NWA & Compton's Evolving Image

By: Catherine Keithley

Los Angeles is viewed throughout the world as the entertainment capital of the world. Hollywood, celebrities, materialistic, ostentatious... are all word that come to mind when thinking about West LA, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, etc. however, what does the rest of the world think of when Compton comes to mind? Guns, violence, gangs, drugs, you name it, they'll probably think Compton and East LA have it. Point being, there are too many stereotypes that surround LA based on the media's reputation of Los Angeles.


N.W.A- "Niggas with an Attitude"

In the early 1990's rapper, Ice Cube, left the University of Arizona to go back to his home town, Compton, California. He left his chemical engineering classes to pursue his other career interests...one of them being rapping. Ice Cube meshed with the now formally known rap group as, "NWA." NWA is abbreviated for "Niggas with Attitude." Soon after the group recorded its first big hit, "Straight Outta Compton." Straight Outta Compton was about being a gangster and living a life of crime on the streets of East Los Angeles. What is interesting about Compton before the gangster rap movement was that in the early 1940's Compton was voted one of the safest "white" towns in all of America. From the bad reputation gangster rap promoted within the media in the early 1990's Compton soon became what it was spoken about in the media, a ghetto.


NWA's "Straight Outta Compton" Video

NWA's album, "Straight Outta Compton," was the first gangster rap record to sell over 3 million copies. It went double platinum on March 27, 1992. Also, the record's consumers were surprisingly 80% Caucasian beyond the boundaries of black suburbs. This record made a new sub culture of hip hop which acknowledged white teenagers to imitate gangster rap. Statistics show that NWA's album made them known as the most dangerous rap group in history because of its notorious song, "Fuck the Police." In the music video NWA is shown running from the cops and rapping about living the hard life on the streets of Compton. Truth of the matter was that Ice Cube did not grow up on the streets, he was intelligent and was enrolled full time as a college student. Compton's image, however, began to decrease in attractiveness but raised profits in marketing "CPT" hats and other clothing apparel to represent a "thug" image. Undoubtedly, NWA changed the face of hip hop in the early 1990's.

Jay-Z: From Gangster Rap to Flossin' Rap

By: Catherine Keithley

From all aspects of music there is no doubt that Hip Hop has moved into being the mainstream genre. Pop music is ever changing in a sense that we have seen disco evolve into the ever so popular hip hop funk. Aside from disco and hip hop funk there is something particular about hip hop. Hip hop has morphed from gangster rap to mainstream rap. The difference between the two.... Jay Z.



This past weekend while I voulenteered at USC's Swim with Mike charity event, all of my friends were heading to Indio, California in search for the ultimate Southern California annual music festival, "Coachella." Coachella typically is a three day all day music event that features artists from mainstream rap to electronic house music. I was told that Jay Z performed on Saturday with a not so surprise guest, Beyonce. As pop's ultimate couple, the two performed songs from past albums to unreleased albums.

Jay Z is the undertaker of gangster rap and mainstream rap. In 2001 on The Blueprint, we hear him rapping about in "Jigga That Nigga," rapping,

"Went solo on that ass but it's still the same
Brooklyn be the place where I serve them thangs
B. my niggaz was strugglin, to the 'burbs they came
And then we got to hustlin, murderin thangs
I dipped in my stash, splurged on a chain..."


Jay Z- "Jigga That Nigga/ H.I.ZZ.O"

However in 2007 on Jay Z's album, "Kingdom Come," we hear Jay Z changing his lyrics from rapping about being a gangster from Brooklyn to "flossin" as a successful mainstream rapper. Take a look at his lyrics from "30 Something,"

"I know everything you wan do
I did all that by the age of 21
by 22 I had that brand new Ack Coupe
I guess you can say that my legend just begun
I'm, young enough to know the right car to buy yet grown enough not to put rims on it
I got that six-duce with curtains so you can't see me and I didn't even have to put tints on it..."


Jay Z- "30 Something"

Jay Z is the coneoussour of rap because he made the transition between gangster rap and mainstream "flossin" rap today. With a current net worth of $500 million dollars, there is no doubt that Jay Z has opened new doors for the future of hip hop.

Lady Gaga: A Visionary or Next Best Thing?

