Subcultures and My Life

Going into the semester, I was pretty interested in subcultures, it's always been something that I've thought about. I knew a lot of stereotypes about different subcultures, but I wasn't sure what the definition of one was or how they interacted with the mainstream. There were always groups that I associated with because of various activities I participated in, but I never considered myself a member of any particular subculture. I never had much exposure to radically different subcultures, but I was excited to learn more about them.

I definitely learned a lot this semester. Deviance was never something I thought about with subcultures, I always assumed it was a group of people with similar interests. Due to my heavy influence in music, I assumed the mainstream was inherently evil - the mainstream meant Justin Bieber, deviance meant James Blake. I never had an insane hatred of the mainstream culture, but I'm happy to say that through learning more about deviance and subcultures, I've gained an appreciation for the mainstream as much as I have for subcultures.

So anyway, does it mean anything? Have subcultures affected my life? I would say definitely yes, but not in any direct way. I'm not a member of a subculture, nor do I really know anyone who is, but I see the effects of youth cultures everywhere I go. Whether meeting people in a subculture or existing totally in the mainstream - whatever that means - subcultures reaching all the way back to the beginning of the 20th century have affected youth culture in general the way it is. The effects of subcultures on the mainstream (including its responses to them) has affected the way the mainstream developed over time.

I can't say I'm any more or less tolerant to different subcultures, since my real-life experience with them is still very little. However, I can say that I have a better understanding of why people decide to join a subculture and resist mainstream ideals - whether they do it intentionally or not. Through learning about my specific subculture (jamband), I've come to the conclusion that one doesn't have to be in a subculture to resist the mainstream. I've also decided that by resisting, it doesn't mean you're some kind of alternative-minded social rebel. Resisting is healthy in any form or fashion, and it keeps society fresh.

Subcultures in my life

For the most part, I find subcultures too constraining. The exact pressures of conformity and popularity found within the mainstream are also found within subcultures. There's the risk of being seen as a poser or casual participant. If you leave the mainstream to find belonging just to be rejected by a subculture, where does that leave you?

I like the idea of being influenced a little bit by multiple subcultures better. I like lots of different music and books and sports, and I like the ideals the cultures set forth of empowerment and questioning the power structures. I can't say that I do or have ever belonged to a specific subculture, because such membership involves a high level of dedication and commitment. The really interesting thing to me is that each subculture has it's own fairly rigid set of qualifiers. They may not be maleness, wealth, heterosexuality, Christianity, etc, but each subculture sets forth its own requirements for participation. To me, this plays into mainstream culture more that anyone would care to admit.

I still believe that the ideals of subcultures--finding community and belonging amongst a like-minded group of individuals--are good. I've just never felt such a strong draw to any singular culture to pledge involvement.

Subcultures

When discussing subcultures, my mind always wanders back to that cliche movie we know as Mean Girls. High school is all about forming your close-knit group of friends, and then having people label you as how they see you. At the lunch tables in Mean Girls, there were the cool asians, preps, varsity jocks, sexually active band geeks, etc. I think the concept of a group of people who congregate and share similar interests is threatening to some people, hence specific, often erroneous stereotypes become affiliated with them. In the long run, life is all about feeling accepted and finding a place where you're part of the in-crowd, as opposed to being an outcast. So, have youth subcultures played a part in my life? I'd say so. In high school, I was quick to judge people based solely on who they hung out with or how they dressed. However looking back, these separate groups is what makes youth so unique. I'm happy that I was exposed to different groups throughout my youth, because homogeneity would've bored me to death.

Subcultures' Influence in My Life

Like some other people who have posted already, I don't consider myself a hardcore member of any particular subculture. However, I definitely share ideals and interests with several subcultures, and they have shaped my life in a deep way. From little things like skimming the fan websites of “cult” TV shows I love, or bonding with new people over music genres we listen to, to larger ones like changing my daily diet to avoid meat, I think that my personality and my interactions with others over the years have been changed and enriched by the subcultures I associate with. They remind me that it's important to keep your passions alive, even—or, in my opinion, especially—when they require that you resist the easy, mainstream road. Too many people hide their quirks for the sake of fitting in, or follow thoughtlessly the rules and restrictions set up by the dominant culture. My associations with my subcultures of choice help me stay true to myself and to remember to second guess the mainstream culture that many people take for granted.

Ponderings..

In the beginning of the semester I struggled to find and define my own relationship to the topic of subcultures. I wanted a label for myself (something that I hadn't looked for or wanted since high school!) and couldn't even remember what my label would have been in high school. Watching the presentations, I realized what interested me most about individual subcultures is the way that they form a community, the development of individual members' relationships with each other. I find that I don't fully grasp a youth subculture until I understand the group dynamic and what that says about the ideology and point behind the subculture. This makes sense to me because dancing for me has always been about being an individual in a specific group. Both in high school and in college, being a dancer meant being a part of a close knit group of girls who are around each other all the time by nature of the activity, and tend to know each other very intimately because we watch each other sweat and work hard at what we care most about. Because to my knowledge dance has so many various facades, I never thought of "dancer" as my label. But that's exactly what my exterior identity is (and interior for that matter) Perhaps dance is not a full fledged youth subculture, but it does exist as its own lifestyle that is foreign to those not involved.
On another note, over the past four years of being at Temple youth subcultures have had an important effect on me by constantly reminding me to ask questions, to not be complacent, and to challenge the mainstream. I don't consider myself an authentic subculturist but I do identify more with my peers who are; I see them as people making empowered choices about themselves and being around them reminds me to avoid complacency and blind following.

Effect of Subcultures on my Life

I never really thought of myself as belonging to a certain youth subculture, but I suppose I have been shaped by interactions with different ones. I remember that in middle school and part of high school I thought that I had to be a part of some subculture, but I didn't fit comfortably into any particular one. I guess they were too constraining for me. For example, although I listened to a lot of hip-hop during my adolescence like many kids around me, I didn't feel like a true member of the subculture because it didn't consume a large area of my life. Likewise, I have been in love with the Harry Potter series since the third grade, but I don't think I would ever try out for a quidditch team. Although I've never quite fit perfectly into one, I think it's cool when I meet young people who very much are engrossed in some subculture. It's as if they're in some kind of exclusive club where they feel free to express themselves in ways that they wouldn't feel comfortable otherwise. I respect that.

Cultures

I think that subcultures are what make society more interesting. Without them, everything would be mainstream, which would not only be impossible, but also very boring, because there would be basic standards that everyone would adhere to and no one would challenge the status quo. Even though I have never thought of myself as a participant in any particular subculture, I think that subcultures are necessary and important in the overall culture and many things can be learned from them.

Does any of it matter?

We talked in class today about whether youth subcultures have changed the mainstream. Closer to home, how would you say youth subcultures have influenced your life?

