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Visual Representations of Power: Urban Spaces and Rooftops

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Part of the book series: Pop Music, Culture and Identity ((PMCI))

Abstract

In a context of limited patrons of the arts, this chapter unravels the power dynamic that allows for young artists to continue with their artistic career. It revisits the case of rappers who have built up their career and gained economic capital from focusing their rap songs on patriotic lyrics, arguing they have set the blueprint for others. Other rappers, however, have tried to capitalize on the narrative of rebelliousness and political lyrics to subsist in this oppressive cultural scene. For both of these strategies, the result has not always been positive, as falling into cultural clichés proves to be ineffective for young Moroccan audiences. This cultural production underlines the need to analyse cultural resistance locally and in relation to the political economy of the cultural field.

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Correspondence to Cristina Moreno Almeida .

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Moreno Almeida, C. (2017). Visual Representations of Power: Urban Spaces and Rooftops. In: Rap Beyond Resistance. Pop Music, Culture and Identity. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60183-0_5

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