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Submission of this paper to the Faculty predates date of submission to the Digital Commons. This document was received by the Digital Commons on May 6, 2008 and posted on May 7, 2008.

Document Type

Article

Abstract

The relationship between Chicano rap and the Twenty-First Century Immigrants' Rights Movement proves that music can be a powerful instrument to communicating the voice of a social movement. Through the rap lyrics of Chicano artists, including Kid Frost, Cypress Hill, Control Machete, Lil'Rob, Proper Dos, Akwid, and Kinto Sol, I analyze the frustrations and demands of undocumented Mexican immigrants and Chicanos living in the United States. Therefore, I examine how Chicano rap encourages people to change anti-immigrant United States legislature and social rejection against undocumented Mexicans and Chicanos through political activism. Preserving identity, maintaining unity, fighting to change anti-immigrant legislature, and exposing abuses committed by government officials, Chicano rappers through their powerful music urge people to demand humanitarian immigration reform from the U.S. government in order to ensure human rights, equality, and justice for all. Because the unique Chicano rap lyrics in English, Spanish, and Spanglish, uphold the need for social change, I argue that Chicano rap is filled with prevailing significance that empowers the Twenty-First Century Immigrants' Rights Movement.

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