My 10 Favorite Albums of 2011

It's that time of year again, when I like to sit for hours with my headphones on and review all the awesome music that's been released in the last 12 months and decide which albums are my favorite. If you're like me and like to see where you compare to the rest of the indie music-obsessor crowd, then I suggest you head over to Pitchfork and complete the 2011 Pitchfork Readers Poll. In the meantime, here are my top 10:

10. Yuck - Yuck

This pick stems from my total nostalgia over 90's fuzz-pop music. While I'm a huge fan of the grunge scene from this wonderful decade, bands like Pavement, Guided By Voices, and Dinosaur Jr. are the ones that truly won my heart. Yuck somehow manages to channel this vibe without being bland and unoriginal. This album is catchy, melodic, kind of twee, and totally caught up in the whole coming-of-age motif. I'm particularly partial to the tracks "The Wall" and "Georgia".

9. Panda Bear - Tomboy

I was only an occasional fan of Panda Bear, who makes chilled-out electro-pop. Tomboy to me sounds like the Beach Boys had sex with Animal Collective and then raised their love child by making it listen to the Velvet Underground at all hours of the day. My favorite tracks, like "Surfer's Hymn" channel this "dude-let's-just-chill-on-my-couch-and-have-our-minds-blown" vibe. This album was great for a pre-summer jam, and tracks like "Last Night At The Jetty" go great thrown in with any reggae-jam playlist.

8. Cults - Cults

Let me preface this by saying that the first time I heard "Abducted" I was really stoned. I probably said something like, "Holy shit this is really good." Then I heard "Go Outside". Then I heard "You Know What I Mean". At this point, I wasn't saying anything. I had absolutely no idea that something this catchy could ever be written. The latter is my favorite track on the album, but the entire thing is poppy as fuck. Theirs is a one-of-a-kind sound, and I'm really excited to see them in January.

7. Thundercat - The Golden Age of Apocalypse

Thundercat (Stephen Bruner), who worked with Flying Lotus, put out this clusterfuck in September, and I still don't know what the hell this whole thing is about. But as far as clusterfucks go, this one is utterly brilliant. The album is experimental, crossing jazz fusion with techno and Afro-pop. The track "Daylight" is saturated with synths and smooth vocal harmonies, and foreshadows the rest of the album, which is textured and layered beyond all belief. Tracks like "Walkin'" remind me of Toro Y Moi's 80's pop flow. Now that would be one hell of a collab.

6. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

Girls are fantastic. The gender of human, yes, but the band...YES. Their first record, the annoyingly-titled Album, was a nice work of 60's-inspired pop, and was one of my favorite albums of 2009. Their second record, Broken Dreams Club, was a mini-album of equal quality, and began to take the band's sound in a new direction. Father, Son, Holy Ghost defines where that direction is. Still poppy as all hell, as album opener "Honey Bunny" exhibits, but now with more substance. The vocals smoothen out, and the band uses their nods to past influences to their fullest, displaying color and sharp songwriting. My favorite track? "Vomit" - especially the fuzzy guitar solo, vintage organ, and choral arrangement.

5. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

I'm going to sound a little pretentious here, but I listened to St. Vincent before Strange Mercy was released. In fact, even before her breakout sophomore album Actor. I was a big listener of her debut record, Marry Me, way back in 2009. She's got a great sound, totally fresh, but grounded in fantastic songwriting. The track "Cruel" is one of the catchiest things ever to grace my eardrums. Obviously, "Surgeon" is a great track as well, but my favorite is "Strange Mercy", which is so melodic it's almost lullaby-like.

4. Toro Y Moi - Underneath the Pine

Toro Y Moi's Chaz Bundick is one of the best-looking men I've ever seen, no homo. His music is just as handsome. One of the pioneers of the "chillwave" genre, Bundick creates electro-pop that makes you want to get down. "New Beat" is catchy and dancey, and I had a lot of fun getting down to it when I saw Toro Y Moi live. The whole album is warm and groovy, with tracks like "Still Sound" funking it up. This is impressive stuff, and again, catchy as all hell. Dance your ass off.

3. Washed Out - Within and Without

When this record came out in July, I knew there was only one way to do it justice. I bought it on vinyl, popped it on my record player, and it's been a regular on my turntable since then. I was a fan of Washed Out's Life of Leisure EP, but didn't listen to it regularly. Within and Without opened my eyes to chillwave, with tracks like "Amor Fati" leading the way. The dreamy, steamy sound of this record is an amazing listen front-to-back. "Soft" is an incredible listen, as is "Far Away". This record is really something else.

2. Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Bon Iver's songwriting has always impressed me. Debut For Emma, Forever Ago was heartbreaking and personal. After all, he did record it alone in the woods. Comparatively, Bon Iver is much more complex, with sounds building out of nothing and then crashing to a dramatic end. Album opener "Perth" is incredible, and only continues from there. Justin Vernon' earthy harmonies are hypnotic, and make the lyrics something other-worldly. "Holocene" is one of the most breathtaking performances on the album, which climaxes with "Calgary".

Vernon adresses a state of mind on this album; a state of confusion, trying to escape, to put words to a place in time. The more you listen to these tracks the more surreal they become, and the more you find yourself becoming attached to them. These songs are rich and layered, and the album demands to be listened to in its entirety: to do otherwise would be doing it an injustice to its flawless structure. Of my top 10, this album is the best contender for runner-up. It truly stands out, and if it weren't for a certain English producer, Bon Iver would stand atop this list.

1. James Blake - James Blake

My favorite album of 2011 - James Blake's self-titled debut record. The position of best album (in my opinion) was a difficult choice. 2011 has been full of records that harken back to the music of old. Whether it be 90's indie rock throwback, 60's pop laced with surfer sounds, or chilled-out 80's electro-pop, the music of the last year has been sampling and borrowing sounds from all over the place. However, what makes new music truly great (again, in my opinion) is it's ability to stand against everything else that's being created, and throw the rules out the window. To stand the test of time, great music reinvents sound and wordplay into something that no one has ever heard before. 

Enter James Blake. A dubstep producer with a effects-heavy obsession and an ear for the soft touch of a piano, Blake crafted one of the most stunning bodies of music that I've ever heard. The album opener, "Unluck", tells what's to come - quick, syncopated rhythms, smartly auto-tuned vocals, and spine-tingling harmonies. "Wilhelms Scream", my favorite track on the first half of the record, opens with the lyrics "I don't know about my dreams/I don't know my dreaming anymore/All that I know is that I'm falling, falling, falling, falling/Might as well fall". More progressive harmonies and a slow-building synth sound, the track crescendos with a gentle wave of sound that numbs the soul.

