Postcolonial theory: blog tasks

 Postcolonial theory: blog tasks

Wider reading on race and Old Town Road

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 article links western genre visuals to cowboy hats cowboy boots fringe jackets denim shirts rodeo outfits horses desert landscapes and saloon style settings. It also refers to imagery from old western films that shaped whatpeople think western style looks like.

2) How did the Yeehaw agenda come about? 

The Yeehaw agenda started when Bri Malandro used the phrase online to describe Black cowboy imagery and western inspired fashion. It spread through social media as people shared photos of Black cowboys from history and modern culture. It then developed into a wider movement that mixed fashion music and identity.

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

The Black cowboy is said to be erased because mainstream media focused mostly on white cowboys. Western films and history books often ignored or reduced the role of Black cowboys even though many existed in the American West. This shaped a misleading idea of who cowboys were.

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

The fashion industry has reflected the Black cowboy aesthetic through runwayshows and campaigns using cowboy hats boots fringe suede and denim. Designers have used these styles while also centring Black models to highlight the history behind the look rather than treating it as a costume.

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

The article suggests that Old Town Road shows how country music has racial boundaries. Even though the song used country elements it was removed from the country charts which suggests that acceptance in the genre is influenced by race and not only by sound or styl

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

The song and video are seen as authentic country because they use banjo sounds cowboy clothing horses and western landscapes. The video also references Red Dead Redemption 2 and shows desert settings and rural western imagery linked to traditional country culture.

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

The article says Black influence has shaped country rock and roll punk hip hop and electronic music. It explains that Black artists have played a major role in creating and shaping these genres even if this is not always recognised.

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

 In my opinion the Yeehaw movement is driven by reclaiming history and identity that was ignored. It also grows through social media because the visuals are strong and easy to share. Fashion brands and celebrities then amplify it which makes it spread even 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 old town road  video both reinforces and challenges Black stereotypes in media. It reinforces stereotypes by using familiar western imagery like horses cowboy hats and rural settings which can connect to ideas of Black people in limited or simplified roles in rural or “backwards” spaces that media often repeats. At the same time it challenges stereotypes by placing a Black artist at the centre of the cowboy narrative which is something historically associated with whiteness. Lil Nas X is not shown in a marginal role but as the main cowboy figure which disrupts the usual media pattern.

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

Gilroy’s idea of double consciousness suggests Black identity is shaped by seeing oneself through the eyes of a dominant white society which creates tension between African and Western identities.old town road challenges this because Lil Nas X does not appear torn between identities. Instead he blends them freely mixing Black cultural identity with country western imagery without showing conflict. The video suggests a more fluid identity where different cultural influences can exist together rather than being in tension.

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.  

Stuart Hall’s theory says race representation is constructed through media stereotypes but these can be challenged and reworked.old town road is a good example of this because it takes a traditional white dominated genre and re codes it by placing a Black artist in that space. However it could also support Hall’s idea that representation is still controlled by industry power because the controversy around Billboard removing the song shows institutions still define what “counts” as country music

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

Alvarado’s theory says Black stereotypes often fall into categories like dangerous humorous natural or primitive. The old town roadTo video does not strongly follow these stereotypes because Lil Nas X is shown as playful confident and stylish rather than threatening or inferior. However there could be a weak link to the “comic” stereotype in the humorous tone of the video but it is not negative or demeaning. Overall the video mostly avoids traditional stereotypical framing.

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

bell hooks’ intersectionality theory focuses on how race gender and class overlap to shape identity and experience. Lil Nas X is a strong case study because he navigates race within country music which is a genre tied to white working class identity while also being a young Black queer artist in a highly visible mainstream space. His success shows how multiple identities interact and affect how he is received by audiences and institutions.