Chapter 18: Becoming the Hip- Hop Generation: The Source, the Industry and the Big Crossover
Polyculturalism and Post- Whiteness (pp. 421- 422)
During the 1990's corportations were joining the idea of Hip- Hop becoming multicultural. Robin D. G. Kelly who was a historian, and scholar Vijay Prashad believed that the idea of "multiculturism" had been co-opted by the state and capitalism. "During the 80's, multiculturalists had pushed for inclusion and representation. But post- Chronic corporate multiculturalism reinforced backward notions of identity." This is how hostorian Kelly came up with coining the term "polyculturalism" to revive a version of intergration.
This term "polyculturalism" was built on the idea that civil society and communities does not need Eurocentrism or whiteness to help this particular culture function. The real world contained layers of cultures that have blended sounds; like polyrhythms of a jazz song. It was believed that this type of intergration would uplift everyone. "But urban marketing threatened to confer the trappings of intergration while perserving the realities of segregation and equality." So, this became the big crossover for the Hip- Hop nation,setting off the paroxysms of self- examination.
In a very detailed essay called "We Use Words Like Mackadocious", found in The Source magazine; discussed the influence graffiti artist Wigger had on the Hip- Hop culture by introducing the nation to MTV Raps, which made Hip- Hop even more successful that what it was. Behind this essay he wrote that "One day the rap audience may be as whites as tables in jazz club, and rap will become just another platform for every white ethnic group- not only the Irish- to express their suddenly funky selves."
I believe that this was the idea for many urban areas to address optimism throught- out the neighborhood. Hip- Hop separated from marketing imperatives which was still something that this generation could control and define. Suburbanites could unite with the urbanites, and Cauasians can learn to respect African- Americans.
Strictly Underground (pp. 422- 423)
The highest aspirations of the Hip- Hop generation brought about principal of realness, honesty, intellect, and independent minds. Author Wimsatt self published book "Bomb The Suburbs and hawked it by hand to Blacks, whites, Latinos and Asians on subways and in the streets as he criss- crossed the country, selling 23,000 copies." Hip- Hop nationalism was mainly designed to stay true to yourself, as well as your peers, and sticking to your word.
Another thing that the Hip- Hop stood for was do- for- self. This theme moved everyone in the Hip- Hop industry, such as: graffiti artists/crews, break- dancers, skateboarders, dee- jays, and emcees. This was also express through fashion which was rising throughout the Hip- Hop culture as well.
Now, Hip- Hop is starting to crossover and new problems are beginning to come about, but there was also a sense of big opportunities that awaited for anyone that was interested. So, the question was were you worth reaching the market and fanning potential which remained the goal.
Vibe and the Triumph of the Urban (pp. 423- 426)
1993 was the year that "The Source" magazine expanded beyond record labels to include Nike, Reebok, Sega and Bugle Boy. The circulation was up to 90,000 readers; the average reader were twenty- one year old males. At least over half of their readers were African- American, and a quarter of them were Cauasian. Hip- Hop at this time was considered to be like rock and roll, twenty- five years ago, making the music lifestyle live through an entire generation of young people.
Famous Black producers like Russell Simmons, Quincy Jones, and Time Warner agreed with how Hip- Hop is evolving. Of the year 199, a discussion was held with Mays, Shecter and Bernard on buying "The Source" magazine. People felt that "The Source" magazine was not big for Hip- Hop, which apperantly they were wrong. "They also thought that there was a market for a mainstream Black music magazine that came out of Hip- Hop, which they were right about."
When Simmons left before "Vibe's" magazine of September 1992; a test launch was admitted and no one had an idea of what to expect, whether if anyone was going to buy the magazine at store stands or would remain on the shelves . On the contrary they did definitely know that "Black music Rolling Stone" would sell- out and be huge. "On the advertising side, they had picked up companies like The Gap, Swatch, and Nintendo, but they also landed Benetton, Armani Exchange, Gianni Versace, four pages of Levi's jeans and five pages of Nike." These ad pages ran for $5,000 and $6,000, which their 144 page page tester had fifty- four ad pages and hit the stands with 200,000 copies, it was twice the circulation of "The Source" magazine.
The Rewrites (pp. 432- 433)
It was told to the press that the magazine was wroth fighting, especially for the Hip-Hop generation. Many the staffers felt as if the war was already lost, due to the standards and codes that was in place and they could be the blame of the corruption towards the Hip- Hop generation. It seem as if Hip- Hop was free for the taking.
"Bernard and Dennis had found an investor willing to put up $3 million for a buy- out, but without Ed Young, they did not have the controlling interest to force Mays to sell." Dennis stated that, other options could be taking end the"violence and retaliation." But it became clear that there was not nothing to salvage the situtation; "The Source" magazine was mainly over.
The entertainment empire grew, "The Source" magazine radio network became national through an all Hip- Hop television program, which contained a Hip- Hop Music Awards ceremony. Bernard bought back "The Source", which reamined supported by a Youth Foundation. A series of compilation CD's were handed out, during the annual Source Hip- Hop Music Awards and syndicated on television.
In 1997, XXL Magazine was lanch to compete directly with "The Source" magazine. Mays, later enter a partnership with Jann Wenner of "Rolling Stone" magazine, but Wenner rejected the offer because she did not want pony up $15 million for a quarter ownership. Now, Mays came up with a new plan by wanting to build a Time Warner of this generation.