"I Never Learnt To Share" is stunning in the way that the previous track is stunning: introspective, building, and bass-heavy. The dissonant chords shouldn't work, yet they beautifully magnify the impending sound-gasm that is the final minute. This album is best listened to through high-end headphones with lots of bass. "Lindesfarne" is a two-part melodic lullaby, which ends the first half slowly and with grace. 

The second half picks up with the brilliant "Limit To Your Love", which starts off with a slow piano intro before breaking into a wobbling bass refrain that sounds like your head exploding when listened to live. Eventually the track expands the vocals with dark harmonies and subtle drum instrumentation. Again, brilliant. "Give Me My Month" is a short, beautiful piano tune that highlights Blake's mastering of a great chord progression. "To Care (Like You)" takes Blake's vocals to a new level, slightly unsettling in the artificially-high register. The lyrics are brief and soulful, and the glitchy vocal sample and drum loop make the track a highlight on the record.

"Why Don't You Call Me" is another short, piano-driven tune, but with a production style that sounds like a bad record skipping. "I Mind" fills out the piano motif with more spacey synths and a mamba-like drum loop. This sets up the incredible "Measurements", which starts with synths and contains a subtle bass melody, but is mostly an a cappella track with multiple harmonies of Blake's voice. He plays with his vocal style here, and creates a smart, melodic finale to the album.

The difference in quality between the albums on this list is nil - they are all fantastic in their own right. Deciding which ones were meant to be higher up on the list than others was like deciding in what order I should eat a handful of the same-colored Skittles. A weird analogy, I know, but in all seriousness this list contains some of the best music of the year. Unfortunately, this list contains only ten records, and there are many more excellent albums that have been released this year.

Just to be fair, I complied a brief list of my Honorable Mentions:

Atlas Sound - Parallax

Neon Indian - Era Extraña

The Field - Looping State of Mind

Shabazz Palaces - Black Up

WU LYF - Go Tell Fire To The Mountain

Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo

Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde

The Black Keys - El Camino

Spoken Word Presentations

I thought that the other presentations that went on Thursday were all really interesting and that the videos shown were all really helpful. I was particularly struck by the spoken word/slam poetry videos. It was so impressive how much emotion and what issues and feelings people could get across through just speaking. I had no idea that there was still a culture of people doing things like that, even though I'd always seen it in movies. I think that the performers shown had an incredibly effective way of getting their message across, and I think more people should watch things like that and think about the issues they brought up.

Skyrim

So after seeing numerous tweets and Facebook status concerning Skyrim, I became very curious and eager to see what exactly it was. Skyrim is basically the newest phenomenon in the realm of gaming. After reading a brief synopsis on it, I discovered it was a RPG game that sounded very much like WOW. Medieval and mythical characters set out to slay a dragon or perform other feats of greatness. This game is the fifth installment of the Elder Scrolls. I can not say that I've tried out the game, but it has definitely become very popular. The game was released on 11-11-11. I know a lot of my guys friends have experienced a sharp decline in their grades due to the excessive amount of time they spend playing Skyrim. I am definitely prone to the effects of video games, especially the time consuming aspect. So, I think that if I still have a desire to engage in the game and see what all the hype is about, I'd best wait till Christmas break. Here's a short clip about the new game that has everyone talking and tweeting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjqsYzBrP-M

I'm not RPG buff, but I have to say the graphics for this game look amazing, and the trailer definitely sold it to me.

Gangsta vs. Redneck

While looking up subcultures, I came across a website that was comparing gangsters and rednecks. I thought it was interesting because I know a few rednecks from back home.

Some comparisons that they made were these:

-they are immediately identifiable by their distinctive style of music

-they both have a showy culture

-they take pride in their low-income lifestyle

-criticized for sexism and homophobia

-they identify as being persecuted

-attracted to gaudy and tacky things

-attracted to guns and violence

Hip-Hop today

I would just like to post about the artist that we saw a video of today - Topaz Jones. I'm a fan of hip-hop, not just old-school stuff, but anyone on the scene today who can really rap and say something important and fresh. I checked out some of Topaz's other videos today, then I downloaded his mixtape, and I've literally been listening to it all day. He reminds me a lot of Kanye West in his flow and a lot of the things he talks about. I like a good rapper with a social conscience, and he mentions a lot of important topics in his music. Not only that, but the producing on his mixtape is out of this world, I'm really not sure who his producer is but all-around I'm really impressed. I'd love to see this guy get more hype, and the next time I see the cypher performing at the bell tower, I'll stop over and ask around about Topaz.

Check it - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fb2v7z0bwg

I saw this posted on facebook today between two of my friends, an interesting perspective to follow up our presentations today...

Commodification of Hip Hop

Over this thanksgiving weekend I saw something that reminded me of the talks we have had about the commodification of subcultures.

My family and I were on a New York subway and at one of the stops a few young black males carrying a CD player got on. Right after the doors closed, one of the young males turned on some music and the other guys started doing numerous impressive hip hop moves. Before the subway pulled into the next station, the young guys took of their hats and asked for money.

I thought it was cool to see a real-life example of something we had talked about in class.

I was also wondering if I would be correct in saying this is an example of the commodification of a subculture.

Alternative Sports Culture

On Tuesday we had an intriguing conversation on parkour and several other unique alternative sports, focusing mainly on "Youth Tribes in sports." We asked several questions concerning Parkour's status in mainstream culture. What the conversation boiled down to was whether or not free running represents a legitimate threat to society, and the general conclusion that was made was that free runners do not threaten anyone: they are just individuals who want to have fun and do so by turning the world into their playground. If we had enough time, we would have delved into the world of skateboarding through the lens of "Dogtown and Z boys" to discover where skateboarding has its roots and its relationship to the dominant culture.

The question I would like to ask about skateboarding is: What represents the subcultural aspect of skateboarding more clearly, Major media events, such as the X games, or homemade videos of skaters in more natural settings?

Here is an example of each:

The X Games

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwMSsicKRYI

FDR Park video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSNY7XxQ470

Skateboard Occupiers!

I was researching Occupy Philly and I found this video. I though it was quite relevant since we're currently talking about skateboarders. Watching the boarders do tricks in the midst of all of the tents and protestors is actually really intriguing- they even get yelled at and threatened by a woman protestor- pretty funny to watch. Check it out!

http://www.aroundphilly.com/blog/2011/10/28/watch-skate-occupy-philly/

Bob Lefsetz

I do not read incredibly much. However, every day I read an article by Bob Lefsetz, a commentator on the arts, the music business and society at large. He is incredible and is always what I believe to be, spot on. He is constantly talking about differences between generations, and how our generation is going to be the one to bring back creative artist expression. Here, I'll copy and paste today's article. Sign up for the Lefsetz letter, it's free as well as enlightening.

First we watched "Senna".

