This week were are exploring the ways that that DJ, Graffiti and B-Boy/Bgirl practices have shaped the culture Hip-hop. As you define the keywords Sampling, Graffiti,and Physical Graffiti, think about how each term informs the culture of Hip-hop. For example, how is sampling utilized across the elements Hip-hop? How has graffiti influenced DJ Culture? Begin to think about the intersection and overlap of the elements and how they engage Robin Kelley's notions of polyculturalism.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Week 3- These are the Breaks: Remixing American Culture
This week were are exploring the ways that that DJ, Graffiti and B-Boy/Bgirl practices have shaped the culture Hip-hop. As you define the keywords Sampling, Graffiti,and Physical Graffiti, think about how each term informs the culture of Hip-hop. For example, how is sampling utilized across the elements Hip-hop? How has graffiti influenced DJ Culture? Begin to think about the intersection and overlap of the elements and how they engage Robin Kelley's notions of polyculturalism.
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Sampling is the act of re-appropriating materials from other people’s prior works to your own current work (Lecture 6/5). It is used in all forms of hip-hop. For example the song “President Carter” by Lil Wayne uses samples of audio from United States President Jimmy Carters Inaugural Address (President Carter). In the song “President Carter” Lil Wayne uses the sample to reiterate that he is the best or holds the highest position in hip-hop by relating himself to the president of the United States.
ReplyDeleteGraffiti is an art form usually done with spray paint that normally uses public property as a canvas for the art. Graffiti is an element of hip-hop and has many similar characteristics of the other elements of hip-hop. The main characteristic that graffiti has in common with the other elements is that it allows you to express yourself. Also the roots of graffiti are similar to that of DJ’s. As we learned from one reading earlier this semester DJ’s originally would do block parties to escape from the depressed living conditions that they were facing (Nelson George). We learned from the readings this week that some people feel that graffiti helps liven up the depressed conditions that the artists live (Craig Castleman).
Physical Graffiti is the art of break dancing (Lecture 6/20). Dancing in hip-hop is very similar to rapping in the fact that the dance can be regionally formed and culture plays a role in shaping the dance moves (Pabon). Also Breaking is similar to rapping because there are dance battles where people dance against each other much like the ciphers that rappers have in which they rap against each other (Pabon). Breaking is also an art form that uses sampling in it. You can see also kinds of different dance moves in breaking that originate from other dances. For example some break moves from the Bronx feature a form of dance that is based in martial arts known as Capoeira (Pabon). Breaking is another way that hip-hop allows people to express themselves by combining many different kinds of cultures together.
Sampling, Graffiti, Physical Graffiti
ReplyDeleteSampling is one of the four key elements to rapping. Rapping being the same as MCing in which a individual raps over a beat with in most cases a prewritten lyrical piece. Rapping can be traced back to West African griot traditions of storytelling (NHP Lecture 06/11/12). However, sampling being one of the key elements to rapping is the process in which a rapper borrows parts of other music, historical, social and/ or cultural records, images, etc. to help the said rapper to tell his/her story (NHP Lecture 06/11/12). Furthermore, sampling is held, as being an essential part of all the elements of Hip-Hop itself for it is historical to Hip-Hop’s beginning. Even though sampling is an essential part to hip-hop and its success it also receives much criticism from other professions for its technique of sampling raises questions of ethical behavior and infringement upon intellectual property.
Graffiti itself is the art form of “unsolicited” painting upon both private and public property (NHP Lecture 06/19/12). The art form itself possesses four sub-categories, which comprise of political graffiti, gang graffiti, hip-hop graffiti, and memorial graffiti. All these forms share a common purpose however, which is the purpose of relaying a message to the passers. Whether that message is of political motivation or personal motivation. The art form itself in America can be traced back to the beginnings of hip-hop (NHP Lecture 06/19/12). Similar to graffiti is DJing, which both played a major roll in the creation of hip-hop but has recently been overshadowed by the fame and success of the MC. Some dispute this claim but the evidence towards its solidity is clear in the current hip-hop culture. The historical origins of graffiti can be traced back to the Egyptians wall hieroglyphics and many other similar wall carving and paintings of relaying messages and information (NHP Lecture 06/19/12) Furthermore, graffiti is also scrutinized heavily by local public officials and even state and federal officials, but like rapping and other forms of hip-hop it seems to withstand these efforts to stop it (Castleman, Craig “The Politics of Graffiti”).
