assignment
mavis-0901
hippop.docxHistory and elements
This week we will be drawing on music as an element of self-expression and representation. Similar to Spoken Word, music enables artists to show their creativity and express themselves in ways that differ from the written word. Though Asian Americans have had some access points in mainstream music today, there has always been resistance (just like every other arena we've spoken of thus far) against the inclusion of Asian Americans in mainstream music. This week's discussion will focus primarily on the exclusion and evolution of Asian Americans in hip hop music. Just as we did with prior topics, we will first look at the ways the popular culture phenomenon (or subculture) excluded Asian Americans and what Asian Americans did in response.
Through the first part of class we have comfortably figured out that popular culture and trends shift quickly. The culture of music operates in the same manner. Prior to the internet the changes in pop music would take decades. In today's time, changes in music styles happen annually. Popular music styles in the United States has never been constant, yet it has always been able to draw young people in as the main consumers. Specifically from the 1950's on, pop music pushed the envelope of the previous decade in terms of styles, lyrics and content of their messages. The music creators (of rock, rock and roll, disco, punk rock) found their voices through these styles and were able to become part of the mainstream music scene, despite the previous generations' discomfort. Though many young people found a sense of connection to these types of music, many others did not.
Birth of Hip Hop
Hip hop was birthed from communities that did not fit the pop music styling nor did they feel the need to. The styling was distinct and belonged to the artists who created the genre that would be key to the hip hop experience. The difference was in the sound but also in the content (lyrics) that was presented. Urban areas that had their own experiences (socially, economically and politically) found other means of expression and in the 1970s, hip hop culture was born. One DJ is credited with the mixing and breaking of beats that helped to spur hip hop into a musical phenomenon. In 1973, DJ Kool Herc (Links to an external site.)made history. He was DJing a party and experimented with the turntables to break the beat and saw how the breakdancers loved it. His DJing style, MC'ing over the music drew a following, even with the impoverished gang culture that was pervasive in the Bronx. In the next couple of decades in public parks, homes, basketball courts, and parties young African Americans (and Puerto Ricans) in the Bronx developed Hip Hop culture.
Hip hop is a culture. This culture has evolved in the past 40 years and has opened doors to artists globally. There's always been controversy to ownership of hip hop, appropriation and the styling (gangsta rap of the 1980s and 1990s) but the love for the music and it's "heads" (aficionados) has not changed. The original four elements of hip hop are: breakdancing, graffiti art, DJ'ing and Mc'ing (rapping). Through dance, visual art, music production and lyricism, communities (in particular communities of color) created spaces of art and had no idea that they were going to be history makers. In this lecture we will focus on only one element, the element of Mc'ing (rapping) to see how Asian Americans found their way into the culture of hip hop, and/or the barriers for full acceptance. There will be references to this week's two main required readings, Don't Believe the Hype: Asian Americans in hip hop (Links to an external site.) and Rapping and Reppin' Asian: Race, Authenticity and the Asian American MC from the text Alien Encounters. Be sure to read through them before reading the lecture.
Room for others
No matter the decade the dominant group in Hip Hop/Rap culture has always been African Americans. Early rappers spoke about their environment, the social issues that plagued their communities and sometimes just made fun music for parties. In the 1970's and 1980's Latinos (Puerto Rican) as well as white rappers broke into the genre and gain credibility through their craft. The content and skill level of these rappers had to be measured against African American rappers and connections were often made through socioeconomic status. The main measure of respect and acceptability is the idea of authenticity. One cannot rap about issues that they cannot truly relate to or represent if it's a false narrative. This was a huge barrier for Asian Americans as they attempted to enter into this realm of music since they were stereotypically middle or upper class.
If hip hop's roots are from urban areas, composed of Black and Latino communities, where do Asian Americans fit? Is there room for people who are not Black or Latino? Can commonalities through class, shared experiences surpass racial differences?