Formula One is close to meaningless in America, but the longer you watch this movie the more you get hooked. By the spectacle, the racing, the athleticism. Ayrton Senna wins the Brazilian Grand Prix and passes out, it was just that much of an effort, just that draining. Walking through the crowd after coming back to, he keeps imploring people not to touch him, he's in that much pain. When you're a superstar, you're no longer beholden to your fans, you're beholden to your art. Which is why we never expect Van Morrison to tweet, why it's unnecessary for the Belfast Cowboy to be nice to his audience.

And who knew Formula One was so political? You'll wince when the powers-that-be go against Ayrton, snatch away victory for a reason that's never been employed previously, despite being in the rule book. Making him start on the wrong side of the grid, even though he won pole position. In the Internet era, you get to do it for yourself, you can avoid the b.s. The younger generation has got no idea how freeing this is, the same way today's young women don't appreciate all the rights their mothers won for them back in the seventies.

And it all comes down to the car. The greatest driver can't win if the wheels are bad. That's one of the unseen problems with so many sports. He who has the best equipment has a huge advantage. At the elite level, a small edge makes all the difference.

And then we watched "The Other F Word". The movie about being a punk rock dad.

We needed to be cleansed after "Senna". Ayrton's so alive in the movie, yet so dead in real life.

Not quite as watchable, I wish wannabes could see "The Other F Word". Because I've yet to see a film that depicts the tedium of the road so well.

Here's the story. They were rebels living in SoCal beach towns. They played punk music not for tomorrow, but today. No one even believed there would be a tomorrow. And so many punk musicians never did make it.

But those who did...

Normalized. To a degree. They got married. Had kids.

And now, to support their families, they've got to go on the road, hundreds of days a year. Not because they love it, but because they have to pay the bills.

One of the great scenes is when Jim Lindberg says you've got to hold your tongue. You're in some far-flung town and you've got to be nice to the audience when really all you're doing is counting the days until you can get back home, you're wasted, you're pissed, using drugs just to get by.

Lindberg's choice is Ambien. Yup, sleeping on the road is impossible. First of all, you're in a bus with not only the band, but the crew, it smells like a locker room. And when you check into a hotel, it's not the Four Seasons, but the Comfort Inn, it's barely habitable and the food makes you yearn for home cooking.

You've got an audience that will support you, but you've got to satiate it to stay alive.

Although they're tattooed and pierced, they're just like you. Maybe worse off. These tend to be blue collar gentlemen. If they're not playing music, they're...working in a print shop, as one ex-member of Black Flag is doing.

Somehow, as a result of the burgeoning classic rock scene and then the MTV explosion there's a conception that playing music means you're rich, that it's a 24/7 party, that the highest and best occupation is playing music.

That's wrong. That's all it is, playing music. You've got to love it, otherwise it's tedious. Not only do you miss out on normal life, taking your kids to school, being there for their birthdays and Halloween, you've got to endure the endless road, arguing with your bandmates and wasting the 23 hours a day you're not on stage. It's some weird bizarro world, where not only do you not get to do what you want, but most of what you do do is positively awful.

Now if you're in your twenties, if you're just out of the house, the road is an adventure. But it gets old real quick.

Everyone in music complains that they just can't make money like they used to, that the Internet and the public have screwed them. But no matter how much money they pay you, going on the road becomes an endless repetitious tunnel. The only saving grace is the music. And if you're lucky, the money.

It's like God hit a giant reset button. It's like someone flipped the Monopoly board. We're starting all over, building up from the ground. And if you don't need it, it doesn't pay to do it.

hip hop sprite commercial

I thought I would post a link for one of the Sprite commercials from the 90's that use hip-hop to sell its product. It's interesting though because the rap artists featured are not really commercial artists. Here's the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgZCuYqZwA0

Parkour

This weekend my roommate showed me this video of Parkour. I recall my cousin showing me this video of his extremely agile friend hopping, flipping, and running; he was doing tricks that seemed impossible to me. After visiting youtube, I realized how much this phenomenon has really taken off and has evolved into its own youth subculture. Unlike many subcultures, in which ideals and clothing style define membership, these members have to be in amazing physical shape and be willing to perform feats that seemingly defy gravitational boundaries. I watch these videos in amazement, wondering how an initial interest in this type of act was formed. How do you practice this without the fear of injury or death? It may just be the fact that I am firmly aware of my physical limits and realize that participation in this subculture would literally be the death of me. Below I've posted a link on this phenomenon: Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEeqHj3Nj2c

Race and Riot Grrrl

The topic of race is tough to cover in any forum, but felt especially strained in our class’ discussion, due to the fact that the majority of conversation in class is from the white perspective. What we covered in class is that women, black women in particular, find it difficult to fit into many “scenes”, which are dominated by men. What most people get out of being a member of a subculture is a feeling of belonging, which is difficult to find when you’re a member of the minority in a culture. This feeling of not quite belonging is what led to the creation of the riot grrrl culture, where being feminine and being punk were not mutually exclusive. The fact remains, however, that most of the girls involved in that scene were white. The feeling we got from the readings was that this left black women with no scene to call their own, as they felt excluded from all cultures due to either their race or their gender. Of course, our opinion is part of the white perspective, which proved to cause some strife in our class discussion. Still, even if we aren’t part of this marginalized group of women, can’t we question why it is that black women don’t have a specific subculture that belongs only to them?