The law continued to hawk Scott and his crew. An FBI agent investigator investigated inton Scott's murky past, and two men were later convicted of stabbing a Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce.
Coda (pp. 434- 435)
In Spring of 1995, Months after the meltdown of "The Source" magazine and its second annual Source Music Awards; Suge Knight stepped to the microphone and podium to call P. Diddy out, along with Bad Boys entertaiment. By this time Hip- Hop had now become the fastest- growing sector of the music industry and out of control.
"The Source's collapse seemed to prophesy a new kind of predatory, mercenary, get- it- while - you- can impulse in the Hip- Hop nation." Beef equal death at this time and Death Row records and Bad Boys records were part of the beef, and their stars were Tupac and Biggie Smalls. Competion mainly inspired paranoia. Greed lead to violence and that what came about in this beffy climax.
In Hip- Hop at this time there were a lot of heroes, which are not here now but the die in the Hip- Hop industry. Because of those heroes death; artists have spoken out to stop the feuding and reunite once again. They believe if they stick to the true message of what really made Hip- Hopand why; it would paint a clearly picture for everyone, especially the older generation.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Chapter 15: The Real Enemy: Cultural Riot of Ice Cube's Death Certicaticate
Chapter 15: The Real Enemy: The Cultural Riot of Ice Cube's Death Certiicate
Introduction:
Ice Cube and Angela Y. Davis met one another in mid 1991, by leaving the group NWA and joining Dr. Dre group and production, as well as becoming a muslim.
Cube's albums "Amerikkka" and "Death Cerificate" stirups controverse worldwide.
The Gangsta Meets the Revolutionary (pp. 334- 337)
Publicist Leyla Turkkan's came up with the idea to interview Angela Y. Davis with Ice Cube to get rise the the radical rappist (Ice Cube) and the radical revolutionist (Angela Y. Davis). "By sitting Cube with Davis, he presented himself as an inheritor of the Balck radical tradition." Davis mention that she listen to a few songs on Cube's unfinish album, dut she still felt at a disadvantage in the conversation. To make Davis feel comfort able, Cube shared information with that she would relate too which was that his mother and Davis both grew up in the South.
Davis latter mention "After moving to Watts, she had come of age as a participant in the 1965 riots." Now, the conversation became to be awarke to Cube, if I can recall he related the discussion over politics to be similar to be as if he was talking to his mother, which made Davis agitated with Cube and his reaction to his outlook of life. So, "Davis asked Cube how felt about the older generation." Cube response was that "When I look at older people, I don't think they feel that they can learn from the younger generation. I try and tell my mother things that she just doesn't want to hear sometimes."
Latter, the conversation change from generation to gender, Cube's discomfort was papable. Cube express that men were oppress and given a hard throughout society. Davis said men are the only ones oppress women are too. The conversation began to heat up; from my thoughts of it. Cube carried the thought women should be supporters for black men, which they always been. Davis agrued that women deserve equality just like men and she think they both should support one another, as well as having an equal status to one another.
Two Videotapes (pp. 337- 340)
In May of 1963, news footage of Black Civil rights protestors were being attack by police with dogs and firehoses in Birmingham, Alabama, which had a powerful effect in mobilizing public opinion during debates over the Civil Rights Act. March of 1991, a legislation was on the table "when two videotapes- one from an amateur camcorder and one from a store surveilance camera surfaced "of police bruality of the Rodney King beaten and killing of March 3, 1991.
Two weekends later from the Rodney King beaten; La Tasha Harlins was shot nine times and killed by a Korean- American storekeeper at Empire Liqour Market Deli on 9127 South Figueroa in South Central Los Angeles on March 16, 1991.
The history on how Asian Americans got ahold of the many liquor stores was mainly because African- Amercans sold these stores to the Asians because they felt that the investment was not worth it. One Black owner- seller stated "Seven days as week, twenty four hours a day, no vacations, people stealing. That's slave labor." Plus, "many Black owners were happy to get out of the business, even happier to sell to Korean immigrants at more than double their investment."
The big problem for many neighborhoods was that the liquor stores were poor substitutes for grocery stores. In 1965, few supermarkets reopened, and even fewer were built in the area. There were an amount of three hundred Van grocery stores had open in the region, but only two open in South Central. The worse part of the problem was that "study after study found that supermarkets in South Central were the most expensive in the county, with grocery prices up to 20 percent to 30 percent higher than those in the suburbs and exurbs. Politicians would not do anything about it. It was as if they figured liquor was more important to inner- city residents than food. Immigrant liquor- store entrepreneurs did not provide what people really needed, but they still filled a void that no neelse was willing."
In 1986, African- American and Korean- American civil rights leader formed the Black- Korean Alliance after four Korean merchants were killed in one month. The group wanted to increase communication in the community through programs like youth and cultural exchanges Black and Korean churches. A boycott of the Korean Americans was unable to be stop in 1989. Bush recession hit Los Angeles hard in 1991, eliminating 300,000 more jobs, due to eleven Korean - American merchants being killed in robberies, and another fourteen were seriously wounded.
Mainstream media largely ignored these, and the Harlins video foreclosed any further discussion.
Black Korea (pp. 346- 347)
A lot of Asian- American immigrant entrepreneurs were fearful of Ice Cube and the message he carried. The lines of race and calss and generation and difference all cam together. Cube's gangstcentric view saw the change of South Central and saw that it was becoming Black Korea.
