Excerpts from the premiere version of the documentary TALKING BLACK in AMERICA www.talkingblackinamerica.org

For the DVD visit www.languageandlife.org

look for TALKING BLACK in AMERICA on PBS in 2019
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Hip hop as both a musical genre and a culture originated with inner-city African Americans in the Bronx in the 1970s and within a few years became a major cultural force in the United States and the world. Hip hop is popularly viewed as an influence on language, but NYU linguist John Singler notes, “People think that African American English is picking up these things from hip hop, when in fact hip hop is making use of longstanding features of African American English." Battle rap also is nothing new, but a manifestation of a longstanding tradition exclusive to African American communities of 'playing The Dozens.' (Yale based Psychologist John Dollard is credited with the first academic treatment of The Dozens in 1939.)

This clip features Quest MCODY, Microphone Phelps and MacsTheRealest. Introductions and filming of battle and rap in Detroit were made possible by Uncle P Diarra Collazo. Also from Detroit and featured in the film are Dahlia The Poet, Flex Bands and Khary WAE Frazier, with gratitude due to First Born, Cleveland L. Hurd, Kimani Graham.

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TALKING BLACK in AMERICA was produced by
The Language and Life Project at NC State University

www.talkingblackinamerica.org
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Want to learn more?
www.languageandlife.org