Pop Music

Pop music is a subculture of devoted followers. The songs produced from this musical style has traits of emotional singing, lyrics about love or sex, a danceable beat, clear melodies, simple harmonies and repetitive structure so that people can catch on and join in. Some popular music icons of the millennium are Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake, and Nelly Furtado. Since pop is such a broad category of music sounds many genres of music have divided off from mainstream pop to form their own categories. Bubblegum pop is one of the smaller genres. The defining characteristics of bubblegum pop include catchy melodies, three-chord structures, simple harmonies, and repetitive lyrics. Bubblegum pop has lightweight lyrics which may include nursery rhymes or nonsense lyrics. The theme of these lyrics are often about romance and courtship, and overall happy subjects. Nothing dark or brooding. The followers of this specific genre are usually preteens and adolescents. Synthpop is a different genre of pop which uses artificial synthesizers to produce a robotic, electronic sound. The style uses mechanical rhythms and vocal arrangements in contrast to the artificially produced instruments. This genre of pop music came to inspire what would later be known as techno. J-pop music is an integral part of Japanese popular culture. It is used throughout the culture in anime, commercials, movies, radio shows, TV shows, and video games. Recently, J-pop has become an international craze through video games and anime. In the case of anime, shows are normally sold in the West with their original soundtracks, affording more direct exposure. Some shows aired on television even become commercially available as ring tones.

Hip-Hop Fashion

While writing about rap subculture I stumbled upon some interesting fashion trends that those involved in hip-hop and rap subculture are participating in. These trends deserve a post of their own. The clothes worn by people in this subculture are placed at a greater value if they are designed by high end fashion designers, thus contributing to the bling-bling lifestyle which exemplifies materialistic wealth. For a more in depth explanation refer to my last post on rap music. Within the last decade there has been a split between male and female hip-hop fashion. Previously the fashion of both sexes had been similar in style, but with artists like Lil Kim the style for women changed to become more glamorous, sexy, and revealing. There are now entire clothing lines devoted to sexy hip-hop fashion, such as Kimora Lee Simmons’s company Baby Phat. Some staples for male fashion include large t-shirts, sagging jeans, platinum chains, and a do-rag tied around the head, sometimes with a baseball cap on top. However, the most interesting hip-hop fashion trend that I found so far is the popularization of grillz. Grillz are cosmetic dentures made from a shiny metal, like gold or platinum, and usually embedded with diamonds or other precious stones. The music video “Grillz” produced in 2005 by Nelly showcases many diverse styles of grillz that are common today in hip-hop subculture. Grillz can be purchased online, or from specialists like Paul Faucette. The grillz expert undeniably is Paul Wall, who is seen in the photo on the left. I found this photograph and more information on Grillz in Matt Rosenberg’s blog.

Rap Music

Rap music originated in the United States during the mid 1970s and became integrated into modern pop culture in the 1980s. Rap came from an oppressed African American youth as a form of cultural expression in New York City. Rap music is influenced by funk, blues, and soul genres of music. This form of music consists of two main components: rapping and DJing (production and scratching). Most lyrics are rhymes that use poetic techniques like assonance, and alliteration within the words. Usually the rapper is accompanied by an instrumental track, called a beat, which is created by a DJ. The golden age of hip hop was from 1985 to 1993, which combined the sounds of the East Coast, where artists were more complex, witty, versatile, and emphasized lyricism and West Coast styles. The years after produced the form of rap known as gangsta rap. In the early 1990s gangsta rap became a major part of American music, causing significant controversy over lyrics which promoted violence, promiscuity, drug use and misogyny. By that time hip hop and rap music had already become a staple of popular music charts and has contributed to styles across the world. Some form of rap now exists in the areas of Europe, Asia, The Middle East, Latin America, Africa, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Today in the United States many gangsta rappers pursue the bling-bling lifestyle, which celebrates the idea of materialistic wealth and status like money, jewelry, cars, and clothing. Insiders in this rap subculture find distinctive belonging through their fashion, language, and media sources. We will explore those in the next post.