Keeping it real
As stated before, authenticity is key. A "fake MC" (one who is rapping about things that they know nothing about) is not tolerated in the hip hop world. As the author Wang stated, "fakeness can discredit an artist beyond redemption". Skill level is also a great measure of success. The rapper's skills needs to be top notch for anyone, but especially for people who are not seen as part of the community. One example of someone who was not black or Latino and able to break into the mainstream hip hop world was Eminem. His skill level as a battle rapper, lyricism and cultural ties (along with the help of Dr. Dre) defied the racial boundaries and motivated other aspiring rappers. He was visibly white and included that in his lyrics, not shying away from the fact that his race is a factor (not defining) in his art. Read the excerpt by Kenneth Chan (Links to an external site.) "Expression in Predilection" in this week's reading Don't Believe the Hype. You'll read other excerpts from this throughout the lecture, though you are welcome to read through it's entirety at this point.
Eminem is a special case of someone who was able to gain acceptance and notoriety even though he was not black or brown. His skill level as a battle rapper (battle rappers must have the ability to come up with rhymes off the cuff and tailored for their opponent) and partnership with a well known rapper and producer overcame the racial difference that was seen previously as a barrier.
If there was room for a white rapper, shouldn't there be room for Asian American rappers? Asian American battle rappers? The common arguments of the past have always been that ASAM rappers (all of the same things said about ASAM actors/actresses):
Were nonexistent
Were not marketable
Were not be relatable
Since Eminem other rappers have come along that have defied the "rules" of belonging. Of course today we have seen the growth of Asian Americans in mainstream music and particularly in hip hop. One reason is because of alternative media giving more access to Asian American artists (Links to an external site.). Another may be the definitions and qualifiers of belonging have shifted as mentioned in the Harvard Political Review article, yet the visible absence of Asian Americans in those conversations still exist.
This or that
Not masculine enough
The mainstream concept of hip hop music has always been tied to black culture and/or "blackness". The author Wang speaks to the "contemporary Black masculinity" that is stereotypically associated with all things hypermasculine. Mass media's stereotypical portrayal of Black men is tied to hypersexuality, belonging to the underclass, and overtly physically aggressive. What we've learned through earlier topics is that Asian American masculinity is pretty much void. In essence, Asian masculinity is the complete opposite of Black masculinity. All traits of Black masculinity are absent in the Asian man as portrayed in mass media. This polarization due to the cultural stereotypes not only widen the chances of Asian Americans to be accepted as legitimate rappers but also the ability to build bridges between the two communities.
Social class differences
As previously stated, many of the early rappers spoke about their environments, social justice issues and were voices for their disenfranchised communities. They filled a void of stories from the urban communities and created representations that lasted for generations. They became voices for the voiceless and provided music that drew in listeners because of the relatable content. They were never questioned about what they were saying because of where they were from and who they were. Social class and race were keys into hip hop culture, but as we saw earlier, social class could also breach racial differences, granting access to Latino and White rappers. The fact that these other communities were accepted despite not being Black was understandable because they shared experiences that defied racial boundaries. Could Asian Americans gain access through shared experiences or would their stereotypical images act as barriers that cannot be overcome?
Historical conflicts
The history of Asians in America has roots in discrimination, oppression and laws to impede the success of the community. This history is often untold and the focus is more on the success of today's Asian America. The celebration of ASAMs to achieve the American dream by just "working harder" (bootstrap theory) not only lifts up the ASAM community as the "model", it also encourages tensions between Asian Americans and other communities of color. The untold history also ensures that connections are not made between communities of color thus missing the opportunity to build a greater understanding of one another. The history and contemporary issues that African American and Latino communities face(d) are well known since their histories still impact today's communities. What's even worse is that conflicts have arisen between Black and ASAM communities and have been well publicized, exacerbating the issues that the communities face when living alongside one another. Read the optional article about the highly publicized tensions during the LA riots (Links to an external site.)(this is what Ishle Park was in her spoken word piece).
The narrative of Asian Americans post 1965 revolves around the model minority myth. The myth (which we will spend more time on next week) is based on the way the 1965 immigration act created a new Asian America. Families and professionals were encouraged to immigrate, thus a more educated, higher social class and family unit community was formed. The myth focuses on these populations but ignores that fact that there are other Asian Americans that do not fit within the myth's parameters. The myth perpetuates a clean cut, well educated and well off population, which would make it impossible to be taken seriously as rappers. What could they possibly rap about that is worth listening to? How can Asian Americans be accepted for their craft when their appearances halts their entrance into the arenas to be heard? Would it be more important to find acceptance by the mainstream or find connections and community among other Asian American consumers of hip hop?