Tension between African- Americans and Asian Americans was a major sub- text running through Death Certificate. On "Us," he called for racial solidarity to respond to 'Japs grabbing every vacant lot in my' hood to build a store and sell they goods"- a sonic analogue to John Singleton's "Seoul to Seoul Reality" billboard in Boyz N The Hood. On "Horny Lil" Devil," a track about Black male emasculation, he metaphorically wiped out the "devils"- white sexual harassers of black women, racists and "fags"- and finished up at the corner store beating down the Japenes owner. Black Korea became the fiery climax.
In the Spike Lee's movie "Do the Right Thing", Korean- American shopkeeper Sonny saves his store from being burned by arguing he is Black too. Ice Cube focuses more on the confrontation between Radio Raheem attempting to purchase twenty batteries for his boombox in Spike's Lee movie and compare it to when he acted in the movie Boyz N The Hood, which his character attempted to purchase a forty- ounce bottle of malt liquor, and considered both situtations to be prejudice.
Cube latter speaks about how Spike's movie was stripped of its humor, leaving only the raw racial conflict. Now, the ghetto is turning into "Black Korea", according Cube.
The Real Stakes (pp. 347- 349)
No rap album had ever been as controversial as Death Certificate. High- brow magazines that rarely felt compelled to comment on "low" culture seized on the album as an example of rap's depravity. An editorial in The Economist invoked Adoro's criticism of jazz as neo- fascistic, evoking "rhythmically obedient" Hip- Hoppers. "In rap as in rock, rebellion sells," the editorial read. "Sadly, too few fans distinguish between the rebellious and reactionary." It was believed by many that the comsumption of racist sterotypes of brutality towards women or even of uplifting tributes to Dr. Martin Luther King is thought to be a corrupting kind. The values that are instilled are to mainly to watch Black young men killing one another in movies, on records, and street corners all across the cities.
Three weeks after the album's release, the debate suddenly went suprenova. In Billboard magazine, editor Timthony White called for record- store chains to boycott the record, writing, "His unabashed espousal of violence against Koreans, Jews and other whites crossess the line that divides art from the advocacy of crime. This particular magazine try to avoid controversies as much as possible.
James Bernard, senior editor of The Source, defended Ice Cube against call for boycotts, "Yes, Ice Cube is very angry, and he expresses that anger in harsh, blunt and unmistakeable terms. The source of Bernard rage was very real. Many Black communities feel as if Cube had open a season on Black s with the Rodney King assault and the recent murder of a young Black girl by a Korean merchant. Bernard and other African- American fans understood the fiery conclusion of "Black Korea" as a mythical resolution.
'Black Korea' holds the tone of the neighborhood and the feelings of the people. A survey was done by UCLA on the racial attitudes in Los Angeles, just after the April uprising. 41 percent of Black votes and 48 percent of Asians felt that it was difficult to get along with other culture groups. African- Americans felt worse about Asians after the riots. Asians, also saw Blacks more negatively.
The Target of a Nationwide Boycott (pp. 349- 350)
"On October 31, 1991, Death Certificate had advance orders of more than a million copies, making it an instant hit, which it was immediately greeted with boycotts."
The Simon Wiesenthal Center called upon four major retail record chains to boycott Cube's album in November 1, 1991, calling it a "a cultural Molotov coctail", as well as "a real threat."
"Two days later, November 3, 1991; the Korean American Coalition (KAC) held its own press conference, issuing a statement jointly signed by a rainbow coalition of civil rights organizations: the Japanese American Citizen League, the Los Angeles Urban League, the NAACP, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Guardian Angles began pickets, in New York and Los Angeles at record stores carrying Cube's album. Korean swap- meet vendors and the Camelot Music cahin also joined the boycott, against Ice Cube's album."
In every mind of Korean Americans, they all felt oppress or even treated unfairly by society. Executive Director Jerry Yu stated "We're constantly trampled on, nobody listens to us, we're constantly seen through distorted images in the media" and he later mention that "We're not really battling against Ice Cube, all we're trying to do is get him to understand our concerns, get him to respond to our issues."
The record sold well over a million and a half records besides the chaos that took place. Ice Cube bragged that he was not the one to mess with because of his success of sells. A month before Cube's album release Ja Du; the Korean- American that killed and shot Harlins nine times was convicted and voluntary sentence to manslaughter. 'Korean- American leaders worried about the firebombings and the racist tensions, that they decided that they needed to take a stand against "Black Korean," Yumi Jhang- Park, the executive director of the Korean American Grocers' Association (KAGRO), said, "This is a life- and death situtation. What if someone listened to the song and set fire to a store?"
Korean- American activists were unable to reach the mainstream press with their message. Entertainment Tonight interviewed Yu regarding the boycott, they videotaped him for over thirty minutes, yet the story only featured him breifly, reading lyric excerpts from "Black Korean." Instead, Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center was shown explaining the boycott for most segment. It was clear to Korean- American leaders that they would have try a different tack. KAGRO decided to hit Cube where it hurt him the most.
Introduction:
Ice Cube and Angela Y. Davis met one another in mid 1991, by leaving the group NWA and joining Dr. Dre group and production, as well as becoming a muslim.
Cube's albums "Amerikkka" and "Death Cerificate" stirups controverse worldwide.
