White + European = African American?

[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)
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[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]

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.

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 .

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.

What impact does it have on African American youth?

I have no idea.

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.:sad:

 

[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.

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.

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.

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.

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]

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]

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.

 

[Booko]

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

Honestly, I have no idea. I only hear the domestic stuff. You kinda can't miss it.,

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

Ah, then I expect it has some similar themes like our domestic stuff.

Bosnian hip hop is largely about sex or politics.

I've always thought hip hop would be a great way to address political issues and get the word on some issue out to people.

My husband, who's the poetic one in the house, has long maintained that if you take poetry from the hands of regular people and stuff it in an Ivory Tower (which we've basically done), the people will always find a way to take poetry back.

Hip hop is an example of this phenomenon, I think.

Now if only the artists could find a way to deal with better subject matter.

I have no particular problem with the medium itself.

 

[PureX]

So the questions are:

Why do you think this is happening?

It's just your typical adolescent (mostly male) fantasies being played out in pictures and music, and then being mimicked by other adolescents. When you look at them for what they really are, they're actually very funny. And in a way they're kind of sad, too. It's amazing how 'herd-like' adolescents really are. They're scared to death of looking or saying or thinking or doing anything unique, in spite of their desperate efforts to proclaim themselves as being unique from all the rest of the world.

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

It's just what adolescents do. Nothing unusual. The only thing I find sad and even worrisome is the degree of anger that a lot of poor black adolescents are feeling and expressing these days.

What impact does this have on European youth?

Very little, really. They mimic the look, and the words, and the "tude", but mostly they don't feel the real anger and rage that the people they are mimicking feel. So mostly it's all just adolescent posing.

What impact does it have on African American youth?[/B]

My guess is that they find it hilarious, but feel some pride in havinf started it, too.

 

[XAAX]

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?

Uh, Good or Bad, It sure improved my opinion of Bosnian Women...:drool:

 

[Djamila]

We don't have any African American RFers do we?

I'd be very interested to hear their opinion. I remember watching on television a rebroadcast of a concert they did for soldiers at Butmir base in Sarajevo - and when there were songs in the style of American country music they were smiling. They were laughing at our artists, of course, but it was meant to be funny.

But when they did hip hop songs they kind of looked like... I don't know? They were still smiling, but it was more of... watching someone dig a hole with their words and make a situation worse, even though you don't care, but they're still screwing up their words and mumbling things that don't make any sense. They had that kind of face, like they were about to say, "It's okay! I don't mind!" lol