Foreword
In the 3 years that have passed since I originally wrote this piece, the issues that I raised regarding racial tension in the United States political system have sadly not improved. In fact, while the issues black people face today are by no means new, it would be appropriate to say that tensions have escalated in this regard. In the wake of the tragic murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among many others, the acknowledgement of black suffering and injustice, and support towards their communities, is more important now than ever. If you are able, please show your support and donate what you can:
Black Lives Matter: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019
National Police Accountability Project: https://www.nlg-npap.org/donate/
NAACP Legal Defense Fund: https://org2.salsalabs.com/o/6857/p/salsa/donation/common/public/?donate_page_KEY=15780&_ga=2.187165864.1602954306.1591044385-2004584457.1591044385
Introduction
Alexander Hamilton, and as portrayed by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Hamilton, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, is a hip-hop musical which made its Broadway debut in 2015. As well as being critically received as a production, having been awarded (among other accolades) a Tony award and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, it has also been hailed as a work of profound political significance in the modern era. This is due not only to its unusual plot line, one which centres around the lesser-known founding father Alexander Hamilton, who was the first treasury-secretary and founder of the Federal bank, but also as a result of its highly contemporary and relevant political rhetoric, particularly surrounding the aftermath of the controversial election of Donald Trump in 2016. Of particular concern in this regard are the current domestic affairs surrounding race and immigration in the United States, and the manner in which this is linked to the story of the founding fathers in Hamilton. As well as the portrayal of three early U.S. presidents as black men, namely George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison played by Christopher Jackson, Daveed Diggs and Okieriete Onaodowan respectively, much of the minutiae of early politics in the country is conveyed through fast-paced rap and hip-hop styles of music, styles not often seen in or associated with musical theatre.
The live show is a notoriously difficult one to be able to see – it has been noted that the show, even in its early stages, “enjoyed an Adele- and Beyoncé-level of celebrity adulation,” and due to the high demand for and low supply of tickets, costs have ranged from $139 to $549 to see a single performance. While I have been lucky enough to see a live performance, it is for the reasons of accessibility that the approach taken in this paper will be from the point of view of an enthusiastic listener, engaged with the music’s origins, style and influence, as well as its undeniable effect on society today. This paper will begin by outlining some of the ways in which musicals which predate Hamilton have affected society and critiqued political systems. Following this, focus will be placed on the aspects of Hamilton that are able to be heard – in particular, the elements of rap which critique current political controversies, and provide an insight into the otherwise relatively unknown aspects of American 18th-century history. Finally, this essay will delve into the more general, extra-musical aspects of Hamilton: namely, the significance of multi-racial portrayal in what are normally white-dominated roles.
The Musical as Political Commentary – Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess
In the 1930s, George Gershwin sought material with which he could create a piece of musical theatre with a purely American theme, much as Lin-Manuel Miranda did with Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton in the late 2000s. Peter Riddle writes that Gershwin “went in search of… a story worthy of his ambitions. The subject he found was a best-selling 1925 novel by DuBose Heyward on an unlikely theme, and with an even more unlikely cast of characters.” This novel was entitled Porgy, and provided the basis for the work that has arguably become one of Gershwin’s most famous creations – Porgy and Bess. The libretto centres around the love story between two main characters – Porgy and Bess – who deal with issues of disability, homelessness, cocaine addiction and prostitution. Initially, the reception of the work was decidedly mixed. New York Times music critic Olin Downes wrote, "The style is at one moment of opera, and another of operetta or sheer Broadway entertainment.” In many ways, the opera was even considered an achievement for African American society, as New York Times writer Joe Nocera notes:
"For starters, instead of using white actors in blackface, which was still relatively common, Gershwin cast African-Americans in all the black roles. Though black opera singers were almost unheard of, Gershwin never even considered casting white singers. This alone was viewed as racial progress." (Nocera, Joe. ‘Variations on an Explosive Theme.’Pub. New York Times, Jan 21, 2012.)
Yet, as time passed and the civil rights movements of the 1950s – 1970s progressed, the piece’s reception became distinctly more negative, as the characters came to be seen as “white-inspired stereotypes.” African Americans quite understandably had concerns that their portrayal would lead to assumptions that black people were frequently impoverished, addicted to drugs and engaged in prostitution, as the black title characters of the opera are depicted. Clearly then, the plot of Porgy and Bess can be seen as a controversial commentary on the political climate of 1930s America – one defined by issues of race and segregation. However, a conflict of musical interest also arose after the premiere of this work – whether it could actually be defined as an opera. The initial categorisation of Porgy and Bess as an opera was in itself enough to constitute an accomplishment for the furthering of African Americans in society – as Nocera writes, “the music — African-American music — was not being used for a vaudeville show, but was employed in the highest of musical arts: opera.” Yet despite this, the matter of defining this piece has proven difficult. Stephen Sondheim has described the work as a piece of musical theatre – establishing his belief that the lyrics were “the most beautiful and powerful in our musical theatre history.”