The Gangsta Meets the Revolutionary (pp. 334- 337)
Publicist Leyla Turkkan's came up with the idea to interview Angela Y. Davis with Ice Cube to get rise the the radical rappist (Ice Cube) and the radical revolutionist (Angela Y. Davis). "By sitting Cube with Davis, he presented himself as an inheritor of the Balck radical tradition." Davis mention that she listen to a few songs on Cube's unfinish album, dut she still felt at a disadvantage in the conversation. To make Davis feel comfort able, Cube shared information with that she would relate too which was that his mother and Davis both grew up in the South.
Davis latter mention "After moving to Watts, she had come of age as a participant in the 1965 riots." Now, the conversation became to be awarke to Cube, if I can recall he related the discussion over politics to be similar to be as if he was talking to his mother, which made Davis agitated with Cube and his reaction to his outlook of life. So, "Davis asked Cube how felt about the older generation." Cube response was that "When I look at older people, I don't think they feel that they can learn from the younger generation. I try and tell my mother things that she just doesn't want to hear sometimes."
Latter, the conversation change from generation to gender, Cube's discomfort was papable. Cube express that men were oppress and given a hard throughout society. Davis said men are the only ones oppress women are too. The conversation began to heat up; from my thoughts of it. Cube carried the thought women should be supporters for black men, which they always been. Davis agrued that women deserve equality just like men and she think they both should support one another, as well as having an equal status to one another.
Two Videotapes (pp. 337- 340)
In May of 1963, news footage of Black Civil rights protestors were being attack by police with dogs and firehoses in Birmingham, Alabama, which had a powerful effect in mobilizing public opinion during debates over the Civil Rights Act. March of 1991, a legislation was on the table "when two videotapes- one from an amateur camcorder and one from a store surveilance camera surfaced "of police bruality of the Rodney King beaten and killing of March 3, 1991.
Two weekends later from the Rodney King beaten; La Tasha Harlins was shot nine times and killed by a Korean- American storekeeper at Empire Liqour Market Deli on 9127 South Figueroa in South Central Los Angeles on March 16, 1991.
The history on how Asian Americans got ahold of the many liquor stores was mainly because African- Amercans sold these stores to the Asians because they felt that the investment was not worth it. One Black owner- seller stated "Seven days as week, twenty four hours a day, no vacations, people stealing. That's slave labor." Plus, "many Black owners were happy to get out of the business, even happier to sell to Korean immigrants at more than double their investment."
The big problem for many neighborhoods was that the liquor stores were poor substitutes for grocery stores. In 1965, few supermarkets reopened, and even fewer were built in the area. There were an amount of three hundred Van grocery stores had open in the region, but only two open in South Central. The worse part of the problem was that "study after study found that supermarkets in South Central were the most expensive in the county, with grocery prices up to 20 percent to 30 percent higher than those in the suburbs and exurbs. Politicians would not do anything about it. It was as if they figured liquor was more important to inner- city residents than food. Immigrant liquor- store entrepreneurs did not provide what people really needed, but they still filled a void that no neelse was willing."
In 1986, African- American and Korean- American civil rights leader formed the Black- Korean Alliance after four Korean merchants were killed in one month. The group wanted to increase communication in the community through programs like youth and cultural exchanges Black and Korean churches. A boycott of the Korean Americans was unable to be stop in 1989. Bush recession hit Los Angeles hard in 1991, eliminating 300,000 more jobs, due to eleven Korean - American merchants being killed in robberies, and another fourteen were seriously wounded.
Mainstream media largely ignored these, and the Harlins video foreclosed any further discussion.
Black Korea (pp. 346- 347)
A lot of Asian- American immigrant entrepreneurs were fearful of Ice Cube and the message he carried. The lines of race and calss and generation and difference all cam together. Cube's gangstcentric view saw the change of South Central and saw that it was becoming Black Korea.
Tension between African- Americans and Asian Americans was a major sub- text running through Death Certificate. On "Us," he called for racial solidarity to respond to 'Japs grabbing every vacant lot in my' hood to build a store and sell they goods"- a sonic analogue to John Singleton's "Seoul to Seoul Reality" billboard in Boyz N The Hood. On "Horny Lil" Devil," a track about Black male emasculation, he metaphorically wiped out the "devils"- white sexual harassers of black women, racists and "fags"- and finished up at the corner store beating down the Japenes owner. Black Korea became the fiery climax.
In the Spike Lee's movie "Do the Right Thing", Korean- American shopkeeper Sonny saves his store from being burned by arguing he is Black too. Ice Cube focuses more on the confrontation between Radio Raheem attempting to purchase twenty batteries for his boombox in Spike's Lee movie and compare it to when he acted in the movie Boyz N The Hood, which his character attempted to purchase a forty- ounce bottle of malt liquor, and considered both situtations to be prejudice.
Cube latter speaks about how Spike's movie was stripped of its humor, leaving only the raw racial conflict. Now, the ghetto is turning into "Black Korea", according Cube.
The Real Stakes (pp. 347- 349)
No rap album had ever been as controversial as Death Certificate. High- brow magazines that rarely felt compelled to comment on "low" culture seized on the album as an example of rap's depravity. An editorial in The Economist invoked Adoro's criticism of jazz as neo- fascistic, evoking "rhythmically obedient" Hip- Hoppers. "In rap as in rock, rebellion sells," the editorial read. "Sadly, too few fans distinguish between the rebellious and reactionary." It was believed by many that the comsumption of racist sterotypes of brutality towards women or even of uplifting tributes to Dr. Martin Luther King is thought to be a corrupting kind. The values that are instilled are to mainly to watch Black young men killing one another in movies, on records, and street corners all across the cities.
