Plagiarism and remixing, or sampling, are two entirely different concepts. Plagiarism is using someone else’s original work and calling it your own. In plagiarism, the originator is not given credit for the work they did, but instead the person who copied their work is hoping that no one will notice they have taken another’s idea. On the other hand, remixing is different from plagiarism in the since that an original piece of art is transformed from its original purpose to create a new form of expression.
In chapter 8, Rice gives two examples that illustrate the image of a stereotypical cool African-American male: music and sports. Rice explains how African-Americans have used music and sports to crate an image of empowerment and rebellion. First, Rice explains that historical stereotypes have forced the black culture to crate an image of toughness in order to express their frustration with oppression and unfair representation in society. By appropriating the gangster theme in music called gangsta rap, African-Americans are given a sense of rebellion against the system. This tough gansta image helps Black Americans “make sense of a hopeless situation”(72). In sports Muhammad Ali similarly created a tough image for himself to express his frustration with oppression and white domination. According to Rice, these forms cool in black masculinity are active, however; the films of Spike Lee are considered more passive in nature because they create a critique.
In most of the pictures of Nas and L.L. Cool J they are shown posed in a masculine way with their arms crossed, and a tough expression on their face. I think that the rhetoric of this pose is called masculine because stereotypically men are considered to be tough, emotionless and strong leaders. Women stereotypical have been thought as submissive, emotional and caring. Because society has set these standards, it matters that the pose is gendered.
In chapter 9, Rice discusses how ethnography studies a particular ethnic culture, and then by deductive reasoning makes a conclusion based on the information of the study. According to Rice, by developing a claim after research has been collected may help in writing cool. Also, Rice says that African-Americans need the image of cool because it helps them deal with life’s hardships and creates meaning in their lives.
