Assignment/ Activity Title --- Malcolm X Soundtrack

Year --- Junior

Portfolio Competency --- Social Awareness
Skill --- Comparative Analysis, Group Work, Creative Expression

After reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X in AP Lang, this project tasked us with
curating a soundtrack for a specific section of the book. In groups, we came up with 6 songs, old
and new, that we thought represented some aspect of that section. While the project was
probably one of the most fun of Junior year, the creative element required a lot of thought; the
songs we picked not only reflected the truths from the book, but those of current society. The
Autobiography of Malcolm X recounts events that took place in a racist 1960s America, and told
the stories of what Malcolm had to struggle with and experience during that time. However, the
songs we chose to compare were recent and conveyed the black truths of a modern America. So
while it was enjoyable to link some of our favorite rap songs to this project, it turned into a sort
of “wake-up call” when we realized just how much the African American narrative hasn't
changed. Some of the songs like “Welcome to the Jungle”, “Life’s a Bitch”, and “Temptation”
touch on the modern day struggles the black community faces, especially in New York City, like
life stuck in the ghetto, poverty, police brutality, and drugs. Many of these themes were prevalent
early in the book, as Malcolm encountered each and every one of them throughout his youth.
And while Malcolm spent his career fighting to better the black community in America, these
songs shed light on how the problems that affected African Americans in 1963 had not
disappeared. As for the other songs “White Girl”, “Do What I Want”, and “Who Shot Ya?”, we
connected them more to Malcolm’s behavior as a young adult. Nonetheless, it is interesting that
we were able to find common ground in the past of Malcolm X, who is a respected activist from
the 1960s, and the things that rappers from this generation like Shy Glizzy and Biggie Smalls
found true to themselves. Some of these things include doing drugs, chancing girls, robbery, and
murder within the commonity. But between all the songs, we came to the conclusion that
progress had not been made in the Black community to the extent that we thought. Through
books and music, Black Americans have been able to share their perspectives to the world, and
it’s important that as a nation, we begin to acknowledge where we can uplift others for the better.