Three weeks after the album's release, the debate suddenly went suprenova. In Billboard magazine, editor Timthony White called for record- store chains to boycott the record, writing, "His unabashed espousal of violence against Koreans, Jews and other whites crossess the line that divides art from the advocacy of crime. This particular magazine try to avoid controversies as much as possible.
James Bernard, senior editor of The Source, defended Ice Cube against call for boycotts, "Yes, Ice Cube is very angry, and he expresses that anger in harsh, blunt and unmistakeable terms. The source of Bernard rage was very real. Many Black communities feel as if Cube had open a season on Black s with the Rodney King assault and the recent murder of a young Black girl by a Korean merchant. Bernard and other African- American fans understood the fiery conclusion of "Black Korea" as a mythical resolution.
'Black Korea' holds the tone of the neighborhood and the feelings of the people. A survey was done by UCLA on the racial attitudes in Los Angeles, just after the April uprising. 41 percent of Black votes and 48 percent of Asians felt that it was difficult to get along with other culture groups. African- Americans felt worse about Asians after the riots. Asians, also saw Blacks more negatively.
The Target of a Nationwide Boycott (pp. 349- 350)
"On October 31, 1991, Death Certificate had advance orders of more than a million copies, making it an instant hit, which it was immediately greeted with boycotts."
The Simon Wiesenthal Center called upon four major retail record chains to boycott Cube's album in November 1, 1991, calling it a "a cultural Molotov coctail", as well as "a real threat."
"Two days later, November 3, 1991; the Korean American Coalition (KAC) held its own press conference, issuing a statement jointly signed by a rainbow coalition of civil rights organizations: the Japanese American Citizen League, the Los Angeles Urban League, the NAACP, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Guardian Angles began pickets, in New York and Los Angeles at record stores carrying Cube's album. Korean swap- meet vendors and the Camelot Music cahin also joined the boycott, against Ice Cube's album."
In every mind of Korean Americans, they all felt oppress or even treated unfairly by society. Executive Director Jerry Yu stated "We're constantly trampled on, nobody listens to us, we're constantly seen through distorted images in the media" and he later mention that "We're not really battling against Ice Cube, all we're trying to do is get him to understand our concerns, get him to respond to our issues."
The record sold well over a million and a half records besides the chaos that took place. Ice Cube bragged that he was not the one to mess with because of his success of sells. A month before Cube's album release Ja Du; the Korean- American that killed and shot Harlins nine times was convicted and voluntary sentence to manslaughter. 'Korean- American leaders worried about the firebombings and the racist tensions, that they decided that they needed to take a stand against "Black Korean," Yumi Jhang- Park, the executive director of the Korean American Grocers' Association (KAGRO), said, "This is a life- and death situtation. What if someone listened to the song and set fire to a store?"
Korean- American activists were unable to reach the mainstream press with their message. Entertainment Tonight interviewed Yu regarding the boycott, they videotaped him for over thirty minutes, yet the story only featured him breifly, reading lyric excerpts from "Black Korean." Instead, Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center was shown explaining the boycott for most segment. It was clear to Korean- American leaders that they would have try a different tack. KAGRO decided to hit Cube where it hurt him the most.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Women and Hip- Hop
In response to the article in the Village Voice and tape recording shown in class on July 15, 2009 about "Your Revolution" written by Sarah Jones. I agree that our society is consistently supporting women being treated as second class citizens. Even, now when the social conscience is present in most individuals or in a period of time where an atmosphere of geneder equality supposely exisit.
The example Ms. Grea gave in her article written inside the Village Voice was that "the FCC condemns precisely the elements of the elements of thesong/ poem that make it an effective protest tool."
Meaning FCC attack the words of Sarah Jones "Your Revolution" because it enpowers women not view themselves as set objects, and pleasure objects for men to exploit.
So, it is blataintly clear to this reader that the FCC apparently support anything that will not enpower women. It is still obivious that objectification and maginalization of women is still a social issue in our society.
In reality, progress for women in terms of reducing female exploitation is a force and not only is the degradation a frequent element in the music videos; it is also promoted. This is evident on programslike MTV, BET, VH1, and Fuse. it has became difficult to eradicate these images of women when such big promotional giants as well as big time celebraties such as; Nelly, Lil Wayne, and Mystical continues to be disrespectful towards women in their videos. Especially, as album sales continues to grow in record numbers. This popularity of rap videos that endorse the preception that women should be treated with no respect and as sex objects.
The example Ms. Grea gave in her article written inside the Village Voice was that "the FCC condemns precisely the elements of the elements of thesong/ poem that make it an effective protest tool."
Meaning FCC attack the words of Sarah Jones "Your Revolution" because it enpowers women not view themselves as set objects, and pleasure objects for men to exploit.
So, it is blataintly clear to this reader that the FCC apparently support anything that will not enpower women. It is still obivious that objectification and maginalization of women is still a social issue in our society.
