Using the comparison of the texts by ‘Gil Scott- Heron’ and ‘DJ Vadim feat. Sarah Jones’ as your starting point, explore the media issues and debates they raise.


By looking at the first text, which is called ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’, it can suggest some sort of debate. ‘The Revolution’ being depicted in the title of the song is referring to the black revolution. Throughout the song there are many references to many white singers, advertising and the police are described as ‘pigs’. On the whole, blacks are being represented in the media, and this text conveys this. It also conveys the stereotypical elements of how black people are always either portrayed as victims, entertainers or as savage. This idea is continuously emphasised as the repetitive use of ‘The revolution will not be televised’ helps to get the message across.
Heron is also able to parody the work of advertising when he says ‘The revolution will not go better with Coke’. This can raise the process of the effects theory, stating that the audience are passive and are being injected by all of these false representations. It can also depict that the media does have an impact on our society.
The word ‘pigs’ used to describe the police can raise ideologies and values on how blacks are viewed amongst others. It can convey them to be represented to be unfair.
Towards the end of the song a strong message is conveyed ‘The Revolution will put you in the drivers seat’ can suggest the social change that is being promoted. As this is written in the 1972, it can reflect the attitudes of society at that particular time period.
Later on in the 1998, Sarah Jones released a song called ‘Your Revolution’. This song basically critiques the macho values of typical rap music, and Jones conveys a strong message stating that you don’t have to use your strong sexuality to get somewhere. This text raises a lot of patriarchal and misogynistic values, which objectify women, and mentions a lot of other famous rappers. The intertextuality she uses is a sort of pastiche as she mocks other elements.
Another issue raised is towards the beginning of the song, which depicts the message that materialistic things are not important. This text represents blacks, as the famous names mentioned are all of black artists. It represents men as being self-obsessed, egotistic and re- emphasises machismo, as the repetitive use of ‘because that revolution will not happen between these thighs’
Compared to Gil Scott- Heron, Jones is raising issues about black street culture, and how the majority of it is mainly black dominated. This is particularly popular with the teenage audience; taking in to account it is a postmodern text. Laura Mulvey’s theory can be applied to this text as it is from a feminist’s point of view. The feminists approach can link to the idea of women rejecting the pleasures that men gain, out of looking at women.
Overall, both texts raise certain issues and debates when teaching us about black revolution. They are bale to convey social issues and depict their own views.