Week 4 Flashcards
The new Edwardians
Well-educated and characterised by their uniforms, inspired by the Edwardian period; a mythic version of the history; “posh” fashion.
Definition of Hip Hop and elements
Spoken-word music, immersed in a wide field of what culture might be.
- New York (multicultural setting by nature).
- Civil rights movement (political nature of Hip Hop).
- Temptations and upscaling the value of the AA lived culture; DJ culture and transformation.
- Political nature of funk and soul.
- Graffiti culture (= political through slogans).
- Spike Lee’s movies (America-focused).
- America: who counts to be American, and what does it mean?
Notes on Do The Right Thing
- City film
- Focused on multiple people
- Observers portrayed in the movie
- Visually pretty/Colour use; vividness
- Random Brooklyn woman cast because she “fits” -> reclaiming appropriated AA dance.
- Opening song is an attack on Elvis and John Wayne; racist figured but heroes to many.
Segregation in pop culture
During the Jim Crow era, Black artists and performers were often excluded from mainstream media and entertainment spaces. Instead, they performed in segregated venues and were limited to predominantly Black audiences.
Different genres have historically been racialised, with jazz, blues, funk, soul, and hip hop often labeled as “Black music,” while genres like country and rock are seen as “white music.”
Youth cultures
Social groups formed by young people with distinct styles, behaviors, and beliefs that set them apart from mainstream culture.
Subcultures
Subcultures often express resistance or rebellion against dominant cultural norms.
Pop culture hegemony
The way mainstream popular culture maintains its dominance by assimilating and commercializing subcultural styles and practices, thereby neutralizing their oppositional potential.
Identity and pop culture
How individuals or groups use pop culture to shape and express their identities, often through fashion, music, language, and social practices.
The Teds, Teddy Boys, and Teddy Girls (characteristics, origins, class, perception)
Originated in post-war Britain (1950s), inspired by Edwardian fashion: dandy style, long jackets, slim ties, fancy waistcoats and greased-back hair.
Associated with working-class youth, but later on, middle-class Teds also emerged. Often seen as rebellious, with associations to rock and roll music and sometimes juvenile delinquency.
Growth of Hip Hop and Spoken Word Music
Emerged in the 1970s and 1980s in New York, primarily within African American and Latino communities.
Spoken word music became a powerful tool for political expression and storytelling, often reflecting the struggles of marginalized communities.
Four Elements of Hip Hop
DJing, MCing (rapping), breakdancing, and graffiti.
Political Funk and Soul
Funk and soul music became vehicles for political expression, addressing issues of race, inequality, and social justice.
Artists like James Brown and Gil Scott-Heron used their music to critique societal issues, creating a bridge between musical entertainment and political activism.
DJ Culture NY
DJs became cultural icons by mixing records, creating new sounds, and providing the rhythmic backbone of hip hop.
Graffiti Culture NY
Emerged alongside hip hop as a form of visual expression and rebellion, marking public spaces with art and messages that challenged mainstream norms.
Themes of Do the Right Thing (1989)
- Examines racial tension, cultural identity, and social conflict in a Brooklyn neighborhood.
- Demonstrates how popular culture and identity intersect, with characters using music, fashion, and language to express their identity and resistance.
