Reality TV (Black Musical Artist) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reality TV (Black Musical Artist) - Essay Example The reality television genre has really exploded since the original writers’ strike caused FOX to start airing episodes of â€Å"COPS,† and earlier, when PBS made its inquiries into the American family dynamic. In any case, it seems safe to say that reality TV is here to stay a genre, and is currently often being combined with the music industry, exemplified by the abovementioned African-American pop divas (and occasionally their siblings). Monica, perhaps most famous musically for her breakthrough single â€Å"Just 1 of Those Things,† can be found on reality TV on the BET network, in â€Å"Monica: Still Standing.† This is a show about female empowerment, struggle, and the ins and outs of the music industry. In the show, Monica struggles mainly with fame and the increasing expectations of her fans, although she also has to balance, as a modern woman, her career and her family. The show is very realistic about the drama Monica undergoes when she has to bala nce her personal life, her past run-ins with the law and dangerous people, and the present stresses of her fame. The show provides an empowering role model for African-American women, rather than focusing on a sexualized or objectified image of femininity. Also on BET, â€Å"Tiny and Toya† is another reality series focusing on a famous African-American female musician, Tiny, and Toya, who is the ex-wife of famous and currently-jailed rapper Lil Wayne.