Hello Peril
Political rap
As Asian American Studies departments grew, so did the population of ASAM students who uncovered the hidden histories of their communities. These young people discovered the histories of early Asian immigrants and the experiences that their own families' endured as immigrants. Empowered by the knowledge gained through their classes and inspired by politicized rap groups like Public Enemy, Asian Americans began to create their own politicized rap groups. These groups used hip hop as a medium to disseminate knowledge to their communities, building off of the rise of "conscious rap" that was rampant in both mainstream and underground hip hop scenes. Revisit the article Don't Believe the Hype (Links to an external site.)from the Chinese American Museum of Los Angeles for the illustrated and well versed timeline of ASAM artists through the years.
Oliver Wang also covers the groups that came up during this time. Well known in their schools and communities, the Asiatic Apostles out of UC Davis, Yellow Peril from Rutgers University (New Jersey), Fists of Fury from San Francisco State, and the Seoul Brothers from the University of Washington were the cohort of young men who ushered in the movement of ASAM "conscious" rappers. Though they were from different ethnic backgrounds, their messages were about the universal Asian American experience, thus attracting Asian American audiences. Their content was about the experiences they discovered through ASAM classes, connections with their own families and their lyrics reflected that insular community. They gained most of their exposure on college campuses especially during Asian Pacific Island Heritage month. This focus worked well within the college scene but would not cross over into the mainstream, into a much wider audience.
These groups wanted to erase the invisibility notion of Asian Americans in society, educating their peers of the community issues and politicizing the Asian American experience. Their appeal however would not reach beyond the college scene and would be short lived. With the focus so narrow and unrelatable to mainstream audiences their ability to crossover was impossible. A shift in the late 1990's came with groups lessening their focus on Asian American identity and politics and more on their skills and talent. With that their appeal would be more accessible to all, no longer limiting the audience to just Asian Americans. One of the groups that gained traction was the Mountain Brothers. Early on in their career they spoke on race in America and were more politicized. As excerpted in this week's reading, Rapping and Reppin', the Mountain Brother's song "Invisible Man" highlighted the absence of Asian Americans in America's black-white paradigm:
I sit in the aisle in the back of the class silent
'cause I can't relate
debate is about race, today that just makes me out of place
only a two-sided coin so me I'm thru tryin to join...
I'm disagreein with steven believin even the blind could see
that ebony and ivory could never be applied to me
They were not battle rappers, not from urban areas and were never questioned about their authenticity. They were part of a wave of hip hop artists that were much more underground with their content and sound. No Asian American would make it to the mainstream with much fervor until one young man hit the scene. The battle rapper who embodied all the characteristics of successful hip hop artists previously mentioned, was non other than Jin Au-Yeung or as he's better known, MC Jin.
And then there was one
MC Jin. BET. Freestyle Fridays. Ruff Ryders. Chinese American. Learn Chinese.
Battle rapping is a show. It's a show of skills, power and ultimate bragging rights for the victor. It is a humbling experience for the loser because the battles are usually public. It can be at a party, park, local competition or even cable television. BET (Black Entertainment Television) hosted a battle rap competition every Friday afternoon. Freestyle Fridays had strong viewership from young adults and with every reigning champ came a stronger following. It was filmed and cast in New York and was a great example of hip hop culture (specifically East Coast) in the late 1990's and early 2000's. Battle rapping (as previously mentioned) is when two opponents rap back and forth spontaneously and often exchanging digs about one another. It is the ultimate show of masculinity, and attacks of sexuality were never off limits. On BET's Freestyle Fridays there were three celebrity judges that decided who would win the battle, but the fourth unofficial "judge" was the studio audience. With ever hit that landed strong came the audience's reaction. This emboldened the battle rapper as they continued to lyrically flex their muscles.