Screamo

While I was researching the emo subculture I discovered music genres I had never heard of before. These bands have split from the emo sub genre to define their own sound, some are defined as emocore which is short for emotional hardcore, or screamo which refers to a more chaotic and aggressive form of emo with screaming vocals, harmonized guitars, and fast-paced riffs. However, all bands have social and political themes in common. Screamo still incorporates emotional lyrics and chords, but is classified as hardcore emo. The internet has helped spread word of screamo. Napster helped the rise of this music genre by allowing anyone with an internet connection to access the music. The website MySpace, which offers free music profiles, includes screamo in its list of genres. Screamo is generally slower than hardcore or punk music and the vocals alternate between screamed and sung, similar to early emo music. Screamo bands such as A Day in Black and White tend to bury the vocals in with other instruments. Screamo is now an international genre. Bands existing in Europe are almost as affluent as those in America. Countries such as Japan and Australia have notable screamo scenes. The people who listen to screamo music tend to follow the same fashion guidelines as emo listeners. Some may adapt a more gothic or punk aspect to their clothing styles.
Watch a video from the screamo band Scary Kids Scaring Kids:

Emo

Emo is a sub genre of punk music. The term emo stands for emotional rock, because members of a band would become emotional during performances, Emo originated in the mid 1980’s in Washington, DC when musicians of the hardcore music scene decided to shift away from the basic style of hardcore punk and the violence associated with the music style. In the 1990s emo began to incorporate indie influences. The band Lifetime is a capstone of the emo music scene. Lifetime decided to slow down and soften their music and adding more personal lyrics that defined their sound. Lifetime's sound, lyrics, and style were a blueprint for later bands. In 2003 Chris Carrabba, the singer of Dashboard Confessional featured lyrics that were considered a diary of emotion. Earlier emo had featured lyrics that were darker and painful, but Carrabba's lyrics had a greater focus on love and the inability to cope with reality. This new emo sound had a bigger appeal among adolescents than earlier bands. Insiders in the emo subculture do more than just listen to the music. Emo fashion has roots in punk fashion as well as gothic fashion. Emo clothing is characterized by tight jeans on both males and females, long bangs often brushed to one side of the face, dyed black hair, tight t-shirts, studded belts, belt buckles, Chuck Taylor All-Stars, and thick black-rimmed glasses are considered the pinnacle of emo fashion. To watch a controvesial video on the Emo subcluture click below:

Music

For the next category of subcultures I am going to explore the music scene and talk about what certain people involved in music subcultures are involved in and doing.

Baseball

For my last post about sports subcultures I am going to talk about baseball. I know it doesn’t involve a board like the other sport subcultures, but according to George J. Gmelch in his article “Baseball Magic”, baseball is a subculture all its own. Gmelch claims that baseball players partake in rituals, taboos, and fetishes that men resort to when they want to ensure that the game goes their way. The players in this subculture have their own ways to perform these rituals and taboos, but all are performed with the same result in mind, to win. “The baseball player can ritualize any activity he considers necessary for a successful performance, from the type of cereal he eats to the streets he drives on,” claims Gmelch. Players from other sports have their own rituals they perform that are considered crucial to their game performance. For baseball in particular, “It is not uncommon for a hitter who is playing poorly to try different combinations of tagging and not tagging particular bases in an attempt to find a successful combination.” Certain taboos believed by everyone involved in the subculture of baseball include mentioning that a no hitter is in progress and crossing two bats over each other. It is believed that if the pitcher hears the words “no hitter” then his spell will be broken and the no-hitter will be lost. And crossing the bats is bad luck for the whole team. Baseball is an interesting subculture because everyone involved in the sport has their own unique beliefs in what will help them win a game.

Snowboarding

The first snowboard, called the snurfer, was invented in 1965 by Sherman Poppen in Muskegon, Michigan. Poppen conceived the idea for the snurfer by tying two skies together with a rope. In 1979 Jake Burton carpenter, founder of Burton snowboards made a model of what we know as the current snowboard from bentwood laminate. This edition featured a rigid binding that held the board firmly to the riders feet. A snowboard varies according to the boards length, width, flexibility, and shape. There are various styles of snowboards, the difference depends on the type of riding intended. A racing board is longer, more ridged, and allows the rider to race fast down the slopes of a mountain. In contrast a Fish Shape board is a shorter, wider board with a tapered tail designed to reduce leg fatigue in deep powder. The freestyle board is a style in between the racing board and the fish shape. The freestyle board has a medium amount of flexibility, is average in length, with soft boots for the riders feet to grip, and deep side curves, otherwise known as sidecuts. An insider in the snowboarding subculture will know which board is best suited to their riding needs. If a rider has a short and flexible board style they will be able to negotiate maneuvers and tricks. Edging is a common trick where the rider will ride the edge of the board on the side of a mountain so the riders body is parallel with the side of the mountain. More advanced moves can either take place on the side of the mountain or in a snowboard park. The subculture of snowboarding has now become an official sport of the olympics where competitors come from around the world to compete for the championship