In reality, progress for women in terms of reducing female exploitation is a force and not only is the degradation a frequent element in the music videos; it is also promoted. This is evident on programslike MTV, BET, VH1, and Fuse. it has became difficult to eradicate these images of women when such big promotional giants as well as big time celebraties such as; Nelly, Lil Wayne, and Mystical continues to be disrespectful towards women in their videos. Especially, as album sales continues to grow in record numbers. This popularity of rap videos that endorse the preception that women should be treated with no respect and as sex objects.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Is Graffiti Art or Vandalism
July 12, 2009
Professor Andrew Ryan
Debative
Is Graffiti Art or Vandalism
Graffiti is known to be the first element of the Hip- Hop cultur and also the myriad of international styles which has derived from New York City's Subway stations. However, there are many other instances of notable graffiti this century. Graffiti has long appeared on caves, walls, railroad boxcars and subways. I believe the one with the longest history, dates back to the 30, 000 BCE during caveman times when graffiti appeared as paintings and pictographs of the usage of tools such as animal bones and pigment. These illustrations were often placed in ceremonial and sacred locations inside of the caves. The images drawn on the wall showed scences of animal wildlife and hunting expeditions inmost circumstances, as well as tracking of history.
The anicent Romans, also carved graffiti on walls and monuments, which examples how Egyptians survive. Graffiti in the classical world had different connotations than it carries in today's society concerning content. Ancient graffiti displayed phrases of love declarations, political rhetoric, and simple words of thought which is the same as today, but the popular message differ in some ways about the social and political ideals. th eruption of Vesuvius perserved graffiti in Pompell, including Latin crses, magic spells, declaration of love, alphabets, political slogans and famous literary quotes, providing insiht in anicient Roman street life. Now, it has been proven that graffitti is historic and world profound. Then it should be easy for people to appreciate because this was form of how we kept track of history and express ourselves as people.
As discuss in class about World War II and the decades afterwards, the phrase "Kilroy was here" with an illustration to accompany it, made graffiti spread throughout the world because of the American troops and making it easy for graffiti to filter into the American popular culture. Awhile after the death of Charlie Parker who's nickname was "Yardbird" or "Bird"; attracted exisitence of graffiti to and around New York because of the words "Bird Lives". Later, student protests and form a general strike on May 1968 and saw Paris bedecked in revolutionary, anarchist, and situationist slogans such as L'ennui est contre-révolutionnaire, which means "Boredom is counterrevolutionary" and was expressed in varoius arts which is painted graffiti, poster art, and stencil art. During this period the U.S. at this time became phrases of politics such as "Free Huey" from the Black Panther (Huey Newton) which became briefly popular as graffiti in limited areas, only to be forgotten. A popular graffito of the 1970s was the legend "Dick Nixon Before He Dicks You," reflecting the hostility of the youth culture to that U.S. president.
Rock and roll graffiti played a significant role in the history of graffiti. A famous graffito of the 20th century was the inscription in the London subway reading "Clapton is God". The phrase was spray-painted by an admirer on a wall in an Islington Underground station in the autumn of 1967. The graffiti was captured in a photograph, which a dog is seen urinating on the wall. Graffiti also became associated with the anti-establishment such as; the punk rock movement that began in the 1970s. Bands such as Black Flag and Crass, as well as other followers widely stenciled their names and logos, while many punk night clubs, squats and hangouts were famous for their graffiti. In the late 1980s the upside down Martini glass that was the tag for punk band Missing Foundation, which was the most ubiquitous of graffito in lower Manhattan, and copied by hard core punk fans throughout the U.S. and West Germany.
In the year 1979, graffiti artist Lee Quinones and Fab 5 Freddy, which we learned in Monday's class; were given a gallery opening in Rome by art dealer Claudio Bruni. For those whole lived outside of New York, this was a great opprutunity and a first encounter for at an art form. Fab 5 Freddy's friendship with Debbie Harry influenced Blondie's single "Rapture" (Chrysalis, 1981), a video of which featured Jean-Michel Basquiat of the SAMO© Graffiti, and gave them glimpse of depiction of elements involving graffiti in the hip hop culture. Most importantly, Charlie Ahearn's independently released a fiction film called Wild Style (1982), which we saw on Monday's class and the early PBS documentary titled Style Wars (1983). Hit songs such as "The Message" and "Planet Rock" and their accompanying music videos (both 1982) contributed to a growing interest outside New York in all aspects of hip hop. Style Wars depicted not only famous graffiti artists such as Skeme, Dondi, MinOne and Zephyr, but also reinforced graffiti's roles within New York, allowing it to emerge with hip hop culture by incorporating famous early break dancing groups such as Rock Steady Crew into the film which also features a solely rap soundtracks. Style Wars is still recognized as the most prolific film that is a representation of what was going on within the young hip hop culture of the early 1980s. Fab 5 Freddy and Futura 2000 took hip hop graffiti to Paris and London as part of the New York City Rap Tour of 1983. Hollywood also paid a lot more attention, consulting writers like PHASE 2 as it depicted the culture and gave it international exposure in movies like Beat Street (Orion, 1984).
During this period, graffiti also saw the emergencement of the new stencil graffiti genre. Some of the first examples of Hip- Hop was created in 1981 by graffiti artist Blek le Rat in Paris and also by 1985 stencils had appeared in other cities including New York City, Sydney and Melbourne, where they were documented by American photographer Charles Gatewood and Australian photograher Rennie Ellis.
