Afrocentrism in the context of "Arrested Development (group)"

Rastafari is an Abrahamic religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion. There is no central authority in control of the movement and much diversity exists among practitioners, who are known as Rastafari, Rastafarians, or Rastas.

Rastafari beliefs are based on an interpretation of the Bible. Central to the religion is a monotheistic belief in a single God, referred to as Jah, who partially resides within each individual. Rastas accord key importance to Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia between 1930 and 1974, who is regarded variously as the Second Coming of Jesus, Jah incarnate, or a human prophet, though the emperor's own religion was Christianity. Rastafari is Afrocentric and focuses attention on the African diaspora, which it believes is oppressed within Western society, or "Babylon". Many Rastas call for this diaspora's resettlement in Africa, a continent they consider the Promised Land, or "Zion". Rastas refer to their practices as "livity", which includes adhering to Ital dietary requirements, wearing their hair in dreadlocks, and following patriarchal gender roles. Communal meetings are known as "groundations", and are typified by music, chanting, discussions, and the smoking of cannabis, the latter regarded as a sacrament with beneficial properties.

Black pride is a movement that encourages black people to celebrate their respective cultures and embrace their African heritage.

In the United States, it initially developed for African-American culture and was a direct response to white racism, especially during the civil rights movement. Stemming from the idea of black power, this movement emphasizes racial pride, economic empowerment, and the creation of political and cultural institutions. Related movements include black power, black nationalism, and Afrocentrism.

Alternative hip-hop (also known as alternative rap or backpack rap) is a subgenre of hip-hop defined by artists who reject the genre's traditional stereotypes, particularly those popularized by old-school hip-hop and gangsta rap. Originally emerging in the mid-to-late 1980s, the style was spearheaded by the Native Tongues collective in the East Coast which included acts like the Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, X Clan, Brand Nubian, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Monie Love, Queen Latifah and later Busta Rhymes and Mos Def. These artists emphasized positive-minded, good-natured Afrocentric lyrics, while pioneering and popularizing the use of eclectic sampling and jazz-influenced beats in hip-hop, drawing influences from political, progressive and conscious hip-hop artists such as Grandmaster Flash and Public Enemy.

During the 1990s, the alternative hip-hop movement expanded with West Coast artists such as the Pharcyde, Digital Underground, Souls of Mischief, Del the Funky Homosapien, Jurassic 5, Styles of Beyond and Freestyle Fellowship as well as certain Southern acts which included Arrested Development, Goodie Mob, and Outkast. The commercial and cultural momentum of the movement was impeded by the rise and popularity of West Coast gangsta rap, though experienced a degree of mainstream recognition through the success of the Fugees, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Outkast and Arrested Development. The Native Tongues movement inspired later alt rap artists such as the Roots, Lupe Fiasco, Digable Planets, Common, Little Brother, Black Eyed Peas, Dead Prez, Camp Lo, Jean Grae, Nappy Roots, Black Star, J Dilla, Lauryn Hill, MF Doom, Pharrell Williams, and Kanye West.

Black nationalism is a nationalist movement which seeks representation for Black people as a distinct national identity, especially in racialized, colonial and postcolonial societies. Its earliest proponents saw it as a way to advocate for democratic representation in culturally plural societies or to establish self-governing independent nation-states for Black people. Modern Black nationalism often aims for the social, political, and economic empowerment of Black communities within white majority societies, either as an alternative to assimilation or as a way to ensure greater representation and equality within predominantly Eurocentric cultures.

As an ideology, Black nationalism encompasses a diverse range of beliefs which have variously included forms of economic, political and cultural nationalism, or pan-nationalism. It often overlaps with, but is distinguished from, similar concepts and movements such as Pan-Africanism, Ethiopianism, the back-to-Africa movement (also known as Black Zionism), Afrocentrism, and Garveyism. Critics of Black nationalism compare it to white nationalism and white supremacy, and say it promotes racial and ethnic nationalism, separatism and Black supremacy. Most experts distinguish between these movements, saying that while white nationalism ultimately seeks to maintain or deepen inequality between racial and ethnic groups, most forms of Black nationalism instead aim to increase equality in response to pre-existing forms of white dominance.

The Native Tongues was a collective of late 1980s and early 1990s hip-hop artists known for their positive-minded, good-natured Afrocentric lyrics, and for pioneering the use of eclectic sampling and jazz-influenced beats. Its principal members were the Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Black Sheep, Monie Love, Queen Latifah, and Chi-Ali. The collective was also closely tied to the Universal Zulu Nation.

The Native Tongues movement inspired later alternative hip-hop artists such as Outkast, the Roots, Lupe Fiasco, Little Brother, Black Eyed Peas, Dead Prez, Camp Lo, Jean Grae, Nappy Roots, Digable Planets, Common, Black Star, J Dilla, Lauryn Hill, MF Doom and Pharrell Williams. Rolling Stone cites the track "Doin' Our Own Dang" as "the definitive Native Tongues posse cut".