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Sonic Blackness: Masculinity, Myth, and Power in Shaft (1971)

Carleton, Camille L.
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Carleton, Camille L.
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Keywords
African Americans in motion pictures, Motion picture music—United States—History and criticism, Black power—United States—History, Masculinity in music—United States, Hayes, Isaac—Criticism and interpretation
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Rhodes Institute for Regional Studies
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2025_rirs_carleton.pdf
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https://hdl.handle.net/10267/36864
Abstract
Camille L. Carleton’s paper, "Sonic Blackness: Masculinity, Myth, and Power in Shaft (1971)", explores how Isaac Hayes’ score for the film Shaft redefines Black masculinity through sonic resistance and emotional vulnerability. While the character John Shaft embodies a commodified, hypermasculine image shaped by Hollywood, Hayes’ music offers a counter-narrative rooted in soul, funk, and collective Black experience. The paper situates Hayes’ work within Memphis’s political and musical landscape, highlighting Stax Records’ role in Black Power activism and sonic innovation. Carleton contrasts Shaft with Melvin Van Peebles’ Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, examining debates over authentic Black representation in Blaxploitation cinema. Ultimately, the paper argues that Hayes’ score transcends the film’s limitations, creating a lasting legacy of Black sonic expression and emotional depth.
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This document was received from the Rhodes Institute for Regional Studies and uploaded to Dlynx by Rosie Meindl during fall 2025.