By: Catherine Keithley

A Hollywood buzz lately has been Lady Gaga's obscene and rather potent fashion trends. Like Madonna, for Gaga's moment in the spotlight she has made a name for herself all around the world. From her utmost famous bubble dress to her nude leotards and blazer attire she is turning heads in every corner of Tinseltown. Most recently in the Gaga world, the bi-sexual Lady Gaga was seen at the National Equity March, calling President Obama out on a podium in Washington D.C. in regards to Gay and Lesbian civil rights. As the artist screamed out to the president, "ARE YOU LISTENING?" She firmly proposed her opinions and thoughts for the quiet gays of America. Her speech was then concluded by a talented performance of John Lennon's "Imagine."



Question is that is Lady Gaga a visionary or simply the next big thing? In accordance to the Billboard Hot 100, Gaga has had more album and concert sales than any other artist in the mainstream music world.

In my opinion, Gaga is a visionary. Her respect for high couture fashion in the artsy-fartsy world of France and New York City is impressive yet her music is just as contemplating. Her risky videos and impromptu clothing choices make her marketable and recognizable in every household. The test of time will be Ms. Gaga's largest challenge but as a fan I'm sure we will all be wanting more of her and her music as the years to come.

Check out her latest video here..."Telephone" by Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce

Music Subcultures & The "Teenybopper"

By: Catherine L. Keithley

For most of us, we all remember the celebrity that swept us off our feet at the shy age of thirteen. Today, young stars such as The Jonas Brothers, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, etc. are all mostly Disney bred stars that have impacted our young preteens. Well its not the first time in pop culture that this has happened and certainly not the last.


Celebrities that uphold the Teenybopper's Subculture

The term, "teenyboppers," was first created by marketing professionals in the entertainment industry who were looking to consumers in the preteen years of age. Dating back to the 1960's, The Beatles were the heavily idolized music group that first defined teenyboppers as a subculture of popular music. The attributes of the teenybopper include a female preteen. These female preteens range in age from nine to about fifteen and appear to be abnormally committed to their celebrity hearthrobs. Teenybopper apparel usually varies from a photograph of their hearthrob printed onto cheaply made t-shirts to mascara running down faces from the tears of joy from becoming starstruck. Here are a few examples to fill everyone in if you're still not envisioning what I'm describing...


A Typical Depiction of Teenyboppers

Overall, one may agree that the subculture of the teenybopper exists, however, there is an interesting observation between marketers and their portrayal of certain celebrities that appeal to different age groups. For the most part, I think that marketers market celebrities to target audiences that are most like themselves. It is adhearant that consumers are attracted to things that remind them of themselves or might depict who they think they are. Music stereotyping functions the same across all depictions of celebrities in entertainment, this is because consumers will always be attracted to vivid, salient, and attractive objects.

Jesse Ponce and the Conjunto Genre

By: Catherine Keithley

To most Californians, we know the "Conjunto" as the small group band that plays Spanish music while we gobble down our fresh Mexican food with fresh avecados and our margaritas shaken on the rocks. Well I regret to inform you Californians that the Conjunto music didn't actually originate in California, it all actually began in Texas. Conjunto is a traditional, non-commercial style of Latino music, with roots of Tejano ("Tex-Mex") music.


Example of Today's Conjunto Music- ROJELIO HINAJOSA 2010

The word Conjunto literally meaning "group" in Spanish and from Latin "coniunctus," was no longer to be just a group. It was forever known as a small musical group. As Conjunto music appears mostly today in Texas and California, conjunto is also well known in the Caribbean and Cuban musical groups, such as the "Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba" and everywhere else in the Spanish speaking world. The four instruments used in Conjunto music are the button accordion, the bajo sexto, an electric bass, and a drum kit.

To understand more about the Conjunto music and its events leading up to a well respected genre check out PBS' "Playing From the Heart: The Story of Jesse Ponce."

PBS' "Playing From the Heart: The Story of Jesse Ponce"- http://wbgu.org/community/documentary/PlayingFromHeart/JessePonce_index.html

Jesse Ponce is a well respected man in the Conjunto genre for becoming the first man to assemble the small group musicians that play Conjunto music. He uses his music to express and reinvent his Latino identity. Ponce's passion for his music touches many
and his perfectionism enables his audience to feel what he is feeling. Without a doubt, Jesse Ponce is the most admired man in his genre for his impeccable timing, drive, and passion for the Conjunto music and his fans.