Skateboarding

Skateboarding, otherwise known as sidewalk surfing, is a sport, method of transportation, and even seen by some as an art form. Skateboarding culture has been through three previous generations to reach the subculture that it is today. The first skateboard originated sometime around the 1950’s and coincided with new emergence of surfing. Skateboarding hit the mainstream culture in the 1960s when the international skateboarding championships were broadcast on national television. The second generation of skateboarders in the 1970s had the advantage of riding improved boards made from fiberglass and aluminum with specially designed trucks and wheels. Skaters of the second generation were able to develop tricks on their new equipment. The Z-Boys, were a group of skaters from Santa Monica California and are credited as the founders of the skating subculture that exists today. The Z-Boys got their practice time in by skating the vertical walls of swimming pools that were left empty in the 1976 California drought. This started the vert trend in skateboarding. The third generation of this established subculture emerged in the late 80s and early 90s. The focus of this generation was on the vert ramp, where a horizontal plane will quickly transform to a vertical plane. Once the skater is at the top they may perform tricks in the air. The third generation also expanded upon freestyle skating and street skating. The founders of street skating, such as Rodney Mullen invented the basic tricks of modern street skating. The ollie kickflip, the heelflip, and the 360 flip are just a few tricks well known to insiders. Movies such as Dishdogz (2005) portray current skating subculture as a competitive sport between people who have a positive outlook on life. We are now within the fourth generation of skateboarding. According to American Sports Data Inc, there are 12.5 million skateboarders today. The vast majority of this subculture dress, talk, and act in distinctive ways that portray the past generations and allow room for the future. New developments in skateboarding subculture are skating videogames, technology and the X-games, where competitors come from around the globe to show their moves in this action sports competition.

Below is a movie clip from the 2003 X-games:

Surfing

Surfing, the national sport of Australia, is a water sport in which the participant is carried by a breaking wave on a surfboard usually made of fiberglass. The sport is divided into sub-divisions, which reflect differences in surfboard design, length, and shape, such as longboards and shortboards. Surfers involved in this subculture demonstrate extreme devotion to the sport by making it the central focus of their lives. Some people make a career out of surfing by receiving corporate sponsorships, competing in contests, or marketing and selling surf related products, such as equipment, accessories, and clothing. Other surfers separate themselves from any and all commercialism associated with surfing. These people, know as soul surfers, enjoy surfing naked and practice the sport purely for personal enjoyment and many even find a deeper meaning through involving themselves directly with naturally occurring wave patterns and believe in ecosophy. Surfing waves is a science, which is shaped by the wind conditions, the direction and size of a swell, and the flow of the tide. However, these aren’t the only elements affecting the break. A surfer must also be familiar with the topography of the ocean floor, since one surf spot is unlike any other. Surf breaks are grouped according to their intensity. The shape of the tube and the angle of the peel line are the two variables considered when determining intensity. Tube shape indicates the height of the wave, while the angle of the peel line refers to how fast a wave is traveling. Surfers have a unique language to describe the maneuvers and tricks that happen on a board once the wave has been caught. Words and phrases such as: noseriding, snaking, cutback, over the falls, and fins free snap are just a few of the many surf centered phrases that knowledgeable insiders talk about. Minimum amount of equipment a surfer requires includes:
~Surfboard - for riding the waves.
~Surf wax - and/or traction pads to keep from slipping off the board
~Leash- positioned around the ankle of the surfer for easy retrieval of the board after a wipeout
~Rash Guard- worn as a shirt to protect a surfers skin from irritation.
Like all water sports there is always an inherent danger of drowning or hitting one's head on the reef, but the dedicated surfers involved in this subculture risk the dangers for the chance to catch the perfect wave.

Hip- Hop culture

My next section of blog entries will be focusing on the subcultures revolving around sports. Before I move away from dancing subcultures though I would like to take some time to reflect upon the hip-hop culture where these dance movements sprang from and give a little history behind the movement. The term hip-hop refers to a cultural movement starting in the 1970s, developed predominantly by African Americans in urban communities. The start of the hip-hop movement is attributed to DJ Kool Herc.
Popular forms that have evolved from the hip hop movement include:
~Breakdancing – See breakdancing post
~Beatboxing – The vocal art of reproducing various sounds using one's voice, and mouth. It can involve singing, turntable scratching, the simulation of musical instruments, and sound effects.
~Grafitti art - see my grafitti bolg post for more information
~Street fashion – fashion that has been changed from mainstream styles to encompass the unique movement of hip hop culture. Popular styles of the past include doorknocker earrings, gold necklaces, big rings, addidas brand shoes, baseball hats, baggy pants, and bright colors.
~ Street Language - A unique variation of everyday language meant to fit hip hop culture. Example: Phat
Early hip hop has often been credited with helping to reduce inner-city gang violence by replacing physical violence with hip hop battles, called “beefs”. In a beef two members will battle through dance, whoever wins the beef also wins the fight. Although this step away from physical violence may be compromised due to the recent emergence of commercial and gangsta rap. In this newer form of rap the emphasis on non-violence has been greatly removed, with many rappers boasting about drugs, weapons, and crimes they have committed.
Artists considered to be alternative/underground hip hop artists are going back to the original elements of the culture which emphasizes verbal skill, unity, or activism instead of messages of violence, material wealth, and misogyny. Insiders in this subculture will be aware of all the elements that surround the culture and participate in one or more of these cultural elements.