Riot Grrrl's Lost Potential

I have somewhat a love/hate relationship with the riot grrrl subculture. I think I like the idea of riot grrrl more than I actually like riot grrrl. When I first learned about the riot grrrl culture I thought what they were doing was great, and I still think what they did had a largely positive impact overall, but as I read more about certain behaviors of people of the subculture and looked more into the validity of the critiques others had about the subculture, the more I came to dislike some of the riot grrrls. I guess my problem with the culture isn't so much with the fans of the culture as it is with the artists who created the subculture. I think my particular problem just happens to be with Kathleen Hanna, the woman who had the idea to make riot grrrl an actual subculture; her views seem wildly inconsistent and in retrospective pieces she seems to be re-writing a bit of riot grrrl's history by stating herself and her remaining friends as the only true riot grrrls and by negating any impact any other female artists who were not part of the big 4 riot grrrl bands (Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, Heavens to Betsy, and Huggy Bear) had. I understand that riot grrrl is her big contribution to society and so she would want to pump up her own role and the roles of her friends, but I feel that by excluding the importance of other female artists aligned with riot grrrl she is contradicting one of the most important aspects of the riot grrrl manifesto - that any girl can be a riot grrrl. I am certainly not the biggest Courtney Love fan in the world, yet if you read past comments from Kathleen Hanna and music journalists who actually were friends with the riot grrrls (pre-1992), they acknowledge that Courtney Love and her band Hole were riot grrrls before they made their major label debut album, Live Through This. However, in any interviews past 1994 (which is the year that Hanna and Love stopped being friends) Hanna consistently denies Love ever being a riot grrrl. While Courtney Love may not have been an actual member of the riot grrrl subculture after 1992, past accounts would indciate that she was a part of the movement for at least 2 years. When I was looking at blogs from riot grrrls though, all these blogs seem to be emphasizing the importance of Courtney Love and highlighting her as an influential figure of the movement though. I just wonder why Kathleen Hanna wants to remove certain former members of the riot grrrl subculture from written history even though the fans, members, and journalists involved with the subculture want them so badly to be a part of it? Do these actions imply that only riot grrrls that conform to Hanna's standards can truly call themselves riot grrrls? Unfortunately, I feel that one must have the same brand of feminism as Hanna in order to be considered a member of the community. I guess that happens though when you allow a subculture essentially center around only one person's ideology. I feel like the riot grrrl subculture had more potential and got bogged down the same way that many other subcultures do; the riot grrrl subculture decided to start defining itself by its exclusive qualities rather than its inclusive qualities. Essentially, the riot grrrls started to promote a certain brand of feminism that emphasized that all women have a certain number of identical qualities and that aside from different anatomical parts, women and men have some inherently different qualities solely because of their born gender and not social constructs. This to me, is irresponsible because it still puts women in a gender box; riot grrrls say that all women are equal, yet different to men. While this is not the worst perspective one can have on gender relations, I feel that riot grrrls could have brought a new perspective to gender relations. I just wish that the riot grrrls would have promoted the position that people are not different because of their gender, but rather from the combination of experiences and influences they have come in contact with over their life. Instead of saying that women are men are different, they could of said that women and men are perceived as being different because every single person is different from every single person because every single person does not have life experiences identical to anyone else (people of different sexes, gender, races, sexual orientations, or classes are not inherently different). They could have transcended the idea of gender and showed the people of any marginalized group how to go outside of the box they put themselves in by focusing on the aspects that bond all humans together rather than focusing on the aspects that divide humans into sub-groups and then make people question their worth (since most humans have a fear of the unknown, including "unknown" peoples of different classes, races, sexualities, and genders). I guess transcendence can only happen gradually though (like any other aspect of total human progression) and riot grrrls were only meant to be a stepping stone to this eventual transcendence. This will just have to be the job of some other humanist (not necessarily feminist) group.

And don't even get me started on the hypocrisy of certain riot grrrls who made males pay more to see their shows and made males stand in the back of the venues....

Urban Bush Women

In relation to our discussion about African American women in hip hop, Urban Bush Women is a visible, established dance company comprised of all African American/ethnic women. They create dances based on the history of black women in America, focusing on the idea of bringing to light the untold stories of disenfranchised people. They also aim to use their art and work to engage communities and inspire new generations to take pride and ownership over their bodies and the layers of connotations associated. Their dance pieces are often multi disciplinary, involving spoken word and imagery. Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, their director, has made pieces asking questions about hair, butts, storytelling and hands as symbolic of the transition from slavery to empowerment of identity. Here is their website and there are some pictures and excerpts of work there.. http://www.urbanbushwomen.org/

Jazzmen Lee Johnson

I performed with this young woman at a multidisciplinary show this month. She classifies her music as folk hip-hop and creates her own animation to accompany her work. Her music also includes influences from South Africa where she's spent a significant amount of time throughout her life. I love the fusion, and I think the content of her music applies to what we've been talking about in class about women in hip hop culture.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEGAXCAYBzY&feature=player_detailpage


http://www.myspace.com/jazzleejohnson

Homeless LGBT

I thought this was relevant to our discussion of a few classes ago: I just got this email from the Human Rights Campaign about a fundraiser in New York (where I'm from, and therefore where I registered with HRC) to benefit the Homeless LGBT community. I copy/pasted it below. NY has been an exciting place in the last couple years in terms of the advances made and momentum gained in the struggle for equality for homosexuals in our society. A surprisingly diverse group of celebrities from NY have lent their support to the movement, from actors and musicians (not too surprisingly) to politicians and professional athletes (a more unexpected demographic for this issue), in addition to the many "common" citizens who support the cause. It was exciting to see all the support from so many different people in the last year, and then to watch it culminate in the legalization of gay marriage in our state this summer. If you look at the list of performers and speakers at this benefit, you'll see they are also a fairly diverse and influential group that are supporting this issue that I had thought did not get much attention.

Here's the email:

Dear Rosie,

Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Fund, with the support of the Human Rights Campaign, today announced a star-studded benefit concert on December 4th at New York City's historic Beacon Theatre to help raise awareness about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth homelessness. "Home For the Holidays" will feature a night of music from Cyndi as well as special appearances by Norah Jones, Amy Lee, Lou Reed, Rosie O'Donnell, Wanda Sykes, Carson Kressley, Chely Wright, Skylar Grey, Vanessa Carlton, Angelique Kidjo, Harvey Fierstein, Deluka, Debbie Harry, Alan Cumming and Clay Aiken.

"I am honored to once again work with HRC to spread a message of equality and acceptance through music and comedy as we did on the True Colors Tour," says Cyndi Lauper, co-founder of the True Colors Fund. "Up to 40 percent of all homeless youth in this country identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender and it means a great deal to me to have the support of HRC and its members as we work to bring attention and develop resources to help bring an end to this epidemic. My hope is that through this inspiring evening we can raise awareness and much needed funds to help these young people."

Lauper was inspired to help after meeting an extraordinary group of young homeless gay and transgender people several years ago. Already a longtime advocate for the LGBT community and equality, she co-founded the True Colors Fund in 2008 as a major step in this effort.

100% of the net proceeds from "Home for the Holidays" will benefit the True Colors Fund so that Lauper and the organization can continue to further its mission to help homeless LGBT youth.

Have fun!



Joe Solmonese, President

How Riot Grrrls Encompass More Than Their Subculture

When I was doing outside research of the riot grrrls, I came across a lot of riot grrrl tribute blogs by teenage and college-aged girls of today that revealed how many aspects of popular and underground culture that riot grrrl has trickled down to within the last 20 years or so. I got great insight into how riot grrrl has influenced many aspects of culture from movies and TV in the 1990s and early 2000s (when the movement was at the height of its popularity and cable tv allowed for niche programming still), comedy and spoken word, popular music, fashion, major magazine publications, and literature. Since another group is going to talk about riot grrrl later this week and some people may be considering doing that subculture for their final project, I thought these would be interesting reference points people could look at.

