Tha Block is Hot*: Black Aesthetics in

A Street in BronzevilleCheswayo G. Mphanza

What is a Black Aesthetic?

Essayist and theorist Norris B. Clark defines black aesthetics and its purpose as:

• “…to provide black writers with another alternative to secure identities as black writers.”

• “…create political and social alternatives for the black community;”

• “…to answer in a provocative context questions concerning the relationship between literature and society, between the life experiences of social human beings and the art they produce.”

Black Aesthetics in Lil’ Wayne’s Tha Block is Hot

A young nigga screamin’ fuck the world and let ‘em die

Behind tints, tryna’ duck the world and smoking’ rie

Got my bandanna ‘round my head and pants to my feet

And got my eyes fire red and glock on my seat…

So I just maintain the struggle and I keep tryin’

But how can I when my closest people keep dyin’

I ain’t lyin’ that the law tryna’ but my clique

But I scream fuck the world man, I’m too young for this

- Dwayne “Lil’ Wayne” Carter, “Fuck the world

Black Aesthetics in Brooks’ A Street in Bronzeville

But could a dream send up through onion fumesIt’s white and violet, fight with fried potatoesAnd yesterday’s garbage ripening in the hall,Flutter, or sing an aria down these rooms

Even if we were willing to let it in,Had time to warm it, keep it very clean,Anticipate a message, let it begin?

- Gwendolyn Brooks, “kitchenette

building”

Thank YouFarah Jasmine Griffin, Faculty Mentor

Tiana Reid and Nijah Cunningham, Graduate Student Mentors

Isabel Geathers

Samantha Shapses

Creating Connections Consortium (C3)