In 2002 a 19 year old Chinese American MC, MC Jin stepped on stage. He was taking on a six time reigning champ. His dress, vernacular and presence showed that he had the confidence to not only defeat the champ but that he somehow felt he belonged there, on the Black Entertainment Television Channel. He wore baggy clothes, a smirk on his face and used popular culture references often specific to the New York experiences in a show of his relationship to the Black and Latino culture. He went on to win for seven weeks, signed to a major record label and on track to make history as a mainstream Chinese American rapper. What happened quickly was the rise and fall of the young man who did not shy away from his Chinese ethnicity (even so much as adding Cantonese to his songs) but ended up fading from the spotlight-possibly because of it.
The goal in battle rapping is to cut down the opponent, taking away their manhood. As we mentioned earlier, the Asian man is portrayed in society as not being manly at all. Opponents can utilize that "othering" of the "Chineseness" of Jin in the battle raps to easily attack his manhood. Manhood also meant heterosexuality and in the hip hop scene heterosexuality is the only acceptable norm. In the battles (below) on Freestyle Fridays, Jin's opponents often made reference of his race (Asian stereotypical references of egg rolls, fortune cookies, Bruce Lee). Jin did not ignore the references rather he would use racial references in his responses to his opponents. View the battles and you can see the attacks towards Jin and the use of race in his responses. He knew all of the stereotypes and did not refrain from using them in his own responses.
At the time Jin was not trying to make any political statements or an attempt at challenging listeners critically examine the racial disparities in the hip hop industry. Jin was just making music, enjoying the ride of his fame and as a 19 year old reveling in his notoriety. He faded from the headlines soon after a defeat in another rap battle, headed overseas to Asia and then finally made a return to music in 2014 with the release of his album "14:59" (Links to an external site.)-a nod to his 15 minutes of fame. Though Jin became a household name both in the US and overseas his fame was short lived. Had he come around in today's time, he could have extended his run with the help of social media. Many other Asian American hip hop artists today are gaining traction and have created followings through the many avenues of musical consumption.
How the web changed everything
The internet, alternative media sources and social media have all changed the game when it comes to Asian and Asian Americans in hip hop. As we discussed Asian/Asian American hip hop artists have to go above and beyond to be noticed in the music industry. Mainstream music industries have long ignored the Asian/Asian American talents (of course a few notable artists have made it through such as Apl.de.Ap, Chad Hugo and Far East Movement) but thanks to alternative media sources, they can no longer be invisible. The beauty of a space like YouTube is that it reaches audiences far and wide and can quickly become viral. All it takes is someone to connect or like the music to share it with their peers. Often times the joy in seeing someone "like yourself" and saying things that you can relate to is reason enough to share. This music has become more universal and the world of Asian Americans in hip hop is less foreign than it once was. The world of hip hop has changed quite a bit as well which has also expanded audiences. In years past, a 30+ year old Asian American Studies instructor and a 20 year old city college student (both not necessarily hip hop heads) would not have common knowledge of artists like Dumbfounded, Rich Chigga, Awkwafina or the Higher Brothers if not for alternative media. It's one thing to have followers, likes and shares but it's a whole other level of entertainment access if they have public venues to share their music, this is where 88 rising comes in.
88 Rising
Music festivals have always been a part of the American music culture (Woodstock, Lollapalooza, Coachella). Original festivals held acts that were seen as counterculture, sometimes having political messages. Today's music festivals are more commercialized with purveyors still enjoying multiple big acts over several days. Social media plays a major role in the marketing of the festivals and of participants at the festival. What does not play a major role are Asian American acts. Like other topics we have discussed Asian Americans facing marginalization figure out ways to create spaces for themselves. Media companies like 88 rising (Links to an external site.) are bringing acts to stages, creating spaces for artists who would not otherwise have access to them and opening audiences to sights that are normally void in mainstream music. Read about what 88 rising has done/is doing for the Asian/Asian American entertainment industry that they work with. Lastly view the video below that highlights the "Rise in Asian Rap Culture" and think about the following questions for the discussion.
Have you heard of 88 Rising, Rich Brian, $tupid Young or Higher Brothers? How have you heard of them? If not, why do you think you have not heard of them?
Do you think any of the artists border cultural appropriation? (This can be your own interpretation and refer to DJ Ebro's anaylsis and/or the explanation given by the founder of 88 Rising Sean Miyashiro).
