White + European = African American? (tradition, virtual)

[Djamila]

It's reaching epidemic proportions across Europe: white, European youth who think they're African American hip hop stars.

It's affecting young, Bosnian girls...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FW6daYivUM

And young, Bosnian boys...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv6ZoKf9QMw

As well as millions of other European youth in virtually every European country you can think of.

(More information in my next post)

[Djamila]

African American-dominated music genres like r'n'b, hip hop, and rap have become staples of popular music in every European country.

As examples, we'll look at Turkey.

Kenan - Cikkadi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FF4WcVNj5k


Hadise - Bad Boy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE2b5nEE15A

[Djamila]

It's also popular in the former Yugoslavia.

Edo Maajka - Znas me (BOSNIA)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94Tg9d6At4s


Nina Badric - Takvi kao ti (CROATIA)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_vIUV5ePvw

[Djamila]

So the questions are:

Why do you think this is happening?

What do you think of the trend, overall? Is it a good or a bad thing?

What impact does this have on European youth?

What impact does it have on African American youth?

And for our European members:

How annoying is it?

[Halcyon]

Originally Posted by Djamila

Why do you think this is happening?

Because Rap, Hip-Hop etc is pretty much the most popular style of music around at the moment, especially for that age group. If you lived in the UK i'd say tune into Radio 1 and you'd see what i mean - although i think you can get it online, i have no clue how to do that though.

Originally Posted by Djamila

What do you think of the trend, overall? Is it a good or a bad thing?

I don't think it's good or bad, i just find it funny .

Originally Posted by Djamila

What impact does this have on European youth?

It means they don't know how to speak properly, trying to copy a culture that isn't theirs - it just makes them look foolish in my eyes.

Originally Posted by Djamila

What impact does it have on African American youth?

I have no idea.

Originally Posted by Djamila

And for our European members:
How annoying is it?

I find it amusing, because it looks daft to me. But when you're trying to sleep and all you can here is an RnB baseline coming from a car outside, that continues for 20 mins, its very annoying. My own fault for living above a shop though i guess.

[Djamila]

Originally Posted by Djamila

Why do you think this is happening?

I think it is happening for a variety of different reasons. I know hip hop songs became popular in Bosnia during the war and I think that might have something to do with it. Hip hop is all... thoughtless? You can listen, and you don't have to think. It's a nice escape.

It's also a way for European youth to still be interested in something American without having to think about White, Republican culture in that country. European youth don't want to be associated with the George Bush's of the United States, but they cling to African American artists and those white artists who stand up against right-wing politics - like the Dixie Chicks.

Originally Posted by Djamila

What do you think of the trend, overall? Is it a good or a bad thing?

I'm indifferent overall, I suppose - but I think it makes some of these kids look like a joke. I can handle European girls dancing like African American women at nightclubs and falling in love with 50 Cent or whoever else - but when they wear their hats sideways and walk around saying "y'all" and "my brother", it makes me laugh at them.

Originally Posted by Djamila

What impact does this have on European youth?

I think it warps, a little, traditional gender roles in European societies. And as Halcyon says, there's the ebonics trend which is really annoying. But it also gives them something to rebel with that isn't drugs or other worse things.

Originally Posted by Djamila

What impact does it have on African American youth?

None, I guess. At best it might give them some sort of validation to see that people on the other side of the world are loving their music.

Originally Posted by Djamila

And for our European members:

How annoying is it?

At times, very. Hahaha.

[Djamila]

And I suppose when Bosnian youth have as this as their other option, it's no surprise they choose hip hop...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoK2T_bRjOg

[Booko]

Originally Posted by Djamila

So the questions are:

Why do you think this is happening?

It's the same thing that's been going on for around a century, Djamila.

The African American community has been the source of energy for American music for a very long time now. From there, it seeps into the white community, then it becomes "popular." From there...it heads overseas.

What's the difference in the pattern in the spread of blues and jazz and hip hop? None...same pattern, over and over.

What do you think of the trend, overall? Is it a good or a bad thing?

Beats me. I'm not a fan of hip hop anyway, because most of it is pure crap, and the stuff that has any poetry to it tends to be full of words that I have zero interest in hearing.

What impact does this have on European youth?

Dunno. Europeans will have to speak to this.

What impact does it have on African American youth?

I doubt it makes any difference to them. The complaints you hear here is that they innovate, and then the white folks come in and make all the big bucks. They have a valid complaint, methinks. Though this is less the case than it has been decades ago, as more African Americans take the business end into their own hands. (Good for them!)

How annoying is it?

Would it be correct if I assume that European versions of hip hop do not include the n-word? Or is that just wishful thinking on my part?

Is European hip hop advocating violence and disrespect of women like much of the stuff here?

[Djamila]

Originally Posted by Booko

Is European hip hop advocating violence and disrespect of women like much of the stuff here?

It depends on the source. I'm sure British hip hop is probably quite similar to American hip hop?

French hip hop is largely Muslim, largley about the routines of life in the Muslim ghettos and their problems with wider, French society.

Bosnian hip hop is largely about sex or politics.