Creative expression can take many forms, one of the most common is music. Music has a way of relating to a larger audience about a feeling or experience through melody and cultural expression. Music scholar Craig Werner notes that gospel is a genre that helps understand black culture through three characteristics: first, recognizing a burden, then witnessing the burden and describing it, and finally finding redemption from that burden. . These three traits parallel the lyrics of Tupac's 1993 song "Keep Ya Head Up." Although Tupac's music originated years after the beginning of gospel music in America, he still manages to demonstrate the three characteristics of gospel music in his hip hop rap. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Tupac begins the song by discussing the burden of being a black American in the ghetto by noting “I give a shout out to my sister on welfare / Tupac cares, if no one else cares” (Shakur). Tupac notes, through the use of the word “none,” the lack of care that black Americans receive not only from the government, which assumes that welfare is sufficient, but also from other Americans continues to reinforce the burden of being in a poor area saying that "they have money for wars, but they can't feed the poor" (Shakur). The word “they” refers to the government's lack of attention towards black Americans , blues and gospel music developed during a “time of unfulfilled promises” for blacks (Sanchez 8). The government also obscured the importance of the struggles of black Americans “outside the South,” hence the song of Tupac, recognized nationally, helped share the struggles that the government wasn't highlighting (Ezra xiii). Although the government had welfare and other programs that benefited the poor, these programs did not help the situation as a whole, they only provided temporary “relief”. Furthermore, the government didn't do much to change the attitudes of other Americans, which made “nobody” else care. Tupac tries to relate his situation to those in his community, especially “women who have children on their own” to bring first-hand witnessing experience (Shakur). It relates to thanking "the Lord for my children, even if no one else wants them", which helps make him more relatable to those people who have the same experience as him: raising children alone because the other parental figure she is not involved (Shakur). This recognizability was a goal even during slavery as “a song could work to create community and offer artistic expression under some of the worst conditions” (Sanchez 7). Tupac raps to represent the community, since “the black freedom struggle was a national social movement,” relating to others and adding the artistic expression of hip hop music (Ezra xiv). While finding redemption seems like a challenge, Tupac sums it up in the song title “hold your head high.” Continuously throughout the rap he says this phrase suggesting that the difficulties of being a black American will improve. His final line is the best example of seeking redemption because he says “and it's crazy, it feels like it's never going to stop, but/ please you gotta keep your head up” (Shakur). Tupac says he understands that the life of a black American is full of unjust struggles. However, he is reminding them that it will get better, which is what redemption is all about. Redemption embodies a tone of hope, which is the message that Tupac.