Physical Graffiti is the practice that breakers use to write their experiences and histories using physical gestures and dance moves to speak (NHP Lecture 06/20/12). Breakers or otherwise known as B-Boy’s and B-Girls are performance art dancers who like rappers, graffiti artists and Dj’s express themselves through hip-hop and in particular the dance culture part of hip-hop. Meaning that B-Boy/B-Girls use dancing patterns and technique that express the culture of hip-hop in a physical way. One could argue that tattoos and other forms of body art can have the same effect.
Sampling is the act of musical, physical, aural and oral reappropriation of materials (sounds, styles, artistic cultural practices, technology, music, and culture) of various groups under the sign of Hip-hop for artistic achievement and effect (NHP 06/05/12). Sampling in Hip-hop not only has to do with beats, songs, or musical styles but can also do with the other two elements of Hip-hop: graffiti and breaking. Graffiti is the art of using aerosol paint to design and create a piece of artwork. The artwork can be full scale or it may be a simple “Tag” (the name or pseudonym of the artist) used to mark a space (NHP 06/05/12). Graffiti started out being done on a public space without permission of the owners of the property (vandalism), but today many graffiti artists have started to create work in various mediums from advertising to fine art (NHP 06/05/12). In graffiti there are many examples of artists that use sampling, for example Oliver Vernon who gives odes to calligraphy styles in his work (NHP 06/20/12). Another example is Kehinde Wiley who uses inspiration from Italian Renaissance and classical French paintings in his work (NHP 06/20/12). Polyculturalism is definitely evident in sampling; artists source from all different types of genres, ethical, and racial backgrounds to create new mix-ups that are totally unique (Kelly 2). Evidence of this in graffiti can be seen in Iona Rozeal Brown’s work; she re-imagines traditional Japanese inkblots. In her work that we saw in lecture, she used both African American and Japanese styling combined to make reference to both through hair, clothes, posturing, and coloring (NHP 06/20/12). Sampling can also be seen in physical graffiti. Physical graffiti is defined as the practice that breakers use to write their experiences and histories using physical gestures and dance moves to speak (06/20/12). Referencing “writing their experiences and histories” breakers can gain inspiration from graffiti, hence the term ‘physical graffiti’. Many dance moves that breakers use today have come from older dance forms. These older dance forms include African American slave dance practices such as the juba, practices such as, the lindy hop, “flash” dance, and the Charleston (NHP 06/20/12). And speaking polyculturally, breakers have gotten inspiration from South American moves such as capoeira: a remnant of slave culture in Brazil and was created as early as the 16th century. (NHP 06/20/12). Sampling not only allows connections to the past or different genres but also other cultures.
ReplyDeleteGraffiti is painted on a public space without permission by the property owner. Graffiti is used to critique social, cultural and/or political injustice. (NHP 6/19/12). Graffiti is a way that people express themselves, just like Hip-hop music, they are both way to express one’s feeling, and graffiti is also an important element of Hip-hop culture. Graffiti is the visual side of Hip-hop. Somewhere graffiti is also the symbol of gangs. In America you can see graffiti very often, even on campus and on the stop sign. I think the reason that graffiti is a part of Hip-hop is graffiti is like music, when people see the graffiti on the wall is just like hearing the lyrics of music, and people would figure out what the graffiti stand for or what the artist want to express. I have been to Kansas City many times and I found there were many graffiti on the walls and bridges. However, hip-hop music is very popular in China, but graffiti is not, just because if you painted something on the wall or subway, you would be arrested by cops, even at midnight.
ReplyDeleteSampling is a very popular way to produce hip-hop music, which originally involved the borrowing of pieces from existing music and using those sounds in new contexts as part of an original musical work. Even though produces have to get the permission for sampling other artists’ songs, and they are always approved. Personally sampling is my favorite part of music, especially the song which samples blues and jazz( like A Tribe Called Quest did).
Actually I thought physical graffiti is another type of graffiti or painting thing when the first time I saw the term “physical graffiti”. I didn’t know physical graffiti means breaking dance, now I know. Breaking was introduced in the early 1970s with Black and Latino youth, which has remnants of African American slave dance practices. I feel that breaking and rapping are the best way to describe the Hip-hop, they both have long history and they are still popular today. Just like Hip-hop music and graffiti, breaking dance is a way of self-expression. B-boys and B-girls dance with the hip-hop music with the styles of breaking, poping and poping.
Sampling is easily the foundation of Hip-Hop in general. In every facet of Hip-Hop there is an example of sampling or borrowing in some sort of way. Producers will take parts of older songs and use part of the beat, a rapper might bite on another rapper’s flow, a graffiti artist borrows from Japanese writing and implements them in to their work etc. It’s not to say that Hip-Hop isn’t original, but Hip-Hop takes from so many cultures, music, art, history etc. This really hits on Robin Kelley’s idea of polyculturalism. Hip-Hop is so many cultures at once. It has taken me to this point to realize this. Rakim samples Ofra Haza, an Israeli singer and then Dr. Dre samples Joe Cocker. Hip-Hop isn’t multiculturism. Multiculturalism meaning different cultures individually. Meanwhile, polyculturism is being many cultures at the same time. Hip-Hop is everyone’s music from its inception.
ReplyDeleteI don’t quite see the direct influence of Graffiti and the DJ Culture. By directly, I don’t see how a DJ would say someone’s tag made him or her start scratching. Obviously, graffiti’d walls is the setting in which Hip-Hop was created. In the Black and Latino neighborhood’s you are likely to see graffiti because this is the environment these artist’s come from. I could see the argument that graffiti misuses a wall. It vandalizes it, but depending on you perspective, it can make something into art form. A building suddenly becomes an art piece, just like how a turntable becomes an instrument when a DJ uses the fader and scratches.
Physical graffiti, or breakin’ or breakdancing, it’s Hip-Hop’s dance form and just like every other facet of Hip-Hop, it samples. I really enjoyed the Jorge Pabon’s chapter. He went into detail of the origin of the dance form, but also gave credit where credit was due. And by this, I mean incorporating West coast’s locking form. Many people say that Hip-Hop in its entirety came from New York and everyone else was sampling from them. Pabon broke down from the entry footwork, top rockin, to the “drop” and then the freeze. In many ways, he legitimized the dance form because he broke it down to an almost teachable manner and proved that its historical origins are just as deep as every other dance form.
Bradley McDougald
ReplyDeleteSampling in hip-hop is something that started back in the 1970’s when DJ’s were with manipulating vinyl on two turntables gave birth to hip hop music. Now a days digging through old vinyl records to make a song not only pays homage to the person who’s song was sampled, but also shows the musical genius of the DJ or producer for tying the sample to the hip-hop culture. In the text it states this about sampling, “… as Joseph Schloss points out it requires considerable knowledge and real labor to seek out exotic, unfamiliar, or forgotten tracks for an interesting horn progression, bass rhythm, or melodic signature” (Forman pg. 528). This illustrates the true scholarship of this craft and how hard it is to actually find a parallel between the two songs.
There is a direct connection with the idea of graffiti and physical graffiti and DJ’s. The connection is that these are all self-taught art forms. In the peak of these artistries none could be taught professionally, it was something that young people came together and perfected on their own. This to me is how graffiti has influenced the DJ culture, basically take what you’re gifted in and perfect it, whether it is seen as “real art” or not. Physical graffiti was another unappreciated art that used the body to paint its images and be as competitive as every other field of hip-hop. Going to the text it states, “Breaking or otherwise known as (B-Boy) is a competitive warlike dance, making the opponent look bad” (Chang pg. 34). This explains the mentality that these dancers use to have while going up against their competitor.
- Sampling is “The act of musical, physical, aural and oral re-appropriation of materials (sounds, style, artistic cultural practices, technology, music, and culture) of various groups under the sing of Hip-hop for artistic achievement and effect” (NHP Lecture 6/05/12). I think my favorite example of this is Ludacris’ sample of Ray Charles in his song Georgia. Sampling can be used through out all the different aspects of hip-hop. Whether it is graffiti, Mcing, Djing or dancing. My first thought about sampling isn’t everything we do sampling? Especially in dance. As a dancer my whole life someone had to have come up with the moves and positions were doing and then we sampled them and remixed them into our own routine.
ReplyDelete- Djing is someone playing music in front of an audience. They can mix or scratch it or just simply play the music. (NHP 6/05/12). This all started in hip-hop with DJ Kool Herc when he would plug in his turntables into lamppost or wherever he could and start making the music. (NHP Lecture). Some say that Djing is influenced by graffiti and I think I agree with what Chris said that he doesn’t see that it is simply because he does not see how seeing a piece of graffiti makes a person want to go DJ. But who knows, sometimes I hear a song and I get inspired to go paint or draw or do a new project. So maybe it goes both ways. Graffiti is art work created with spray paint and graffiti artist usually put it on public walls but now it is being down on canvas and other materials. (NHP Lecture). For some it is a way of making a boring, old run down building in maybe a depressing area or something into something lively and beautiful (Craig Castleman). I do not necessarily agree with this making plain buildings into artwork because I firmly believe that all architecture is art in its own way. I don’t disagree with graffiti but I do think that graffiti is kind of like bombing an architecture’s work or the person who designs subway or train cars. I know that it is very technical but it’s still someone’s work.
- Physical graffiti is the act of break dancing or other styles of hip hop. (NHP 6/20/12). This is personally one of my favorite parts of hip-hop, probably because of my dance background.
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ReplyDeleteSampling, Graffiti and physical graffiti all contribute to the four elemnts of Hip-Hop. Sampling is used in all forms of Hip-hop and is defined as: borrowing parts of other music, historical, social, cultural records or images to help a rapper tell their story (NHP Lecture 6.11.12). Sampling is also used in graffiti and physical graffiti/breaking. Without sampling the Hip-hop culture wouldn’t exist. Rapping can be linked to West African Griot Traditions of story telling, and the moves of physical graffiti are based off old dances like the Charleston.
ReplyDeletePhysical Graffiti is the practice that breakers use to write their experiences and histories using physical gestures and dance moves to speak (NHP. Lecture 6.21.12). When I think of this term I think of break-dancing. These dancers base their moves off of young kids, who come up with their own dances. Both females and males participate in this form of Hip-hop.
Graffiti is the visual aspect of hip-hop, usually done with spray paint on public ground. It is the art form of “unsolicited” painting upon both private and public property (NHP Lecture 06/19/12). The purpose of graffiti is to make a statement to the people who pass it. Some messages may relate to gangs or politics. It is usually illegal and considered vandalism, which I think makes it so unique. Battling, rapping and/or DJ battles take place in a circular place called, the cipher (NHP Lecture 6.20.12). In the reading by Chang he claims, “I once read somewhere that for a culture to really be a complete culture, it should have a music, a dance and a visual art. And then I realized, wow, all these things are going on. You got the graffiti happening over here, you got the break-dancing, and you got the DJ and Mcing thing” (Foreman Neal). All of these elements are created with rhythm. Jorge ‘Popmaster Fabel’ Pabon descibes this as: beats made by a DJ guides the dancer’s moves, or a MC’s lyrics or name are painted/turned into art by Graffiti artists. All of these elements form their own style and flow together.
Many different elements come together to form the culture of hip-hop. Three of these elements include: Sampling, Graffiti, and Physical graffiti. It is important to note that these three elements of hip-hop each have a culture of their own. However, these individual cultures are also elements of a larger, collective hip-hop culture. Similar to the assertions Robin Kelly makes on race in his article People in Me, hip-hop is poly-cultural; meaning it is an outcome of multiple different cultures blending together to form a larger collective.
ReplyDeleteIn hip-hop music today, sampling is prevalently practiced among MCs and their producers. Sampling generally refers to an artist or producer taking a song, or specific piece of said song from a classic vinyl record, then looping, enhancing, or editing it to create a new song entirely. Though, this isn’t a new tradition in hip-hop; in our textbook John Lovell argues that sampling is not only manipulating or changing someone else’s song, but a longstanding historical tradition of knowledge production among African Americans.
Another element of DJ and hip-hop culture is Graffiti. DJing and graffiti draw their roots from the very beginnings of hip-hop- and hip-hop’s resistance to governmental injustice and lack of opportunity. In fact, Marc Bamuthi Josheph states in his article, (Yet Another) Letter to a Young Poet, that “a broad force of hip-hop resistance was activated by movements against apartheid, police brutality, and the systemic abandonment of social services spurred on by Reaganomics.” This shows that hip-hop is actually a vehicle for change, by way of MCs, DJs, Producers, and Graffiti/Street Artists using their craft to make their voices heard.
When one thinks of graffiti, they often think only of tags or pieces they’ve seen on the walls of buildings, or on the side of a train-car. However, there are other forms of graffiti as well- one example being physical graffiti. Tattoos, for instance, are a type of graffiti that one can get on the body. Yet, physical graffiti can even be interpreted as physical movement- such as break dancing. Like DJing, breaking dancing is synonymous with hip hop. While hip-hop was in its earliest stages, DJ’s would intentionally break, or extend, the beat of the song so that a break-dancer could perform longer and the crowd could become more involved. This speaks volumes to the meaning of what hip-hop culture, was and meant; then and now. Hip hop, graffiti, and sampling are all just artistic elements of a larger hip-hop culture and historical means of knowledge production among African Americans and, more recently, other races as well. Most importantly, hip-hop was created and still exists for the community; the people involved in its creating and culture. After all, without the people involved in its culture- hip-hop would have no beat for its heart to bump.
Sampling is using bits and pieces of someone else’s lyrics and incorporating into their songs. For example, in one of the group presentations, we were shown multiple cases of sampling such as Dr. Dre sampling from Joe Cocker (Lecture 6/20/12). I honestly did not know how common sampling was until I learned that in this class. One of the most important aspects of sampling is the research involved throughout the process because DJ’s and producers that usually the main artists that sample are claimed to not be real artists. Even they have to sit in a room piled with mass vinyl records and use their god given gifts to figure out what works and what doesn’t work (Movie: Scratch).
ReplyDeleteGraffiti is a part of hip hop aesthetics that involves societal norms of hip hop such as call and response, illusions, lack of access to resources and criminalization of poverty and culture (Lecture 6/19/12). This is a form of street art that expresses artist’s “being”. Most graffiti artists have to be “ducked off” or camouflaged while doing this because it is illegal. They use street art to get their name out there and point overall point across, whether it is social change or just to make that particular building look better. From what I understand graffiti artist strive to be known as traditional artist, but when they do get recognize to the point where their art isn’t illegal anymore, some of them lose their drive. Similar to MC’s such as Eminem, when he first came out people loved his music because he was discussing his life but now his songs are not almost meaningless, but still regarded as one of the best because of what he has done. With graffiti artist being spontaneous and mischievous is a crucial part of their motivation to do so, being the minority gives them their edge to create what some calls “garbage” or what others call “art”.
Physical graffiti, also known as dance is a unique way of expression. The video shown in class of my high school creating a video strictly on dance called the “South Dallas Swag” I look at their style similar to ciphers, “the circular dance space that forms naturally once the dancing begins, the dancers can direct their performance in various directions, uninhibited and free from all counts and cues” (Jeff Chang, p. 24). This shows the creativity of young urban kids that they can be called artists outside of the general norm of dancing. In contrast, The dance group, Jabbawockeez the complete opposite of the cipher style of dance. They take a more synchronized, staged style of pop locking dance, where each step is rehearsed and perfected for a large performance (Youtube: Jabbowakeez).
Sampling is “The act of musical, physical, aural and oral re-appropriation of materials (sounds, style, artistic cultural practices, technology, music, and culture) of various groups under the sing of Hip-hop for artistic achievement and effect” (NHP Lecture 6/05/12). Many hip hop artist use sampling to create new sounds. One of my favorite examples of sampling is Lil Jon's "Throw it Up". He uses the symphony peace "Requiem for a Dream" to play in the back ground, while he added lyrics and beats to make his own creation.
ReplyDeleteGraffiti possesses four sub-categories, which comprise of political graffiti, gang graffiti, hip-hop graffiti, and memorial graffiti. All these forms share a common purpose however, which is the purpose of relaying a message to the passers. Whether that message is of political motivation or personal motivation. The art form itself in America can be traced back to the beginnings of hip-hop (NHP Lecture 06/19/12). Graffiti lets us see the struggles and messages that we hear in MC's songs. The style also amplifies the message because it shows a culture of people affected by hip hop. The historical origins of graffiti can be traced back to the Egyptians wall hieroglyphics and many other similar wall carving and paintings of relaying messages and information (NHP Lecture 06/19/12)
Physical Graffiti is the practice that breakers use to write their experiences and histories using physical gestures and dance moves to speak (NHP Lecture 06/20/12). I haven't seen much of this but my favorite example of this is Hampton Williams "Excorsit" you showed us in class. His performance gave us a visual representation of emotion. It was like a short play that spoke to the audience without any dialogue.