In this engaging and provocative book, S. Craig Watkins examines
two of the most important developments in the recent history of
black cinema -- the ascendancy of Spike Lee and the proliferation
of "ghettocentric films" like Boyz N the Hood and Menace II
Society. Representing explores a distinct contradiction in American
society: at the same time that black youth have become the targets
of a fierce racial backlash against crime, drugs, affirmative
action, and rap music, their popular expressive cultures have
become highly visible and commercially viable.
Further, Watkins considers the imprint of black youth on the
landscape of black filmmaking. He asks: after decades of neglect,
why did the film industry suddenly develop a heightened interest in
black cinema? Watkins shows how the black film wave was driven by
several factors -- the transformation of the popular film industry;
a reinvigorated independent filmmaking niche; the cross-marketing
of music, video, and film; a burgeoning hip hop consumer culture;
and historically specific struggles over the meanings and
representations of "blackness" in American culture. He contends
that despite social and economic marginalization, black youth have
gained unprecedented access to the popular media and continue to
influence not only black popular culture but the broader U.S.
popular culture scene as well.
Representing offers a fascinating look at commercial culture and
shows how and why it has become a crucial site for black American
youth as they struggle to make their everyday lives more
empowering, rewarding, and pleasurable in the face of formidable
disadvantages.
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