Postcolonial theory: blog tasks

 Read this W Magazine deep dive on the Yeehaw agenda and answer the following questions: 

1) What are the visual cues the article lists as linked to the western genre? 

The visual cues the article lists that links to western genre are cowboy hats, cow prints, rhinestones and fringed suede jackets.

2) How did the Yeehaw agenda come about? 

The Yeehaw agenda came about by a Texas-based pop-culture archivist, Bri Malandro. This is where she called her instagram account @theyeehawagenda. She did this for both an archive and celebration of black culture and cowboy aesthetics in the popular culture.

3) Why has it been suggested that the black cowboy has been 'erased from American culture'? 

It has been suggested that the black cowboy has been ‘erased from American culture’ due to black cowboys being part of the pop culture and the idea that they have been persisting for quite sometime. 

4) How has the black cowboy aesthetic been reflected by the fashion industry?

The black cowboy aesthetic has been reflected by the fashion industry as during the Civil War, Texas slaveowners left cattle wrangling up to the black slave they purchased while the slaveowners fought in battle. After the war ended, many slaves had become expert cowhands, where roughly 25 percent of the cowboys were black. 

5) Read the section on Lil Nas X and Old Town Road. What does it suggest about race and the country music community?

It suggested that “Old Town Road” was at the top of the Hot Country Billboard chart but landed at number 19. Billboard decided to remove the song as country music due to the lack of embracing the elements of today’s country music. The internet resisted as they were led to the idea that the erasure of “Old Town Road” from country chart was due to Lil Nas’s race as most cowboys are white. 

6) What elements of the song and music video are suggested to be authentically country and western?

The elements of the music video were the idea of the singer’s Southern twang which is, after all, reminiscent of the twang in the voices of popular country musicians, the track incorporates a banjo, and the video backdrop appropriately matched the aesthetics associated with country music.

7) What genres of music does the article suggest have been shaped by black influences? 

The genres of music that the article suggest have been shaped by black influences are rock and roll, punk, riot grrrl and electronic music.

8) In your opinion, what do you think has been the driving force behind the Yeehaw movement? 

I think the driving force behind the Yeehaw movement is the idea of pop-culture, where we could see that the music video have a sense of intertextuality of western and pop music. We could also see in the music video how there’s a shift to the modern world (2019) where there was a character dancing to pop music and dancing in a hip hop genre. Also, the idea of the digital-age aesthetics where social media and apps such as TikTok were used to spread the music and make memes and trends with it which I think had the most impact on the music. This is also where audiences use the music to make videos and challenges that helped increase its popularity.

Applying postcolonial theory to Old Town Road

Revise the postcolonial theories we have studied and apply them to the Old Town Road music video: 

1) How does the Old Town Road music video both reinforce and challenge black stereotypes in the media?

The music video subverts black stereotypes by making Lil Nas as the main character or “hero” while Billy Ray Cyrus as the “sidekick”. This challenges the idea of black stereotypes as always the second character. In addition, the idea that the main character is singing a country music as well as wearing western costumes such as the cowboy hat shows a subversion of black stereotypes as most western cowboy are white. However, the music video slightly reinforce the black stereotypes as after the production of the music video, Old Town Road became top of the country billboard charts but the billboard removed it as top of the charts due to it lacking elements of country music. The internet suggested that billboard did this due to Lil Nas’s race being black. 

2) How could you argue that the Old Town Road video challenges Gilroy's theory of double consciousness?

Old Town Road challenges Gilroy’s theory of double consciousness due to the idea that Lil Nas seemed to be belonging in both eras (1889 and 2019). This is shown in the western culture where Lil Nas and Billy Ray Cyrus are getting along and the fact that he is the main character. Also, in the modern world, Lil Nas had attention from the neighbourhood as he’s a black cowboy riding a horse. He seemed to be famous in the neighbourhood. In addition to this, at the end of the video, it shows everyone’s getting along with him and how everyone seems to be optimistic. However, in the western world, Lil Nas stated that last time he was there, people weren’t really that nice to him, suggesting that there could be some sense of reinforcement to Gilroy’s double consciousness as he wasn’t accepted at first there, suggesting that there’s no sense of belonging for him there.

3) How does Lil Nas X and Old Town Road provide an example of Hall's theory of race representations? Alternatively, you could argue against this if you prefer. 

Lil Nas and Old Town Road provide and example of Hall’s theory of race representation by reinforcing the clown/entertainment representation as it shows how he’s popular in the modern world. This is shown in the scene where we could see the neighbourhood gathered around his horse, taking pictures of it. In addition to this, he could also reinforce the native figure as a threat as it shows at the beginning of the video how he stole the money. However, the theory (slave figure) is subvert by Lil Nas as he is shown throughout the video as the main character (hero) and how he isn’t shown as the victim.

4) Are there any examples of Alvarado's theory of black stereotypes in the Old Town Road video? Why/why not?

There were examples of Alvarado’s theory where he is shown as exotic, his costume in the modern world is shown as a bit “other” as it also shows him dancing in the middle of the street with his horse. Also, the idea that at the start when Lil Nas was talking to Billy Ray he stated that at first the people in the western didn’t like him when he first came there Furthermore, they were also see as dangerous due to the idea that there were gunshots, indicating that Lil Nas and Billy Ray are dangerous. In addition, there’s an example of black stereotypes being humorous such as Chris Rock where he has dialogues at the start and at the end. He was also shown as having exaggerated conventions. Lastly, there was a sense of black culture being pitied as in the modern world he was seen as a black man in a horse which doesn’t fit the culture in the modern world, connoting that he might need support in trying to fit in and changing his values.

5) How does Lil Nas X provide a compelling case study for bell hooks's theory of intersectionality?

Lil Nas provide a compelling case study for bell hook’s theory of intersectionality through the idea of subverting her theory. In bell hook’s theory, she suggested that being black, lower class and gay is indicated as having a low status. This is subverted my Lil Nas as it was shown in the video that he’s at the top and he’s the main character. Also, this is suggesting that there’s no hierarchy subverting hook’s theory and the idea that the video reinforces cultural conviviality as we see that Lil Nas and Billy Ray are together at the start and the fact that at the end, we see that there was a whole performance with everyone and were having fun. This also shows that they don’t have anything against Lil Nas.