A dominant concern of the music industry has always been the discourse surrounding the notion of manufacturing celebrity. Indeed, it is a discourse that is dictated by well known narratives and which utilizes cross promotional aspects of all mediums of the media. It is based partially on the idea that an individual fan can enter into a personal relationship with a celebrity through their music, television exposes, celebrity magazines, paparazzi photographs and ‘unauthorized’ biographies. Moreover, this personal relationship flourishes through the fan identifying with the struggles the celebrity has or is presented with. For example, a common storyline is where the artist is born into humble circumstances, is ‘discovered’, rises to fame, is over taken by demons (whether in the form of substance abuse, greed, depression etc), repents of this behavior, and then is further accepted by many adoring fans.
Interestingly, these techniques used to manufacture celebrity, these ‘strings behind the puppet’, are put centre stage in reality TV’s Pop Idol. An ordinary person is ‘discovered’ by the Judges and the audience, consequently, rising to fame once facing the struggles and transitions of becoming an ‘idol’. Ideas of authenticity and ‘realness’ create a ‘bond’ between fan and potential ‘idol’. This is framed by personal interviews, ‘meeting the family’, watching makeovers, and viewing dance/ singing lessons. However, the main difference between celebrities manufactured on Pop Idol and celebrities which are not is that it appears that majority of Pop Idol celebrities lose their celebrity status shortly after the completion of the reality TV show. Why is this? Perhaps, because they are seen as not ‘authentic’ or ‘real’ musicians/ celebrities because the audience is shown overtly the manufacturing that went into them? Perhaps, it is this enigma quality of celebrities that further perpetuates fans interest, and thus, their success/ fame? Or perhaps, it is as simple as the Pop Idol celebrities are not as musically talented as celebrities who did not rise to fame through Pop Idol? Whatever the answer, one can see that the notion of manufacturing celebrity, the correlating rise of the adoring fan and longevity of the musical artist are complex in interaction.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Spaggetti Westerns
From reading Anahid Kassabians book Hearing Film: tracking identifications in contemporary Hollywood film music I became interested in the idea of how we describe film soundtracks. It was not until reading Kassabians’ book that I realised the way most people just accept the rigid terms of diegetic and non-diegetic sound as tools to distinguish different types of music sources within films. I don’t like the way the notion of non-diegetic music is premised on the assumption that there was a film before the sound
However this notion is not always correct… Often music plays such a profound role in movies that it helps shape the narrative more than dialogue or image. On top of this, there are some instances where the music has been written specifically for a film, prior to it being written or shot. This was the case for one of my favourite directors Sergio Leone and a number of his classic spaghetti Westerns. Ennio Morricone composed the soundtrack for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly before the film was made, and scenes were then created by Leone to accompany the dramatic music. The epic Once Upon a Time in the West was another one of Leone’s masterpieces which was edited following the creation of the songs many months prior to creation of the westerns. The music clearly provides the rhythm for Leones films – and on top of this, music is used as a Leimotiv where characters are portrayed and distinguished by a certain theme tune for example the chilling solo harmonica wails which accompany the mysterious cowboy every time he appears on the screen and add to his eerie character as well as literally “speaking” for him.
Following blogs concerning Arnold Bax, I think spaghetti westerns are relevant examples of the way in which film could aspire to become – more privileging of the sound and the elimination of the notion that there existed a film before the sound. In an age where video clips have become prevalent forms of entertainment, shaped around the moulding of image in order to portray the meaning of songs or in some case solely to sell a song I believe we must look in to the distinctions we use to analyse sound within films. I am not suggesting that every films soundtrack should be created before the films production, however I do believe it is important to demystify the so-called hierarchy of films which privileges image over sound.
The female body in Hip Hop
The representation of the female body in hip hop is often viewed as controversial and degrading. Hip hop music videos can often be read as exploiting and sexually objectifying women's bodies. Well known music video director Hype Williams has been criticised for his portrayal of the female body and the way that he 'cuts' the body up in his clips. By not showing the body as a whole, and often not including the face, he represents the body as an object and separates the body from the mind. The male gaze and the objectification of women is not new to visual representation and has existed in art for centuries.
Jeff Chang, in his book Total Chaos, discusses the way that women in hip hop videos can be seen as a celebration of the beauty of the predominantly black women's bodies. In the main stream media the bodies of black women are not always portrayed as a symbol of beauty. Chang is not concerned about the representation of sex and sexuality but by the way it is represented. He argues that by including sexuality, money and violence, hip hop is discussing these issues more openly and honestly than other genres which don't often discuss these issues such as white rock.
Anna
Jeff Chang, in his book Total Chaos, discusses the way that women in hip hop videos can be seen as a celebration of the beauty of the predominantly black women's bodies. In the main stream media the bodies of black women are not always portrayed as a symbol of beauty. Chang is not concerned about the representation of sex and sexuality but by the way it is represented. He argues that by including sexuality, money and violence, hip hop is discussing these issues more openly and honestly than other genres which don't often discuss these issues such as white rock.
Anna
Josie and the Pussycats
When thinking about the film Josie and the Pussycats nothing really comes to mind. The film wasn’t particularly great and the acting was forgettable but the film does comment with a satire nature on MTV commercialism and the fickle pop music market, and the effect it has on teenage conformity to what they see on MTV. “It is a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the nature of the music biz.”*
The film is about a girl group who want to make it big. They are discovered by a sleazy music agent Wyatt Frame who wants to make all their wildest dreams come true. The girls make a record in a short amount of time which goes from number 86 on the charts to number one in something like a week. This in itself looks at what MTV has done to the music industry, overloading the system with no talent, one hit wonders who can’t even sing but are put on the air because they look good in anything and can sell merchandise. This leads to the next point in the film where we discover that the record industry is putting subliminal messaging in to the songs of artists by the help of the machine. If any music group discovers they are easily disposed of which happens right at the start of the film with the band Dejour and are replaced faster than lightening with another group who wants to be famous.
We also discover that it is not only the record industry that is in on it but also the American Government. They have joined forces to brainwash the youth of
Ironically, however, the directors want to negatively comment on consumerism in the music industry and also the film industry indicating artist who fall in to the trap of consumerism are sell-outs but the film itself is a canvas for product placement and the merchandise that comes with it.
*www.contactmusic.com/new/film.nsf/reviews/josie
Morphing, what I think Sandywell and Beer have to say
Today I shall discuss the reader in a little depth for a wee bit, correct me if I get anything wrong
as the Article states it is not a beginning perception of it as a whole but a critic of the culture it is coming from, I agree with the beginning ideas of what the world is changing into now days , the music is a reflection of the ever changing world we live in. thanks to technology there is now a chance for the musicians to conduct 'Playful experimentation' with the sounds they are offered. I am in a little disagreement with this idea as for the most part these people are taking sounds from other performers that would spend a long time creating this music and these mixers just take the sound and create something new from it.
This piece then goes onto talk about political control of media control I believe so this is a retaliation of the spirit of music, use to be for the masses and now being for those with contracts. sort of Punk movement from what I gather from lecture to create one's new sound (from the film this week a guy even took sounds from all sorts of natural things like doors slamming and cats for his own piece of music, highlighting that music is everywhere and now we have post analogue recording technology we can use them to bring our imagination to life
The essay also says the idea of sub genres that all the morphing of music to be created as we are not stuck in strict styles of music and that is how all music has evoloved. it is thanks to Morphing all music has changed through the years and with out it we we would all be stcuk with music from the stonge ages since today's mixers are doing nothing different then the people who invented the Piano or the Violin.
well that is it for now
cheers
simonL
as the Article states it is not a beginning perception of it as a whole but a critic of the culture it is coming from, I agree with the beginning ideas of what the world is changing into now days , the music is a reflection of the ever changing world we live in. thanks to technology there is now a chance for the musicians to conduct 'Playful experimentation' with the sounds they are offered. I am in a little disagreement with this idea as for the most part these people are taking sounds from other performers that would spend a long time creating this music and these mixers just take the sound and create something new from it.
This piece then goes onto talk about political control of media control I believe so this is a retaliation of the spirit of music, use to be for the masses and now being for those with contracts. sort of Punk movement from what I gather from lecture to create one's new sound (from the film this week a guy even took sounds from all sorts of natural things like doors slamming and cats for his own piece of music, highlighting that music is everywhere and now we have post analogue recording technology we can use them to bring our imagination to life
The essay also says the idea of sub genres that all the morphing of music to be created as we are not stuck in strict styles of music and that is how all music has evoloved. it is thanks to Morphing all music has changed through the years and with out it we we would all be stcuk with music from the stonge ages since today's mixers are doing nothing different then the people who invented the Piano or the Violin.
well that is it for now
cheers
simonL
Rap Attitude
I found the clips shown in the lecture on Wednesday pretty interesting, particularly The Darker Side of Black. After seeing them, I know I'm a bit guilty of taking the representations in the music videos and films at face value or as gospel, when in reality they are crafty parodies that play on the construction of race. I thought Ice Cube and N.W.A's were striking in that they take elements such as the iconography of gun culture, rap colours, and aviator wearing 'redneck' policemen, and construct an aestheticised image of the city, which refracts back to the audience their mediated perception of social reality and life in the 'ghetto'. I also thought the idea of nihilism in gangsta rap was interesting, and to link back to the idea of morphing, I think that it reinforces the blurriness of the boundaries, that is, how genres, in their unadulterated form, are constructed as belonging to only one group. I think a group like the Beastie Boys, with their eclectic style, exemplifies the idea of taking elements from across the rap continuum, with their knowing parody of the 'white boy' rapper and caricatural punkish antics. The 70s cop film and TV references are interesting too. Here is a link I stumbled across to 'Stop Snitchin', a 60 Minutes segment on the stand-off between kids of the 'ghetto' and the authorities in the US. I think it links back to Ice Cube's idea of a double standard operating, and the macro and micro levels of racial politics, how it reinforces the idea of musical stereotypes operating in the community, the impact of the rap ethos off-screen, and the rapper as a kind of scapegoat.
Stella
Stella
Hip Hop: A digital or analogue aesthetic?
LP records are almost 60 years old as a technology, and yet they persist as being the primary technology for DJing in all forms of dance music (although this is changing). In the late 70's, during the twin ascents of disco and hip hop (although hip hop would remain 'underground' at least until 1980), the concepts of the 'break' and 'remix' were discovered (not to mention 'the dub', the first kind of remix style). Stretching out the instrumental segment of certain records, usually just a drum beat (Africa Bambaataa in Scratch: "That stripped-down funk!"), was a crowd pleaser, to say the least. Whereas the hip hop DJs (even though they weren't called that yet) would engage in a kind of hands-on manipulation of the physical record to stretch out the break, disco producers like Tom Moulton and later Larry Levan remixed dance songs in the studio, stretching them in some cases to over 10 minutes in length. It is easy to see the link between the producer aesthetic of disco and its descendants house, techno and other electronic dance genres, who embraced a more electronic sound.
Hip Hop on the other hand, revelled in the kind of tactility of the record and physical beat manipulation, resulting in the advent of turntablism. In addition to this, the primary building blocks of hip hop have been old records, mainly from the '70s but including recordings dating back to the advent of the record itself. The crackle of vinyl and the imperfection of old recordings became a familiar aspect of hip hop music, and even today, some artists self-consciously augment their songs with these kinds of ambient flourishes. It is important within hip hop and black culture in general to assert one's roots, and this is a way of doing it aesthetically.
However, hip-hop is not a purely analogue aesthetic; there is a vestige of the digital/technological in all the elements. For example, within the graffiti scene, writers such Case, who contributed significantly to the wildstyle movement, consciously introduced a computer-aesthetic to their pieces, with straight lines and pixellated images (see Style Wars). Within breakdancing, familiar moves such as 'the robot' and 'pop-locking' were clear demonstrations of modern technological concepts. Early hip hop standards (a strange, but suitable term) like Herbie Hancock's Rockit (with Grand Mixer DXT) and Africa Bambaataa's Kraftwerk-sampling Planet Rock revelled in their futurism. Hip hop culture is undoubtedly more complex than many people think.
Hip Hop on the other hand, revelled in the kind of tactility of the record and physical beat manipulation, resulting in the advent of turntablism. In addition to this, the primary building blocks of hip hop have been old records, mainly from the '70s but including recordings dating back to the advent of the record itself. The crackle of vinyl and the imperfection of old recordings became a familiar aspect of hip hop music, and even today, some artists self-consciously augment their songs with these kinds of ambient flourishes. It is important within hip hop and black culture in general to assert one's roots, and this is a way of doing it aesthetically.
