Scott Blog #2

Thursday night was a dream come true for the courageous youth who braved the peering eyes of a judgmental audience; they became vulnerable individuals expressing themselves through a medium that they incorporated to be their own. Because lets face it, what audience is not judging you? They have expectations to be met or broken: they want to be entertained, to be challenged, to laugh and experience something new and for the most part that is exactly what they were met with. To watch these kids progress so much since the first blog is astonishing. As Chris mentioned, it takes years for some of these kids to open up to their teachers, and within a matter of months we were able to teach them, help them and be their friends; not an easy undertaking. Obvious challenges were faced when the dynamics of the group changed from week to week. The omission of some individuals, for example Avanna, drastically changed the attitude of the other youth in her presence. Raven and Reena would work very well in her absence, and the two of them opened up extremely well with Miranda and me as we worked with them one-on-one with their beats. I think the attention they received while being creative helped them foster confidence in the work they were doing. I found though that I was working more with the girls in the class than the guys. But that was partly due to them also asking for my help. It took more work to break down those barriers of "attitude" or "machismo" that some of the boys had so that I could help them. But not all of the guys were like that. Little Mike was thankful for the help, but he also would get easily frustrated when things were not sounding right. But within the last few weeks, I noticed that he wanted to succeed and complete something tangible, and his motivation led him to even rapping over his own beat. At first, the notion of having an all female team seemed to slow things down, but as they realized our intentions and got to know our personalities, their ability to listen and work increased. Obviously, it took more work for the guys to realize that we are not a threat to their identities than for the girls. The experience of giving these youth education through a tool that they can relate to and enjoy develops within them a positive feeling and attitude towards school. For example, I overheard Ryan in his interview exclaiming how doing a project such as this has given him renewed hope in pursuing a future, a higher education. He wants to come to university and he has the motivation to do so. Since this was the first inception of this project, it can only improve and grow from here on. I do wonder how this experience has changed some of the other youth and how it will shape their future decisions. Will they take what they have learned and apply it to their other areas of study? Will their same confidence and motivation fostered here remain with them? How have we impacted their lives as strong female role models? And how has their mentality towards education changed?

Hip hop studies Blog #2

The selected articles from the hip hop studies reader had a general theme of authenticity, roots and culture. Dyson's article outlined the birth and evolution of hip hop from the Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" to the social-conscious works of Grandmaster Flash like "the Message" and "New York, New York" to Run DMC's 1987 well-received Raising Hell album. As "hardcore" hip hop become more "pop", it became devoid of meaning and roots and leaned towards the lights of commercialization. But the commodified and public version of hip hop has had a negative effect on the perceptions of hip hop, pinning it as a source of violence, misogyny and stereotypes. Rap as a tool to highlight social isolation, economic hardship, political demoralization and cultural exploitation, either wise known as your conscientious rap, was then replaced by forms that produced images that worked against the rising Afrocentric ideal, replacing it with a more ghettocentric one. It is almost a catch twenty-two: the images rapped about, those being realistic incidents or situations that would have been experienced by "authentic" rappers is then appropriated by the listeners, whom for the most part are middle-class suburban white youth. Hip hop has become a consumer of its own product. Samuels article likewise targets the issue of black music that is no longer black, but rather a modified form that appeals to a white audience, whose tastes in turn articulate the music that is being produced by black artists to create "gangsta" music. Such music is self-glorifying for whites and self-depreciating for black, for the images of ghettocenricity only feed the disparity between classes: what blacks live and what whites could only hope to live. It defines the white audience in contrast to the message within the rap. It is clear that this form is not the authentic form of rap, but why should one form of rap, create a bad rap (no pun intended) for the other rap genres? This constant battle to be authentic continues to jump from its original party intentions to nation-conscious rap to gangsta rap back to conscious rap and to the black aesthetic rap of the American Dream as mentioned in Baldwin's article; a constant state of flux ( J ).

I have to admit that my reading of Gilroy's article seemed to be above my head as to what I could properly discern from it. The idea of Afrocentricity and national identity as opposed to the hegemic norm is based within the construct of the home, not the nuclear home, but the home belonging to race. Home can no longer be considered a static place, as the diaspora and the general displacement of race across boundaries, including those other than America, demands a more opening, inclusive term that allows for an identification of a "greater" home. Personally, I think nationalism in general creates divides that exists only in our contrast to other races or countries. But race itself is a debilitating term that contends one group of people against another. Afrocentricity is a means of placing oneself in contrast to the hegemic norm, by finding a home within a displaced home. If we consider ourselves as one human race, then these notions of identification based on color and differences in appearance and origin will bear no weight. Likewise, if I consider myself a world citizen, rather than a citizen of Canada, then my connections with culture is a broad one that allows for the appropriation of other forms without the conception that I or that previous form is no longer authentic. I realize I am probably off topic of what Gilroy was getting at, but I think this tangent is important when considering hip hops authenticity internationally, which surely ties into Forman and Bennett's discussion of the genre. Bennett states the earlier schools of thought of hip hop's authenticity but proposes that modern theories now include the idea that hip hop is a mobile culture that is constantly being re-made to meet the needs of each new group or country that appropriates it.

