Yaaaay!!! I’m so excited to announce that the r&b - hip-hop project my good friend and NYC based music producer started on Kickstarter made it to their 6000USD goal, and are in the making of the new EP! I’m really happy for them and super excited to hear the music they are recording. You should too :) Follow up here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sanura/view-from-the-q-ep
I just looooved Yvonne Bynoe’s article ‘Getting Real About Global Hip-hop’. Raw, straight to the point – wouldn’t call it anti-multiculturalist in it’s original meaning, but she does NOT think that cultural elements can be implemented into, or interpreted freely to fit other cultures. Specifically, she is writing about hip-hop, a cultural element of Black-American culture. She does think that anyone can RAP, but she refuses to call anything HIP-HOP, that’s similar to hip-hop culture, but is done by whites. It may sound like a little bit of a discriminatory statement, but here are her points:
“Ununless one has at least a working knowledge of Black-Americans and their collective history, one can not understand Hip Hop culture.”
“Anyone can be thaught the technical aspects of deejaying, break-dancing, writing graffiti and ryming…but the central part of Hip-Hop culture is the storytelling and the information that it imparts about a specific grouo of people.”
“International artists are selectively taking parts of Hip Hop culture and reconfiguring them to fit their own histories and experiences.”
“Without understanding the framework in which the components developed, how can these new cultural expressions still be called Hip Hop?”
“Altough Hip Hop culture developed in rough terrain, it is a mistake to equate it solely with deprivation and pathology, which to a great extent is the only connecting thread of “global Hip Hop.” …It also represents the resilience, creativity, and intellect of young Black Americans.”
“Thus, while “rap” as a creative tool is portable and adaptable, it belittles Hip Hop culture to continue to insist that as a cultural entity it can be disassociated from it’s roots and dissected at will.”
“Hip Hop culture should be appreciated, studied, and respected for who and what it represents.”
Great article, that kind of changed my mind. I once wrote in a previous post about white hip-hip, that it should not be a black-white thing. It should be everyone to appreciate and enjoy. So on that note, YES, totally, but I do think Yvonne is right when she says, it shouldn’t be taken as a possible representation of something else than what it IS. Which is Black American history, culture, language (in every sense of the word), common understanding and belonging. Peace.
Oh, and this is the author, Yvonne Bynoe. Just to put things in perspective :)
Animal Cannibals is a Hungarian rap duo. The reason I wanna write about them today is because one of their albums, and their general existence in the hip-hop scene is in some way relevant to Rodriquez’s color-blind ideology article.
Their debut album came out in 1995 with the name “Fehéren Fekete, Feketén Fehér” or White in Black, Black in White, and won several prices. The rap duo is very significant in the industry being the first ones introduced to wide, young audiences, touching issues like poverty, living in the periphery, being exposed to crime. There isn’t a significant black minority in Hungary, but hip-hop came from abroad, just like it got anywhere else; from black culture. Hence the title White in Black, Black in White. Lyrics dealing with the same issues black rappers deal with, and by that being connected to this rich subculture.
The song “Gettó, gyerekek!” or Ghetto, kids! talks about kids growing up in the Ghetto to irresponsible youngsters, become criminals like their parents, whiteness rape and poverty every day, and frequently end up sleeping on the streets due to issue connected to drugs. Listen to the song here:
It’s a surprisingly serious song by the due, as they usually rap in a more funny and easy way. This one takes the issues it’s dealing with seriously, and addresses life in the ghetto in such a manner that anyone, living there - being black or white, European or American, Gypsy or Arab – can relate to. And I think this is the message of the white youngsters interviewed by Jason Rodriquez when they say: “Hip-hop is so not a black-white thing”, “It’s for everybody to appreciate”.
One doesn’t have to be black to be dealing with discrimination, poverty and crime. It’s enough that you come from the ‘ghetto’ in Budapest, where circumstances are rough, and you need someone to identify with, to represent you. Given the fact that a big percentage of Hungarian population does not speak English or have access to foreign music, the messages, subculture and life-style represented by Animal Cannibals were, and are still very much needed among a wide range of Hungarian youth.