However, hip-hop is not a purely analogue aesthetic; there is a vestige of the digital/technological in all the elements. For example, within the graffiti scene, writers such Case, who contributed significantly to the wildstyle movement, consciously introduced a computer-aesthetic to their pieces, with straight lines and pixellated images (see Style Wars). Within breakdancing, familiar moves such as 'the robot' and 'pop-locking' were clear demonstrations of modern technological concepts. Early hip hop standards (a strange, but suitable term) like Herbie Hancock's Rockit (with Grand Mixer DXT) and Africa Bambaataa's Kraftwerk-sampling Planet Rock revelled in their futurism. Hip hop culture is undoubtedly more complex than many people think.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Despite the fact that they make my eyes and ears bleed...
One form of morphing that radically alters the nature of both elements involved in its creation is fan created Anime music videos or AMV's. These videos allow people with basic video editing skills and the widely available software to re-edit their favourite Anime television shows and films to match a song that is synced with the clip. The videos are then distributed over the internet through sites like Youtube as fan created tributes to their favourite Anime. These clips allow for the videos creators to reinterpret the meanings of both the original Anime text as well as the song that it is joined with to create a new text. The finished videos go beyond the conventions of both genres and creating something completely new. The ease of digitising and editing AMV's really show how flexible the boundaries between texts are in the modern world are, making them a good example of the trans-morphing discussed in the Barry Sandwell and David Beer article. The article describes trans-morphing as “when a performer morphs across several genres.” By linking the artist performing the song with the Anime hero shown in the visual accompanyment the videos maker creates a performer that morphs between the two genres and takes meanings from both.
Smack that
Reading the post below about Snoop Dog's porn made me think about a clip of an Akon concert that has been circulating around the web. I saw it on C4'S Juicy, and it's pretty disgusting. It isn't porn so much, but an erotically charged clip from a concert of his. If you have yet to see it, I wont actually post the video as I'm in the Arts Computer Lab, and am worried if we are allowed to watch underage sexual assult at university...But I can post this link for the story.
It does support the idea that Nabeel touched on in class a little while back - that just because time has passed, improvements have not neccessarily been made. In this case, it is treatment of woman who are not involved in the production processes of mainstream hip hop music. Akon has been known for having derogatory lyrics to woman. Yes, there are woman that like the ideas that he portrays in his lyrics concerning the way a guy will treat a woman sexually. Woman are still objects - highlighted in this example. If you haven't seen the video, I'm sure youtube has a copy of it. If you haven't, akon gets one of his young fans (15, and underage for sex) up on stage with him, and proceeds to grind into her, dry hump her, all on stage while the crowd cheered on and took photos. When the girl did try to get away, Akon grabbed her back and proceeded his violation. This is a chicken and egg problem. Does Akon's music attract the type of fans that encourage sexual violation of woman, or do the fans learn to encourage it after seeing musicians whose music they respect violate the woman?
This instance has not only affected the girl, her family and Akon's public image, but it has affected other people - musicians he works with - at a financial level. Verizon - a phone company, was a main sponsor of a tour that Gwen Seffani's. Akon was to be opening act for the tour, and because of his actions, Verizon pulled out of their contract. Here, the holla back girl is going to loose ALOT of money. Should Akon pay the difference that Verizon would have provided? And if not, why shouldn't he? Would this contribute to solving the problem regarding the disrespect of female fans in hip hop? How can the general public help solve the problem - if it ever can be solved.
Morphing?
Hey guys, was just reading through the last few entries on stylistic morphing, and as I have yet to read the full text in the Course book was wondering if Morphing as a concept was limited exclusively to a visual term, a la Michael Jackson's "Black or White" and "Biggest Loser", or as a phenom in house music sampling. My musical knowledge is incredibly basic, but I've always wondered about the timining implicit in a musical piece. Timing in the 4/4 or 8 beats per bar kind of thing etc in musical theory. I was always interested in the idea of the segue joining together different parts of a song without a noticible jar or dischord. The thought I had with regard to Computer recording technology was what the affect would be to make a program that could instantaneously fill in the different sound between each note, thereby providing a contious ascending and descending harmony from note to note, but at the same time no matter the tempo of the music, allowing a clearly heard melody, rather than just an electronic change in pitch or town. i.e not up high then down low, in a sense of a zig zag but rather more like a continuous change in realtime from a high chord or key to a lower or higher one and then back, e.g on a piano a-a-c-a/c-c-d-c or what have you would not have a space between the individual notes played. the computer would morph the notes together so that at the specific beat/point in the piece where c or a is played thats what you hear, but in between the change from a-c would be audible. As I've said this different and very likely stupid conception of audio morphing, may not work, being more of a physics student rather than a musician, I am assuming the sound waves will peak trough and superimpose to make this work out, but it is just as likely that they would cancel leaving a horribble white noise instead of music or intermittent warbles that ruin the timing of the entire piece.
What this though was relating to was more the idea I had based on others descriptions of visual and musical morphing of how all of these techniques could be combined imaginatively to create more original and unique takes or samplings of classic music and film edits. As always making a potential tool box bigger leads to more possibilities of expression.
Cheers.
Mike-L
What this though was relating to was more the idea I had based on others descriptions of visual and musical morphing of how all of these techniques could be combined imaginatively to create more original and unique takes or samplings of classic music and film edits. As always making a potential tool box bigger leads to more possibilities of expression.
Cheers.
Mike-L
I read "Stylistic Morphing: Notes on the Digitisation of Contemporary Music Culture by Barry Sandwell and David Beer. I found a particular quote that i thought would be interesting to begin my writings around the subject area.
"Given the new digital conditions of contemporary music-making and appropriation, formal styles and conceptual oppositions are openly manipulated, mixed, spliced and blended into one another. New communications technologies encourage the art of genre mixing as a norm of musical production."
This plays strong reference to new technologies and the digital sounds that can be created in computer technology. Many hit songs across genres are turned into House music tracks with the lyrics preserved over a new digitalised beat. It not only places a fresh sound towards the song but is also made in a way for techno lovers to enjoy the sound as well. This is done through having peaks or drops. There have been huge tracks created from songs and the producers Axwell, Roger Sanchez and The ministry of sound albums are a strong developer of genre mixing tracks.
Using new technologies and digitalising old tracks to make house music and drum and base tracks has become a strong proliferation into this present generation and can be stated as mainstream music. As it is now regularly played in most clubs in the city night life. This blending of popular tracks to make new forms is not about manipulating the system but putting a twist on the sound it self. Hearing another angle to a tune, a new feeling. An example is:
"The killerz - Mr. Brightside (Thin white duke remix)"
Normally a rock song, now remixed into a house track. The song appears to be slower, less agressive and provides a punchy beat with soft guitar playing. The newly morphed track has become one of the most popular songs in the clubbing scene to date. It is an emotionally charged song, because of the peak and when the peak is reached the lyrics are dropped and that is when people feel a sense of release. It is not to say that the newer version is better, i want to argue that this morphed version fits in as a strong predecor to the house music genre itself and does its job by creating different senses by using digital sounds. It is the art of new technologies that builds these tracks and by all means it is an art. It is an art because there is the ability to keep the lyrics and change the sound / beat but to maintain the songs meaning and scope.
In conclusion, the morphing of original tracks into digital songs for house music and drum and base has become stongly popular. Electronica music is becoming the norm in musical production. And is strongly associated in popular clubs and across media texts. Techno culture was seen as an underground fort'e. Now it has come out of the underground and become more mainstream and acceptable forms of release. It is enjoyed by all ages as well. Given the recent events that have occured for free, thanks to the council and alt TV , George FM. The age distribution is spread out with all ages attending. The new side of morphing and digitalising popular songs must be praised simply because it is providing people with a new feel for songs and it keeps things "honest" in the music industry also keeping a highly creative level of expertise at hand.
"Given the new digital conditions of contemporary music-making and appropriation, formal styles and conceptual oppositions are openly manipulated, mixed, spliced and blended into one another. New communications technologies encourage the art of genre mixing as a norm of musical production."
This plays strong reference to new technologies and the digital sounds that can be created in computer technology. Many hit songs across genres are turned into House music tracks with the lyrics preserved over a new digitalised beat. It not only places a fresh sound towards the song but is also made in a way for techno lovers to enjoy the sound as well. This is done through having peaks or drops. There have been huge tracks created from songs and the producers Axwell, Roger Sanchez and The ministry of sound albums are a strong developer of genre mixing tracks.
Using new technologies and digitalising old tracks to make house music and drum and base tracks has become a strong proliferation into this present generation and can be stated as mainstream music. As it is now regularly played in most clubs in the city night life. This blending of popular tracks to make new forms is not about manipulating the system but putting a twist on the sound it self. Hearing another angle to a tune, a new feeling. An example is:
"The killerz - Mr. Brightside (Thin white duke remix)"
Normally a rock song, now remixed into a house track. The song appears to be slower, less agressive and provides a punchy beat with soft guitar playing. The newly morphed track has become one of the most popular songs in the clubbing scene to date. It is an emotionally charged song, because of the peak and when the peak is reached the lyrics are dropped and that is when people feel a sense of release. It is not to say that the newer version is better, i want to argue that this morphed version fits in as a strong predecor to the house music genre itself and does its job by creating different senses by using digital sounds. It is the art of new technologies that builds these tracks and by all means it is an art. It is an art because there is the ability to keep the lyrics and change the sound / beat but to maintain the songs meaning and scope.
In conclusion, the morphing of original tracks into digital songs for house music and drum and base has become stongly popular. Electronica music is becoming the norm in musical production. And is strongly associated in popular clubs and across media texts. Techno culture was seen as an underground fort'e. Now it has come out of the underground and become more mainstream and acceptable forms of release. It is enjoyed by all ages as well. Given the recent events that have occured for free, thanks to the council and alt TV , George FM. The age distribution is spread out with all ages attending. The new side of morphing and digitalising popular songs must be praised simply because it is providing people with a new feel for songs and it keeps things "honest" in the music industry also keeping a highly creative level of expertise at hand.
Morphing in Titanic
Did you guys know that the beginning scenes in the movie Titanic used 'morphing' technique instead of 'Dissolve'? The ocean scenes in the beginning are wonderfully created just by using the technique of morphing. As Nabeel said in the lecture, morphing is a special effect in motion pictures and animations that changes one image into another through a seamless transition. Maybe many of you haven't noticed it when you were watching the movie, but morphing technique creates much softer, smoother and flexible scenes than traditional dissolve technique.Thursday, May 24, 2007
XXX That Dirty Dawg Snoop Dog!! XXX
Hi everyone
Nabeel's talk on Hip-Hop and its pervading influence within popular culture together with the kinds of conspicuos consumption Hip Hop often portrays got me to thinking about how Hip Hop has tipped the scale of influence on your averge bootylicious rapper video, and can now be consumed as an accompaniment to graphic portryals of erotica. Hip-Hop has entered into the lucrative porn industry which is perhaps also an example of a genre morphing across to another platform to sell its wares.
"Camille Evans, a publisher and editor of Fish 'n' Grits, said: We've been using sex to sell music for years. Now we're just flipping it to have music sell sex." (Martin Edlund March 7, 2004 New York Times) Its not too hard to see how this fence was jumped when you view the following Akon and Snoop Dog track "I Wanna Love You"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjlqzO52-X8 (sorry having trouble with embedding function)
Martin Edlund (ibid) records that " The first mainstream rapper to do a feature-length commercial porn video was Snoop Dogg, whose "Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle" was distributed through Hustler Video in 2001". He goes on to say that it was a huge success boosting average sales of "4,000 video copies" to a whopping sales figure in the "hundreds of thousands".
I found a copy of it in my local VideoEZY and you'd have to say Snoop isn't actually involved in any "doggy style", just a whole lotta snooping at everyone around him at his "pad" who seem to be going for it in a soft porn kind of a way. An interesting distinction between the hoes and the bois was that the bois never took their clothes off fully only the women...but that's another post!! As a viewer its interesting to see how the production values of a mainstream artist impact on the idea of porn, almost blurring the distinction between "booty" hip-hop in your regular MV and hip-hop for porn. There ain't much difference except perhaps the words. The musical diversity in the soundtrack also seems to elevate your classic tacky porn production sensibilities into something more acceptable for a wider audience.
As for the porn , all the cliche's are there whether you like them or not.. I've yet to check out the sequel, "Snoop Dogg's Hustlaz: Diary of a Pimp" (2003)
Peace
fiFA: 9143331
Nabeel's talk on Hip-Hop and its pervading influence within popular culture together with the kinds of conspicuos consumption Hip Hop often portrays got me to thinking about how Hip Hop has tipped the scale of influence on your averge bootylicious rapper video, and can now be consumed as an accompaniment to graphic portryals of erotica. Hip-Hop has entered into the lucrative porn industry which is perhaps also an example of a genre morphing across to another platform to sell its wares.