I would like to take his theory one step further with an interpolation of my own and propose that if this mentality of world citizenship was adopted, then the notion of culture as a global commodity that is constantly being reshaped through interactions and appropriations would deem more appropriate for it allows authenticity not to be rooted in one specific place, or attached to one race, but rather be a global term than is never fixed. This may seem like an over-wash of a highly complicated spatiality that Forman uses as an organizing principle, for if we perceive ourselves with no boundaries than space is a limitless entity that we may weave ourselves through without questioning whether or not what you have "incorporated" or "appropriated" is truly you, or an amalgamation of others identities. This is an interesting point I would like to pursue at some point, but not for my current research at hand. As we have seen in these articles, locality greatly influences the sound that is being produced and how it is taken on by new groups. It is not my place to deem the hip hop that is being created in Regina is an authentic form of the culture overall, but it is authentic to Regina as a place, because the individual and communal experiences that take place within Regina are authentic to the rappers who rap about them. It is not like the Bronx or Harlem has to be packed up and shipped up here in order for someone to rap about similar experiences, so there is no doubt in my mind that hip hop here can be claimed as authentic in its new form. How does Forman's idea of place, space and race fit into my research? Well, I can make an early observation and say that it affects things dearly. But what about this idea of begin a world citizen? Does the artists and producers I am going to interview have the same world view, or do they likewise define their sound by their space? And if so, do they consider their sound as authentic to hip hop culture, or authentic to the place in which they live?

Hip-Hop Studies – Part 1

Thus far I have read the first chapter in That's The Joint: The Hip-Hop Studies Reader and have found it very intriguing. I noticed that the opening Foreword by Michael Eric Dawson is from the Prelude of Dawson's book Know What I Mean (2007). Just that little reference validated the forthcoming material as being an important contribution to the discourse on hip-hop. Within the first part on history, the inclusion of different viewpoints provides both a subjective and objective vantage around the culture, origins and evolution of hip-hop. The introduction emphasizes the ever-increasing body of scholarly research on hip-hop. It paints a picture of how I fit into such a young discipline and how crucial it is for me to situate myself in a way that will not be criticized as being too academic or too colloquial. I must maintain a discourse that enlightens a specific area of hip-hop, without being considered the outsider that might tend to utilize the culture to my own advantage. Since I cannot claim any authenticity to hip-hop's roots, I can only stress my own cultural intermingling with the culture through being first exposed to it by my brother, who as a youth was very much active in rapping and beat-boxing. Exposure to him and various other friends were involved in a version of hip-hop that was resituated to suit the needs of the youth that appropriated it. It is reassuring to know that research on hip-hop is not being approached with the same skepticism it once received. The inclusion of hip-hop in pop-cultural studies and music courses validates its ever-increasing presence within society. And the institutionalization of the genre in places like Harvard and Regina allow for further studies, that still raises questions of authenticity, and whether or not transplanting something that originated in the streets of New York can be authentically re-created and studied in an academic atmosphere. It really depends on the individuals and what their definition tends to include. But since culture is always a continuous process of growth, assimilation and development, it only seems natural that the culture of hip-hop will evolve and incorporate itself into other levels of class, race and culture.

The various contributions in Part one include perspectives that include an academic voice, a more colloquial, "street" language article, vignettes from Billboard and a primary interview between three founding fathers of hip-hop. These different approaches, as mentioned earlier, have obvious difference in tones and writing styles. The academic style approaches the subject in a straight and objective fashion. The more informal article uses somewhat of a sarcastic yet insulting tone that discredits the readers ability to be interested in the subject matter. Phrases such as "Word up" and "The first ass spin!?!" color the article. However, an article that uses language typical with the culture and that resonates with individuals who participate in the culture would be more likely read by them because it is accessible to them in terms of language. Likewise, this subjective viewpoint has its advantages. There is more reference in this article to specific terminology around breaking and to specific artists and crews; something that an academic approach my miss if they were not intrinsically involved in the culture. How will my approaches change now that I've just witnessed various frameworks? As for my research, it seems important to find that balance between writing something in the escalade that only academics would be interested in reading. I must also steer clear of a truly ubiquitous and simple generalization of a specific culture that warrants a breadth of scholarly integrity. What is also useful is the interview approach that questions the originators of the hip-hop culture. Questions used here serve as a basis for me to adapt into the initial questions that I have been compiling. A further reading of the studies reader will provide additional insights into methods and techniques that may be helpful in my own research.