To conclude, I believe that graffiti is more of an art than vandalism, mainly because of creative usage of spray paint that produces an artwork that is beautiful and also beautifies the community and it's a form communication to people. The purposes and functions of graffiti is mainly for: (1) visual delight, (2) social and political purposes, (3) cultural expression, (4) personal expression, (5) spiritual sustenance, (6) day- to - day living, and (7) communication.
Professor Andrew Ryan
Debative
Is Graffiti Art or Vandalism
Graffiti is known to be the first element of the Hip- Hop cultur and also the myriad of international styles which has derived from New York City's Subway stations. However, there are many other instances of notable graffiti this century. Graffiti has long appeared on caves, walls, railroad boxcars and subways. I believe the one with the longest history, dates back to the 30, 000 BCE during caveman times when graffiti appeared as paintings and pictographs of the usage of tools such as animal bones and pigment. These illustrations were often placed in ceremonial and sacred locations inside of the caves. The images drawn on the wall showed scences of animal wildlife and hunting expeditions inmost circumstances, as well as tracking of history.
The anicent Romans, also carved graffiti on walls and monuments, which examples how Egyptians survive. Graffiti in the classical world had different connotations than it carries in today's society concerning content. Ancient graffiti displayed phrases of love declarations, political rhetoric, and simple words of thought which is the same as today, but the popular message differ in some ways about the social and political ideals. th eruption of Vesuvius perserved graffiti in Pompell, including Latin crses, magic spells, declaration of love, alphabets, political slogans and famous literary quotes, providing insiht in anicient Roman street life. Now, it has been proven that graffitti is historic and world profound. Then it should be easy for people to appreciate because this was form of how we kept track of history and express ourselves as people.
As discuss in class about World War II and the decades afterwards, the phrase "Kilroy was here" with an illustration to accompany it, made graffiti spread throughout the world because of the American troops and making it easy for graffiti to filter into the American popular culture. Awhile after the death of Charlie Parker who's nickname was "Yardbird" or "Bird"; attracted exisitence of graffiti to and around New York because of the words "Bird Lives". Later, student protests and form a general strike on May 1968 and saw Paris bedecked in revolutionary, anarchist, and situationist slogans such as L'ennui est contre-révolutionnaire, which means "Boredom is counterrevolutionary" and was expressed in varoius arts which is painted graffiti, poster art, and stencil art. During this period the U.S. at this time became phrases of politics such as "Free Huey" from the Black Panther (Huey Newton) which became briefly popular as graffiti in limited areas, only to be forgotten. A popular graffito of the 1970s was the legend "Dick Nixon Before He Dicks You," reflecting the hostility of the youth culture to that U.S. president.
Rock and roll graffiti played a significant role in the history of graffiti. A famous graffito of the 20th century was the inscription in the London subway reading "Clapton is God". The phrase was spray-painted by an admirer on a wall in an Islington Underground station in the autumn of 1967. The graffiti was captured in a photograph, which a dog is seen urinating on the wall. Graffiti also became associated with the anti-establishment such as; the punk rock movement that began in the 1970s. Bands such as Black Flag and Crass, as well as other followers widely stenciled their names and logos, while many punk night clubs, squats and hangouts were famous for their graffiti. In the late 1980s the upside down Martini glass that was the tag for punk band Missing Foundation, which was the most ubiquitous of graffito in lower Manhattan, and copied by hard core punk fans throughout the U.S. and West Germany.
In the year 1979, graffiti artist Lee Quinones and Fab 5 Freddy, which we learned in Monday's class; were given a gallery opening in Rome by art dealer Claudio Bruni. For those whole lived outside of New York, this was a great opprutunity and a first encounter for at an art form. Fab 5 Freddy's friendship with Debbie Harry influenced Blondie's single "Rapture" (Chrysalis, 1981), a video of which featured Jean-Michel Basquiat of the SAMO© Graffiti, and gave them glimpse of depiction of elements involving graffiti in the hip hop culture. Most importantly, Charlie Ahearn's independently released a fiction film called Wild Style (1982), which we saw on Monday's class and the early PBS documentary titled Style Wars (1983). Hit songs such as "The Message" and "Planet Rock" and their accompanying music videos (both 1982) contributed to a growing interest outside New York in all aspects of hip hop. Style Wars depicted not only famous graffiti artists such as Skeme, Dondi, MinOne and Zephyr, but also reinforced graffiti's roles within New York, allowing it to emerge with hip hop culture by incorporating famous early break dancing groups such as Rock Steady Crew into the film which also features a solely rap soundtracks. Style Wars is still recognized as the most prolific film that is a representation of what was going on within the young hip hop culture of the early 1980s. Fab 5 Freddy and Futura 2000 took hip hop graffiti to Paris and London as part of the New York City Rap Tour of 1983. Hollywood also paid a lot more attention, consulting writers like PHASE 2 as it depicted the culture and gave it international exposure in movies like Beat Street (Orion, 1984).
During this period, graffiti also saw the emergencement of the new stencil graffiti genre. Some of the first examples of Hip- Hop was created in 1981 by graffiti artist Blek le Rat in Paris and also by 1985 stencils had appeared in other cities including New York City, Sydney and Melbourne, where they were documented by American photographer Charles Gatewood and Australian photograher Rennie Ellis.