"Camille Evans, a publisher and editor of Fish 'n' Grits, said: We've been using sex to sell music for years. Now we're just flipping it to have music sell sex." (Martin Edlund March 7, 2004 New York Times) Its not too hard to see how this fence was jumped when you view the following Akon and Snoop Dog track "I Wanna Love You"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjlqzO52-X8 (sorry having trouble with embedding function)
Martin Edlund (ibid) records that " The first mainstream rapper to do a feature-length commercial porn video was Snoop Dogg, whose "Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle" was distributed through Hustler Video in 2001". He goes on to say that it was a huge success boosting average sales of "4,000 video copies" to a whopping sales figure in the "hundreds of thousands".
I found a copy of it in my local VideoEZY and you'd have to say Snoop isn't actually involved in any "doggy style", just a whole lotta snooping at everyone around him at his "pad" who seem to be going for it in a soft porn kind of a way. An interesting distinction between the hoes and the bois was that the bois never took their clothes off fully only the women...but that's another post!! As a viewer its interesting to see how the production values of a mainstream artist impact on the idea of porn, almost blurring the distinction between "booty" hip-hop in your regular MV and hip-hop for porn. There ain't much difference except perhaps the words. The musical diversity in the soundtrack also seems to elevate your classic tacky porn production sensibilities into something more acceptable for a wider audience.
As for the porn , all the cliche's are there whether you like them or not.. I've yet to check out the sequel, "Snoop Dogg's Hustlaz: Diary of a Pimp" (2003)
Peace
fiFA: 9143331
Morphing on TV
When Nabeel mentioned the idea of the way that morphing works on TV, I didn’t realise how correct he actually was. Almost every reality TV show involves some kind of morphing. But the way that it was mentioned, to me it sounded that morphing was a bad thing, but maybe it is what adds to the reality TV shows being “real”. Think of a human person, the whole aim of our life is to morph into an adult, and when you apply that concept to reality TV, it’s sort of the same.
The morphing part is what keeps people hooked. You start watching the show, and then you just HAVE to see what will be the result of this so called ‘morph’. On the Idol shows they go from shy singer to a musical act set for international stardom, or in Extreme Makeover: Home Edition – a usually run down house to an amazing mansion, or the show that I was strangely hooked to – the Biggest loser. The idea of “morphing” was epitomized in this show. The idea of the show was to morph your body.
But as Nabeel said the idea of morphing can be hugely applied in any media context, the “Come to Daddy” video really really freaked me out, but it was a good video to show the idea of morphing, and the same with “Black or White”. It’s amazing how you can see a video many a times (as with me and the Black and White video), but not realise what is actually happening. But I do know that it will help me appreciate music videos and the changes in it a lot more.
The morphing part is what keeps people hooked. You start watching the show, and then you just HAVE to see what will be the result of this so called ‘morph’. On the Idol shows they go from shy singer to a musical act set for international stardom, or in Extreme Makeover: Home Edition – a usually run down house to an amazing mansion, or the show that I was strangely hooked to – the Biggest loser. The idea of “morphing” was epitomized in this show. The idea of the show was to morph your body.
But as Nabeel said the idea of morphing can be hugely applied in any media context, the “Come to Daddy” video really really freaked me out, but it was a good video to show the idea of morphing, and the same with “Black or White”. It’s amazing how you can see a video many a times (as with me and the Black and White video), but not realise what is actually happening. But I do know that it will help me appreciate music videos and the changes in it a lot more.
gangsta rap has lost its creativeness
I found Ice Cube’s view of gangsta rap and hiphop culture really intriguing. He stated that artists like him were commenting on things in their culture, the black on black violence, car jackings, drive-bys. He then compared it to the country he was living in, stating that it wasn’t right to discriminate the content of their music because America was doing these things on a much larger global scale.
In one respect I agree with his response. It’s not Ice Cube’s fault that people aren’t glamorising the war on terror, the battle for oil, or America’s aim to democratise every damn nation in the world so that critics like us can spit peas at it.
But as much as I like his argument I don’t it’s the kind of justification that convinces rap critics on rap music legitimacy. Maybe when this genre wasn’t as commercial and overused as it is now, rapping about these topics would be interpreted as a creative expression of their culture. It is unfortunate this cycle happens, where creativity is no longer viable in certain such genres because it becomes a generic and overused way of expressing one’s gangsta-ness. The repetitiveness and exposure of gangs, guns and violence I think has an impact on the number of gangs and violence that erupt on the streets. It’s no longer a creative representation of the hood, but it’s growth into a generic response to gang culture has made it a genre that gives a representation of this culture as well as being represented in return through real gangs.
I think rap music was legitimate. If gangsta rap is a way of expressing one’s life as a gangsta, I think rap artists today have less work to do to make their claim of hard life, drugs and crime because previous rappers have already set up this genre to make these elements of gangsta’s legitimate. Now all a rapper has to do is say gun, and we assume he’s got a gun, he’s shot a gun, he’s been shot at with a gun, he’s a gangsta, done drugs, robbed, car jacked, lived on the street and basically had a rough life. It’s just another generic story now.
In one respect I agree with his response. It’s not Ice Cube’s fault that people aren’t glamorising the war on terror, the battle for oil, or America’s aim to democratise every damn nation in the world so that critics like us can spit peas at it.
But as much as I like his argument I don’t it’s the kind of justification that convinces rap critics on rap music legitimacy. Maybe when this genre wasn’t as commercial and overused as it is now, rapping about these topics would be interpreted as a creative expression of their culture. It is unfortunate this cycle happens, where creativity is no longer viable in certain such genres because it becomes a generic and overused way of expressing one’s gangsta-ness. The repetitiveness and exposure of gangs, guns and violence I think has an impact on the number of gangs and violence that erupt on the streets. It’s no longer a creative representation of the hood, but it’s growth into a generic response to gang culture has made it a genre that gives a representation of this culture as well as being represented in return through real gangs.
I think rap music was legitimate. If gangsta rap is a way of expressing one’s life as a gangsta, I think rap artists today have less work to do to make their claim of hard life, drugs and crime because previous rappers have already set up this genre to make these elements of gangsta’s legitimate. Now all a rapper has to do is say gun, and we assume he’s got a gun, he’s shot a gun, he’s been shot at with a gun, he’s a gangsta, done drugs, robbed, car jacked, lived on the street and basically had a rough life. It’s just another generic story now.
Rock the Bells (doco about Wu-Tang clan)
Blurb follows:
Personifying the fierce independence and Do-It-Yourself spirit of the Hip Hop movement, festival producer Chang Weisberg puts everything on the line for his impossible dream of reuniting notorious no-shows The Wu-Tang Clan.
Trailer (2:09)
Documentary
Rating: NR
In Theatres: May 4th, 2007
Lucasfilm invites fans to edit Star Wars at will
Make-It-Yourself 'Star Wars'
Lucasfilm Will Post Clips
From Film Saga on the Web,
Inviting Fans to Edit at Will
By SARAH MCBRIDE
May 24, 2007
Lucasfilm Will Post Clips
From Film Saga on the Web,
Inviting Fans to Edit at Will
By SARAH MCBRIDE
May 24, 2007
Fandom and music videos
Music is extremely subjective. Artists will have their own thoughts on their music while fans/listeners will have their own perspective. Difficulties are sure to arise then when a video is made for an artist's song. The artist will have their own vision, fan's will have their own idea as to how the music should be represented visually and record labels will probably want something that's commercially viable.
In the case of fans, they will probably be familiar with artist's work before a video is released. The visual realisation may not be how they saw the song, but the artist's vision could be achieved. However, if the latter is not realised either what are you left with? An example that comes to mind is the video for 'Naked Sun' off the latest ... And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead album. The band had zero input into the video, their label (Interscope) simply made it and released it. Lots of fans have derided it on the Internet and the band has disowned it. Hence, at least from my perspective as a fan, it is definitely more about the music than the video.
In the case of fans, they will probably be familiar with artist's work before a video is released. The visual realisation may not be how they saw the song, but the artist's vision could be achieved. However, if the latter is not realised either what are you left with? An example that comes to mind is the video for 'Naked Sun' off the latest ... And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead album. The band had zero input into the video, their label (Interscope) simply made it and released it. Lots of fans have derided it on the Internet and the band has disowned it. Hence, at least from my perspective as a fan, it is definitely more about the music than the video.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Essays ready for pick-up
The FTVMS 323 essays are now ready for pick up at the FTVMS Department Office, Room 304, Arts 1.
Kevin and I are available in our normal office hours if you'd like to talk to us about your particular essay. If so, it's best to first see whoever marked your essay; Kevin marked the essays in pencil and I marked in green ink. I've also got the bigger handwriting. My office hours are tomorrow (Thursday 1-3 pm) in Room 314.
In the final lecture of the course next week, I'll wrap up morphologies, discuss TV Pop Idols, and then finish with some general comments about essays that might help improve your exam preparation and performance.
Next week's class will also include evaluations. Since this is the first time the course has been taught your feedback would be especially appreciated for its development. In evaluations (or directly to me if you feel comfortable), I'd especially like your thoughts on how the blog worked in the class, the absence and/or necessity of a tutorial, and any suggestions for examples of film, TV, video and other music-image media that you think should be addressed/included in the course next year.
Many thanks
Kevin and I are available in our normal office hours if you'd like to talk to us about your particular essay. If so, it's best to first see whoever marked your essay; Kevin marked the essays in pencil and I marked in green ink. I've also got the bigger handwriting. My office hours are tomorrow (Thursday 1-3 pm) in Room 314.
In the final lecture of the course next week, I'll wrap up morphologies, discuss TV Pop Idols, and then finish with some general comments about essays that might help improve your exam preparation and performance.
Next week's class will also include evaluations. Since this is the first time the course has been taught your feedback would be especially appreciated for its development. In evaluations (or directly to me if you feel comfortable), I'd especially like your thoughts on how the blog worked in the class, the absence and/or necessity of a tutorial, and any suggestions for examples of film, TV, video and other music-image media that you think should be addressed/included in the course next year.
Many thanks
Black & White Rappers Converge in the face of Disaster
Further to the lecture today, the videos of blacks views being represented by rap, and that ultimately rap maybe the only form of effective outlet of expression for blacks in an otherwise white dominated culture. The munipulated and edited videos of Hurricane Katrina to show the black peoples disappointment in the current US government is just one side of the story. With the war on terrorism being called a media war, the internet has become a battle ground in it's own right where videos have appeared from all parts of the globe signalling that the war is unjust and uncalled for. Rap videos produced by other nationalities have emerged from FluxRostrum's Video "The Divide" illustrating the attacks on American soil may not be as legitamate as they seem. I see this as a form of expression similar to Michael Moores anti bush movies but on a smaller scale, but which also has profound effects on the views presented and the outcry from the status of american foreign policy. So in summing up my arguement that Black and White Rappers do converge in the face of disaster is viewed in terms of the rap video genre is not distictly reserved for Blacks alone but that everyone has a piece to add to the puzzle and is now being seen more as a medium of differing opinion without boundaries. As the bedrock of gangsta rap is of the unseen and unspoken underbelly of a social monster.
Blog entry #5: Will the digitalization of music lead to the eventual death of traditional musical performance and physical musical instruments?
In today’s digital age, computer technology is able to perfectly reproduce the sound of any musical instrument in the world.
Recorded sound can be transformed and saved as a digital code on your computer hard drive, these digital codes can then be used to replicate this sound and more importantly, recreate novel sounds. This creates a problem; it renders musical instruments obsolete. Music can be created without musical instruments; digital technology can replace them and out perform them. Technology can be used to ‘virtualize’ music, by producing new sounds through the manipulation of old sounds, without even physically playing a musical instrument. So, you could say, that the generic resources of the digital age; are beginning to blur the boundaries of the traditional, fixed genre of music. Computer technology enables the endless replication of ‘authentic instruments’ and the limitless production of new sounds. However, traditional, ‘real’ music and musicians will exist for a long time to come. Until, one day when computer technology becomes so advanced that it is able to replace the spontaneous and variable musical sounds which can presently only be created by living and breathing human musicians.
By Adam May.
Recorded sound can be transformed and saved as a digital code on your computer hard drive, these digital codes can then be used to replicate this sound and more importantly, recreate novel sounds. This creates a problem; it renders musical instruments obsolete. Music can be created without musical instruments; digital technology can replace them and out perform them. Technology can be used to ‘virtualize’ music, by producing new sounds through the manipulation of old sounds, without even physically playing a musical instrument. So, you could say, that the generic resources of the digital age; are beginning to blur the boundaries of the traditional, fixed genre of music. Computer technology enables the endless replication of ‘authentic instruments’ and the limitless production of new sounds. However, traditional, ‘real’ music and musicians will exist for a long time to come. Until, one day when computer technology becomes so advanced that it is able to replace the spontaneous and variable musical sounds which can presently only be created by living and breathing human musicians.
By Adam May.
