Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

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beats me
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Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

Post by beats me » Wed Apr 15, 2009 3:48 pm

So our neighbor loves to blare his Hip Hop from Public Enemy, NWA and up through the present. Despite Hip Hop still being a very popular genre I seem to have this reflex reaction that people who blast it constantly have some kind of shady background. In this case it probably doesn't help that this neighbor frequently likes to hop his balcony with his buddies at night, a good 5 foot drop, and wade through bushes to get to his car instead of using the front door like a standup citizen.

At first I thought this might be some kind of racist thing I was doing but then figured out I'd probably feel the same way about every nationality exhibiting this behavior with the possible exception of Indians.

At the same time if a person is blasting Rock, Dance, Pop or some other popular genre I don't make these assumptions. Also if I felt I needed to ask somebody to kindly turn down their music after hours of blasting it I don't think their would be that much of a problem with any other genre, with Hip Hop I feel like it's going to be a major confrontation at some point a la Beat It video.

Am I alone in this "I must be old/kids today" paranoia?

v00d00ppl
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Re: Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

Post by v00d00ppl » Wed Apr 15, 2009 3:52 pm

maybe it's just the eastside san jose crowd...you know how they do.
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aisling
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Re: Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

Post by aisling » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:09 pm

:D reminds me of a conversation I once had with a "hard core" rapper I crossed paths with at the grocery store check out one late night when I lived in the lake merrit area of Oakland. Upon scanning his food selection, I proceeded to inform him not to feel betrayed if he "misses" the revolution because he was poorly nourished. I further instructed him that us white devils will always have the upper hand if he is spun out on refined carbohydrates, hight fructose corn syrup, and trans fatty acids, let alone the poor quality of meats (it all clouds his mind). I suggested that he shake the chains of bondage and set himself free, empower himself, by taking responsibility for his body, mind and soul.......I went on to further imply that a proper exercise regiment, 8-9 hours of sleep, and substituting the shitty beer for good hydrating water, will give him the mind and body strength to smoke whitey when the time comes.....I made a subtle insinuation that if he can't smoke whitey and must retreat, it may be worth having clothing that allows you to get the fuck out with out having to worry if it will fall down during the process.....

Comming from an opinionated loud east coaster as my self, I think I freaked the guy out so much, he may be listening to house music now......Actually it was all said respectfully, encouragingly, and with the intent to inspire and motivate my brother from another mother to evolve his humanity.....But the point was made!
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channelite
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Re: Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

Post by channelite » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:18 pm

I would only be intimidated hearing loud rap music when in such a neighborhood as Bed Stuy Brooklyn at night time. But in Las Vegas, people who play loud rap music pose no threat. I'm more afraid of loud country music and pick up trucks.

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Re: Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

Post by ChiDJ » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:20 pm

I equate it with "aggression and propping". I'm from the generation that just "didn't get" hip hop. I grew up in the industrial scene. Mosh Pits and slam dancing, sure that was aggressive, but it was cathartic. We would slam each other down, but then pick each other up because we were all there for the vibe.

Try and slam some Hip-POP thug and you got a real mess. They just don't get it. It's all look at me and my bling and bitches. Empty proppin' useless music. I hate it.

I can't go to clubs that play hip hop for this very reason. I always end up in a fight.

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dredd i knight
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Re: Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

Post by dredd i knight » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:21 pm

yep sounds like some kinda predjudice to me. thsi isnt a serious question right?
and the assumptions that telling somebody from another group, wouldnt equate with trouble sounds naive too; depends on whose telli em and how big/ bad they are. the jumping out back thing is weird, but not proof of anything illeagal. does listening to wasp music, rock or heavy metal, or country, or gabba, and hardcore german techno equate with racist activity?

beats me
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Re: Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

Post by beats me » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:22 pm

@v00d00ppl, I live in west San Jose a skip away from Santana Row so not exactly Thug-4-Life territory

@aisling, a good friend of mine lived on Grand Avenue for a couple years and we spent many a night at Kingman's bar. As you know that area is fairly mixed but even Kingman didn't want Hip Hop DJ nights because he "didn't want to attract the element". So the bar was more like being on the set of A Different World than a Dre video. Funny thing was being in Oakland in a mixed but largely black crowd I never once felt weird about it or uncomfortable. If I go into a bar or club with a largely black population in San Jose I always get these "who let whitey in" glares.

