The Intersectionality of Blackness and Disability in Hip-Hop: The Societal Impact of Changing Cultural Norms in Music

Abstract

This paper explores the conflict between reconciling Blackness and disability in individuals with multiply marginalized identities. The theoretical foundation of the Black Feminist Disability Theory reveals the scale at which disability is stigmatized in the Black community; this stigma serves as a barrier for effective intersectional activism against oppression. Through the analysis of hip-hop culture and its tropes, this paper unearths various problematic attitudes toward disability through a Black perspective. However, hip-hop also displays progressive growth, which is evident through the normalization of discussion about mental health. Furthermore, grassroots activism through organizations like Krip-Hop seek to dismantle the socially constructed oppression against Black Americans with disabilities. If the Black feminist disability framework becomes salient in society, particularly through musical avenues and activism like Krip-Hop, then intersectional identities can be properly affirmed and move as a collective unity to combat oppression.