Movies and TV shows that riot grrrls enjoy (according to many blogs) since they show realistic and strong female characters:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI4YaLJKFw4&list=PL747CD84EB1BB4D63&index=51
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTmpKgocyYg&list=PL747CD84EB1BB4D63&index=53
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq6AOc0ATnU&list=PL747CD84EB1BB4D63&index=50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhXGDDN4PMI&list=PL747CD84EB1BB4D63&index=52

Here are some visual representations of comedy and spoken word:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_Q-Y3dllVQ&list=PL747CD84EB1BB4D63&index=26
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqX3QUw864I&list=PL747CD84EB1BB4D63&index=54
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76lqs6_QuaY&list=PL747CD84EB1BB4D63&index=49

Agenda for a Gamer

After discussing the gaming subculture in class, I started to really consider what it means to be an avid gamer. Growing up, I was enamored of video games. I could be seen sneaking out of bed at 2:00 am, traveling down to the basement where my playstation was. I spent an ample amount of time with my eyes glued to the screen, meticulously trying to collect every gem before moving to the next stage of Spyro. I remember the days of Crash Bandicoot, Ratchet and Clank, and Kingdom Hearts. I would readily refuse an offer to hang out with my friends, if that time would interfere with my gaming schedule. Looking back, I wonder if I would be considered part of the gaming subculture. This culture is one that knows no age boundaries and has the most eclectic following out of an subculture we've discussed. The question I pose is: Do you have to be a member of MMORPGs to be considered a member of the gaming subculture? I was never involved in the interactive games, those in which you rely on other team members to help you with quests or war escapades. I devoted a lot of time to playing video games, but I never once did interact with other people in the game. The only contact I had while gaming was a physical experience, when a friend would come over my house and we would play on multiplayer mode together. So although I do not have the luxury of spending a mass majority of my time gaming anymore, I wonder if I could consider myself part of the gaming subculture. I am no less passionate now than I was before, knowing that if the chance arose to replay a game that took me 24 hours to complete, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I guess this question is merely a matter of opinion, so in that case I would still consider myself a member of the gaming culture. I may not be as enveloped into the culture as many members are, but I believe it's the passion that keeps this subculture alive, and I know I'll never lose that spark that I ignited as a child.

MMORPGs

After reading the chapter and discussing gamers this past Thursday, I became very interested in the Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs). Like with other subcultures, there are many misconceptions about those who play these games. A lot of outsiders may assume that people who indulge in MMORPGs spend too much time in the land of fantasy and do not know how to operate in the outside world. While that might be somewhat true of some "hard-core" gamers, there are many gamers who are fully engaged and in the non-virtual realm. It's similar to other recreational activities, such as participating in sports or watching reality television shows, in that it fulfills the need for entertainment and relaxation. However, there may be some differences regarding how social interaction becomes shaped within these games. I'm curious about how a player's virtual self reflects his or her presentation of self in the outside world. I wonder if most people maintain the same character traits inside the game as they do outside, or if they use the game as an opportunity to take on a different persona. Perhaps it is possible that a person's social interactions in the "real" world become transformed by advancements in the game. For example, if one has significantly more power in the game than in real life, does this affect his sense of powerlessness and agency in real life?

Virtual Identities

This web series was brought up briefly in class, but I just wanted to post a link here. The Guild is a spoof on MMORPG games, and though it's comedic and definitely not entirely realistic, I think it can give a good insight to certain parts of the gaming world. The first four seasons are also available on Netflix and the fifth (on their website) features aspects of steam punk (although I'm not sure how realistic it is, not knowing much about steam punk). It's a funny web series, that could give you insight into the basic culture and make you laugh if you have time.

http://www.watchtheguild.com/

Slutever

While doing the reading on Riot Grrls and Slash writers for this week I was reminded of a popular Philly band that seems to be an offshoot of the Grrl movement. Recently, a female duet grungey punk band deemed 'Slutever' as become quite popular in this here city. Check 'em out!

http://slutever.bandcamp.com/

http://sluteverforever.blogspot.com/

love them!

follow up to goths & stigmas

I hope that everyone enjoyed the discussion today. John and I tried to ask questions that would provoke different types of conversations than what we have been speaking of.
There were a lot of good points made today. The one point in the conversation that was most interesting to me was when none of us could pin point what the goth subculture was or what it stood for.
I have been thinking about this all day and have even done some secondary research.
The thing is that goths do not stand for anything specific. People of the goth subculture listen to many different genres of music, have different political ideologies, follow various religions, and so on. Now, "how then could this be considered a subculture?" many of you either said in class or thought about. Foremost, we are all individuals and all have different interests. Just because they are all within the goth subculture does not mean they all have to share common beliefs.

Goths are not afraid to simply be themselves and are accepting of everyone. I know that sounds contrived and cliche, but that is a consistent value among the culture. The reason that there is such a variation of character among members is because of how accepting they are. Goths are free thinkers and express it, which is more than I can say about myself.
We could all pull something away from the goth mentality. We constantly exercise stigma management because we are frightened of judgment. Let us all try to be a little more okay with who we are, let us all be a little more 'goth'. I'll pass on the whole anachronistic and loud get-up. However, I will strive to be more accepting of others and myself.

I know that this post seems like a Disney special about accepting people for who they are. But honestly, I think it's something that we could hear a lot more. I have heard the message countless times and it still hasn't hit home.

-Bryan

Research

I'm interested in looking into subcultures that are similar to myself. At first I thought maybe this was a selfish idea, but now I'm leaning towards introspective. I never want to pass up an opportunity to re-examine what I do/am doing, and why. How tight are my affiliations with a particular group? I thought about groups that I'm often lumped into (by others), and realized that I don't necessarily disagree with these categorizations, but I don't really think about them consciously either. The two main groups that I came up, and which I want to look more into are vegans and cyclists. I'm also interested in how these categories interact with a larger hipster subculture, because I am certain there is a large overlap, at least in Philadelphia.

Sex Culture

After discussing the ideals of virginity pledgers, I began to consider how the media has influenced an adolescents' perception of the "sex culture." I really believe that I fully grasped the concept of sex around the age of 12. At that point in time, I viewed it as possibly the most disgusting thing I have ever heard of. Now I hear stories about the younger generation and how many are losing their virginities around the age of 14. At what point, did adolescents become mature enough to completely mentally and physically give themselves to another individual. In middle school, I was still discovering myself and trying to establish my identity, by no means was I ready to give my heart and soul away to another. Many of these young girls deal with low self-esteem issues, and at the tender age of 14, these issues provoke irrational decision making motives. Acting out and looking for love when one does not love oneself, is basically a disastrous scenario. It seems that true love is no longer a requirement for sexual intercourse. In movies and television shows, the excuse of "everybody else is doing it," seems very frequent and very convincing. People no longer act off instinctual feelings of preparedness, but just jump into a serious situation. Many times the outcome is detrimental and often a source of regret.