To conclude, I believe that graffiti is more of an art than vandalism, mainly because of creative usage of spray paint that produces an artwork that is beautiful and also beautifies the community and it's a form communication to people. The purposes and functions of graffiti is mainly for: (1) visual delight, (2) social and political purposes, (3) cultural expression, (4) personal expression, (5) spiritual sustenance, (6) day- to - day living, and (7) communication.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Hip- Hop and Fashion
Hip- Hop is known by many to be commercialize, as discussed in Monday's class, as well as many other class discussions that has been held. Hip- Hop has left the inner city and music industry to be sub- culture and promoting massively produced objects that captures its audience attention.
One thing in particular that would make Hip- Hop commercialize is fashion (dress). Hip- Hop known to be a distinctive style of dressing that originates from African- American, Caribbean- American and Latino youths which influence the Hip- Hop scenes of Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, The Dirty South and etc. Every city contributes various elements to Hip- Hop style overall and worldwide today. I strongly feel that Hip- Hop fashion complements the expressions and attitudes of Hip- Hop culturein general. The fashion of Hip- Hop has change significantly during its history and today through Hip- Hop artists, which is making fashion prominently popular as a whole across the world reaching all ethnicities.
Examples of how Hip- Hop fashion became popular is in the early 1980s, when sportswear was establish by fashion brands, such as Le Coq Sportif, Kangol, Adidas, Pro- Keds and Nike Inc, which attached themselves to Hip- Hop industry.
In the 80s Hip- Hop icons wor these clothing that were listed above. The items that were wore were listed above. The items that were wore were brightly colored name- brand track suits, sheepskin and leather bomber jackets, which are in style today. As well as Clark shoes, British Walkers and sneakers that are usually are Pro- Keds,
One thing in particular that would make Hip- Hop commercialize is fashion (dress). Hip- Hop known to be a distinctive style of dressing that originates from African- American, Caribbean- American and Latino youths which influence the Hip- Hop scenes of Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, The Dirty South and etc. Every city contributes various elements to Hip- Hop style overall and worldwide today. I strongly feel that Hip- Hop fashion complements the expressions and attitudes of Hip- Hop culturein general. The fashion of Hip- Hop has change significantly during its history and today through Hip- Hop artists, which is making fashion prominently popular as a whole across the world reaching all ethnicities.
Examples of how Hip- Hop fashion became popular is in the early 1980s, when sportswear was establish by fashion brands, such as Le Coq Sportif, Kangol, Adidas, Pro- Keds and Nike Inc, which attached themselves to Hip- Hop industry.
In the 80s Hip- Hop icons wor these clothing that were listed above. The items that were wore were listed above. The items that were wore were brightly colored name- brand track suits, sheepskin and leather bomber jackets, which are in style today. As well as Clark shoes, British Walkers and sneakers that are usually are Pro- Keds,
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Chapter 7: The Transformation of Hip- Hop
July 10, 2009
Hip- Hop and Culture
Professor Ryan
Analysis
Hip- Hop and Culture
Professor Ryan
Analysis
Chapter 7: The World is Ours: Survival and Transformation of Bronx Style
In Chapter 7: The World is Ours: Survival and Transformation of Bronx Style of the book titled "Hip- Hop: New Generation" by author Jeffery Chang; discusses how B- Boying/ B- Girling and Graffiti crews began to fade- out in the late 70's and early 80's and were exchanged for gangs, prisons were built, which both gangs and prison life lead to death. He also went into details of what came with this transformation/transition for Bronx, New York in this time period of the Hip- Hop culture, which wasn't good for the inner city in some aspect (pp. 127).
Latter in the chapter Chang discusses what the new decade had brought for the Bronx and the United States, which was commerical success of making Hip- Hop worldwide of the passing of tapes or bootleg cassettes. These "live bootleg cassette tapes of Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaata, Grand Master Flash and Furious 5, L Brothers, the Cold Crush, the Brothers and others were freestyle of OJ Cabs that took folks across the city. The tapes were soon, passed hand to hand in the African Americans and Hispanic neighborhoods of Brooklyn, the Lower East Side, Queens and Long Island' s black belt"(pp. 127, 131, 133).
In addition to this chapter, Chang briefly spoke about "The Distribution" which talks about the drug trade (pp. 127- 129), "The Endrun" and how it involved NYCPD poising as neighborhood drug dealers; who pinned drug gangs against one another and watch them rat/tell on one another or even wrost kill one another for the satisfactory of ending the corruption and existence of drug wars (pp. 129- 134).
How I Listen to Hip- Hop Music
La Wanda Harding
July 7, 2009
Hip- Hop and Culture
Professor Ryan
July 7, 2009
Hip- Hop and Culture
Professor Ryan
How I Listen to Hip- Hop Music
The following blog will discuss the following: (1) definition of music and its origin, (2) how I listen to Hip- Hop music, and (3) inspiring artists.
Webster dictionary defines music to be a form of art, which has a medium sound, that contains the following elements; pitch which contains melody and harmony, rhythm (that is mainly made up of tempo, meter, and articulation) dynamics, timbre and texture. This word derive from the Greeks, who identifies music to be an art of muse.
I strongly agree with Greeks, when one listen to music is it's enormously calming effects as well as the mind opening and meditative service it does to countless others. As music transcends the globe it helps the listener to become less egocentric, and become more exocentric to live outside themselves. The world is then open up to the listener no matter what mood he or she is in or the nationality.
For example the Jay- Z lyrics that speak about the unfair race relation inside the United States. And how he himself had to deal with racism first hand, although he had become a big time rap star and record executive.
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