Blog #4 – Adam Krims and Rap

Adam Krims' Rap music and the poetics of identity was a very insightful book. He provides new ways of analyzing hip hop and more specifically, rap; contests the notions of music theory; emphasizes the importance of cross-discipline analysis involving the humanities, communications, media studies and other fields; highlights the importance of close reading of music; promotes the conduct of music analysis involving cultural and social implications; and creates new terminology and systems of analyzing different than Western European modes of analysis.

Krims outlines new perspectives on previous case studies of rap music and in general, on musicology as a whole. His new-age school of thought when it comes to analysis of pop-culture music is well-needed to off-set the out-dated modes. Rap music was not designed so that it could be analyzed by a European-taught scholar, neither was folk music, but this European school has adapted a method that complies with the musical demands of folk music more so than it does with rap music. Because of technology, the creation of music no longer requires scores or musical notation. It can all be done electronically with synthesizers and sequences. Since the form of notation has changed we must also change our way of analyzing. Krims provides systems of analysis within his book, but also heeds the reader that his way is only a preliminary way and is not the definitive form of analysis.

I appreciate his initial effort but, maybe due to my classical training, find for example, his Figure 2.1 (pg 59) that analyzes KRS-One's "MCs Act Like They Don't Know" slightly confusing at first. The division of the beat-classes as 0-3 rather than the typical 1-4 (and similarly the subdivision of the beat) is hard to adjust to when the majority of music and even a lot of pop-culture music is counted from 1-4. Unlike musical notation where the words are directly under the notes, the separation of the syllables marked by an 'x' and the lyrics written below made it difficult to read both at the same time. Obviously this is only a minor detail that I am picking upon, but when showing the figure to both music readers and non-music readers, they all had difficulty discerning how to read the figure. Krims figure however insinuates a valuable point, that since (for the most part) rap is not expressed through tone-distinguishable notes, there is no need to represent it on a musical staff. The rhythm is more significant and needs be signified in a manner that saves space yet gets the point across. I did on the other hand get used to the layering graph and details of cells figures. They did require some work to understand, but so does any new way of interpretation. I do feel though that Krims system needs some refining, but believe he is on the right track.

Krims musical analysis is only one valuable aspect of the book. His studies on Ice Cube's "The Nigga Yah Love to Hate" and geographic-specific hip hop of the Netherlands and Alberta highlight the importance rap music has in forming identities for the artist and audience alike. His in-depth analysis of Ice Cube's song solidifies the argument that rap music is a viable form of art and expression with connotations and meanings as deep as any other art form. One might even call the genre the Shakespeare of our day. This notion of rap and musical poetics, as Krims outlines, is very much associated with cultural identity. The notion of culture being not a static past, but rather an ongoing process of revision and creation in the present and future is something I very much respond with. Thus identity is in no way static, but something that is ever-changing due to the flux within culture.

In regards to my research, I am not completely 100% sold on notating rhythms as outlined by Krims. However, I may adapt his method to suit my needs. Likewise, whether or not I need layering graphs or details of cells is dependent upon each song and whether or not the analysis of the layers contributes to a better understanding of the song. I find his use of specific terms, such as how to categorize the sub-genres within rap, very useful. His perspectives on identity and rap music are intriguing and I will include this in my approach such as questioning the relationship between the artists and the music he/she creates; whether they may identify with it personally; and how the music influences the individual and vice versa.

One thing I wonder is how would Krims book fair with an individual that does not have musical training? Would they understand his modes of analysis much easier because they do not have preconceived notions of how to analyze? Or would they be similarly puzzled? I need to consider these questions for myself while compiling my research and writing. Do I gear it towards a musically-inclined audience or do I expect the audience to know as little as possible? For one thing, I know that a general audience will have little knowledge about the Baha'i Faith and rap music, so initial presentations/papers would be geared in a way that would define terms both religious and musical. But a presentation at a Baha'i conference would require little background info on the religion, but more emphasis would be needed on musical terms.

 

Questions

Questions:

General questions: name, residence, heritage

1) What does hip-hop music mean to you?

2) When did you first get into the genre?

3) Who is/was your favorite artist? Why?

4) Do you have any musical training?

5) Did you go to school for production?

6) How did you get into emcee'ing/production/recording?

7) How long have you been a Baha'i?