Blog entry #5: Will the digitalization of music lead to the eventual death of traditional musical performance (e.g. in concert) and physical musical i
In today’s digital age, computer technology is able to perfectly reproduce the sound of any musical instrument in the world.
Recorded sound can be transformed and saved as a digital code on your computer hard drive, these digital codes can then be used to replicate this sound and more importantly, recreate novel sounds. This creates a problem; it renders musical instruments obsolete. Music can be created without musical instruments; digital technology can replace them and out perform them. Technology can be used to ‘virtualize’ music, by producing new sounds through the manipulation of old sounds, without even physically playing a musical instrument. So, you could say, that the generic resources of the digital age; are beginning to blur the boundaries of the traditional, fixed genre of music. Computer technology enables the endless replication of ‘authentic instruments’ and the limitless production of new sounds. However, traditional, ‘real’ music and musicians will exist for a long time to come. Until, one day when computer technology becomes so advanced that it is able to replace the spontaneous and variable musical sounds which can presently only be created by living and breathing human musicians.
Adam May.
Recorded sound can be transformed and saved as a digital code on your computer hard drive, these digital codes can then be used to replicate this sound and more importantly, recreate novel sounds. This creates a problem; it renders musical instruments obsolete. Music can be created without musical instruments; digital technology can replace them and out perform them. Technology can be used to ‘virtualize’ music, by producing new sounds through the manipulation of old sounds, without even physically playing a musical instrument. So, you could say, that the generic resources of the digital age; are beginning to blur the boundaries of the traditional, fixed genre of music. Computer technology enables the endless replication of ‘authentic instruments’ and the limitless production of new sounds. However, traditional, ‘real’ music and musicians will exist for a long time to come. Until, one day when computer technology becomes so advanced that it is able to replace the spontaneous and variable musical sounds which can presently only be created by living and breathing human musicians.
Adam May.
The new way to promote music-- MP3 downloading
There are always concern about mp3 downloading damage the music industry and distory the song writer's carreer and the singers fortune. However, if we use the mp3 downloading nature correctly , on the other hand it could be a new medium to promote and let people buy the good music.
- MP3 downloading promote the new music to mess audience
Whenever there is a new song release, if there is no mp3 downloading people have to wait for the album release to buy a whole album , however with MP3 downloading people can listen to the song they wanted before they buy the whole album, that will actully make more sales to the album as more people are able to listen to the new song .
- Thats the next step
As there are more people able to listen to the song online, record company can use this medium to promote their new song , new artist , putting one song for people to download at a time. It is another form of advertising. let people listen to the song and like it and they buy the album
MP3 could distory the industry but at the same time it could help the music to promote the key is how to copntrol it .
- MP3 downloading promote the new music to mess audience
Whenever there is a new song release, if there is no mp3 downloading people have to wait for the album release to buy a whole album , however with MP3 downloading people can listen to the song they wanted before they buy the whole album, that will actully make more sales to the album as more people are able to listen to the new song .
- Thats the next step
As there are more people able to listen to the song online, record company can use this medium to promote their new song , new artist , putting one song for people to download at a time. It is another form of advertising. let people listen to the song and like it and they buy the album
MP3 could distory the industry but at the same time it could help the music to promote the key is how to copntrol it .
The new way to promote music-- MP3 downloading
There are always concern about mp3 downloading damage the music industry and distory the song writer's carreer and the singers fortune. However, if we use the mp3 downloading nature correctly , on the other hand it could be a new medium to promote and let people buy the good music.
- MP3 downloading promote the new music to mess audience
Whenever there is a new song release, if there is no mp3 downloading people have to wait for the album release to buy a whole album , however with MP3 downloading people can listen to the song they wanted before they buy the whole album, that will actully make more sales to the album as more people are able to listen to the new song .
- Thats the next step
As there are more people able to listen to the song online, record company can use this medium to promote their new song , new artist , putting one song for people to download at a time. It is another form of advertising. let people listen to the song and like it and they buy the album
MP3 could distory the industry but at the same time it could help the music to promote the key is how to copntrol it .
- MP3 downloading promote the new music to mess audience
Whenever there is a new song release, if there is no mp3 downloading people have to wait for the album release to buy a whole album , however with MP3 downloading people can listen to the song they wanted before they buy the whole album, that will actully make more sales to the album as more people are able to listen to the new song .
- Thats the next step
As there are more people able to listen to the song online, record company can use this medium to promote their new song , new artist , putting one song for people to download at a time. It is another form of advertising. let people listen to the song and like it and they buy the album
MP3 could distory the industry but at the same time it could help the music to promote the key is how to copntrol it .
Hip Hop .... From gangster to Christian....
Hip Hop and rap music has always been related to the violence and crime and cultural conflicts . the topic of the lyrics are always around people killing each others , against the law against the police. The example of NWA's song "Fuck Da police" Shows the conflict in between police department and the black society in NY city. It outlines how the police being violence to the black people, beating up black people just because they are black ,the song itself has beome a medium to express the anger and unfair situation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiX7GTelTPM
Hip Hop music has become a symbol of expressing anger and voience to the audience traditionally, people see hip hop music is gangster music , gangster hip hop. The people who listen to the music is in the lower end class of the society , and has a anti society personality. So does Hip Hop music has another image?? Another perspective for hip hop rather then violence and anti society image?
Recently hip hop music has also been use for christian for their worship music , the genre so call Holy Hip Hop, using hip hop music to spead the words of god. In the link below it features the Christian hip hop artist performing on stage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDhX4TgI_3E
However this base question to the traditional Christian believes? How come the dancer wear tight outfit and with dollor sign in their cloths? the way they perform in a hip hop way ? And the bling bling nature of hip hop... is it against the believes of christian ? this is the question that worth to consider to use hip hop in Christian music .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiX7GTelTPM
Hip Hop music has become a symbol of expressing anger and voience to the audience traditionally, people see hip hop music is gangster music , gangster hip hop. The people who listen to the music is in the lower end class of the society , and has a anti society personality. So does Hip Hop music has another image?? Another perspective for hip hop rather then violence and anti society image?
Recently hip hop music has also been use for christian for their worship music , the genre so call Holy Hip Hop, using hip hop music to spead the words of god. In the link below it features the Christian hip hop artist performing on stage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDhX4TgI_3E
However this base question to the traditional Christian believes? How come the dancer wear tight outfit and with dollor sign in their cloths? the way they perform in a hip hop way ? And the bling bling nature of hip hop... is it against the believes of christian ? this is the question that worth to consider to use hip hop in Christian music .
Kid Koala
I was reminded of a couple of music videos by scratch DJ 'Kid Koala' in the lecture last week when Nabeel mentioned how the aesthetic of scratching can be applied to images. Here are a couple of animated videos which I think illustrate the point well, enjoy :)
Fender Bender:
Basin Street Blues:
Fender Bender:
Basin Street Blues:
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Gangster Rap is true Hip-Hop?
Is gangster rap hip-hop? Sure. When people think of hip-hop music they think of violent rap that’s talking about killing and raping. Not all hip-hop is like that though. It’s not necessary to think by using obscenities or to speak of murder or drugs makes an rapper to be a bad influence. But for some reason violence, sex, crime, and drugs are associated with rap. This is usually due to the experience encountered or influence by the artist throughout their rough lives. Violence is the main element of gangster rap. Most hardcore gangster artists such as 2 Pac, Notorious B.I.G and Ja Rule revolve their music around violence. As portrayed in even the names of some songs like Ja Rule’s hit “Murder for Life” and The Game's Hate it or Love it". Gangster rappers also seem to always encourage sex or demean women. Women are seen as their personal objects or prize where drugs is are common topic widely spoken by gangster rappers through the earlier encounter with it. The last but probably most common element of gangster rap is crime. Nearly every gangster rap song mentions a robbery or illegitimate act of vandalism. Gangster rap is a way an artist expresses its hard doings throughout life. Although it can influence an easily minded person, I believe the artist mentions these topics in their lyrics as if they conquered something and made changes in their lifestyles.
Fraidy Cats
Last lecture Nabeel suggested that tagging, as we understand it today, has been in place long before the US hip hop culture claimed it as an art form. This ‘art’, basically being defined as the application of letters or images on public or private property, without permission.
To some it is the defacing or property, a senseless, mindless activity that is closely associated with street crime. But I think it’s important to note that parts of our society will view this ‘art crime’ as something that identifies the individual or group of individuals responsible for its placement. The latter being a more positive view on something that clearly defies the law and encourages criminal activity.
So I’m wondering, what do I think?
Yesterday sitting on the south Auckland train I had another look at the streaks of colour that I have become so accustomed to for three years. I decided not only am I not offended by the overload of letters and titles sprawled across what could be respectable looking property, but I find I might almost be intrigued by this art form. With all due respect to the taggers within our society, I do not find there to be any sense in the bland spontaneity of one liner graffiti, by this I’m referring to a straight downward stroke and a quickly sprawled ‘MR G’ before gapping to the next vulnerable surface. (See below) I mean how bad ass can you be if you wont stick around and wait for the ‘pigs’ to surface. Fraidy cats.
Nor do I support the mutilation of the Johnsons newly built brick fence representing hours of labour from Mr Johnson and his son. Yet I sat on the smelly train and watched miles of beautiful colours it left me feeling... not influenced or inspired …definitely not as though I wanted to adopt the habit for myself… but I guess you could say I was left with an appreciation of this ‘destructiveness’ as more of an art form. Graffiti art represents hours of creation, and all to relay one simple message, ‘I am a gangster and this is my tag bitch’
To some it is the defacing or property, a senseless, mindless activity that is closely associated with street crime. But I think it’s important to note that parts of our society will view this ‘art crime’ as something that identifies the individual or group of individuals responsible for its placement. The latter being a more positive view on something that clearly defies the law and encourages criminal activity.
So I’m wondering, what do I think?
Yesterday sitting on the south Auckland train I had another look at the streaks of colour that I have become so accustomed to for three years. I decided not only am I not offended by the overload of letters and titles sprawled across what could be respectable looking property, but I find I might almost be intrigued by this art form. With all due respect to the taggers within our society, I do not find there to be any sense in the bland spontaneity of one liner graffiti, by this I’m referring to a straight downward stroke and a quickly sprawled ‘MR G’ before gapping to the next vulnerable surface. (See below) I mean how bad ass can you be if you wont stick around and wait for the ‘pigs’ to surface. Fraidy cats.
Nor do I support the mutilation of the Johnsons newly built brick fence representing hours of labour from Mr Johnson and his son. Yet I sat on the smelly train and watched miles of beautiful colours it left me feeling... not influenced or inspired …definitely not as though I wanted to adopt the habit for myself… but I guess you could say I was left with an appreciation of this ‘destructiveness’ as more of an art form. Graffiti art represents hours of creation, and all to relay one simple message, ‘I am a gangster and this is my tag bitch’
Fraidy Cats
Last lecture Nabeel suggested that tagging, as we understand it today, has been in place long before the US hip hop culture claimed it as an art form. This ‘art’, basically being defined as the application of letters or images on public or private property, without permission.
To some it is the defacing or property, a senseless, mindless activity that is closely associated with street crime. But I think it’s important to note that parts of our society will view this ‘art crime’ as something that identifies the individual or group of individuals responsible for its placement. The latter being a more positive view on something that clearly defies the law and encourages criminal activity.
So I’m wondering, what do I think?
Yesterday sitting on the south Auckland train I had another look at the streaks of colour that I have become so accustomed to for three years. I decided not only am I not offended by the overload of letters and titles sprawled across what could be respectable looking property, but I find I might almost be intrigued by this art form. With all due respect to the taggers within our society, I do not find there to be any sense in the bland spontaneity of one liner graffiti, by this I’m referring to a straight downward stroke and a quickly sprawled ‘MR G’ before gapping to the next vulnerable surface. (See below) I mean how bad ass can you be if you wont stick around and wait for the ‘pigs’ to surface. Fraidy cats.
Nor do I support the mutilation of the Johnsons newly built brick fence representing hours of labour from Mr Johnson and his son. Yet as I sat on the smelly train and watched miles of beautiful colours it left me feeling... not influenced or inspired …definitely not as though I wanted to adopt the habit for myself… but I guess you could say I was left with an appreciation of this ‘destructiveness’ as more of an art form. Graffiti art represents hours of creation, and all to relay one simple message, ‘I am a gangster and this is my tag bitch.. '
To some it is the defacing or property, a senseless, mindless activity that is closely associated with street crime. But I think it’s important to note that parts of our society will view this ‘art crime’ as something that identifies the individual or group of individuals responsible for its placement. The latter being a more positive view on something that clearly defies the law and encourages criminal activity.
So I’m wondering, what do I think?
