This Sunday, the Cornell Cinema screened Straight Out of Compton with a special live performance by Cornell’s BreakFree Hip Hop Dance Troupe. As a member of BreakFree, I must say that it was wonderful getting to perform with my dance family to introduce a film that speaks truth about the history of rap. From the very beginning of the film, one can see that the people involved in this type of music genre came from the tougher areas of the neighborhood. During the mid 1980s, this music defined the struggle that many black communities faced in upholding their rights against law enforcement. Rap became an avenue for people to express the injustice they faced for the color of their skin and the assumption that they were less than upper working class individuals in society.

As a dancer, rap not only started a new generation of music, but it influenced an entire community of artists. Styles such a Krumping, Popping, and Wacking evolved with this genre of music and the modifications it has gone through over the years. It is said that “dance is a conversation between the body and soul of a person.” It is an art form that allows on to speak their voice without resorting to violence or illegal measures. Straight Out of Compton provides a realistic portrayal of racial discrimination a little over thirty years ago, which in a way demonstrates how much society’s views have changed over a short period of time. It is inspiring as an artist to see how people struggled to believe in themselves and risked society not accepting their passion as a way of life. It humbles me to see where the roots of rap and R&B began in a way and the dedication that went into striving for a better way of life.

Overall, I highly recommend everyone to watch this movie, children preferably with an adult due to some explicit content. It is funny, it is raw, and it demonstrates how far a person can go to fight for what they believe in and how it can have a rippling effect for many years to come.