8) What is the importance of creating Baha'I inspired hip hop music?

9) Why do you do it? What is it like for you?

10) How do you use rap as a tool in expressing the ideals of a particular indiviual/group/religion?

11) Why do you use hip hop to portray the principles of the Baha'I faith?

12) What topics do you rap about? (history/principles/laws)

13) Why do you think Baha'I youth/young adults need music that pertains to their religion?

14) Do you find that mainstream hip hop is contrary to the ideals you present? How so?

15) Do you have any cultural ties back to hip hop?

16) Why is hip hop your choice of genre? Why not pop/rock/country/classical?

17) How do you relate to such a genre even though it does not stem from your cultural heritage?

18) Do you find it a global language that resonates with the diversity within the religion?

19) How does targeting such a small demographic shape the way you create music?

20) Do you find your music accessible by other groups?

21) Do you see a future in Baha'I inspired hip hop music?

22) As an established artists/producer, how does being a Baha'I and your work affect each other? Or even contradict one another?

23) As an emerging artists/producer, do you feel you can make a career catering just to the Baha'I music audience? If so, how come? If not, what other ways would you go about establishing your career.

24) How does being a Baha'I influence your understanding of the use of music?

25) How many female Baha'I rappers do you know of? How about female hiphop producers/singers?

26) If perhaps you were still in the country from where you originated, would hip hop still be as important as it is to you today?

27) Do you identify with the music you make? Does it represent you? Does it gives us, the audience, insight into who you are as an individual?

28) How would you qualify your music? As realistic rap, conscious/knowledge rap, gansta rap, etc?

29) What does the audience take away from your music? Is it meant to be a spiritual experience? Create a mood? Or spark insight?

30) Do you collaborate with non-Baha'I artists?

31) How does that affect your ability to express your own Baha'I views?

32) Do you notice first-hand effects of your music on the people who listen to it?

33) What positive outcomes do you expect from your music?

34) Do you do live performances? Coffee houses? Conferences?

35) How does living in Canada affect the dissemination of your music? Is there a demand for it in the U.S? Does the U.S. (Baha'i) audience have different tastes? And vice versa?

36) How do you circulate your music? Cd's? Mixtapes? Facebook? Online sales?

 

Specific songs:

"Man of Two Vision" Mixtape Volume One – Karim, JC, Nabil and Dialektika

1. When I Breathe
   
2. Hold On
   
3. 2am
   

 

Individual Songs off Facebook – Nabil and Karim http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nabil-and-Karim/52106492176?sid=b5a9f14fc8b72dfdc0d731e08a9e903c&refurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fs.php%3Fref%3Dsearch%26init%3Dq%26q%3Dnabil%2Band%2Bkarim%26sid%3Db5a9f14fc8b72dfdc0d731e08a9e903c&ref=s

1. Mona
   
2. Another Day
   
3. Whither feat. Ashraf
   

 

"The Dawbreaker Collective" – Various Artists/ Produced by Benny Cassette

1. Army of Light Intro
   
2. Set It Off
   

5.    Interlude 1
8. Broken Winged Bird
11. Wake Up
12. My Refuge
14. Hush

Blog #3

I was very much impressed with this presentation. It was well delivered, the topic was intriguing and the use of visual aid was stimulating.

Kip Pegley's presentation on Music and Ideology at the Canadian War Museum involved many unperceived notions about music. The "use" of music as secondary to the visual materials in the museum was in no way a matter of just background music. A strategic "use" of the music was used to encode the visual material with meanings that would perhaps not be decoded the same way if the music were different.

The strategic use of music is not new within the context of media. As pointed out, the U.S utilizes music to promote its ideologies, especially within the context of war. To have music composed before a war has been brought to the attention of the public, in order to shape how one should feel towards the onset of war is one form of hegemony. The people are subjugated to the ideals of the government in accepting that war is appropriate because the music deems it so. It is unfortunate to see how power and money will sway someone to compose music in favor of war! Or perhaps they were in favor of the war to begin with.

Either way, such strategic use to control the understanding of an event/situation is even prevalent in Canada, but maybe not so noticeable. Commercials are the most common example. Jingles are composed in order to stimulate the viewer/listener to buy the product in question. Its function and meaning is not hidden but at the same time its effectiveness is subliminal.

In the War Museum and the "use" of music in that context, what rights are impended by having your thoughts controlled or influenced? To have your understanding of history re-shaped because of the sounds associated with a picture of First Nations people or artillery is baffling to think of. How would my understanding of history be changed if I were to walk through the museum with my ipod on? Would the meaning differ from what the government would have me believe or perhaps I can create a better relationship with these pictures because the meaning is no longer being dictated to me?

