Liberation

Bob Marley, "Buffalo Soilder",Reggae, ?^

Marvin Sapp, "Never Could Have Made It", Gospel, 2009

Tracy Chapman, "Fast Car",Rock, 1990

Tracy Chapman"Talking About a Revolution", Rock, 1990

Lupe, "The Show Goes On",Rap,2010

Worldly Success

Jay Z, "In My Lifetime",Rap, 1995^

Trey Songz, "Just Gotta Make It", R&B, 2007

Lil Wayne,"Bill Gates" "Bill Gates", Rap, 2010

Lupe, "Hip Hop Saved My Life",Rap, 2008

Nicki Minaj, "Moment for Life", Rap, 2010

Regarding success and liberation, the success aim was more prevalent. I believe this is so because we are in a society that is fueled by reaching one's dreams and entreprenuerism. They don't call it the American Dream for nothing. Finding liberation songs, actually was not difficult. Artists express themselves through music and will create songs about life struggles and reaching liberation. The difference between Hinduism's aim of liberation lies in the culture we are in. Western society is not comprised around reaching liberation in regard to freedom from the cycle of rebirth and reincarnation. Liberation is different for each person, what liberates me may not liberate you or the next person. Liberation could be getting out of poverty, finding one's niche in life, getting an education, or finding God. The only aim that is somewhat similar to American music is the success aim. The only difference I see is that once success is achieved in our society that is usually it. There is no "stage" of success to move on to libertion. Success in our society often times is liberation in its self.

Pleasure And Community Service

Maybe I should have done this earlier, a lot of my songs are taken. :(

Well, here are the songs I chose for pleasure:

1)Lil Wayne, "Money on my Mind", Rap, 2006 ^

2)Reaction Band, "Feels Good", Go Go, 2008 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okdO04-AlUY&feature=related)

3)Kanye West, "Champion",Rap, 2007(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9moleDXxmcU)
4)Lil Wayne, "Hustler Musik", Rap, 2006(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LrBColgRj0)
5)Jay Z,  "Feeling It", Rap, 199?(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kFa1N1iwxA)

Community Service:

1)Lupe Fiasco, "Hurt Me Soul", Rap 2006^
2)Switchfoot, "Meant to Live", Rock 2003(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp6Qh-wT3ys)
3)Canton Spirituals, "Gotta Clean Up What I Messed Up", Gospel, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXs6NZ70Gyk&playnext=1&list=PLF3DA6A52CA7F4DFF)
4)2Pac, "Keep Your Head Up", Rap, 199?(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgsalmSkbI8)
5)Nas, "If I Ruled the World", Rap, 1996(not clean:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4Av0i6UO_Q)

    It was hard finding songs for the community service aim because today's mainstream music is infiltrated with pleasure, sex, drugs, and the pursuit of money. It was very easy to find songs regarding the pleasure aim. I had to dig deep for community service songs, especially since we couldn't use the same songs. Even though one of the Four Aims of Hinduism is pleasure, pleasure seeking activities are supposed to follow basic laws of morality. One is also supposed to seek pleasure intelligently. These songs, obviously, don’t seek pleasure in this manner; in fact some of them can be described as self-destructive activities. The Four Aims are supposed to be followed in a logical progression, but these songs promote pleasure seeking activities as a lifestyle, instead of an activity. Regarding community service, the songs I chose seem to highlight issues prevalent in society and offer some solutions but they don’t offer long term solutions.