Rhetorical Response #3

I feel that the story of Badu is the most intriguing and entertaining stories I have read this year. The Author expresses many good details, including how they influenced me, the reader, and how here profile connects with a larger culture.
I believe that there were many moments of excellent descriptions worth mentioning. First, I loved basically the whole first paragraph. I liked how she gave so much detail into what she was doing at that moment, and when she starts to describe about the circle she created. I thought it was unique that she goes to that circle when she needs time to herself, and doesn’t mind it being there. I also thought the author did a great job of expressing all the details about Badu’s home when she was there. For example, “The smell of peppermint incense mixed with the music of seventies Motown songwriter Willie Hutch, which was playing on the turntable in the next room….” I could really picture what was going on at that moment and could put myself in the author’s shoes when she was describing her home. In addition, it was very interesting to me as to what she thought about Dallas. One would think, especially me, that a famous person like her would want to stay in Dallas. I thought it was unique how she had such a personal connection to Dallas, but I am thinking that it is mainly because of her family background and the way she was raised. The author did a good job of giving vivid details about this, such as when the author and Badu went to visit her old neighborhood in which she grew up in. For example, “Families were active, lawns were beautiful, trees looked nice, people put up Christmas lights at Christmastime. It was a neighborhood. Now I feel like I’m in New Orleans after Katrina.” When I read this sentence, I could really sense the emotion Badu and the author must have felt, such as sadness or a loss of hope. I would have felt the same way if I saw the neighborhood I had grown up in all deserted like that. Furthermore, I also liked how the author and Badu mentioned why she had changed her name. I wondered why at first, but then I realized she being a rap and hip-hop star, it would make sense for her to want to change her name to something music related.
The details influenced my reading in many positive ways. They most importantly kept me engaged throughout most of the story and was quite entertaining to read. However, for a while I was confused about what culture she was from when the story was introduced in the first paragraph; such as when she started talking about the red circle and how she goes there when she needs some time alone. Later in the story when the author mentions she is a hip-hop African American star, then it made more sense to me. I feel that all the details the Hall and Badu gives made the story so interesting to read. I feel that it was so engaging because of all the personal details she gave. If they weren’t personal, the story would not have been as good and engaging to read. Without personal details and experiences, the whole point of the story is harder to grasp for the reader.
I think that the biggest connection between her normal life and past culture really brings out my reading experience. I liked reading how she originally got into jazz and hip-hop when she was younger, and how it has shaped her life as she has gotten older. I also think that her way of life has also made a huge effect on my reading experience. As I was reading about her separate cultures of a hip-hop star and an average mom, I thought of her as very independent and a strong-willed woman. Usually girls these days will do anything for fame and fortune, but Badu was different and kept to herself in a good way. She just wanted to be normal and have a normal life, which she was able to do. I love how she is doing what she loves, while sustaining a normal life and being a great mom to her kids.
The profile was more meaningful to me as a reader when I could put myself in her shoes and really see the big picture. Even though she only had one visual of herself, I could picture her all throughout the story and what she was like. In addition, the more personal she made the story about herself, the more meaningful it was to me.