Friday, November 04, 2005
Panic on the streets of Carlysle
As if I didn't hate 50 Cent enough already......http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=1274052. I know 50 is a status quo rapper, bringing the same recycled Dre formula and gangster image, but does he have to support political status quo as well? Chuck D is vomiting in his retirement home. Even that statement falls short because flava flav has whored himself to MTV. Talib Kwali has jumped the shark. At least Will Smith is unabashedly derivative (and the party starter). But blaming rap is pointless. Looking to a widespread swath of conservatism in our country is more valid (and not just in red-states, you self-rigtheous assholes.)
The anglo, canadian announcer pronounced his name "Fiddy" as in, "oh, you know, fiddy is always controversial" in those sweet, neutral media tones. Do rappers really have the right to create inflections on their names that aren't proper? Well, Sade is a strong precedent so I should stop complaining.
It is difficult to be a cultural commentator when more and more I have no faith in the culture upon which I loved to enmesh myself for so long. Is it really so artful to be pepper a weblog with references to wide vertical and horizontal swaths of culture?
Ian Svenonius pointed out (not here http://www.cnltouring.co.uk/WW.html) that the artist has continually been a reflection of his patron class because ultimately art is sustained by the whim of consumption (much like conservation science, but I digress). He noted the shift from image of the Rock Star as entrepreneur forging has way with epic confidence to great heights of recognition and success while in reality being vaulted by a the approval of a centralized means of production and distribution. (That's right, the 60s were a lie.) He concludes that the rock star has given way to the DJ as our prevailing musical form. And DJs are nothing but samplers of culture. The ability to process and filter a wide variety of music and select the appropriate piece is the vaunted skill. I know access to the means of production is supposed to be democratic, but it creates an inherent stasis.
As Morrissey so wisely said,"Hang the DJ."
The anglo, canadian announcer pronounced his name "Fiddy" as in, "oh, you know, fiddy is always controversial" in those sweet, neutral media tones. Do rappers really have the right to create inflections on their names that aren't proper? Well, Sade is a strong precedent so I should stop complaining.
It is difficult to be a cultural commentator when more and more I have no faith in the culture upon which I loved to enmesh myself for so long. Is it really so artful to be pepper a weblog with references to wide vertical and horizontal swaths of culture?
Ian Svenonius pointed out (not here http://www.cnltouring.co.uk/WW.html) that the artist has continually been a reflection of his patron class because ultimately art is sustained by the whim of consumption (much like conservation science, but I digress). He noted the shift from image of the Rock Star as entrepreneur forging has way with epic confidence to great heights of recognition and success while in reality being vaulted by a the approval of a centralized means of production and distribution. (That's right, the 60s were a lie.) He concludes that the rock star has given way to the DJ as our prevailing musical form. And DJs are nothing but samplers of culture. The ability to process and filter a wide variety of music and select the appropriate piece is the vaunted skill. I know access to the means of production is supposed to be democratic, but it creates an inherent stasis.
As Morrissey so wisely said,"Hang the DJ."
# posted by 8yearoldsdude @ 11:53 AM 