Clowning

The movements of this dance are free formed, highly energetic, and resemble a spasm or seizure. The originator of Clowning is Thomas Johnson aka Tommy the Clown. Tommy the Clown was originally a hip-hop dancer from Los Angeles, California. In 1992 Johnson began fusing together different local dance styles and elements to created a unique new dance style. After being in trouble with the law himself, Johnson believed one could avoid gang involvement and gang violence by channeling anger through the clowning dance. According to Wikipedia.com, “In developing Clowning, he fused local elements of Black Dance such as ‘G dance’ or ‘Gangsta(er) boogie’ and stripper dancing (alluding to the sexual and highly active performance style of black strippers). Clowning also employs certain elements of Jamaican Dancehall moves such as the "butterfly" or the "rodeo", as well as elements from popping and locking, two older and more established forms of black dance usually associated with breakdancing.” The followers of this subculture dance style became known as the Hip Hop Clowns. The clowning dance style quickly spread and has entered the mainstream hip hop culture through music videos by artists such as Missy Elliot. The difference between Krumping and Clowning is the erotic and sexualized body movements performed by Clowners, whereas Krumping is a more aggressive and violent looking style of dance. Insiders of the Clowning subculture will paint there faces with black and white designs meant to mimic a circus clown.
Missy Elliot, "I'm Really Really Hot."

K.R.U.M.P.

The dance form of K.R.U.M.P, which stands for Kingdom Radically Uplifted Mighty Praise originated in Los Angeles, California primarily through the African-American community. Krumping has historical links to the Clowning dance movement where dancers paint their faces in different black and white designs to display emotion. If Krumpers use face paint it is more raw and tribal looking. Krump has been known as a medium through which the dancer can channel his or her anger, because the movements are sometimes violent in appearance and the dancers may have physical contact with each other. The transition from Clowing to Krumping has been captured in a documentary film called Rize, directed by David LaChapelle. Krumping has developed into a structured and organized society. The dancers involved in this subculture are grouped into cliques called “families”. According to Wikipedia.com, Each of the families are organized around a mentor. This individual is known as a Big Homey and they take Lil' Homies, who are younger and less experienced dancers of the Krump style under their care. Both titles are terms of respect. These relationships are necessary for learning the dance and its techniques. Contests between dancers are called battles, where the objective is to shame your opponent in front of your peers. Krumping is often confused with Clowning, while the two are similar in form and related in origin there are visible differences. Krumping is a more sinister and aggressive dance form than Clowning, and contains violent, exaggerated, and aggressive moves intended to release anger.
Boston Krumpers:


Clip from RIZE the movie:

Double Dutch

Double Dutch is a form of jump rope. It is more complicated however because this activity requires two ropes turning in an eggbeater fashion and one or more people jumping in the middle simultaneously. This form of jumping rope is definitely not a solitary activity. This activity involves at least 3 people total: one or more jumping and two turning the ropes. While the person in the middle is jumping the two persons turning the ropes will recite rhymes, or music will be played in the background so the jumper may keep a beat.Double dutch is an element of the hip hop culture. People involved in this subculture show their dedication by participating in competitions through the National Double Dutch League which holds yearly camps and a Holiday Classic competition in which teams from all over the world compete. The NDDL attributes the origins of the game to ancient Phoenician, Egyptian and Chinese rope makers. "They plied their craft at ropewalks - spaces 900 feet or more in length - usually near seaports. With a bunch of hemp around their waists and two strands attached to the wheel, the rope makers walked backwards, twisting the rope into uniformity. As the runners traveled the cluttered floors supplying the spinners with hemp, they had to jump the twisting rope. To make their deliveries, they needed quick feet, lithe bodies and good eye perception." Passed from generation to generation until it evolved into the game we know today. Double Dutch is becoming more and more prevalent in cities such as San Francisco and Seattle.

