Name:_________________________________ Period:_________

Assignment: Compare and contrast Langston Hughes’ “I, Too” poem & the I, Too
Harlem Renaissance with TuPac’s song “Changes” & Hip Hop.
I, too, sing America.
Overview: The Harlem Renaissance is a time period that can be seen as a I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
rebirth of African American arts and culture. It is a significant part of
When company comes,
American history, in which the feelings and ideas of African Americans But I laugh,
first surfaced into mainstream culture and were recognized. Access to And eat well,
media gave people the voice to express themselves and their needs and And grow strong.
wants.
Tomorrow,
The parallels and contrasts between the Harlem Renaissance and Hip Hop
I'll be at the table
are telling of what remains constant through the times, and what has When company comes.
changed in the last 100 years. Harlem in the early 20th century was the Nobody'll dare
cultural magnet of the black world, which brought a treasure of influential Say to me,
artifacts. Similarly, Hip Hop has become a dominant global force that will "Eat in the kitchen,"
shape the future of the world. In both we see that people will work for Then.
improved conditions no matter what limitations are set upon them.
Besides,
While Hughes remains one of the single most notable figures of the They'll see how beautiful I am
Harlem Renaissance, it is not as easy to attach such a label on a Hip Hop And be ashamed--
artist. We are living in the day of Hip Hop, and who will make the history
books can’t be predicted. It’s hard to imagine that jazz would have had I, too, am America.
been as loathed and feared (and yet loved) by the public as Hip Hop is by
some today, but perhaps in time Hip Hop will too gain similar acceptance.
Tupac Shakur is one of the unique Hip Hop artists who were known for
both his authentic street persona and his sensitive artistic side. In his life
he had a career as both a rapper and an actor, and his style as a writer Langston Hughes
never strayed entirely from the poetic form.
 "Changes" And although it seems heaven sent,
we ain't ready to see a black President, uhh.
Come on come on It ain't a secret don't conceal the fact...
I see no changes. Wake up in the morning and I ask myself, the penitentiary's packed, and it's filled with blacks Listen to the
"Is life worth living? Should I blast myself?" But some things will never change. song on your
Try to show another way, but they stayin' in the dope game.
I'm tired of bein' poor and even worse I'm black.
My stomach hurts, so I'm lookin' for a purse to snatch. Now tell me what's a mother to do? devices and
Cops give a damn about a *****? Bein' real don't appeal to the brother in you. following the
Pull the trigger, kill a *****, he's a hero. You gotta operate the easy way.
Give the crack to the kids who the hell cares? "I made a G today" But you made it in a sleazy way. - lyrics
One less hungry mouth on the welfare. Sellin' crack to the kids. "I gotta get paid,"
First ship 'em dope and let 'em deal to brothers. Well hey, well that's the way it is.
Give 'em guns, step back, and watch 'em kill each other.
"It's time to fight back", that's what Huey said. We gotta make a change...
2 shots in the dark now Huey's dead. It's time for us as a people to start makin' some changes.
I got love for my brother, but we can never go nowhere Let's change the way we eat, let's change the way we live
unless we share with each other. and let's change the way we treat each other.
We gotta start makin' changes. You see the old way wasn't working so it's on us to do
Learn to see me as a brother 'stead of 2 distant strangers. what we gotta do, to survive.
And that's how it's supposed to be.
How can the Devil take a brother if he's close to me? And still I see no changes. Can't a brother get a little peace?
I'd love to go back to when we played as kids There's war on the streets and the war in the Middle East.
but things changed, and that's the way it is Instead of war on poverty,
they got a war on drugs so the police can bother me.
Come on come on And I ain't never did a crime I ain't have to do.
That's just the way it is But now I'm back with the facts givin' 'em back to you.
Things'll never be the same Don't let 'em jack you up, back you up, crack you up and pimp smack you up.
That's just the way it is You gotta learn to hold ya own.
aww yeah [Repeat] They get jealous when they see ya with ya mobile phone. Tupac Shakur
But tell the cops they can't touch this.
I see no changes. All I see is racist faces. I don't trust this, when they try to rush I bust this.
Misplaced hate makes disgrace to races we under. That's the sound of my tool. You say it ain't cool, but mama didn't raise no
I wonder what it takes to make this one better place... fool.
let's erase the wasted. And as long as I stay black, I gotta stay strapped and I never get to lay back.
Take the evil out the people, they'll be acting right. 'Cause I always got to worry 'bout the payback.
'Cause both black and white are smokin' crack tonight.
Some buck that I roughed up way back... comin' back after all these years.
And only time we chill is when we kill each other.
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat. That's the way it is. uhh
It takes skill to be real, time to heal each other.
Some things will never change
 I, Too Changes
What societal obstacles at that time did Langston What similar societal challenges
are both men addressing? What societal obstacles at that time did Tupac
Hughes believe stood in his way? Cite specific
examples believe stood in his way? Cite specific examples

How do you think this poem influenced African After reading/listening both, what is
Americans? different about them?

The song was chart topper in the 90s, why do you

think so many people connected with this song?

How did you think this poem influenced White

Americans? How did the Harlem Renaissance
and poets like Langston Hughes set
the foundation for other black
artists, like Tupac?

What societal issues have changed in the 20+ years

since Tupac wrote this song?
What societal issues have changed in the 70+ years
since Hughes wrote this poem?

Do you think that freedom can

influence creativity?

Langston Hughes COMPARE Tupac Shakur

1902- 1967 1971-1996