The Corrido Ballad: A Romantic, Poetic, Music Genre

By: Catherine L. Keithley

This week we are talking about Mexican "coriddo" ballads. When I first came across the idea of corrido music I began to think about Selena and her hit music in the early 90's. Selena could sing her heart out but her music was more of a love ballad rather than a corrido ballad. The most famous ballad known as a corrido was "La Cucaracha," "an old song that was rephrased to celebrate the exploits of Pancho Villa's army and poke fun at his nemesis Venustiano Carranza" (Flores 198). The main ideas of the Mexican ballads were to express poetry-like lyrics accompanied with dancing like the waltz or polka inspired tracks. Originally the lyrics were written in the form of old legends (stories) and ballads about a famed criminal or hero in the rural frontier areas of Mexico. Some corridos may also be love stories, like the more common Selena songs that our generation today remember growing up to. The most popular singers of corrido ballads are; Los Tigres del Norte, Explosion Nortena, Los Morros Del Norte, El Potro De Sinaloa, Los Tucanes De Tijuana, El Tigrillo Palma, Los Cadetes de Linares, Edgardo Gamez, El Efectivo, and Grupo Exterminador. As the corrido music may follow the same tempo as a general waltz or polka, the music itself is very simple and light. Generally corrido music is sung by the singer or a group of singers and are accompanied with the guitar. Below is an example of a corrido ballad by Los Tigres del Norte entitled, "La Granja."



As for lyrics, here is another written example of a older and more original corrido called, "Valentina." The lyrics speak about a love story amongst a couple and their endless lust for one another.




Richard Flores. "The Corrido and the Emergence of Texas-Mexican Social Identity" (Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 105, Spring 1992)

The Cha-Cha-Chá Music: A Sexual Revolution in Cuba

By: Catherine L. Keithley

This week we are changing gears... I'm writing about Cuba and the cha-cha-chá music that has made Cuba famous for its sexy, vivid music, and racy dancing. When most people think about Cuba they might think about Ricky Ricardo from the hit sitcom, "I Love Lucy," that would come on Nick at Night every evening. Another stereotype of Cuba are movies Hollywood has produced to depict Cuba in such way that we think of Cuba today, such as, "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights."

Enjoy an excerpt from "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights"

Cuba's cha-cha-chá first developed from the Cuban dance music entitled, "danzón." the debut of the cha-cha-chá first broke out on the scene in Havana, Cuba at the Silver Star Dance Club in the early 1950's. The rhythm is slightly faster than danzón and is usually composed of two rapid beats followed by a longer (two eighth notes followed by a quarter note. In the book, "Listen Again: A Momentary History of Pop Music," author Eric Weisbard states, "In the United States we would not even recognize American music if we did not inherit music from Cuba and Jazz music from Africa traveling to New Orleans" (Weisbard 6). Many times people recognize Desi Arnaz as his character Ricky Ricardo in "I Love Lucy" to recall what Cuban music really is. Sure cha-cha-chá music uses lots of bongos and fast paced beats but surprisingly enough there is actually many flute sounds incorporated in cha-cha-chá music. Besides the flute, other instruments used to create cha-cha-chá music include; strings, piano, bass and percussion.


Desi Arnaz as "Ricky Ricardo" in "I Love Lucy" portraying Cuban Stereotyping

Weisbard, Eric. Listen Again: A Momentary History of Pop Music. 1st ed. Durham and London: Duke University Press, 2007. 6-10. Print.

Charles Mingus: A Jazz Artist with 3 Personalities Living in 3 Different Worlds

By: Catherine L. Keithley

Per my conversation two weeks ago on Charles Mingus, I feel it is important to go back and speak about who Mingus really was as an individual. In our society we shape success around our careers as who we are, our careers define our "being" and physicality on Earth.


Younger Charles Mingus & Older Charles Mingus

Charles Mingus inspires me. He was a jazz bassist who didn't care about his image, what he cared about was his music. He believed his soul's purpose on this Earth was to create songs people could feel alive when listening to them. Our perceptions of artists in the music world is about seeing artist's image change while pop music changes. It is always an interesting process observing evolving artists. For me, growing up I watched Britney Spears evolve into the pop celebrity she has become to be after "...Baby One More Time." Do you remember these days?