Yesterday sitting on the south Auckland train I had another look at the streaks of colour that I have become so accustomed to for three years. I decided not only am I not offended by the overload of letters and titles sprawled across what could be respectable looking property, but I find I might almost be intrigued by this art form. With all due respect to the taggers within our society, I do not find there to be any sense in the bland spontaneity of one liner graffiti, by this I’m referring to a straight downward stroke and a quickly sprawled ‘MR G’ before gapping to the next vulnerable surface. (See below) I mean how bad ass can you be if you wont stick around and wait for the ‘pigs’ to surface. Fraidy cats.
Nor do I support the mutilation of the Johnsons newly built brick fence representing hours of labour from Mr Johnson and his son. Yet as I sat on the smelly train and watched miles of beautiful colours it left me feeling... not influenced or inspired …definitely not as though I wanted to adopt the habit for myself… but I guess you could say I was left with an appreciation of this ‘destructiveness’ as more of an art form. Graffiti art represents hours of creation, and all to relay one simple message, ‘I am a gangster and this is my tag bitch.. '
Roll Call.
Hi everybody.
Here's the ongoing list of people I can't identify. Some people from last week sorted themselves out, which is greatly appreciated.
If you're on this list feel free to send me an email with name and ID, or reply here.
RebeccaEmma
di_Media323
Meil
Taratr0n
Madison
kchu052
Josh.
- Kevin.
Here's the ongoing list of people I can't identify. Some people from last week sorted themselves out, which is greatly appreciated.
If you're on this list feel free to send me an email with name and ID, or reply here.
RebeccaEmma
di_Media323
Meil
Taratr0n
Madison
kchu052
Josh.
- Kevin.
Hip Hop and Black Culture
Hip hop is now a very popular phenomenon among teenagers, but a lot of people have a very vague idea about what a hip hop is, because it is so free and no exact definition for it, because it has so many elements that blend into it. I will cite the phrase from one of the rock critic, Simon Frith, when people ask him what is rock, he said “rock is a medium”. I think it is the same as Hip Hop, medium has a lot of definition, the form that Hiphop expressed is a medium blended with break dance, graffiti, music from Caribbean plus the rap from the indigenous African-American and it form the Hip Hop culture. Another definition by the rapper of Public Enemy, Chuck D, he said “rap is the CNN of Black”, that means, in the community of the black people, many messages are flow and convey by the rap, therefore rap becomes a source of news for the Black, therefore, rap is actually a media for these American minorities.
When we look from another angle, Hip Hop can also be the geography of the teenage culture, it is related to a bunch of teenagers gather on the street or park, playing scratch and rapping. Later on this kind of activity becomes a gathering for the coloured people, what interesting is, this kind of activity is actually a failure of the construction scheme in 1960s. Because a lot of builders think the environment of black people is living is really bad, therefore they build huge apartment, wish black people can move in, but then they don’t know that black cannot even afford the rent, therefore they move back to the slum, and then they begun this kind of gathering, and when the time pass, the activity becomes a phenomenon, a culture, and even becomes the mainstream in the contemporary music industry
Hip Hop and Black Culture
Hip hop is now a very popular phenomenon among teenagers, but a lot of people have a very vague idea about what a hip hop is, because it is so free and no exact definition for it, because it has so many elements that blend into it. I will cite the phrase from one of the rock critic, Simon Frith, when people ask him what is rock, he said “rock is a medium”. I think it is the same as Hip Hop, medium has a lot of definition, the form that Hiphop expressed is a medium blended with break dance, graffiti, music from Caribbean plus the rap from the indigenous African-American and it form the Hip Hop culture. Another definition by the rapper of Public Enemy, Chuck D, he said “rap is the CNN of Black”, that means, in the community of the black people, many messages are flow and convey by the rap, therefore rap becomes a source of news for the Black, therefore, rap is actually a media for these American minorities.
When we look from another angle, Hip Hop can also be the geography of the teenage culture, it is related to a bunch of teenagers gather on the street or park, playing scratch and rapping. Later on this kind of activity becomes a gathering for the coloured people, what interesting is, this kind of activity is actually a failure of the construction scheme in 1960s. Because a lot of builders think the environment of black people is living is really bad, therefore they build huge apartment, wish black people can move in, but then they don’t know that black cannot even afford the rent, therefore they move back to the slum, and then they begun this kind of gathering, and when the time pass, the activity becomes a phenomenon, a culture, and even becomes the mainstream in the contemporary music industry.
Pop-Hop = The New Face of Hip-Hop
In a lecture given at Grand Valley State University during 1996 New York City-based performance artist Toyia Taylor claimed that modern day hip-hop is in its current state due in large part to its commercialization and the role that large corporations and record labels have in suppressing innovation. When conglomerates and corporate radio stations began to realize the popularity of this commercialized pop-hop early artists such as Africa Bambaata had reservations about recording his music as the energy and feeling that it contained would be diminished when it became a packaged consumer good.
Taylor deemed this contemporary style of 'hip-hop' as “pop-hop" as it is produced solely with the intent to succeed commercially and gain airplay on corporate radio stations. This contemporary take on hip hop meanders away from the political rhyming roots of traditional hip-hop and rap and has made a shift to catchy tunes centered primarily on the topics of 'Bitches, Bling, Blunts and 40's' and blatant product placement such as the Samsung YP-K5 Dynamix MP3 player in Fergie and Pussycat Dolls videos (Although i would by no means call these "artists" hip hop, but it demonstrates the point).
With old school hip hop artists and audiences alike becoming frustrated at the current state of hip-hop, many rappers have taken the situation into their own hands in order to restore hip hop to the political voice box that it used to be by funding organizations such as New Yorks REACH and the National Hip-Hop Political Convention. Africa Bambaata has even gone so far as to hold an emergency public meeting to over throw commercial radio (LINK). While it appears that hip-hop maybe going to the dogs there are some artists out there who are trying to make a radical change and show that political hip-hop and independent artists is where hip-hop originated from and although pop-hop is more commercially successful the roots of hip hop must not be forgotten.
Taylor deemed this contemporary style of 'hip-hop' as “pop-hop" as it is produced solely with the intent to succeed commercially and gain airplay on corporate radio stations. This contemporary take on hip hop meanders away from the political rhyming roots of traditional hip-hop and rap and has made a shift to catchy tunes centered primarily on the topics of 'Bitches, Bling, Blunts and 40's' and blatant product placement such as the Samsung YP-K5 Dynamix MP3 player in Fergie and Pussycat Dolls videos (Although i would by no means call these "artists" hip hop, but it demonstrates the point).
With old school hip hop artists and audiences alike becoming frustrated at the current state of hip-hop, many rappers have taken the situation into their own hands in order to restore hip hop to the political voice box that it used to be by funding organizations such as New Yorks REACH and the National Hip-Hop Political Convention. Africa Bambaata has even gone so far as to hold an emergency public meeting to over throw commercial radio (LINK). While it appears that hip-hop maybe going to the dogs there are some artists out there who are trying to make a radical change and show that political hip-hop and independent artists is where hip-hop originated from and although pop-hop is more commercially successful the roots of hip hop must not be forgotten.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Proudly Kiwi Owned
New Zealand hip hop is a growing industry, and with this it sends a strong messag of New Zealand identity. Many people blame teh hip hop indistry for gang related violnce within New Zealand but i take on a different perspective on New Zealand's hip hop scene, one which deviates fromthe norms of American aestheitcs. New Zealand hip hop artist show strong historical values tot heir ethnicity values and beliefs.
American hip hop aesthetics in musc videos involves graffiti, bling, booty an all forms of excess in life. This is more a modern take of hip hop as i realise in the beginning of hip hop it brought through different meanings and mesaages. Atrists such as Kanya West, Snoop Dogg and Akon (just to name a few) pride themselves on their earnings , material possesions and of course, ladies. New Zealand hip hop sends a message of the stuggles and hardships to succeed in such a small country and its industry. Che Fu sings about his music, his family and friends and all the memories they have experienced. His music videos are also a representations of this, he is surrounded by his friends as they sing about the importanceof music and what it means to them. No bootys ebing shaken, no bling blinding your eyes, just the pure love of the music. In Scribes break out song Stand Up with P.Money he could have opted for a music video with girls and bling and conform to the American standard, but instead he stayed true to the New Zealand image. As he breaks through into a club he surrounded by may other New Zealand artists who have contributed to making hip hop successfull. These bands includes P-Money, Nesian Mystic, Che Fu and the Decepticons. Scribe is remembering the roots that made New Zealand music what it is. The Decepticons is also a band that regularly goes back to their old villiages in Polynesia in their music videos.
New Zealand hip hop has put a good view and a respectable image on New Zealands hip hop identity. By staying true to their roots and being proud of what other artists have achieved they show that they do not conform to the Americanised way of aesthetisising hip hop. And i for one am proud that even though our counrty and industry isnt as big or commercialied as America we can stand our own and thus really call our hip hop music our own.
American hip hop aesthetics in musc videos involves graffiti, bling, booty an all forms of excess in life. This is more a modern take of hip hop as i realise in the beginning of hip hop it brought through different meanings and mesaages. Atrists such as Kanya West, Snoop Dogg and Akon (just to name a few) pride themselves on their earnings , material possesions and of course, ladies. New Zealand hip hop sends a message of the stuggles and hardships to succeed in such a small country and its industry. Che Fu sings about his music, his family and friends and all the memories they have experienced. His music videos are also a representations of this, he is surrounded by his friends as they sing about the importanceof music and what it means to them. No bootys ebing shaken, no bling blinding your eyes, just the pure love of the music. In Scribes break out song Stand Up with P.Money he could have opted for a music video with girls and bling and conform to the American standard, but instead he stayed true to the New Zealand image. As he breaks through into a club he surrounded by may other New Zealand artists who have contributed to making hip hop successfull. These bands includes P-Money, Nesian Mystic, Che Fu and the Decepticons. Scribe is remembering the roots that made New Zealand music what it is. The Decepticons is also a band that regularly goes back to their old villiages in Polynesia in their music videos.
New Zealand hip hop has put a good view and a respectable image on New Zealands hip hop identity. By staying true to their roots and being proud of what other artists have achieved they show that they do not conform to the Americanised way of aesthetisising hip hop. And i for one am proud that even though our counrty and industry isnt as big or commercialied as America we can stand our own and thus really call our hip hop music our own.
PUNK IS..?
Hi Everyone,
Lecture 8, Wed, May 2007
Topic: ‘Punk’
I’m almost old enough to recall Punk in it’s hey day. That is, Punk on the Auckland Music & Street Scene... after the fashion/music/genre had trickled its way across the world, all the way from London.
In lecture it was stated that Punk is “a set of ideas about power”.
This is a somewhat loose analysis, as Punk is specifically connected to socio-political climate of England under the rule of the Thatcher government during the 1980s originated under the e rule of the Thatcher government in the late 1970s.
“Margaret Thatcher led the country from 1979-1990. She is known for her conservative economic policies – such as the privatisation of state-owned industries – and the social tensions and de-regulated landscape those political reforms engendered". (See: D. Yergin & J. Stanislaw, 1998, pp. 105-113)
A BBC Webpage article, titled ‘Rocking against Thatcher’ by Chris Heard (20070 details the rise of punk music and punk culture as an anti-societal protest in the Thatcher years:
See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3682281.stm
"It's enough to make you stop believing when tears come fast and furious in a Town Called Malice".
Lyrics by Paul Weller, from the Punk group ‘The Jam’ – Song: ‘A Town Called Malice’ (1982).
This is my last Blog Post… so good luck everyone…and kick the exam in the b**ls! (It could be entertaining!!)
Bests,
Andrea Francesca
Student – FTVMS 323
Lecture 8, Wed, May 2007
Topic: ‘Punk’
I’m almost old enough to recall Punk in it’s hey day. That is, Punk on the Auckland Music & Street Scene... after the fashion/music/genre had trickled its way across the world, all the way from London.
In lecture it was stated that Punk is “a set of ideas about power”.
This is a somewhat loose analysis, as Punk is specifically connected to socio-political climate of England under the rule of the Thatcher government during the 1980s originated under the e rule of the Thatcher government in the late 1970s.
“Margaret Thatcher led the country from 1979-1990. She is known for her conservative economic policies – such as the privatisation of state-owned industries – and the social tensions and de-regulated landscape those political reforms engendered". (See: D. Yergin & J. Stanislaw, 1998, pp. 105-113)
A BBC Webpage article, titled ‘Rocking against Thatcher’ by Chris Heard (20070 details the rise of punk music and punk culture as an anti-societal protest in the Thatcher years:
See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3682281.stm
"It's enough to make you stop believing when tears come fast and furious in a Town Called Malice".
Lyrics by Paul Weller, from the Punk group ‘The Jam’ – Song: ‘A Town Called Malice’ (1982).
This is my last Blog Post… so good luck everyone…and kick the exam in the b**ls! (It could be entertaining!!)
