Explaining Rap to Racist People Through the Rothko Effect

I once considered the majority of abstract art to be somewhat unapproachable. I failed to understand the creations’ origins and was therefore frustrated by the confusion that it provoked. As someone who used to aspire to the creative field of music, the purpose or significance of certain works of abstract art was perplexing. Why are some people allocating attention to things that are so apparently simple and juvenile? Similarly to my negativity towards abstract art, I wasn’t keen to approach mainstream music with an open mind. Because I failed to identify the effort within some foreign mediums and expressions of art, I would therefore write it off.

My perspective has recently changed in this matter (ironically due to a previously unexplored medium of creative expression). I watched a play titled Red, which profiles the creative life and motivations of Mark Rothko, an abstract expressionist painter who reached his height of popularity and acclaim during the mid-20th century. I offer my praise to its playwright, John Logan, for authoring the single most compelling and convincing argument for the importance of abstract art (and art in general) that I have seen to date. 

Rothko’s work was often criticized by the public for the same reasons that I have found abstract art difficult to approach. In the play, he describes these criticisms, objecting to the shallow behavior of those who buy his art. He speaks from the buyers’ perspective, saying “‘Oh, don't make me look at it! I never look at it! It's so depressing!’ ‘All those fuzzy rectangles, my kid could do that in kindergarten, it’s nothing but a scam, this guy’s a fraud.’” Through the imitation of his consumers, Rothko reveals the extent to which he feels self-conscious and fragile regarding the acceptance of his art. He feels as if his paintings are merely destined to be “overmantles”, or accessories that will never receive the pensive attention that Rothko thinks they should. These anxieties are potently expressed through the entirety of the dramatic work, where Rothko’s third line of dialogue at the very beginning of the play is as follows: “These pictures deserve compassion and they live or die in the eye of the sensitive viewer”. He demands that his work get the proper respect. His desire for people to be compassionate and sensitive toward his paintings implies their vulnerable (and even fragile) nature. He recognizes that without thoroughly studying his art and pondering its significance, its intellectual potential is dead in the water. Rothko doesn’t necessarily want his art to be understood, but rather treated with the dignity of a creation that utilized diligence, dedication, and effort in its completion. This is because art does not have to be understood in order to be appreciated. On the other hand, approaching his complex and pain-laden expression with reverence and respect is of the utmost importance when consuming his creative works. This is necessary for one to experience an emotional reaction in the aftermath. I furthermore argue that the emotion evoked by a piece of art is of equal importance to the colors and shapes on the canvas. I kept this notion in mind when perusing Rothko’s works online, where I encountered a painting that elicited a true emotional reaction.

Untitled (Black on Gray)

For me, this painting evokes a feeling of emptiness– of desolation. There exists a depth in the gray portion that makes me feel like I am traveling an endless journey, only to be faced with black on the horizon for eternity. Considering this scenario sends a shiver down my spine. Of course, this is a reaction that I had only after I took a bit of time to interpret and internalize it. That allowed me to realize how intricate the intentions behind this painting really are, despite its rather simple composition. This is the “Rothko Effect”; just because something appears to be rather straightforward and pedestrian does not mean that its origins are uncomplicated. 

Here’s where we transition into our argument about rap music. I have heard people purport that rap is not “real” music because the vocal performances are often amelodic. Music is often defined as consisting of the following three elements: melody, harmony, and rhythm. Therefore, people discard rap because they cannot identify a melodic element within it. Those who believe this also exhibit the view that rap is too simple and monolithic for it to be worthy of cultural attention (a similar stance to those who scoff at Mark Rothko’s art). Although I suspect that this view possesses racially biased undertones, I’ll choose to refute the actual stated argument that I have often heard.

Like Rothko’s art, rap can suffer in the wake of the desire for palatable consumption– the desire to engage with art that doesn’t require thought, interpretation, and self-reflection to be wholly experienced. Therefore, if someone refuses to consider rap as music, it is probably due to their unwillingness to approach its cultural and experiential origins. My favorite rap artist, Kendrick Lamar, creates music that I consider to be poetry set to beats. He details his struggle-laden background through lyrics that are both clever and symbolically nuanced. However, this may not be something that people identify upon listening to his music for the first time. Admittedly, I’ve had to use Urban Dictionary a few times in order to better connect with his art, but have come to the realization that his music is an expression of universally human pain and internal conflict at its core. Yes, there are self-indulgent and shallow rap songs, but this is the case within every genre of music. If I’m ever interrogated by the FBI, they should know that all they have to do in order to squeeze me is by playing copious amounts of Morgan Wallen: “I’ll do anything you ask! Just don’t play ‘Born With A Beer In My Hand’ again!”

To summarize, the portrayal of Mark Rothko in Red suggests the necessity of discernment when consuming his art. I believe that this principle equally applies to how we should approach every form of creative media, including and especially rap music. Even if the central themes expressed in the lyrics is foreign, we should all strive to find the humanity within it. With this effort will arise heightened levels of compassion and sensitivity within us all. As we consider experiences that are different from our own, maybe the lofty objective of “understanding” will finally be obtainable. We will seek the ability to interpret the motivations of those who we previously alienated and garner empathy for those unlike us, finding unforeseen middle grounds with our fellow humans.