Conversely, the musical historian Steven Blier has compared Gershwin’s work to the standards of Western opera, equating the skill in both theatre and music to that of Puccini. While ascertaining the specific musical qualities of Porgy and Bess would be an interesting endeavour, for now, it is enough to say that the combination of Gershwin’s signature jazz style and the Western Classical domain of opera allowed this production to become one of the first representations of what we understand today as musical theatre. Gershwin’s musical broke the boundaries of where musical theatre stands both on the political landscape and the Western stage, as it were.
As we shall see, just as Gershwin was able to combine his jazz-inspired musical style with more traditional opera, so too has Lin-Manuel Miranda been able to link his signature hip-hop style with the traditional musical theatre format. It is to Hamilton, its combination of hip-hop and musical theatre, and its effect on the Western world that we now turn.
"Immigrants: we get the job done." Rap as Positive Political Commentary in Hamilton
Despite the exclusivity of public performances, Hamilton's popularity worldwide is indicative of the quality and sheer volume of content available in the soundtrack alone. Much of this is largely due to the rap elements present in the musical, which serve not only as narrative functions, but as a kind of reversion to the controversy of Porgy and Bess. Certainly, African-American actors are seen demonstrating a musical language often attributed to them, but this is juxtaposed by the fact that they are doing so in the context of 18th-century America, a country dominated by largely slave-owning white men. Rap and hip-hop styles have continually (and wrongfully) been viewed as something detrimental to society, much as jazz was in the years before it was viewed as an art form. As Tricia Rose notes – “[some] argue that [rap] promotes violence, thus contributing to crime rates and black social decline.” Another manner in which rap has been over-generalised is through its perceived negative effect on American societal values. According to Reverend Calvin O. Butts, “unless we speak against [rap music], it will creep continually into our society and destroy the morals of our young people.” Certainly, the abundance of harmful messages in some mainstream rap cannot be denied, but Hamilton provides a refreshing and unique perspective not only on rap as a genre, but on the ways in which it can now be received more positively in the mainstream media. For the Marquis de Lafayette in the first act, his sections of highly fast-paced rap are indicative of his military success, growth as a commander and heightened intellectual and physical capabilities. Miranda remarks on this, stating:
“Here’s Lafayette, the Frenchman, who struggles with the word anarchy in ‘My Shot’… Lafayette flourished once he was put in command. He goes from being one of Hamilton’s friends to a rap god/military superhero.”
Bruce Springsteen has said in the past that he “tried to write songs that speak to [American] pride and criticize our failures… who we are, what we stand for, why we fight,” which is something relevant to the songs of Hamilton in that they notably critique current society, through rap music conveyed to the audience by the people considered to be at the heart of American values – the Founding Fathers.
Donald Trump has earned notoriety for some time, due to his vehement anti-immigration rhetoric both during the 2016 election campaign and during his time in office since. His idea of a “total and complete shutdown” of the country’s borders, particularly towards predominantly Muslim countries, was first introduced in 2015, and is seen by many to be racist and in violation of the United States constitution. Indeed, former Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley took to Twitter to comment on Trump’s remarks, saying: “[Donald Trump] removes all doubt: he is running for President as a fascist demagogue.” In an executive order of March 2017, Trump issued the controversial ‘travel ban’ on all passengers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen – predominantly Muslim countries. While this was eventually blocked by the supreme court and protested in cities around the world, including Edinburgh, London, and Berlin, the issue of immigration has become one which has shaped a poisonous kind of thought process in the modern United States - that immigrants are to be feared, not celebrated.
Hamilton’s story, quite conversely, is one of the success and contribution of immigrants to the establishment of the independent United States; as well as Lafayette, who was a French immigrant, Alexander Hamilton himself was an immigrant of the Caribbean. Historical context aside, perhaps the best musical example of political commentary with regards to immigrants and their place in America comes in ‘Yorktown’, the beginning of which is rapped between the two characters as follows:
Lafayette: Monsieur Hamilton.
Hamilton: Monsieur Lafayette.
Lafayette: In command where you belong!
Hamilton: How you say, no sweat. We’re finally on the field, we’ve had quite a run.
Lafayette: Immigrants.
Lafayette and Hamilton: We get the job done.
