race war in pop - week 20,618

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http://www.dotmusic.com/news/October2002/news26939.asp

race issues seem quite the hot potato at the moment what with Virgin radio becing accused by some quarters of racism after denouncing all rap and r n'b as processed crap last week (something Gary Numan also did and was lambasted for the same reasons on Jo Whiley's TV show a couple of years ago)

ignoring that tho, what is the real deal in the States with this kind of thing? how much political correctness is going on? it seems to be a lot worse there than in the more densely concentrated multicutural UK - who are the people thinking and making decisions like 'oh we need more mixed race girls dancing up front and a couple of token whiter models at the back maybe, not her tho she's TOO black' (i was wondering this after seeing some of Ja Rule's videos, and the infamous N.E.R.D. 'Lapdance' one, but not sure if there's really anything in it) - assuming anyone IS...meanwhile i dont know exactly why Craig David was criticised by anyone (was it fans or suits?) for having a guitarist who happened to be white (well i guess they're easier to find right?) but its all very ridiculous. i wish people (including myself) were not even conscious of such matters but this is another consequence of institutionalised racial prejudices and cultural stereotypes and the subsequent desire for black empowerment in the face of what is perceived to be continued adversity (see also Halle Berry's comments regarding the comments and attitudes she continues to receive)

i've not completely formulated my point yet but talk away...

― blueski, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 11:17 (twenty-three years ago)

i suppose the very obvious point i'm making is 'isnt it absurd how such attitudes are still prevalent despire the increasing dominance and popularity of Craig David's style of music i.e. 'urban' pop/dance/r n' b/rap?'

and how long until everyone really does like that kind of thing and what it can often represent before such attitudes and criticisms disappear altogether (if thats possible)?

― blueski, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 11:19 (twenty-three years ago)

and...is there more eagerness in urban music today to promote the idea of no racial preference when Jay-Z's rapping about having different types of girls in every world and Missy's talking about 'all kinds of boys' from black to white, puerto rican to chinese? or is it pretty constant and would it be wrong to believe this all stems from political correctness?

― blueski, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 11:24 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm curious to know also who has been supplying the criticism - because I'm not hearing it. I thought the only people that still voiced their prejudism were the extremely uneducated (And the more educated may still have prejudice, but have the sense to keep quiet about it) .... and the extremely psycho..

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 13:27 (twenty-three years ago)

Any critisms I've heard lately -- and since they were no more than grumblings I can't recall who was making them -- seem to be more focused on overt sexuality being marketed to pre-teens rather than the music "being too black."

― Aaron W, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 13:48 (twenty-three years ago)

i dont think its being intentionally targetted specifically at pre-teens...look at the enthusiasm for it on this board for starters. obviously the appeal for pre-teens is precisely that the subject matter is generally very adult-orientated yet 'exciting' and supposedly sophisticated - if you subscribe to the idea that young girls and boys are feeling more than ever that they want to emulate adults and grow up as soon as possible in this respect

― blueski, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 14:05 (twenty-three years ago)

actually that may not be that obvious, but its certainly something i've noticed through observation and experience

― blueski, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 14:07 (twenty-three years ago)

I'd tend to agree with your analysis blueski, although I'd argue that it _is_ being marketed to pre-teens. Sex is a big part of the appeal of rock n' roll and pop, so it's just inevitable that "this new kind of sexuality" would offend the so-called defenders of our culture (much the way that Elvis' hips caused censorship). The new Christina Aguilara video is shocking, but that's the appeal, and in order to remain appealing (which is the essential part of pop music) then it has to continually be fresh and exciting (in a sexual sort of way). There's some cultural theory about pornography that states that the reason it's such a successful industry is that you constantly have to update the image because once it's been seen it loses it's power.

To cite someone specific, Joni Mitchell was bitching on the subject in that stupid Rolling Stone Rock Women issue...

http://asia.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/16/leisure.mitchell.reut/

Mitchell also lambasted MTV, complaining that her three-year-old granddaughter is already grabbing her crotch and dancing, imitating the video clips played on the music cable network.

So when kids imitated the flower children in the 60s and pranced around naked at Woodstock it was beautiful, but this isn't? I guess you could extract some sort of underlying racist thread here if you wanted to, but I think Joni is just being her crotchety old self.

― Aaron W, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 14:28 (twenty-three years ago)

well this is a different subject from the one i originally posted about but its just as thought-provoking if not more so

the only really shocking thing about the AGuilera video is that she chose to go for such contrived shock tactics...her actual look and actions are visually alarming but the greater controversy lies more in her motivation for doing it (i cant see what it is other than to see more records and be more remembered) - esp. as she's received nothing but criticism since she started stepping out wearing just a scarf and some thigh-high boots

― blueski, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 14:56 (twenty-three years ago)

nine years pass...

so it was blueski that started the race war

― am0n, Friday, 3 August 2012 04:43 (thirteen years ago)

5-6-7-8 ethnic groups: obliterate

― blueski, Wednesday, October 23, 2002 9:56 AM (9 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

― diamonddave85, Friday, 3 August 2012 05:04 (thirteen years ago)

did blueski ever come back or did heaven need a 90s techno megamixer?

― the late great, Friday, 3 August 2012 05:08 (thirteen years ago)

he posted on a soccer thread a year ago maybe

― toandos, Friday, 3 August 2012 07:07 (thirteen years ago)

who gives a fuck about that creep

― blueski, Thursday, August 28, 2008 6:43 AM (3 years ago)

― buzza, Friday, 3 August 2012 07:11 (thirteen years ago)

no one ever really quits ilx ... the band may change but the song remains the same

― the late great, Friday, 3 August 2012 07:26 (thirteen years ago)

three months pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuP-Nv3hX4E
BURRITO STALL

― We do live in a fallen, depraved world destined for the fire. (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 8 November 2012 17:51 (thirteen years ago)

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