Contributors >> Pope, H. Lavar ('05)

Biographical statement (February 2009)

Lehigh University presented Lavar with a unique set of opportunities, a trio of "hats," and the chance to build a few different talents. During his four years at the university, Lavar Pope excelled as a student (in the field of politics), competed as an athlete (as a sprinter on Lehigh's track and field team), and performed as a disc jockey (underground hip-hop music). As an undergrad, Lavar graduated with honors in both English and Political Science and was awarded a Presidential Scholarship for a year of study in the MA program in Political Science at Lehigh. As an athlete, Lavar competed in regional-caliber meets and was fortunate enough to win a Patriot League Championship in 2005. As a DJ/Producer, Lavar performed at local venues in the area, appeared on WLVR (Lehigh's radio station), and ran a company dedicated to the preservation of hip-hop music.

This trio of activities provided the Illinois native with balance and opportunity to combine talents. This project, "Protest into Pop," was Lavar's attempt to marry his interest in political theory with his involvement in hip-hop music. Lavar Pope earned a master's degree in Political Science—also at Lehigh. His area of specialization was hip-hop and the politics of protest. Currently in 2009, Lavar is working on finishing his PhD in Politics from the University of California at Santa Cruz. His specialization is in underground nationalism and digital age technologies.

Reflection

After reviewing my film analysis of Ali (2001), I have decided on a few changes/enhancements I would make. First, I would have looked into portrayals of Muhammad Ali before, during, and after his height of fame. After doing the RAH project, I did look into newspaper and magazine portrayals of Ali—they were quite intriguing. Second, my overall thesis -- that Ali had been "dumbed down," simplified, made one-dimensional--still seems accurate. But I should have explored the "why" in a little more detail. Was it Michael Mann? Was it the release date and target audience? Was it to repair Ali's image to white America?

If it was Mann, a very brief study of his other films about controversial figures would be helpful. If it was the release date (Christmas) and a target audience of families celebrating together, I think it is very interesting that a film about a key figure in the Black Muslim or NOI movement needed to be "softened" for Christmas. Or, was it to repair Ali's image? I really took on this third scenario, but I didn't do a good job of establishing what that negative image was.

With the ever-rising importance of digital and film media, there are a lot of interviews, speeches, and fights available to watch. I think a more complete version of this project would have included more of these sources. While I compared Ali to Rumble in the Jungle, I now feel as though other, less refined media sources might be appropriate and necessary.