Bests,
Andrea Francesca
Student – FTVMS 323
Stylistic Morphing
Barry Sandwell and David Beer's article on stylistic morphing argues that there is no such thing as genre, "rather there are generic resources, parameters, incitements." (119) This would explain the fluidity of music in the ever-advancing digital age. Sandwell and Beer give several examples of artists who have crossed traditional generic boundaries (inter-morphing), artists who fit within two or more genres (trans-morphing), and artists who morph within their existing genre (intra-morphing).
The article also states that intra-morphers usually morph between serious and popular versions of their own genre. This dichotomy is mentioned in the article's conclusion as well. To me, it would be the same as the distinction between "mainstream" and "underground." Does such a clear distinction actually exist? Wouldn't that be like saying that popular music cannot be serious or that no underground artists desires to be within the mainstream? Perhaps, as Nabeel suggested last week, there is no such thing as an underground scene.
I think it's exciting that technological advances are opening so many doors for both established artists and aspiring musicicans. And so many artists are stepping out of their own generic confinement. Jay-Z, for example, did his collaboration with Linkin Park. Not one of my personal favorites, but creative all the same. Even Justin Timberlake continues to amaze me. He, like Ronan Keating and Robbie Williams (both mentioned in the article) has trans-morphed. Timberlake's music keeps some elements of the boy-band pop that initially made him popular, while also incorporating hip-hop and soul conventions.
I am curious to see if the traditional concept of genre disappears completely. Stylistic morphing can only become more prominent. In an earlier blog, I said that I had lost my faith in popular hip-hop. This article has restored my hope for music as a whole.
The article also states that intra-morphers usually morph between serious and popular versions of their own genre. This dichotomy is mentioned in the article's conclusion as well. To me, it would be the same as the distinction between "mainstream" and "underground." Does such a clear distinction actually exist? Wouldn't that be like saying that popular music cannot be serious or that no underground artists desires to be within the mainstream? Perhaps, as Nabeel suggested last week, there is no such thing as an underground scene.
I think it's exciting that technological advances are opening so many doors for both established artists and aspiring musicicans. And so many artists are stepping out of their own generic confinement. Jay-Z, for example, did his collaboration with Linkin Park. Not one of my personal favorites, but creative all the same. Even Justin Timberlake continues to amaze me. He, like Ronan Keating and Robbie Williams (both mentioned in the article) has trans-morphed. Timberlake's music keeps some elements of the boy-band pop that initially made him popular, while also incorporating hip-hop and soul conventions.
I am curious to see if the traditional concept of genre disappears completely. Stylistic morphing can only become more prominent. In an earlier blog, I said that I had lost my faith in popular hip-hop. This article has restored my hope for music as a whole.
Talking Heads – “Stop Making Sense”
Just finished watching this concert film last night and I can’t stop saying something about it. It is a documentary style music film about the live concert performance of the great band “Talking Heads”. Unlike the most “MTV-style” concert films today, this movie is really simple; it minus the fire and lasers, and mostly uses lengthy edits to allow the viewer to examine the performances and interaction. The director of this show, Jonathan Demme, tries to let the band be itself with few audience shots. Despite those simple scenes, this video is still regarded as one of the most famous video shows. Why is that?
First of all, the whole arrangement of the concert is really special. David started the concert by himself, accompanied only by a drum machine. Then one by one, he is joined by Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz and Jerry Harrison, and each time they add one more instrument into the set. By the end they have a full gospel chorus on stage.
Secondly, no matter the design of stage setting, the lighting, sound effects, or the editing, the whole video was screened just like a real movie. At the very beginning, the camera just fixes on David Byrne’s feet, when the music starts, the lens starts to move up slowly. The show does not officially start until a scene which contains the whole stage appears. There are no dialogs, asides in this video. And even for lighting, Byrne just wanted no colour lights to illuminate the performers. In the whole scene, there is just music and their classic stage show.
Thirdly is the performer David Byrne. He was in complete control of every beat; His body language and countenance has impressed every audience. And his famous big suit which was partly inspired by Noh theatre styles is also notable, and it became the icon of the movie and himself.
As an important “New Wave” American Rock band in 1970s and 80s, Talking Heads have done a lot of contributions to the development of rock music. Their sound combined punk rock, pop, funk rock, art rock, and later, world music, which make their music more attractive than many other bands in their same era.
First of all, the whole arrangement of the concert is really special. David started the concert by himself, accompanied only by a drum machine. Then one by one, he is joined by Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz and Jerry Harrison, and each time they add one more instrument into the set. By the end they have a full gospel chorus on stage.
Secondly, no matter the design of stage setting, the lighting, sound effects, or the editing, the whole video was screened just like a real movie. At the very beginning, the camera just fixes on David Byrne’s feet, when the music starts, the lens starts to move up slowly. The show does not officially start until a scene which contains the whole stage appears. There are no dialogs, asides in this video. And even for lighting, Byrne just wanted no colour lights to illuminate the performers. In the whole scene, there is just music and their classic stage show.
Thirdly is the performer David Byrne. He was in complete control of every beat; His body language and countenance has impressed every audience. And his famous big suit which was partly inspired by Noh theatre styles is also notable, and it became the icon of the movie and himself.
As an important “New Wave” American Rock band in 1970s and 80s, Talking Heads have done a lot of contributions to the development of rock music. Their sound combined punk rock, pop, funk rock, art rock, and later, world music, which make their music more attractive than many other bands in their same era.
Graffiti and Hip-Hop Culture
Walter Ong’s article, ‘Subway Graffiti and the Design of Self,’ really helped me to trace the connection between graffiti and the hip-hop culture. In this article he explores how graffiti works as a representation of self in a public environment and compares tags to ‘merchandising labels’ (404) This struck me as interesting, when compared to hip-hop culture as a whole, considering how the visual branding and commercialization of the genre has developed. As discussed in the Vibe History of Hip-Hop article in the course reader, rappers have become associated with branded consumer items. These items become part of the artists aesthetic and this is particularly interesting given the sense of personal branding behind graffiti. Another correlation Ong’s article pointed to is the ‘sense of contest’ which works within the graffiti writing culture, in that it is an ongoing sense of communication. This sense of contest strikes interest with regards to hip-hop culture given the nature of rap verbal wars and competition within the consumer driven hip hop world. The third point of connection was the element of danger inherent in graffiti writing as it’s illegal nature creates a sense of working against authority and being an act of rebellion. This dangerous element of graffiti writing reflects the hip-hop music genre, which also engages with this sense of rebellion. I will not go into detail with regards the morality of graffiti. As Ong says, it does serve as a form of placing a representation of the writer’s identity into a public arena. I do feel there is a clear connection between the visual graffiti and the hip-hop music genre.
Kathryn Bennett
Walter Ong, Subway Graffiti and the Design of Self’, The State of the Language, eds. Christopher Ricks and Leonard Michaels (University of California Press; Faber and Faber: London and Boston, 1990_, pp, 400-407
Kathryn Bennett
Walter Ong, Subway Graffiti and the Design of Self’, The State of the Language, eds. Christopher Ricks and Leonard Michaels (University of California Press; Faber and Faber: London and Boston, 1990_, pp, 400-407
Essay pick-up
Kia ora all
As I said in lecture last week, Kevin and I plan to finish the marking and moderating process for your research essays by the end of this week (Friday 25 May). We will send you a confirmation email through CECIL and the blog this Thursday 24 May with details about picking up your marked essays from the Department office on Friday.
As I said in lecture last week, Kevin and I plan to finish the marking and moderating process for your research essays by the end of this week (Friday 25 May). We will send you a confirmation email through CECIL and the blog this Thursday 24 May with details about picking up your marked essays from the Department office on Friday.
Hip-hop Gangsta in South Auckland.
With the last lecture focusing on Hip-hop, I thought it would be interesting to discuss the effects of Hip-hop upon urban Polynesian populations within New Zealand. In particular, the role hip-hop videos have played in encouraging gang culture among young Polynesians of today. Hip-hop videos receive large viewings within New Zealand media, especially on television with the Juice Music channel. The introduction of MTV as well as the Internet sensation of YouTube has also added to this music-video sensation. The Hip-hop video category of ‘gangsta-rap’ in particular has had a large impact upon young urban Polynesian populations. Many of these ‘gangsta-rap’ videos glorify gang culture, which includes drug trafficking, murder, theft, prison and representing females as ‘loose groupies’ or prostitutes. In short, gangsta-rap videos depict crimes of all kinds and glorify such a lifestyle. Such music videos do not only depict gangsta-rap in their lyrics, but depict more so within the visual aesthetic. With extreme close-up shots of rolls of cash, guns, dogs, as well as large crowds usually displaying tattoos and poses of the ‘gangsta’, the depiction of gangsta-rap is very visual. Such media texts that glorify the gang lifestyle, in essence promote gang lifestyle. Many young Polynesians have turned to gangsta-culture as can be attested by the rising levels of youth stabbings as well as a rising gang-culture among young Polynesians. I am not saying that gangsta-rap music videos are solely responsible for gang-culture in New Zealand. However, these music videos do play a large part in enforcing hip-hop culture in New Zealand, as well as gang culture. Even other notions such as fashion are affected by these music videos. Young Polynesians buying large NY puffer jackets, or ‘bling’ saying 50cent, or a L.A. Lakers cap are just as absurd as people who believe their suburbs are like the Bronx. Such people seem to love likening their own struggle in life to that of gangsters in American urban slums, though the contrast between the two is not similar at all. Furthermore, New Zealand media also support such ideologies, by enforcing notions of ‘South Auckland’ as being a rough, crime-ridden area. An example was a few years ago when a documentary that aired on TV3 about David Tua, reported that during his upbringing he had ‘survived the streets of Mangere’ in South Auckland. Local television shows such as ‘The Market’ have also added to this gangster ideology by portraying Otara markets are a battleground for rival cultures and gangs as well as a drug centre. People who have never truly experienced South Auckland life largely fabricate all these ideas. Such representations of Polynesian urban populations have therefore added to notions of the Polynesian urban gangster.
Now for those of you who love gangsta-rap videos, there is the point that gangsta-rap can be seen as representing the struggle of African-American as well as non-white minorities in harsh places such as the Bronx. These communities in all reality deal with a real gang-cultural lifestyle. However when these music videos are viewed by young Polynesians who are part of a global audience and who believe their lives are mirrored by such media texts, it creates a gangsta-mindset.
Now for those of you who love gangsta-rap videos, there is the point that gangsta-rap can be seen as representing the struggle of African-American as well as non-white minorities in harsh places such as the Bronx. These communities in all reality deal with a real gang-cultural lifestyle. However when these music videos are viewed by young Polynesians who are part of a global audience and who believe their lives are mirrored by such media texts, it creates a gangsta-mindset.
BootyCam and Hype Williams
To identify Williams from a feminist perspective as the man who bent and bulged “booty-lens” into the camera work of some of the most popular hip hop videos around to grossly exploit women as sexual objects, would be a one sided rant about sexual politics in entertainment. It is easy to forget that Williams has done videos for many female hip hop artists and considers “booty-lens” as merely an imitated convention, often overworked as spectacle over concept. Bending the lens and shooting from particular angles created the over pronounced visual emphasis on curvaceous areas of the female form (breasts and buttocks). Often spliced in-between shots of the ‘crew’ Williams claims that booty shots were “filler-inners and not the basis for (his) art”. He goes on to criticize what is then considered `high art’ such as ‘the’ Venus , displaying her curves in an image revered past its sexual connotations. In an interview with designer Anna Sui, Williams describes the way in which he shot female rap artists from low angles. “ I like to see people exaggerated… I feel like women stand so tall nowadays in the world, and I like to see that mightiness in the camera, like when it looks like they're just towering over everybody”. His videos include that of Missy Eliot, Aliaya and No Doubt. It seems notions of Williams displaying powerful female figures has been conveniently forgotten by feminist critics such as Joan Morgan When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost: My Life as a Hip-hop Feminist 1999 who comments that the passive role portrayed by women in Williams “booty-call showcase” encourages objectivism over art towards notions of the feminine. Regardless, isn’t it plausible to say that art sometimes harms weather socially or politically, yet the sanitizing of art harms even more in its limitations to expressing musical subculture?