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Re: Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

Post by aisling » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:28 pm

channelite wrote:I would only be intimidated hearing loud rap music when in such a neighborhood as Bed Stuy Brooklyn at night time. But in Las Vegas, people who play loud rap music pose no threat. I'm more afraid of loud country music and pick up trucks.
I have to agree. I have been all over the country in urban and rural areas, and most insecure I ever felt was one time when I pulled off the side of the road in north Georgia to play some guitar while driving cross country.......A truck full of rednecks, blaring hank Williams, Jr., slowed down and stopped. Having NJ license plates did not help, but I came close to "shitting" my self, thankfully some oncoming traffic diffused the situation.
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Aequitas123
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Re: Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

Post by Aequitas123 » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:33 pm

beats me wrote: with the possible exception of Indians.
Do you mean people from India or Aboriginal Peoples?

And, Why?

beats me
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Re: Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

Post by beats me » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:37 pm

dredd i knight wrote:yep sounds like some kinda predjudice to me. thsi isnt a serious question right?
and the assumptions that telling somebody from another group, wouldnt equate with trouble sounds naive too; depends on whose telli em and how big/ bad they are. the jumping out back thing is weird, but not proof of anything illeagal. does listening to wasp music, rock or heavy metal, or country, or gabba, and hardcore german techno equate with racist activity?
Like I said, I don't think it's a racist issue. If the people living next to me were white but also blasting Hip Hop, talking all "yo,yo,yo", dressing like thugs, and frequently hopping their balcony I'd have the same assumption.

The difference with most other music genres is they don't sensationalize illegal activities and disrespect and usually don't promote a whole lifestyle beyond just enjoying the sound. There are some other music genres that do that too though, just not with the same mass appeal as Hip Hop.

aisling
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Re: Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

Post by aisling » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:39 pm

beats me wrote:@v00d00ppl, I live in west San Jose a skip away from Santana Row so not exactly Thug-4-Life territory

@aisling, a good friend of mine lived on Grand Avenue for a couple years and we spent many a night at Kingman's bar. As you know that area is fairly mixed but even Kingman didn't want Hip Hop DJ nights because he "didn't want to attract the element". So the bar was more like being on the set of A Different World than a Dre video. Funny thing was being in Oakland in a mixed but largely black crowd I never once felt weird about it or uncomfortable. If I go into a bar or club with a largely black population in San Jose I always get these "who let whitey in" glares.
I know the area well. Funny thing is I loved Oakland. It made me feel as close to home as possible (philly/AC). All my east coast friends seem to feel comfertable in oakland. I live near Santa rosa now :oops: :( and miss the diversity and culture. OT, but I love the black muslim bakery in emeryville. They always get a kick out me, because I am bilingual and speak arabic, and have read as much or more of the Koran as they have, and can go toe to toe reciting verses and correct history, before I pull my ace out and inform them that I am in fact a bonified red sea pedestrian........Jew. That always leaves them confused.....
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dredd i knight
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Re: Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

Post by dredd i knight » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:43 pm

This thread is depressing :(
When people say hip hop or rap, they really mean black right?
Thug/ gangsta rap and hip hop are born of the same culture, but are actual opposites in todays world.
Thug mentality is more than just a black thing, and arsehole neighbours are universal.
I cant count the amount of fights and run ins i've had with with white people over the course of my life, but I still make an effort to look at each person i meet as a person.

Beatsme; the moment you start assuming people are shady because they listen to a certain type of music or have a certain amount of melanin is the moment where you've stopped looking at a person, and have started lookiing at a stereotype.

My stereotype of white people is an ignorant bunch of racists that like nothing more than to hit a nigger, if they have numbers on their side....its not real, even though my experience might say otherwise.

Aequitas123
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Re: Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

Post by Aequitas123 » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:45 pm

dredd i knight wrote:This thread is depressing :(
When people say hip hop or rap, they really mean black right?
No. This is a common misunderstanding. It could be any race listening to hip hop or rap. I think the general idea is that "Thugs" are often associated with this type of music.

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Re: Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

Post by hacktheplanet » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:52 pm

This thread... Wow.
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beats me
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Re: Do you equate Hip Hop listenership with shady activity?

Post by beats me » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:59 pm

dredd i knight, I've said several times this has nothing to do with race so we can drop that from the general assumption in the main point.

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