Harlem by Langston Hughes and the Homecoming Song by Kanye West

Have you ever thought about the differences and similarities between the poem Harlem by Langston Hughes and the song homecoming by Kanye West? In the poem, Harlem by Langston Hughes and the song homecoming by Kanye West are both concepts of the African American culture. The poem is about a deferred dream. Although the song homecoming is about the singer missing his hometown which is Chicago. However, the poem and the song have some similarities and differences.

The Similarities between the song and the poem is that both of them are trying to achieve their dreams or goals in some of the lyrics.

In the Song Homecoming, Kanye is with a woman named Wendy which are actually the city of Chicago. So Kanye is practically pushing off his dream but they always tell him to keep living your dream and keep pushing yourself until you get your goal, which is said in one of the lyrics “She said, “‘Ye, keep making that platinum and gold for me!”. However, the poem Harlem is saying that “What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?” which means that if you keep pushing your dream off it can be gone. You’re getting older and there are fewer opportunities for you being able to achieve your dreams because you don’t know how much time you have left, So it’s going to be gone. So you’ll be like you should have accomplished your goal or dream.

Although they’re somewhat different, the song is Kanye going back to his hometown and his city. He is making a tribute to Chicago which makes him emotional. Kanye used to live in Atlanta Georgia but he moved to Chicago Illinois which is what the song is inspired by. However, the poem is a limitation of an American dream for African Americans.

In Conclusion of Kanye West’s “Homecoming” and Langston Hughes’s “Harlem” are defining the African American culture. The song and poem encourage anyone to always achieve your goals and never give up or it’ll be gone.

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