Stepping

Stepping or step-dancing is a form of choreographed dance performed by dancers in a group. The dance is comprised of clapping and stomping steps done in perfect unison with other members of the dance team. Rhymes or chants are sometimes choreographed into the dance routine to compliment the sound of the steps. Acrobatics and gymnastics are often a part of stepping, as well as the use of fire, explosives, canes, swords, knives, and even handguns which are used as props to perform stunts. and other dangerous stunts. Some dancers wear masks and other costumes to enhance the ambiance of their routines. Stepping is an art form as well as a musical form. In Stepping it is not uncommon to see dancers wearing matching uniforms, boots or tap shoes. This form of dancing is derived from the African Welly Boot dance. According to Wikipedia, “The African welly boot dance is an African dance, which is performed by dancers wearing Wellington boots. In South Africa, these boots are more commonly called gumboots. It is believed by some to have been a forerunner of the tap dance. The Wellington boots are embellished with bells, so that they ring as the dancers stamp on the ground.”
This subculture is popular among African American Fraternities and Sororities who practice together vigorously. The teams perform at celebrations, ceremonies, national and local competitions and athletic events. Within the Greek system stepping is considered popular for improving a group's morale, cohesion and pride, as well as improving the name of a fraternity or sorority.

Breakdancing

I have found that there are many different subcultures within a specific category. The category of dance for example is contains people who are experts in many, many different types of dancing, from ballet to hip-hop. Within dance culture, breakdancing and the people who participate in breakdancing form their own unique subculture revolving around certain body movements and concepts. This street dance style evolved from the hip hop movement. The innovators were predominantly African American youths in New York City during the early 1970s. In the 1980’s MTV helped to integrate breakdancing culture into the mainstream media. Musicians such as Michael Jackson have used breakdancing moves in music videos and movies. The term breakdance refers to the music used to perform this type of dance, because the dancers are able to display skills during the break in a hip-hop mixed song. The dance routine is a combination of many different moves put together to create a routine. A basic routine might include moves such as toprock , a transition into downrock, a display of power moves, and end with a freeze or suicide. Breakdancing culture has its own unique forms of music, fashion, literature and competition style. True insiders in the breakdancing subculture participate in one or more of these elements. For most breakdancers, fashion is a defining aspect of their identity in the subculture. Adidas, nylon tracksuits, and boomboxes are a few prevailing fashion trends. According to Wikipedia.com, “Multiple stereotypes have emerged in the breakdancing community over the give-and-take relationship between technical footwork and physical prowess. Those who focus on dance steps and fundamental sharpness—but lack upper-body brawn, form, discipline, etc.—are labeled as "style-heads" and specialists of more gymnastics-oriented technique and form—at the cost of charisma and coordinated footwork—are known as "power-heads." Break dancing has also been associated with street gangs as a replacement to physical fighting.

I had to include two videos in this post because they are both so wiked awesome:

What is a subculture?

Well, where do I begin? How about I start with why I choose this topic for my blog. You see, I have always been interested in culture, and not just current American culture either, but cultures from around the world are fascinating to me, as well as the ancient cultures of the Greeks and Romans. Any culture really. I love learning the reason why people exhibit different behaviors. What makes people tick? Are they rebelling against something? Celebrating? Or just trying to exhibit self expression? These actions and behaviors can reveal a lot about the time period and the culture a person lives in. Im not a history buff by any means, but I really like learning about culture. This brings us to subculture, which to me means a group of people with unifying behaviors and beliefs that differentiate them from the hegemonic culture. It seems to me that in the 21st century everyone is involved in a subculture of some kind which differentiates them from the larger mainstream cultural group. According to Paul Hodkinson, an expert in subculture studies and author of Four Indicators of (Sub)cultural Substance, for a subculture to truly be a subculture the members of the group must have 4 things.

1. Commitment - The subcultures members must be committed to a degree that influences the pattern of everyday life for the participant involved, accounting for free time, friendship patterns, shopping routines, going-out habits, collections of commodities, and even internet use.
2. Identity- Members must share a sense of affiliation with group insiders, giving feelings of distinction from outsiders. Creating a different perspective from those outside the group.
3. Distinctiveness- A set of shared tastes, ideals and values which is distinctive from those of other groups and reasonably consistent within the group.
4. Autonomy- Independent and self-governing. The act of not relying on mainstream culture to produce what is needed for the group to function and prosper.

Now that I have explained what a subculture is and how subcultures function in our larger culture, for the remainder of the blog I’m going to take the time to explore specific subcultures and their uniqueness from the categories of dance, film, sports, street art and music. By the end hopefully we will have found out what makes the poeple involved in these subcultures tick. Happy reading.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog about subcultures for my J333 class.