Contrary to the actions and attitude of the government at this time, this sentiment was well received in the musical. The last line, in particular, in the context of its first performance in 2015, was received with a rapturous response from the audience. Miranda says, “I never anticipated that the last few lines would drown out the next few lines every night. So we added two bars just to absorb the reaction. Cheers still drowned ‘em [sic] out.” For the audience, this line, intended as an innocent ‘pat on the back’ for the two characters, became a beacon of political solidarity with those who would potentially be affected by the staunch anti-immigration laws that Trump proposed.
Of course, Hamilton is not the first musical to have a political message like this contained within it. Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story is an excellent example of another such musical – posing Puerto Rican and white American characters as the Montague and Capulet enemies provided a real and profound critique on how Puerto Rican immigrants were treated at the time of the work’s premiere. Yet, it is appropriate to say that modern audiences have responded more positively to this concept than in the past. During performances of West Side Story, whenever the Puerto Rican characters comment on their backgrounds, and how it shapes them (during the famous song, ‘America’, for instance), enthusiastic support from the audience in support of the minorities has not been commented upon, as in Hamilton. Freeman’s provocative comments on the perception of human rights are particularly important to consider here: “human rights become relevant to ordinary people when the relative security of everyday life is absent or snatched away.” In this manner, even extra-musically, Hamilton provides an insight into the current climate of the United States. The human rights of immigrants are supported not only through the narrative and the way it is conveyed through rap, as well as the characters themselves, but championed by audience members and most who listen to the soundtrack.
The Extra-Musical in Hamilton: Further Reception and Multi-Racial Portrayal
After a performance of Hamilton in New York, at which Vice President Mike Pence was in attendance, cast member Brandon Victor Dixon addressed a speech to him, which provides an excellent introduction into the lasting extra-musical effects of Hamilton.
"We, sir, [addressing Mr Pence] are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, sir. But we hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values, and work on behalf of ALL of us."
This is perhaps a unique moment in American history; where a piece of musical theatre is able to criticise the current establishment while a prominent member of said establishment is in attendance. Unquestionably, Hamilton holds a tremendous amount of political power, both in and outside the context of the musical and the stage setting. In broadening the argument further, outside the limits of the various controversies of the current White House administration, it becomes important to note the effect Hamilton has had, both in affording a higher level of credibility to rap and hip-hop as musical genres, and to diversifying the portrayal of principal characters in musical theatre. With regards to the perception of rap and hip-hop, much has already been discussed in relation to Rose’s The Hip-Hop Wars. Yet it becomes important to bear in mind in relation to multi-racial portrayal, as the negative comments made about these genres are often stereotypically associated with African American people. For instance, former Fox News reporter Bill O’Reilly commented on his belief that hip-hop causes violence, saying: “[Ludacris] is not an artist, he’s a thug.” More recently, during the riots that have erupted following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in 2020, the word 'thug' has been used increasingly by right-wing media outlets as an racist synonym for black people. The politically radical hip-hop group Public Enemy, have also been accused of advocating violence, when commenting on police brutality against African Americans in songs such as ‘Don’t Believe the Hype’. However, as Rose writes, “it is important… to pay close attention to the issue of unfair black targeting, blame, and the compounded effect this perception of blacks as more violent has on black youth.” Sadly, and increasingly often, racist and oppressive systems often blame the violence of their own systems on those they oppress. Considering this, it is vital to think about the contrasting way that black people are represented in Hamilton.
The cast of this musical is highly diverse – in the original production, one of the only white men to be involved was Jonathan Groff, as George III. The rest are portrayed by actors of Asian-American, hispanic, and African-American descent. As was outlined in the introduction to this paper, three former presidents of the United States are portrayed in Hamilton – and all three are portrayed by African-American men. Okieriete Onaodowan, who played James Madison, and Daveed Diggs, who played Thomas Jefferson, have both commented on the effect of their race in their lives and careers. Onaodowan believed the opportunity to play Madison was a ‘godsend’ – as, in his own words, “[I was] allergic to doing another show about a messed-up black kid… I’m a black man playing a wise, smart, distinguished future president.” About his portrayal of Thomas Jefferson, Diggs commented that he thought “...that seeing a black man play Jefferson… when he was a kid in Oakland might have changed his life.” He goes on to describe his experiences in what Rose called the “unfair black targeting” in America, stating that “[Hamilton] is making [Diggs] feel more American.” In connecting American heritage with African-American pride, Hamilton is able to show the viewers and listeners a vision of a brighter future - one where people of different races are not viewed as 'thugs', but as people who contribute as much to society as anybody else. In portraying them as the founding fathers, Miranda poignantly shows us that the past, present, and future of America relies on racial diversity, inclusion, and prosperity.
