go either way, whether he is singing about wanting
money or just not having it. Dupri's song also can lead a person
to think whether Jermaine is explaining that money is not the most important
thing in life, or he has so much money that it's not an issue to spend
great amounts. Looking at the cover poster of "Money" shows an African
American displaying his empty pockets still confusing the viewer on whether
the issue is about being poor or the desire for money.
Stephens first line reads "Tell me what makes the
world go round mon-ey___mon-ey___" which leads me to believe he is explaining
the importance of money. Reading through the first verse, Stephens describes
how money is needed for survival. In Dupri's "Money Ain't a Thang"
Jermaine wastes no time talking about the glitz and glamour of having money.
His chorus and first verse reads, "In the Ferrari or Jaguar, switchin four
lanes. With the top down screamin out, money ain't a thang" , then
Jay-Z responds with "Bubble hard in the double R flashin the rings.
With the window cracked, holler back, money ain't a thang." Dupri's
song is full of words that are not spelled to the standards of a Webster
dictionary. They expect people in today's society to know what they
are bragging about. For example a "double R" is referring to the
Rolls Royce that Jay-Z rides in while "bubble hard" may be referring to
drinking bubbling expensive champagne or something of that sort.
Stephens "Money" song uses proper english where as Dupri and Jay-Z use
words that would seem normal in the 1890s. Jay-Z says "yo" and "ya"
instead of correctly saying "your." In a way, saying either "yo"
or "ya" quickly during a song does sound like " your," so artists that
would want to keep it "ghetto" use short terms like that. Many rappers
and hip-hop artists contradict themselves, by trying to claim that they
were born in dangerous, poor, ghetto neighborhoods and have struggled to
get to where there are at. I have no doubt that, this is the case
for some, but artists like Jay-Z and Jermaine Dupri love to act as today's
world would say "hard" meaning tough or better than most. On the
other hand, all these artists flash on their videos are money, cars, rings,
watches, flashy clothes, and other materialistic items. In the present
day, black artists use the word "nigga" to describe their friend or someone
but does not nessesarily mean they are referring to someone who is black
unlike the 1890s when "nigger" was used to describe blacks.
Similarities that both songs share are the fact
that both songs rhyme after each verse. Both songs talk about the
importance of money. Stephens explains that money is very important
for survival during the winter because it can be used to pay rent and live
under a roof instead of in the cold. Dupri and Jay talk about all
the important, nice and glamorous things money can buy to make a man a
"high roller" or big spender and that they would spend whatever amount
because their pockets are flooded with money.
Jermaine and Jay-Z do not explain what they did
to get all their money, because the whole song is just describing all the
things they have because money is not of importance to them. Stephens'
song talks about the importance of money and how much he would love to
have just a little. That is the main difference between the two songs.
Back in the 1890s, "Money Ain't a Thang" would seem to have been written
and sung by a white man but since things have changed ever since those
old times, blacks are proud to have made such accomplishments as artists,
atheletes, and other high paying occupations that they feel it is right
to express and flash it around proudly.
Stephens song portrayed what mostly all blacks were
going through. Back then, African Americans were poor and the whites
mostly ran and controlled everthing. His song tells how African Americans
would go out and get a job, get laid off then have to suffer poverty.
He also tells how one negro who worked as a teller at a bank stole money,
was caught, and sent to jail. That type of behavior reflects stereotyping
blacks now because in the present world, many races look at black people
as tougher, or more violent, but I think it is just a matter of prejudice.
Every human being must be given an equal chance. Jay-Z and Jermaine
make it seem as if African Americans are stuck up and full of themselves,
but again not all blacks are like that.