Poetry by Nas

As Pareen says, poetry conveys experience. The music of hip hop artists and rappers from the 1980's and 1990's without a doubt discuss the troubles and experiences of these artists as well as uses multidimensional language show a destructive cycle that exists in the artist's neighborhood. In Nas's song Affirmative Action he discusses what it means to be a black man during this time in his neighborhood of Crown Heights, New York City. Throughout the song he uses effective imagery to describe the different staples apart of his neighborhood. He writes, "let's all wash this money through the laundry mat," which has both a literal and figurative meaning. Nas discusses the drug trade in New York and how this life style is a cycle much like the cycle that occurs in washing machines. The majority of the song discusses how being a part of this lifestyle is required in order to survive. However, he also notes that the cycle is destructive. Overall Affirmative Action is an incredible poem that relates the surroundings in Crown Heights, New York City to the lifestyle many young African American males lead in this neighborhood.