Sell me anarchy, fuck the Po'lice
I would like to revise the concept of the commodification of punk and hip hop as anthropological art that somehow undergoes metamorphosis into something that can be commercialized and instead suggest that it is the resistance against these anthropological forms of art that gives it it’s hype in the first place. For a closer focus I wanted to look at punk and hip hop fashion and how this is shown onscreen before it then gets packaged and sold back to the masses. I observed whilst watching the 1997 documentary Punk! And Disorderly featuring commentary from singer Jonny Rotten (Sex Pistols) talking about how translating music into a visual aesthetic of a music video increased the protest against punk music dramatically by various conservative parties, yet also increased the sales of iconographic punk fashions such as pre-ripped, safety pinned tartan clothing. “when peoples started pay’in attention and sayin…oi! that’s filth, then we..then it suddenly became cool to look this way and you could get jackets like this(refers to tartan green and red jacket) and see us wearin it on the tele ”. The music video, in the world of hip hop, also seems to be central to promoting the fashion through controversy towards outward expressions of belonging to a subculture. Xan Brooks, author of Sight and Sound 2000 identifies that fashion expressions such as that of hip hop and punk revolve around making a statement about “inclusion, exclusion, attitudes and understandings in-between”, where in music videos provide an opportunity to showcase this. This then filters down, or more or less releases a visual icon of subculture into an arena where there is a desire for this ‘look’ to be bought. Weather this makes the subculture then, inauthentic in its claim to resistance is not my focus, but rather that the music video is the key catalyst in the process of resistance fashion that is commercialized.
And Don't Even Care.......
I would like to comment on the way the YouTube phenomena has created a whole new world for video clips and 'remixes' of songs!
A few days ago I came across the following clip (I won’t post it in the blog, just give the URL for those who wish to watch it – too many on this page gets a bit overkill):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LucfKdukf10
Along with this were about 20+ other 'Misheard Lyrics' clips - and that's just for Fall Out Boy songs!!! I thought this was insane, people actually spend so much time using other people’s work to make new ones of their own – some of which are actually quite good.
I’ve heard mixed opinions about whether or not this use of other people’s work to create added entertainment to an otherwise perhaps common video clip… Yay or nay??
There are two sides to this and I am totally on the fence. On one hand this new influence of the Internet allows people to be more creative without worrying about copyrights etc, however from a band or artists’ point of view this may not be such a good thing... People can inevitably ‘steal’ their work. Hopefully most would see the finny side to it and realise this isn’t (necessarily) an insult to them? But I guess if it makes people possibly look down at them or their work it could be a bit disheartening! Like I said - mixed thoughts...
A few days ago I came across the following clip (I won’t post it in the blog, just give the URL for those who wish to watch it – too many on this page gets a bit overkill):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LucfKdukf10
Along with this were about 20+ other 'Misheard Lyrics' clips - and that's just for Fall Out Boy songs!!! I thought this was insane, people actually spend so much time using other people’s work to make new ones of their own – some of which are actually quite good.
I’ve heard mixed opinions about whether or not this use of other people’s work to create added entertainment to an otherwise perhaps common video clip… Yay or nay??
There are two sides to this and I am totally on the fence. On one hand this new influence of the Internet allows people to be more creative without worrying about copyrights etc, however from a band or artists’ point of view this may not be such a good thing... People can inevitably ‘steal’ their work. Hopefully most would see the finny side to it and realise this isn’t (necessarily) an insult to them? But I guess if it makes people possibly look down at them or their work it could be a bit disheartening! Like I said - mixed thoughts...
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Internet musician
Internet, undoubtedly, is the most important and popular medium for not only exhibit but also broadcast arts to the public. Youtube.com, for instance, has more than a hundred million video clips would be watched per day. Video clips could be from any kinds of art form, such as music video, TV shows, movie trailer, however, there is one kind of clips always draw public’s attention on it, that is, DIY video. But today I only want to talk about DIY music video clips on internet.
I categorise those internet musicians into to two groups, self-employed musician and ‘fun-maker’. Firstly, for those self-employed musician, most of them do not have enough funds to produce and promote their productions. Cyberspace become the best field for them to express themselves, because it’s free of charge and less regulations than television. Therefore, many kinds of musicians post their art works on the website to show people their talents, for examples, free style rap music, guitar solo, or pop songs. More, it is easier to make a clip than music video, people can use digital video camera or even webcam to film themselves. As a result of that, some musician become famous because of those videos, such as Jerry C who solo ‘Canon’ by his electronic guitar. The other group is ‘fun-maker’. Basically, they are music video remakers. They use other people’s music as background music, then act in a very funny way on the screen. In my point of view, they are not real music artists, but they become popular because they can bring funs to audience. And there is a problem has been risen by this phenomena, that is, copyrights. Because record companies do not allow people pirate their music, even on the internet. However, it is too hard to control people to freely use music.
Everyone can make their own music or video clips then post on internet, and sometimes they are even more famous singing stars or movie stars. I strongly believe that, in the near feature, those musician can make more profits from internet than singers who are from studio. But for those video remakers, they possibly need to consider about copyrights now.
I categorise those internet musicians into to two groups, self-employed musician and ‘fun-maker’. Firstly, for those self-employed musician, most of them do not have enough funds to produce and promote their productions. Cyberspace become the best field for them to express themselves, because it’s free of charge and less regulations than television. Therefore, many kinds of musicians post their art works on the website to show people their talents, for examples, free style rap music, guitar solo, or pop songs. More, it is easier to make a clip than music video, people can use digital video camera or even webcam to film themselves. As a result of that, some musician become famous because of those videos, such as Jerry C who solo ‘Canon’ by his electronic guitar. The other group is ‘fun-maker’. Basically, they are music video remakers. They use other people’s music as background music, then act in a very funny way on the screen. In my point of view, they are not real music artists, but they become popular because they can bring funs to audience. And there is a problem has been risen by this phenomena, that is, copyrights. Because record companies do not allow people pirate their music, even on the internet. However, it is too hard to control people to freely use music.
Everyone can make their own music or video clips then post on internet, and sometimes they are even more famous singing stars or movie stars. I strongly believe that, in the near feature, those musician can make more profits from internet than singers who are from studio. But for those video remakers, they possibly need to consider about copyrights now.
I'm out for dead presidents to represent me
I thought the Greg Tate article “Hiphop turns 30: Whatcha celebratin’ for?” was a great read. It made me think of a doco on Martin Luther King I saw a few years back which mentioned how his political views changed (and arguably became more extreme) as he grew older, saw more and eventually came to the conclusion the equality between black and white America would never exist without a major reallocation of wealth. Echoed in Tate’s statement that “the no. 1 issue on the table needs to be poverty” is the suggestion that for all the value of discussion, education, identifying rights and creating avenues of expression, what really makes a difference on a day-to-day basis is money; and money itself in a lot of ways is what can enable those things. The way (mainstream) hip-hop deals with poverty is to turn it into “studio-gangsta” poverty: used either as a tool to stress toughness or as a self-affirming I-hustled-my-way-out-of-the-ghetto-and-now-I-have-lots-of-nice-things then-and-now comparison which makes for good daydreams but doesn’t help or reflect many people’s reality. As Tate says, nobody knows how to make (real) poverty sexy and, since it needs to be so to sell, the ill-fit of a culture that is supposed to be about speaking for a disadvantaged minority with an industry focused on making money for people who, whatever their background, have joined the ranks of the privileged few starts to grate.
80's Meets 18th Century
In the lecture a few weeks back we looked at how music (and records) played an important part in the narrative of Sophia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides. Her newest film, Marie Antoinette, also uses music as important narrative tool, of which it was both praised and criticised. The film, set in the late 18th century, chronicles the life of Marie Antoinette from her marriage to Louis XVI, to their eventual escape from
I completely agree with this statement. The use of 80’s music is one of the primary reasons why I enjoyed the movie. It causes the viewer to relate with the character, comparing the rock music to the music of their own adolescence. As Marie-Antoinette begins to indulge in clothes, food and alcohol, Bow Wow Wow’s “I Want Candy” plays on top of a montage of shots, much like that of an 80’s teen movie. It shows she is a typical teenager, who does typical teenager things, yet just happened to live 250 years ago. It fills in the distance between viewer and character typically imposed by historical films, by bridging the “old” of the film, with the “new” of the music. She may live in a palace, wearing a corseted dress and is surrounded by men wearing wigs, but the rock music makes her appear to be like any other teenager today. It also emphases how young she was she was married (14) and crowned queen (19). While the music chosen is from the 1980’s, I felt I could still relate to Marie-Antoinette because rock and punk music is obviously still present today.
The modern music eventually subsides towards the end of the film, as Marie concentrates of motherhood and is no longer a teen. It is replaced with a more classical score, symbolising this transition. While the modern music may place the historical accuracy of the film in jeopardy, it sums up what the entire movie is about. It is a glimpse into her years as a teenager and young adult, not about her eventual execution, and the rock music echoes this as it is something that a modern audience can relate to, and compare to our own lives.
The Bling in Rock n Roll
The stereotyping and comodification of Hip Hop via the focus on fast cars, fast women, and even faster money has a rough parallel in the world of rock n roll. The fast cars are muscle cars, the women slightly more clothed yet willing to gyrate all the same, and the money? Well the money is less visible as rock icons are less willing to throw around hundred dollar bills in front of the camera, yet it is still there. The smashing of expensive guitars and equipment, the stadium sized events and towering stacks of Marshal amps, not to mention the copious amounts of liquor on tap. Yet the genre would have you believe that the money isn’t everything.
Where Hip Hop admittedly and unashamedly presents the monetary imperative of music as business, Rock music hides the fact behind layers of self-righteous animosity. Every rock and roll band is supposedly founded in a band member’s garage and every dollar earned comes in second to the initial and continued love of music. So what if the money comes later, the champagne parties and Bono inspired designer sunglasses are by products of the initial buzz. But does that really make the world of difference?
Take for example, the top ten grossing tours of musicians or music acts for 2006 as complied by Billboard Boxscore. Number one was of course the Rolling Stones with approx $437 million, with Bon Jovi, U2, Aerosmith and Motley Crue also featuring alongside a couple country acts and one or two forgettable pop acts. Thus all the big money is being earned by aged rockers via overpriced tours; which is nothing new. But the fact remains that rock music continues to deny commercialisation yet criticises the same in Hip Hop.
Where Hip Hop admittedly and unashamedly presents the monetary imperative of music as business, Rock music hides the fact behind layers of self-righteous animosity. Every rock and roll band is supposedly founded in a band member’s garage and every dollar earned comes in second to the initial and continued love of music. So what if the money comes later, the champagne parties and Bono inspired designer sunglasses are by products of the initial buzz. But does that really make the world of difference?
Take for example, the top ten grossing tours of musicians or music acts for 2006 as complied by Billboard Boxscore. Number one was of course the Rolling Stones with approx $437 million, with Bon Jovi, U2, Aerosmith and Motley Crue also featuring alongside a couple country acts and one or two forgettable pop acts. Thus all the big money is being earned by aged rockers via overpriced tours; which is nothing new. But the fact remains that rock music continues to deny commercialisation yet criticises the same in Hip Hop.
What? Oh….
The last two weeks corresponding readings relating to the topic’ has been an interesting experience for me. Hip hop and punk culture have been part of my life no doubt, gone through the motions of both in certain elements of them, due to the influences they both had and I see continues to have. The commercial power was obviously behind both due to my age and being in a distant location from their respective origins, this was through the medium of television and the overpowering visual component that kind of marginalised the sound in relation.
From hip hop it was all dance, in the form of break-dancing. Everything else was just secondary. It never occurred that it was an art form from the socially and economically underprivileged being performed on the yards of a private school. The tool to show the neglected becomes the tool to make money? From punk it was the styles, the hair and chains, just shows how corporate agendas influence, that might not be completely right, more like corporate adoption of the ‘popular’ to accumulate. Status was defined by your adoption of the culture, the more you have of the ‘culture’ the more status you gain.
These personal experiences are questionable in some terms of their relevancy to the topic, and I really don’t have a point to make that everyone taking this paper doesn’t know already I guess. Just pointing out my revelations in terms of the influences the two have had on my life so far.
Women in Hip-hop videos
Performing in a music video for women is different to performing as a male. Women have to show their bodies, knowing they are in the gaze of sexual desire. Hip-hop music videos use women as objects, the male performers treat women as commodities; they are there to up the performers’ status, to make them look good. The women in these videos are taken for granted, they are often seen in domesticated settings, in the home, in the kitchen. In Jay Z’s Girls, Girls, Girls video, the first of his ‘girls’ are in the kitchen, one cooking, and one looking after a toddler. This stereotypes women as home-makers, that the home is where they belong.
Male performers in these clips control the women, they answer to their every whim, they hang off them, showing themselves off, staring seductively into the camera. Nelly’s Hot in Here is a prime example of this, women taking their clothes off and dancing alongside him. They provide a bad example for young women, women should not feel they need to behave the way men want them to, they should have more independence than that.
Modern hip-hop videos use women in this way far more than earlier ones do. Run DMC videos very rarely have women in their videos. If they do, the women are not marginalized, in It’s like that the women are placed at the same level as the men, competing with each other’s dance moves. Run DMC are more concerned with showing off their sneakers than a woman’s booty.
