Astha Munot
Music. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, it is, “…an art that, in one guise or another, permeates every human society.” According to musicologist Charles Seeger, “Music is a system of communication involving structured sounds produced by members of a community that communicates with other members.” Everyone has their interpretations of this art form, but for me, music has become an outlet, my best companion during my worst times, and a form of expression. However, this week I was awakened by a new understanding of music, hip-hop in particular, in Communications class. I understood that music also has the power to empower and bring people together on common ground.
Music has played a huge role in shaping who I am today. I grew up listening to my parents blasting Justin Bieber on the speakers while I jumped on the bed, and playing some of the most tranquil and authentic Indian classical music when I studied. This greatly impacted me. Early on, it influenced me to learn to play the piano because I was awestruck by its sound at a very young age. Not long after, my mom enrolled me in Indian Classical Dance lessons because of my love for Indian music and as a way for me to connect with my culture. Now, almost 8 years later, my love for both of these activities has only grown limitlessly. Apart from playing music or dancing to it, I think every day when I sit at my desk and put my headphones on, it is an otherworldly experience for me to dive into this world of music and it evokes strong emotions.
Well, how does this relate to music being a civic medium? As established previously, music can evoke powerful emotions and expressions, and I think this was very useful in the world of civic media because it helped build a sense of solidarity, rallied people, and amplified voices that needed to be heard. As the public stood to the chants and songs of their leaders and community, it energized them to believe in and take action on the issues to create change. This was a whole different lens through which I perceived music. It was amazing to realize that something invigorating to me could be used to help drive change as a community. And this is why hip-hop was such an authentic form of civic media. It emerged from the undergrounds of New York City as an outlet for all people, particularly the black community, who faced tremendous injustices. They used hip-hop to express and amplify their voices so that they were heard and not silenced as they had been all their lives. Not only was hip-hop an outlet, but it also acted as a unifier, bringing people from marginalized communities together to express their beliefs and experiences through music. However, as hip-hop gained more popularity and spread across the country, it became more commercialized. As a result, the music gradually lost its authenticity. What had been an outlet and form of expression for them specifically became a very generalized form of music that people of all races could enjoy.
After seeing hip-hop under this light, I also felt like the Indian classical music I had grown up listening to and dancing to was going down a similar path. Indian classical music was first seen as an act of devotion to gods and the Indian culture itself. However, as society has progressed and the influence of Western culture has increased, it has led to the dilution and commercialization of traditional Indian music. Many people argue that it has altered the essence and authenticity of Indian music. However, after much retrospection, I realized that it isn’t wrong that music is being commercialized as it is reaching a wider public. That doesn’t mean it should lose its authenticity. I believe that both these genres of music, hip-hop and Indian classical, should find the right balance between preserving what the music truly is, but also being open to a new modern take to it, as maybe this new take could empower a larger reach of people to act upon an issue. As noted earlier, music is all about sharing with others and empowering others using it.
Communicating Change 