If you haven't been following along with VH1's four-part roll out of Steve Stoute's
The Tanning of America documentary, it's all good- the entire four part series is now available to streaming online. The mini-series aims to show hip-hop's evolution from its formative years, all the way to its current cultural footprint in today's society. The episode content spans from the introduction of never before seen racial issues in American television back in the 1970's (IE. All in the Family and The Jeffersons) all the way to media frenzy of Obama's political position. As blacks became more prevalent on the TV screen,the black audiences were able to see a reflection of themselves through these characters- a voice they could relate to.
Hip hop is one of the main movements that broke down racial barriers for blacks in popular media. Back in the day if you went to see a movie that stared a black hero, you knew he was going to die before the film ended. With the introduction of Blaxploitation films, African Americans now had hero's to cheer for throughout the movies entirety, These in your face characters from these films would shape the views of impressionable blacks youths, showing them that they too can be hero's. Hip Hop's roots are embedded in these old school flicks, which are just one of the many facts that has taken hip hop to it's platform today.
This four part series is not all about blacks in the entertainment industry, rather it proves just how effectively a cultural movement such as hip hop, can change the world for the better. Hit the jump to view all four parts. Each episode and episode summary are provided. You NEED to take this documentary in.