What was interesting is the total absence of music associated with the display of the enemies. Is the lack of music supposed to represent a lack of affection towards the enemy? Am I to remain emotionless around them? Are they not also human? I very much wonder what a War museum would look like from the enemies perspective and what types of sounds/music would be associated with Canada, or if there would similarly be a lack of music.

What I have taken away from this presentation is the understanding of everyday music and its use. Music is more than just a pretty sound in the background; it can have a powerful influence over how the listener interprets a product, a meaning or even an ideal. We are not in control of the meaning infused into the music we listen to, but we can at least choose what we listen to (or even don't listen to!). And if we are conscious enough, we can even decode the meaning embedded within the music we chose to listen to.

In regards to my research, there are several questions I can ask the artists around music and meaning:

• What meanings/ideals are you trying to get across through your music?
  
• Do you think Baha'is will easily understand?
  
• Do you think the general public will have a harder time to understand the meaning infused into your music?
  
• Is music just another tool of influence to propagate the ideals of your religion or is it a sincere form of expression for you?
  

Blog #2 – Review of Beverly Diamonds Research Approaches and Methods

Beverly Diamonds book Native American Music in Eastern North America discusses issues surrounding the music through a cultural context. The importance of placing her study in relation to the originating culture provides a succinct explication of the topic, whereas a study of the music alone would fail to highlight the important background, growth and influences the music contains in relation to its culture. It is evident through her analysis that ethnomusicologists must abide by a certain rule of ethic that allows for the most just representation of a topic; especially when a culture's sensitivity to outsiders and the lack of proper representation in the past have skewed the present image. Diamond outlines 4 challenges she encountered: to present the culture not as monolithic but as distinctive various cultures; speaking as an outsider; language barriers; and the preconceived stereotypes and underrepresented indigenous modernities.

Indigenous culture has previously been generalized as monolithic. Diamond clearly outlines this mistake and throughout her analysis, focuses on the differences within the respective cultures. An obvious challenge yet advantage for Diamond is her own cultural heritage. This difference allows her to take on objective approach when analyzing the music and culture, but the loom of over generalization is a challenge, which Diamond is clearly aware of. Language is another culturally based difference and with many dialects and variances between communities the challenge is heightened. A translator helps in these situations, but in most cases, the essence of the language is not retained. As Diamond explains, languages such as English are noun-based, causing problems when trying to translate from verb-based indigenous languages. The last challenge of stereotypes and modernities is overcome by presenting different examples of music, artists and cultural practices of the various indigenous communities. One example is how Traditional Indigenous Knowledge is fused and adapted with modern techniques and practices to create indigenous modernities.

Diamond utilizes various methods and approaches while compiling her research: personal correspondence and interviews, an advisory committee of elders and respectable individuals, electronic resources, books and media. Rather than basing her research on previous studies, Diamond makes personal contact with the communities and artists in order to formulate an accurate description. What can I learn from Diamonds approaches and methods in relation to my research? What types of challenges will I have to overcome?

By analyzing Diamonds modes of research, I am learning techniques in which to apply to my research. Since the intended area of research has yet to be studied, primary sources such as interviews and personal correspondence will play an important role. Similarly to the advisory committee, there is a group of individuals I can consult regarding Baha'i-related issues/sensitivities called the Local Spiritual Assembly. Made of nine individuals from the Baha'i community of Regina, this assembly oversees the spiritual and administrative needs of the community at a local level. This assembly is also formed at the National and International level. Other sources to consult include books on hip-hop/rap culture like Adam Krimms "Rap music and the poetics of identity" and Baha'i books such as compilations issued by the Universal House of Justice on Baha'i-inspired music. Recorded media will play a major role, as the rap lyrics will be analyzed for its Baha'i-related content. Other resources to be consulted include online fan-based sources, such as MySpace and Facebook. Since online-social networks are growing to be an important aspect of global culture, it is interesting to see how such sites can create communities around artists that may not have been able to break through the international scene otherwise.

A challenge I foresee for myself is how to present Baha'i-inspired hip-hop music in a non-biased approach. Being a Baha'i myself, I have grown up in the religion. I am also a hip-hop enthusiast and some of the individuals to be interviewed are social friends whom I have performed with in the past. I will need to learn how to step back and present the study from an objective view, rather than a subjective one. I would like to assume that my diversity as an individual and musician would allow to me undertake such a project with little challenges, but I realize that my own preconceived notions of what Baha'i-inspired hip-hop music is may distract the issue at hand; that is to present the topic in a scholarly manner to an audience that has little or no information about the study without glorifying or depreciating it.