"Fuck Tha Police": "Conscious" Hip-Hop Increases Black People's Group-Based Anger and Collective Action Intentions

Objectives: Historically, hip-hop has highlighted racial injustices experienced by Black people in a White supremacist power structure, as well as promote Black empowerment and activism. Across two experiments, we examined the influence of listening to hip-hop on Black Americans' collective action intentions. We also explored whether the effect of listening to conscious hip-hop on collective action intentions was mediated by group-based anger and/or collective efficacy using the dual-pathway model of collection action (Experiment 2). Method: In Experiment 1, Black Americans (n = 122) between the ages of 18- and 34 (M-age = 27.71) were randomly assigned to listen to conscious rap, nonconscious rap, or no music, and afterward they completed a collective action intention measure. In Experiment 2, Black Americans (n = 150; M-age = 26.52) were randomly assigned to listen to conscious rap or nonconscious rap and afterward completed group-based anger, collective efficacy, and collective action intention measures. Results: We found that listening to conscious hip-hop (but not nonconscious hip-hop) increased Black people's intentions to engage in collective action (Experiment 1). In Experiment 2, we found that group-based anger, but not collective efficacy, fully mediated the relationship between listening to conscious hip-hop music and collective action. Conclusion: Exposure to some forms of artistic expression may influence emotion focused pathways of dealing with collective disadvantage among groups who are historically disadvantaged. Public Significance Statemen Hip-hop artists such as 2Pac, Public Enemy, SiHow The Doctor, and KRS-One have often argued that hip-hop music can spark social change. That idea is supported by the results of this study, which found that when Black Americans listen to socially conscious hip-hop music that reminds them of their plight in society, they are more likely to want to take action to end racial discrimination.