One show in particular, "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," portrays sex in an unrealistic and often exaggerated manner. In some instances, it seems as if the show is condemning premarital sex, but the next episode could show high school girls planning and expressing their excitement over getting pregnant. This fascination with motherhood is innate, but it seems that girls don't comprehend the level of matureness and commitment that it entails. When the show began, I would consider it one of my guilty pleasures. Now entering it's fourth season, the plot has just been blown out of proportion with so many scenarios that make it impossible to follow. Here is a trailer from the first season: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAxXSfZWi-A

Seems like the pilot for a moderately decent show right?

In another season, they make one of the other main characters pregnant. They portray it in such a casual manner. They show the negative sides of having sex and the emotional havoc it often evokes, but they sort of glamorize the process. Although the characters go through ups and downs, they seem happy and are eager to get pregnant. Maybe it's because they need a stable attachment in their life, seeing as a baby wouldn't desert them. In this scene, Ben is shown losing his temper in an altercation with Adrian. I am aware the acting isn't Emmy worthy, but the message in this scene is powerful. Losing one's baby is a terrible occurrence, but instead of showing it happening in teenagers' lives, it should be displayed in a more realistic and stable environment, like that of a married couple.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft003Zdte5A&feature=related

Subculture Participants

So far we've studied some very interesting subcultures that I had previously only heard of. The most interesting aspect for me has been the socio-economic status of the participants. I think it's fascinating that the majority of the cultures we've studied were started by/ targeted at/ primarily supported by lower class blue collar workers. In my inquiry assignment, I tried to focus on this side of it and found some very interesting ties between lower class workers and violence, which is also a big component of a lot of the cultures we've studied. I don't know how important this correlation is, but it's so interesting to me that the majority of the subcultures we've studied appeal to such a narrow audience. Aside from virginity pledgers and LGBTs of course, the skinhead, metal, punk and hip hop cultures share fairly comparable groups of participants: lower class blue collar young males.

It makes me wonder what aspect of a person makes them most susceptible to deviating from the mainstream and joining a subculture. That question becomes even more complicated when you add in cultures like virginity pledgers. To me, virginity pledging is one of the most interesting subcultures because, like John and I were discussing in class, their deviance from the mainstream is questionable. Given our society's two vastly differing views of sex, it's hard to know where the dominant culture lies and therefor it is very hard to judge where virginity pledgers fall. On one hand, they are very much in line with the dominating Christian views of the wealthy, able-bodied, straight, white men. On the other hand, they deviate significantly from the dominant youth views that worship promiscuity. Also, the youth that become virginity pledgers do not fit the demographic of the subculture participants we've studied thus far, so I think their position in the world of youth subcultures is most interesting.

Top 3 Subcultures

As I was perusing Wikipedia's list of subcultures, I found three really interesting ones that we haven't talked about in class: Rave, nudism/naturalism, and military brats. Rave culture to me is interesting because I know a lot of teens who are really into that subculture. I actually like dub step myself and just went to a concert where everyone had binkies in their mouths (thanks to ecstasy!) and glowsticks around their necks. Nudism is a subculture that intrigued me because it seems so far-fetched...but they actually have ideals, other than just being naked all the time. Military brats are so relevant today. I went to a regional high school with a LOT of military base kids whose parents were almost always overseas. I think it'd be interesting to research the effect of living without a parent/both parents are on teens. Any of these three subcultures would be awesome to research!

Virginity/LGBT Follow-Up

In class, we talked about how the abstract idea of sex is worshipped, but the reality of sex is taboo or forbidden. This division is also further enforced in the sense that Christianity has a huge impact on teens’ decision to have sex or to wait, yet the media often portrays casual sex as glamorous and fun. In order for us to figure out what we think is right or wrong and develop our own opinion of sex, we must respect ourselves and choose our own paths. We also debated virginity pledging as a real youth subculture: some say the teens are choosing to be virgins themselves, but some people say they are only doing it because their parents or religious affiliations are pushing it on them.

We talked about the LGBT homeless community but didn’t get too in depth. Though the conditions of living on the streets were harsh and dangerous, for many of the members, it was their only way to find a sense of family and escape the emotional torment at home.

So, the question is, how might we make society more accepting of the LGBT community? LGBT members should not have to be homeless and engage in prostitution and drug use in order to survive, but they fear constant ridicule in their own families and communities. This is a problem that must be addressed, but how?

P.S.— If anyone is interested, check out Paris is Burning on YouTube or go back to the e-mail that Ellie sent out!

P.S.S.—Remember, condoms don’t protect the heart! (Thanks Hannah)

Interesting Subcultures

The three subcultures that I find most interesting to study are heavy metal, straight edge, and riot grrrls.

I find the heavy metal subculture intriguing because it is so far removed from what I am accustomed to. It is interesting to learn about what draws people to this subculture and how it's ideals and practices affect its members.

The straight edge movement is appealing to me because out of all the subcultures we have studied, it is the one that is most relevant to me, and one that I could see myself taking part in.

Riot Grrrls is an interesting subculture because the issues it deals with (such as rape, domestic abuse, sexuality and racism) are issues that I am concerned about and affect me.

More Clips about Satanic Panic Caused by Metal

We didn't have enough class time Tuesday to talk about the moral panic caused by the metal subculture, but I felt compelled to share some of the reference points I have about the subculture that are also touched upon in the Goths, Gamers, and Grrrls book.
Although Heavy Metal Parking lot showed the more humorous and lighthearted side of the metal subculture, there was a lot of hostility towards it in the 1980s and 1990s that culminated in multiple court hearings that put both metal artists and fans on trial for simply listening or making certain types of music.
There was a senate hearing in 1985 where metal artists (among others) testified in front of the Parents Music Resource Center (the group that puts the Parental Advisory stickers on CDs) for objectional content in their songs. Here's a clip showing a metal artist talking at the hearing:

Judas Priest (the band the kids were talking about in Heavy Metal Parking Lot) also was put on trial for alleged backmasking of subliminal messages in their songs that supposedly caused a teenage metalhead to commit suicide. The case was eventually thrown out of court by the judge. Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvvLL_oAvus&feature=player_detailpage
On a more current note, the West Memphis 3, who were finally released from jail in August of this year, stood trial in 1993 for the murder of 3 boys in 1993. They were found guilty and one was sentenced to death, even though there was no evidence that linked them to the crime. Many believed that the only reason they were accused was because they were young, poor, and disposable, and most of all, were outcasts in their small town because they were heavy metal fans. This case is considered the most famous out of all the cases coming out of the Satanic Panic in the 1990s. Here is a trailer for the documentary that helped expose their case to the nation and helped free them:

