Independent Lens
Racist Trees
A historically Black neighborhood in Palm Springs fights for the removal of a wall of trees.
Blacking Up: Hip-Hop's Remix of Race and Identity
As hip-hop music and culture continue to redefine American life, its influence exposes the struggle to cross or maintain the cultural divide.
- Premiere Date
- December 19, 2009
- Length
- 60 minutes
- Funding Initiative
- Open Call
Producer/Director
Robert A. Clift
Robert A. Clift is a filmmaker from Washington, D.C., whose previous film Stealing Home: The Case of Cuban Baseball appeared nationally on PBS. He is currently writing his dissertation for the Department of Communication and Culture at Indiana University, where he also taught courses on documentary production and theory. He holds a master’s degree from… Show more
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The Film
Blacking Up: Hip-Hop’s Remix of Race and Identity explores tensions surrounding white participation in hip-hop. Popularly referred to by derogatory terms such as “wannabe” or “wigger,” the figure of the white person who identifies with hip-hop often invokes heated responses. For some, it is an example of cultural progress — a movement toward a color-blind America. For others, it is just another case of cultural theft and mockery — a repetition of a racist past.
