The Shift of Culture in Compton and the Transcendent...

In less than forty years, the city of Compton went from a shielded suburb near the confines of Los Angeles, to a terrorizing image of American culture. The results of this transformation and creation of â€Å"gangsta rap† is still well renowned today. Through de jure segregation, Reagan economics, undermining of black prosperity, N.W.A., and â€Å"Boyz n the Hood†, the city of Compton told its story and became a global image. This paper will analyze the shift of culture in Compton and the transcendent cultural effect it formed in America. Thousands of migrants in the 1920’s - 1950’s envisioned Compton, California as the perfect place to settle down and ideal center for industrial workers. That vision did come true for white Americans, although it†¦show more content†¦This was a unique case in African American history and one of the most compelling stories of Compton in my opinion. Blacks were predominant in a suburban setting for one of the few t imes in history. There was a very short window of overlapping segregation and black prosperity in the United States, but Compton fulfilled that window. Black students did well in Compton and Compton Community College became an excellent choice of education. During this time the first black mayor and councilmen were elected. African Americans were beginning to break social barriers in Compton. Compton took its most critical hit when deindustrialization struck. Manufactures followed other industries in seeking to lower their tax burden, open new markets, and increase their plant size. With more than one-third of Compton’s population employed in manufacturing, the city broke its social and economic threshold. The backlash stemmed from an increase in gang and drug related activities. The aging middle-class was increasingly outnumbered by a troubled youth. Children, who were once encouraged by their parents’ success, were now hanging their heads. By 1970 the Bloods and the Crips were created right outside of Compton. The â€Å"crack explosion† of the 1980’s only intensified crime, violence, and murder rates. From middle-class to neighborhood terror, the prosperity relinquished by African Americans in Compton had promptly crumbled right in front of everyone’s eyes. The issues created during this