Conclusion
For a musical so relatively recent as Hamilton, it is astonishing how much one could discuss purely on the subject of its political impact. There is a great deal of further scope to the research already undertaken for this paper, including, for instance, the strong female presence posed in the musical. Certainly, with the development of social media and greater access to the opinions and statements of cast members and writers, it becomes easier to assess the level at which art in general can make a political impression, and Hamilton has arguably been one of the most prominent musical works to emerge in the 21st century in this regard. What has been considered in this essay has included what I have deemed to be, so far, among the most significant aspects of Hamilton. When compared to other musicals of similar critical acclaim, such as Porgy and Bess and West Side Story, none have made so profound an impact on society through extra-musical means as Hamilton – just as Porgy and Bess and West Side Story redefined the perception of jazz in artistic culture, so too has Hamilton aided in the re-shaping of modern perceptions of hip-hop and rap. In doing so, by tying it to the story of America’s founding, Hamilton is able to subvert the racial stereotyping presented in such musicals as Porgy and Bess. While in Gershwin’s work, having black men play black men was revolutionary (as opposed to white men in blackface), Hamilton has taken this a step further – having black men play white historical figures who, regardless of their more unsavoury backgrounds, have been clung to by many American people as a symbol of their identity and heritage. By making black people a part of this identity, Hamilton pushes the boundaries of what is possible to achieve through art, and is able to critique modern society at a level at which few pieces of musical theatre have done before. Perhaps now, it is time we all acted more like Hamilton listeners - loudly and unapologetically supporting the contributions of immigrant and minority communities to society. As Hamilton himself wrote in the Federalist Paper No.36: “There are strong minds in every walk of life that will rise superior to the disadvantages of situation, and will command the tribute due to their merit, not only from the classes to which they particularly belong, but from the society in general.”
Bibliography
Chernow, Ron. Alexander Hamilton. Pub. Penguin Books, 2004.
Everett, William A. and Paul R. Laird (ed.) The Cambridge Companion to the Musical. Pub. Cambridge University Press, 2002.
The Guardian Online. Full Text: Trump’s revised ban on travel from Muslim-majority countries. Pub. The Guardian; The White House, 06/03/17. Accessed via https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/mar/06/the-full-text-trump-revised-travel-ban 19/04/17.
Hamilton, Alexander. The Federalist Papers: No.36. Pub. 08/01/1788. Accessed via http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed36.asp 20/04/17.
Horner, Bruce and Thomas Swiss (ed.) Key Terms in Popular Music and Culture. Pub. Blackwell Publishing, 1999.
Hyman, Vicki. Why are Hamilton tickets so expensive and hard to get? Pub. New Jersey News Online, 11/05/2016. Accessed via http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2016/05/why_are_hamilton_tickets_so_expensive.html 18/04/17.
Kreps, Daniel. Watch ‘Hamilton’ Cast’s Powerful Plea to Mike Pence, pub. Rolling Stone, 19/11/16. Accessed via http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/watch-hamilton-casts-powerful-plea-to-mike-pence-w451521 19/04/17.
Mead, Rebecca. ‘All About the Hamiltons’. Pub. New Yorker, 09/02/2015. Accessed via http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/09/hamiltons 20/04/17.
Miranda, Lin-Manuel and Jeremy McCarter. Hamilton: the revolution: being the complete libretto of the Broadway musical, with a true account of its creation, and concise remarks on hip-hop, the power of stories, and the new America. Pub. Little, Brown, 2016.
Nocera, Joe. ‘Variations on an Explosive Theme.’ Pub. New York Times, Jan 21, 2012. Accessed via http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/opinion/sunday/nocera-in-porgy-and-bess-variations-on-an-explosive-theme.html 18/04/17.
Peddie, Ian et al. (ed.) The Resisting Muse: Popular Music and Social Protest. Pub. Ashgate, 2006.
Pilkington, Ed. Donald Trump: Ban All Muslims Entering U.S. Pub. The Guardian, 08/12/2015. Accessed via https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/dec/07/donald-trump-ban-all-muslims-entering-us-san-bernardino-shooting 19/04/17.
Riddle, Peter H. The American Musical: History and Development. Pub. Mosaic Press, 2003.
Rose, Tricia. The Hip-Hop Wars. Pub. Basic Books, 2008.
Standifer, James. ‘The Tumultuous Life of Porgy and Bess.’ Pub. Humanities, Vol.18, No.6. Nov/Dec 1996.
Taylor, Millie. Musical Theatre, Realism and Entertainment. Pub. Ashgate, 2012.
Thurmeier, David in Ian Peddie (ed.), Popular Music and Human Rights. Pub. Ashgate Publishers, 2011.