So, talking about female hip-hop artists? Here something real relevant going on right now: my good friend from high school - Kata – studied jazz piano, singing, songwriting, producing music in Berklee, Boston – professionally. Now living in NYC, she started producing a great musician – Sanura’s first album, and is raising funds for it right now, on Kickstarter. This is where it’s at now, so you can see she still has a long way to go, and every penny counts!
Check out the Kickstarter page, and if you love it the way I do, contribute according to your abilities. It’s a beautiful, courageous project that I think will inspire all of you, as these girls are our aaaage! Enjoy :)
And now, Hungarian female rap duo - The LUDDITES
Hungarian sisters Titnilla and Marianna Fiáth started their rap duo in 2002, and gave themselves the name “Ludditák” or Luddites (from Wikipedia: “The Luddites were 19th-century English textile artisans who violently protested against the machinery introduced during the Industrial Revolution that made it possible to replace them with less-skilled, low-wage labourers, leaving them without work”). They quickly became relatively popular in the underground hip-hop scene, being the first and only female rap band existing in the country. There are three elements that I think portray them as awesome feminist artist;
their name - as I gave you an insight of what it means historically – represents a revolutionary attitude against low quality mass production. I interpret it in a way, that they will always strive for quality music and lyrics, rather than conform to popular taste and betray their values.
They deal with issues like living in the periphery (they are from a small village originally, and made it all the way to the center of Budapest night life), issues like belief, relationships, and dilemmas of ethics, illegality, etc. They are not particularly vulgar or violent in their lyrics, not trying to establish themselves as anti-men, independent women with guns. They write about subjects that anyone can relate to, in an honest, genuine way,
One track they made for a soundtrack of an animation movie about Budapest ghettos (“Nyócker” or Eighth District) represents three prostitutes (them two and a guest rapper girl) who rap about the rough life they live, and how much it’s not as fun as it might look from the outside. It’s humorous on the one side, also because they are really far from being prostitues or anything like that in the real life (they don’t dress provocatively in any way) but it’s a sarcastic representation of ghetto reality on the other hand. It’s worth taking a look at the video even for y’all English speakers, because both the video and the music is cool and says a lot even without understanding the lyrics. Enjoy :)
Two important 20th century riots in the West Coast were the one in Watts in 1965, and the one in Los Angeles in 1992 that contributed a lot to the tension the police (L.A.P.D.) and colored residents have between each other, up until today. African American residents socio-economic status was unbearable, and it led to a lot of crime on the one side, and a lot of police brutality on the other side.
As gangsta rap evolved during these few decades, it’s texts dealt a lot with these issues.
I liked how Ice Cube said “we call ourselves underground street reporters”. It says a lot about what the people and subculture him and his era represents, and it says a lot about what’s beyond lyrics about drugs, bitches and the gang. Particularly in Los Angeles, where tension between the police and colored people and their gangs is huge, this kind of ‘street journalism’ Ice Cube is talking about plays an important role. As an example, he is ‘reporting’ the economic and social issues blacks are going through in “A Bird in the Hand”. Here is a piece of it:
Gotta serve ya food that might give you cancer
‘Cuz my son doesn’t take no for an answer
Now I pay taxes that you never give me back
What about diapers, bottles and Similac?
Do I have to sell me a whole lotta crack
For decent shelter and clothes on my back?
Or should I just wait for help from Bush
Or Jesse Jackson and Operation Push?
If you ask me, the whole thing needs a douche
A Massingill, what the hell crackers sell in the neighborhood?
To the corner house bitches
Miss Porker, Little Joe and Todd Bridges
As I was reading the article about gangsta rap and post-industrial Los Angeles by Kelley, I saw the relatively new movie ‘The End of Watch’ about an L.A.P.D. officer duo; one white, and one hispanic guy fighting criminals of all color; but mostly black and hispanic. The movie actually starts out by one of the beating the hell out of some petty black criminal, making us think that the movie is going to be about police brutality. However, they are gonna end up being the victims of a Mexican crime gang, after fighting off many crack dealers and cartels. The movie depicts Los Angeles reality in a way that only locals know, and that gave me, personally, an insight of what all those ‘gangsta rappers’ are talking about. Here is a cute scene of the white guy going on vacation with his girlfriend, listening to black rap in the car.