Male performers in these clips control the women, they answer to their every whim, they hang off them, showing themselves off, staring seductively into the camera. Nelly’s Hot in Here is a prime example of this, women taking their clothes off and dancing alongside him. They provide a bad example for young women, women should not feel they need to behave the way men want them to, they should have more independence than that.
Modern hip-hop videos use women in this way far more than earlier ones do. Run DMC videos very rarely have women in their videos. If they do, the women are not marginalized, in It’s like that the women are placed at the same level as the men, competing with each other’s dance moves. Run DMC are more concerned with showing off their sneakers than a woman’s booty.
The death/future of 'genre'
After reading Sandwell and Beers chapter on Stylistic Morphing I got to thinking about the nature of genre. Genre can be defined as,
"a class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, content, technique, or the like: the genre of epic poetry; the genre of symphonic music."
with the digitisation of music and the stylistic morphing of traditional discourses in music, it is becoming harder and harder to label and categorise music into neat genres. Even the existence of a band is not necessary as technology allows people to produce their own pieces of music on personal computers. Is the band redundant? What is music? Who is an artist and who owns the rights to the music? Microsoft? The composer?
Genres as we know them have become a relic of the past. Disco debuted as a category at the Grammies in 1979, but was never seen again. More often we see a hybridisation of traditional and contemporary genres. What does this mean for categories at the Grammies? Is it time to break down the traditional popular genres and introduce some modern genres? Or is it time to do away with the idea of genre and evaluate music by an alternative standard? This is not a silly idea, we have become so accustomed to our familiar method of organising music but with a revolution in the production, appropriation, and distribution of music maybe it is time to seek a new system of musical virtues to praise.
Caleb
"a class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, content, technique, or the like: the genre of epic poetry; the genre of symphonic music."
with the digitisation of music and the stylistic morphing of traditional discourses in music, it is becoming harder and harder to label and categorise music into neat genres. Even the existence of a band is not necessary as technology allows people to produce their own pieces of music on personal computers. Is the band redundant? What is music? Who is an artist and who owns the rights to the music? Microsoft? The composer?
Genres as we know them have become a relic of the past. Disco debuted as a category at the Grammies in 1979, but was never seen again. More often we see a hybridisation of traditional and contemporary genres. What does this mean for categories at the Grammies? Is it time to break down the traditional popular genres and introduce some modern genres? Or is it time to do away with the idea of genre and evaluate music by an alternative standard? This is not a silly idea, we have become so accustomed to our familiar method of organising music but with a revolution in the production, appropriation, and distribution of music maybe it is time to seek a new system of musical virtues to praise.
Caleb
Music Genre Films
Last week's lecture on hip hop and it's visual representation in film and music videos and the week before's lecture on punk got me thinking about music genre films. It seems that for every music genre, there's a film that is representational of it in someway or another. Hip hop has Wild Style, Do The Right Thing, etc. and more recently Get Rich or Die Tryin', 8 Mile, etc. These films either feature prominent hip hop artists acting, or represent other artists through great use of their music. My question is, does the music make the movie or does the movie make the music? I recently saw, Black Snake Moan, a movie that falls in the blues genre. One could probably say that it is for blues what Wild Style or Do The Right Thing is for hip hop. It represents the environment in which the blues came about (the working class black American south) and one of the institutions that inspired the music (the church). The stories in it even represent blues stories - a man's (Samuel L. Jackson) wife leaves him for his brother so he sings the blues to deal with what his life has become, and a nymphomaniac (Christina Ricci) with emotional issues due to her marine boyfriend in Iraq (Justin Timberlake) and her "itch" for sex finds solace in the biblical and musical teachings of Jackson (who takes her in). What results is a blues film in every sense of the word. The music throughout the whole film is overpowering, whether it's Samuel L. Jackson playing his guitar and singing his blues story in a climactic lightening storm, or just the typical blues riffs to accompany the action of the film. What becomes clear though, is that the music makes the film. This film is clearly about the power of blues music and a sort of representation of the history through the setting of the deep south. Jackson's character, more so than any of the other characters in the film, drives the blues mood to give the audience a lesson of what "blues" really means. The film adds to the growing genre of "music genre films" - creating a visual representation of all the aspects of a specific type of music.
What About NZ??
Out of all the posts on here relating to hiphop and hiphop culture, not one has seemed to refer to the specific culture of hiphop here in NZ. Admittedly there has been a decline in these artists and their popularity over the last three or four years but I still think it is interesting to look at them. Are they 'copycats' of the black hiphop culture, trying to buy into the commercialization and make money? Or do they have an identity specific to them?
I feel that NZ hiphop is vastly different to American hiphop and that NZ hiphop artists haven't ripped off American artists at all. For example, look at the issue of 'bling' that is so prevalent in US hiphop and rap culture. This doesn't seem to be an aspect of hiphop in NZ - just look at Scribe. Sure he wears the street clothes also popular in America, but there is no bling to be seen. Also, while music videos of US hiphop artists are (as already mentioned) full of half naked women, NZ hiphop videos (in general) aren't. Using Scribe as an example again, I'm sure you'll all remember that his videos were primarily focused on his relationship with his 'boys/bros'. The aspect of family, especially extended family, among Maori and Pacific Island NZers is something specific to our culture which has not been drawn from America.
I'm not denying that US music (and media in general) has a great impact on us and other cultures/countries. However, we should give ourselves more credit for the unique musical talent that we do have.... It's not all copied.
I feel that NZ hiphop is vastly different to American hiphop and that NZ hiphop artists haven't ripped off American artists at all. For example, look at the issue of 'bling' that is so prevalent in US hiphop and rap culture. This doesn't seem to be an aspect of hiphop in NZ - just look at Scribe. Sure he wears the street clothes also popular in America, but there is no bling to be seen. Also, while music videos of US hiphop artists are (as already mentioned) full of half naked women, NZ hiphop videos (in general) aren't. Using Scribe as an example again, I'm sure you'll all remember that his videos were primarily focused on his relationship with his 'boys/bros'. The aspect of family, especially extended family, among Maori and Pacific Island NZers is something specific to our culture which has not been drawn from America.
I'm not denying that US music (and media in general) has a great impact on us and other cultures/countries. However, we should give ourselves more credit for the unique musical talent that we do have.... It's not all copied.
Women and Hiphop
'Exploitation of women' is not a strange term in the hiphop culture.A glamorous and sex-appealing woman (especially black woman) rapping the indecent lyrics is a familiar image when many of us try to think about women and hiphop. Many of the hiphop music videos show and promote negative images of black women. Most of the women, specifically black women are represented as sex objects. The images in the hiphop music videos go along with lots of explicit lyrics. Also, many times, in the male hiphop artists' music videos women are described as being only good for sexual relations. Surely not all the music videos are like that but large proportions of them are. They disrespect, dehumanise and dishonour women. Women (esp. black women) are used to known as having less power, wealth and protection. This stereotype is shaped some of their sexual morality, because some accept that they have no control over their bodies and look at themselves as society sees them. What caused this problem? Nobody is sure about the answer. But the one thing is clear. It is the whole idea, system and ideologies in hiphop culture that has to be changed. Well.. for the bright future of the hiphop culture, I might say.
Funky Forebears
I think the notion of “authenticity” that some bloggers have raised in relation to hip hop and rap is really poignant and that it is an argument worth exploring further than the rapper who is just “keeping it real”. The common tradition of “sampling”, (commonly implemented by the beat maker) when pieces of existing music is cut up and reassembled to form the backing music for a rap song is most certainly a point of contention within popular music discourse. Many consider it as inauthentic, asserting that it is artistic theft or simply that it requires little “real” musical talent and therefore is of little musical value. However, I think the technique is a complex one that deserves a lot more respect and appreciation than it receives.
When sampling was in its infantile stage, artists such as Eric B and Rakim looked to past black artists, particularly funk and soul artists, such as James Brown to sample (something which is now stock and trade). Not only was the technique sonically new but it also carried with it significant resistive qualities in relation to the recording industry. This is because sampling challenged laws which prohibited the use/reappropriation of whole or even parts of copyrighted material. The reason it was such a defiant act, was because the music that they were sampling was generally performed by black artists who had signed dodgy contracts. These contracts basically robbed the artist of a significant amounts of royalties and legal rights to ownership of the songs that they created/performed, while awarding them to the major labels (owned by white males…) that they had signed under.
These days, rap has become a commodity from which lucrative profits are to be made. Rap music and hip hop culture is everywhere, most evidently in its role as a vehicle to sell unrelated products: Lil’ John’s “Crunk” energy drink anyone? However, through the continued act of sampling the rap artists’ forebears, I think a sense of “realness” is expressed as it asserts that the rap artist is aware of the industry that they are working in and has a sound knowledge of historical artistic creations. This solidifies their talent as truthful and authentic.
Furthermore, although the rap artist now has to legally clear songs that they sample and pay record companies for such use, the technique also appears as an act of respect as they verify the original artist as somewhat of a canonical author. An example of this, is the advent and coining of “G-Funk” style rap, which uses funk samples and whose name alludes to forebears Parliament-Funkadelic, also known as P-Funk.
It is widely regarded that rap’s sampling of old songs, created a bigger consumer demand for them, so much so that many out circulation albums and singles were reprinted. Because of this, it also gave artists stronger profiles and more agency. An example of this is Parliament-Funkadelic founder George Clinton, who a few years ago took his record label to court and won the ownership rights to the songs which he created.
So I guess what I’m getting at, is that even despite what many perceive as negatives of a lot of today‘s rap music: the “bling”/booty culture, violent lyrics and imagery, there is still potential room for the rap artist to express some type of positive and perhaps (if the sample was used in an anti-authoritarian way) counter hegemonic discourse.
When sampling was in its infantile stage, artists such as Eric B and Rakim looked to past black artists, particularly funk and soul artists, such as James Brown to sample (something which is now stock and trade). Not only was the technique sonically new but it also carried with it significant resistive qualities in relation to the recording industry. This is because sampling challenged laws which prohibited the use/reappropriation of whole or even parts of copyrighted material. The reason it was such a defiant act, was because the music that they were sampling was generally performed by black artists who had signed dodgy contracts. These contracts basically robbed the artist of a significant amounts of royalties and legal rights to ownership of the songs that they created/performed, while awarding them to the major labels (owned by white males…) that they had signed under.
These days, rap has become a commodity from which lucrative profits are to be made. Rap music and hip hop culture is everywhere, most evidently in its role as a vehicle to sell unrelated products: Lil’ John’s “Crunk” energy drink anyone? However, through the continued act of sampling the rap artists’ forebears, I think a sense of “realness” is expressed as it asserts that the rap artist is aware of the industry that they are working in and has a sound knowledge of historical artistic creations. This solidifies their talent as truthful and authentic.
Furthermore, although the rap artist now has to legally clear songs that they sample and pay record companies for such use, the technique also appears as an act of respect as they verify the original artist as somewhat of a canonical author. An example of this, is the advent and coining of “G-Funk” style rap, which uses funk samples and whose name alludes to forebears Parliament-Funkadelic, also known as P-Funk.
It is widely regarded that rap’s sampling of old songs, created a bigger consumer demand for them, so much so that many out circulation albums and singles were reprinted. Because of this, it also gave artists stronger profiles and more agency. An example of this is Parliament-Funkadelic founder George Clinton, who a few years ago took his record label to court and won the ownership rights to the songs which he created.
So I guess what I’m getting at, is that even despite what many perceive as negatives of a lot of today‘s rap music: the “bling”/booty culture, violent lyrics and imagery, there is still potential room for the rap artist to express some type of positive and perhaps (if the sample was used in an anti-authoritarian way) counter hegemonic discourse.
Bling and the Culture Industry
Thinking from the Frankfurt School and Theodor Adorno would view popular music as the product of a “culture industry” which numbs the minds of the masses. Initially Rap music allowed the articulation of ‘street knowledge’ and a medium through which Afro-American political unrest and social disease was communicated to a minority community. Through the mainstreaming of rap music the once underground anti-authoritarian musical genre characterised by high artistry and social commentary has now been ‘censored’ to create a vehicle by which multi-million dollar hip-hop record labels can market their product to their predominately white market. Modern rap music no longer represents Black America, it has become a commercial production of the big businesses that produce and distribute it. The creative and cultural potential of rap music been corrupted by the entertainment industry, shifting hip-hop away from a social and political movement, and towards a marketed product of the ‘culture industry’.
The rise of corporatised rap has transformed the symbol of a rapper from an authentic social commentator to the ‘bling’ encrusted Black parody of the American dream. Todays rapper has become an image, a multi-media brand with clothing and record labels, a mediated person marketed to consumers.
The rise of corporatised rap has transformed the symbol of a rapper from an authentic social commentator to the ‘bling’ encrusted Black parody of the American dream. Todays rapper has become an image, a multi-media brand with clothing and record labels, a mediated person marketed to consumers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)