Race in youth culture and rowing culture

Yesterday, someone pointed out that most youth cultures are predominantly made up of white, middle, or working-class men, because subcultures tend to mirror the dominant culture. This got me thinking about how the rowing culture in Philadelphia also mirrors the dominant culture. Although female rowers are just as prominent as male rowers, they are still predominantly middle-class and white. There are programs today, such as Philadelphia City Rowing, that aim to bring inner-city kids into the rowing community, but the lack of diversity in the Philadelphia rowing culture is still very noticeable. Coincidentally, I just found out about a documentary that addresses the exclusion of racial and ethnic groups from the rowing community in Philadelphia. It premieres tonight at 10 PM on WHYY if anyone is interested. Here's a link to a webpage giving information about it.

http://leewayfoundation.wordpress.com/2011/09/29/makingwaves/

Rage Against the Machine's Sleep Now In the Fire

Occupy Wall Street and Metal

I thought this Rage Against the Machine music video was pretty relevant to both the Occupy Wall Street movement and the chapters about metal we had to read, since Rage Against the Machine is considered a metal band that fuses elements of punk and hip-hop into their music.
The video was directed by Michael Moore and shows the band playing in front of the New York Stock Exchange (the video was shot on Jan. 26, 2000). The song is largely about American corporate greed (which is largely reflected in the video) and the video shows a short clip from the 1999 Battle in Seattle which we had to read about in the Youth Subcultures book.

Here is the link to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w211KOQ5BMI&ob=av2e

"Book of Judges"

My favorite rap song is probably "Book of Judges" by Pharoahe Monch. It's a cool blend of rap and rock- great for jamming in the car with the windows down! The beat, however, is only one of the reasons why I love this song. The lyrics are especially powerful. I was thinking, and they're actually pretty relevant to the whole Occupy Philadelphia protest. Pharoahe Monch describes how the government has always been about human rights, equality, and democracy, yet it constantly fails to live up to its ideals. "America the ugly," as opposed to a widely popular song about our country, "America the Beautiful", demonstrates the hypocrisy in our nation. While presidents are "living marvelous", the masses are left starving and broke. He repeats, "Piss on the Constitution, burn the Magna Carta" throughout the song. I think these lines are a calling to Americans to take action against that 1% of rich in the country and the hypocritical government. Here are the lyrics! Check out the song.

Lyrics to Book Of Judges :

[Verse 1:]
America the ugly raped my mother
Deceived my sister separated my brother
Murdered my children hung my father
Now they want me to rock the vote the fucks why bother?
Seen them commercials for the army of whatever
Picture me giving a damn, I said never!
My minds too short my brain's too clever
My spine is too strong every line pulls your lever
Limitless rhymes for the indigenous the remedy
PLAT! Getting' my money like the Kennedy's
Flip it! Put em' in stocks collect anemities
Rock, roll behold my epiphanies and
Read em' and weep, heat I beat em' to sleep
Mislead em' until we even-steven defeat em' with freedom of speech
And we let them know that I'm the motherfuckin' fire-starter
Piss on the constitution and burn the Magna Carta

[Chorus:]
All I know is what I feel
Deceive my eyes and distort what's real
All truth will set you free
I rather die on my feet than deliver my knees

[Verse 2:]
We dying over black gold they harvesting in the sand
Presidents living marvelous, they starving in Sudan
It's obvious we walk a blind path to oblivion
The book of judges read the scriptures unlike Gideon
Light my fire, start my engine
When Pharaohe becomes Moses its medicine for who listens
A veteran with the might bringing with prophecy to fruition
Motivation verses on an adverse condition
Caught on the mainframe I see the maze man
They watch you from the street light you and your main man
The bar code around your neck same as your name brand
You're lost in strange land no thoughts of a game plan

[Chorus:]
All I know is what I feel
Deceive my eyes and distort what's real
All truth will set you free
I rather die on my feet than delivery my knees

[Outro:]
Piss on the constitution, then burn the Magna Carta

Sims Urbz

Growing up, I was addicted to the Sims video games. I loved the idea of creating my own characters and seeing how they advance through life. In the game the Sims Urbz, you go around the city as a poseur, advancing to new levels through the gaining of rep points. There were a plethora of areas to explore: Central Station (goth subway station), Kicktail Park (skaters), South Side Bridge (mafia gambling scene), Diamond Heights (rich and famous), Foundry (artsy area), Neon East (anime scene), Gasoline Row (bikers), Cozmo Street (Black Eyed Peas hangout), and Skyline Beach (hip-hop area). I do not have the time to explain, nor do I remember every aspect of each area; so I'll describe Skyline Beach as it seems relevant to our recent topics. The Skyline Beach area was a bunch of rooftops in which "gangsta" males and "hip-hop divas" would congregate. In this area one would have to buy hip-hop attire and learn social moves applicable to that demographic in order to progress in the game. If you gained enough rep points, you would be invited to enter the Red Room (a secluded area that contained a hot tub and huge speakers). In the game, if your sim gathered around a huge stereo system they could start to breakdance, and eventually other sims would join in also. If you befriended the people in that area you would learn Skyline Beach moves such as: Rap, Bust a Move, Knuckle Up, and Grab Booty. Depending on each individuals' interests, those social moves could damage or improve relationships. Each area had different jobs that you needed to do in order to make a living. In Skyline Beach you had to box ferrets, which is one aspect I never really understood. Another aspect that I found interesting about this game, was the emphasis on tagging. Each area had their own specific tag, and when different cliques entered different ares, you would see them with a spray can marking there territory. Below I posted a few links that show the game so enjoy:

Skyline Beach: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbpHKvBzzws

Central Station: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGyLoYVdzJM

Neon East: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYgUBZZdpIA

the b-boy dilemma

I feel a sense of discomfort when I think about what place b-boy culture should have in modern hip-hop.

I was somewhat familiar with the b-boy component of hip hop, but the documentary, "The Freshest Kids", gave me a thorough socio-historical background and filled in the lot of the gaps in my knowledge. From watching the film, it's clear that breaking was an integral element in the origins of hip hop. It was and still is exciting, dynamic, and raw. Despite it's importance in hip-hop history, it doesn't get the dues or attention that it deserves. Like one of the commentators said in the film, "it's the body manifestation of hip-hop".

With that being said, I have reservations about b-boys being brought back into the limelight because of the evolution of rap music. Rap has been transformed by its commercialization. It doesn't have the same feel as it did at it's inception. One could argue that today's popular, commercial rap isn't as authentic as old-school or underground rap. Also, rappers who produce popular music aren't in complete control of their art. Although a part of me wants the world to know about the b-boys, I fear that if they become too popular, they will not only loose some of their authenticity, but they will loose control of their art form to financial powerhouses that may want to dictate their creativity. Maybe Rosie proposed a good compromise when she suggested that instead of bringing b-boys to the mainstream, people who have an interest in learning about it can use resources like the internet to educate themselves.