So, when we are talking about break dance. THIS is what we are talking about :) Check out the finalists of the 2012 Break Dance World Championship. And DON NOT try to imitate them at home :)))
The “minstrel reprise” in America represented a really important transformation in the way Black people are, and used to be perceived in the media. Media meaning all kinds of platforms of entertainment like theater, television and film. For a good hundred years, up until the early 20thcentury Minstrel shows used to be the national art form.
No matter how controversial it was, depicting black people being lazy, foolish and superficial, it was providing entertainment both to black and white audiences. On the one hand it meant financial benefits for the people doing it, and introduced Afro-American culture to international audiences, on the other hand it did so through distorted lens, causing many contemporary black popular art representatives (rappers, MC’s, musicians, producers) to resist minstrel.
The one I personally like the most is Public Enemy’s “Burn Hollywood, Burn” which talks about the way black culture is being represented in television and in American movies produced in Hollywood. The video clip too, is an awesome representation of their rage, check it out, it’s really well done.
Tyler the Creator - Yonkers
It is a video clip that left a big impression on me. Tyler the Creator is considered to be a rap genius, and I’m gonna share one piece of his lyrics right here. There is everything in it we studied about regarding typical gangsta rap. Self glorification, cursing, money and bitchez, the claim of not wanting to have all this, talking about personal life through a really dark set of lenses. The video itself is very effective and well done, in one shot, playing with the focus a lot, black and white, leaving the attention on the artist and the content he is conveying.
Lyrics (verse 2)
Jesus called, he said he’s sick of the disses
I told him to quit bitching, this isn’t a fucking hotline
For a fucking shrink, sheesh, I already got mine
And he’s not fucking working, I think I’m wasting my damn time
I’m clocking three past six and going postal
This the revenge of the dicks, that’s nine cocks that cock nines
This ain’t no V Tech shit or Columbine
But after bowling, I went home for some damn Adventure Time
(What’d you do?) I slipped myself some pink Xannies
And danced around the house in all-over print panties
My mom’s gone, that fucking broad will never understand me
I’m not gay, I just wanna boogie to some Marvin
(What you think of Hayley Williams?) Fuck her, Wolf Haley robbing ‘em
I’ll crash that fucking airplane that that faggot nigga B.o.B is in
And stab Bruno Mars in his goddamn esophagus
And won’t stop until the cops come in
I’m an overachiever, so how about I start a team of leaders
And pick up Stevie Wonder to be the wide receiver?
Green paper, gold teeth and pregnant golden retrievers
All I want, fuck money, diamonds and bitches, don’t need them
But where the fat ones at? I got something to feed ‘em
It’s some cooking books, the black kids never wanted to read ‘em
Snap back, green ch-ch-chia fucking leaves
It’s been a couple months, and Tina still ain’t perm her fucking weave, damn
The first person to be mentioned when talking about Hungarian hip-hop is Fenyő Miklós. He is originally a rock&roll singer songwriter, head of one of the most popular Hungarian bands in the 70’s-80’s. He established the band Hungária in 1967.
Fenyő discovered the break dance for the first time when he traveled to Germany, and implemented the “weird movements” he saw there in one of the video clips of his next album: „MIKI: Jól Nézünk Miki”. The title of the song is “Lépjük a lépcsőt”, or “We Walk the Stairs”, and it ‘s video clip was the first one in the country which implemented the typical “robotic dance-style” that was already popular in the west.
From then on, the break clubs and break dance competitions established by Fenyő flooded the country, and his new song “Jön a Break” or “The Break is Coming” was a huge hit everywhere.
The 80’s brought about the era of first generation break dance groups; they organized the first breaj dance, and rap-competitions for their own, and their friends entertainment in the beginning.
Break and Graffiti attracted masses at the time, around 1986, people were dancing to, and humming MC Miker G’s “Holiday Rap”.
In 1989 rappers raping in Hungarian started to appear, and the most important rap band - “Rapülők”, or “Airplanes” - even came out with a great cover of the Holday Rap. Enjoy:
