“Other People’s Property” is a very good book that is at its best when its author acts like a DJ. But don’t get it twisted: [Jason] Tanz sees hip-hop as text more than as sonic phenomenon or, for that matter, stone groove. “Other People’s Property” is made up of nine journalistic pieces, each a mix of reportage and personal reflection about race and the industry of hip-hop. It’s freaky, equally in love with Western philosophers such as Jean Baudrillard and the classic albums from hip-hop’s golden era. In a very hip-hop effort to get his shine on, the author mashes up his prose, cutting in and out of reportage and confessional styles.
This cutting edge documentary not only unmasks the faces of seven individuals addicted to graffiti, but it exposes their thoughts, feelings, faults and fears — an avenue unrivaled by any graff film to date[…]”Graffiti is like the United Nations. There is a representative from all corners of the earth. Black, white and the many shades in between, man or woman.”
Hip-hop and its portrayal of women is the focus of a weeklong discussion starting Monday at Spelman College. Likely the most famous black women’s college in the country, Spelman has been on a mission since April 2004 to make the music industry look at itself and what it produces.
On Oct. 16, Torres, one of the founding members of the Rock Steady Crew, which helped popularize break dancing in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was honored at program at a Manhattan dance club, Table 50, for his nearly 30 years of promoting the dance style. Torres was one of the original break dancers - or b-boys - and helped nurture it from a Bronx street phenomenon to a worldwide craze.
The billboards are scattered all over town: A tattooed, shirtless hip-hop rapper, 50 Cent, pictured in a “thuggish” pose, stands with his back to the camera while grasping a microphone in one hand and a gun in the other. Another poster features the popular gangster rap artist cradling a baby while a gun is shown tucked in his pants. The billboards are promoting rapper 50 Cent’s semi-autobiographical movie “Get Rich or Die Trying,” which will be released by Paramount Pictures on Nov. 9th. But for many South Los Angeles residents and community activists, the billboards and posters are a painful reminder of the gun violence that continues to take the lives of young people. The billboards have sparked “outrage” among residents who feel the advertisements are a “slap in the face.”
Hip-Hop Culture began in the South Bronx borough of New York City in the early ‘70s. Inner-city youth defined their existence and identified their purpose in life when they developed the arts of DJing, Emceeing, Breaking and Aerosol (Graffiti) Art. Hip-Hop crews organized around these four artistic elements of Hip-Hop Culture. The Cold Crush Brothers and other groups embarked on tours around the world, establishing Hip-Hop as a culture in France, Japan, Germany, Africa and elsewhere.
Many hip-hop artistes have now taken up acting and now hold sway in Hollywood. This revolution was started by the black producers in the late 80s, especially John Singleton and Spike Lee, who produces low budgeted films with high societal impact and big financial rewards. Spike Lee produced “Juicy Black” and college oriented movies like “Do The Right Thing”, “No Better Blues,” ‘School Daze’ and ‘Jungle Fever’ among others.
Socially conscious emcees Common and Kanye West are uniting to narrate a film about the life and times of Harold “Noonie” Ward.
In response to protests that lead to Paramount pulling a billboard for his upcoming film “Get Rich or Die Tryin” in LA, 50 Cent says, “I do appreciate it. They are talking about it on media outlets I didn’t have plans to market the movie to. They are helping me out.” Residents took issue with the fact that the ad, picturing 50’s tattooed, bullet riddled back as he holds a mic in one hand and a gun in the other, was located near an elementary school.