Younger Britney Spears & Older Britney Spears

Charles Mingus states in his book, "Blue's People," that he is a man of personality. From being an angel one moment, to being the opposite as a trouble maker, he found himself split among the two struggling to make both personalities surface to a common ground (Mingus 116). Through his struggles of heartache with women and seeing them as goddesses to seeing women as sexual objects, Charles Mingus was one of the first true musicians that defined pop artists to be the evolving ever changing image that they represent today in the mainstream world. In conclusion, it is important to recognize those who built the backbone of inspired pop artists today. People like Charles Mingus represent the Marylin Monroe influence on the acting world today.

Mingus, Charles, and Nel King. Beneath the underdog. Vintage, 1991. 116. Print.

The Inspiration of "Nothing" has Become "Something" in Hip Hop

By: Catherine Keithley

There is a compelling correlation between blues and hip hop music today in popular culture in Charles Mingus' book, "Beneath the Underdog." This shift in today's blues and hip hop music compared to the early 1920's is that there suddenly is no reason to have something to sing about in particular in new blues and hip hop music. Mingus emphasizes that hip hop artists such as Gucci Mane or Ludacris no longer have a reason to sing about topics of the past such as gangster rap or lyrics that are degrading towards women. Hip hop has emerged to the mainstream air waves and no longer seeks out lyrics about degrading women or gangster rap.



In particular, blues music was originally about the struggles of African Americans who came to the United States as victims of slavery. However, today the mainstream world has embraced a much different side of blues and hip hop. Mingus explains that artists today do not need to sing about their struggles or harsh living situations in the hood. Hip hop artists rule the mainstream air waves, this is why artists like Gucci Mane can get away with writing songs about "Lemonade." Aside from the male artists in hip hop, females have also made the transition to singing about meaningless concepts. Artists like Lil Mama made her name in the pop music world with her single, "Lip Gloss." There is no doubt in my mind that I agree with Mingus when he speaks about the value of blues and hip hop music. In mainstream we are bombarded with meaningless songs. For example, on KIIS FM's 102.7 we hear anything that has a valid beat behind it and a couple of catchy chorus'. Then it brings up the other question of the value of pop music within itself... Is it possible to make millions off singing a catchy song about lemonade rather than singing a heavy yet meaningful song in mainstream?



The answer... yes. Mainstream has transformed blues and especially hip hop into being yet another product of capitalism.

Mingus, Charles, and Nel King. Beneath the underdog. Vintage, 1991. 89-96. Print.

Mardi Gras' Indian Influence on Jazz & Blues in New Orleans

By: Catherine Keithley

Happy Fat Tuesday!
Well... Happy Ash Wednesday really...

As we embark on yet another Mardi gras celebration it is important to understand what Mardi gras is about. No, not the sinful opportunities that are sprung upon us before the day of Ash Wednesday but the opportunities of looking at the history of New Orleans' musical influence on hip hop today in the mainstream world. Hip hop mixes multiple synchronized beats together creating a feel good music result.

New Orleans is famous for two things... gumbo and blues music. I believe the key to delicious gumbo is about layering on spices, slow cooking, and fresh ingredients. Blues music in New Orleans is similar to its gumbo. Just like the layering of spices in gumbo, blues music layers itself throughout hip hop, jazz, and even electronic music. Blues music is about the cultural experiences of sorrow and struggles during the slavery era, however, Mardi gras music is very different from the Blues music. Mardi gras music originates from the Indian culture with tribal chants and drumming influences.

Huey "Piano" Smith's 1958 release of "Don't You Know Yockomo"

During the early 1950's Indian music made its own niche in New Orleans. For every Carnival season there was a new collection of Indian music. From Sugar Boy Crawford's November 1953 checker recording "Jock-A-Mow," to Huey "Piano" Smith's 1958 release of "Don't You Know Yockomo" all include some references to Indian music and culture. With the tribal beats of Indian music being added into blues and jazz music in the Creole culture of New Orleans it is no wonder why hip hop music has changed their background beats to predominately electronic basses.

Just like New Orleans' gumbo, music builds off of the music created in the past, resulting in new creations and fixations on specific sounds.

Morgan, Thomas. "Mardi Gras Indian Influence on the Music of New Orleans." Tom Morgan's Jazz & Blues. 06 02 2002. Jass.com, Web. 17 Feb 2010. .

The Jazz Singer: Society's Secret Influence on Making Ethical Decisions

By: Catherine Keithley

The film, "The Jazz Singer" dating back to its release date in 1927 was one of the first films in American popular culture that had portrayed its characters with speaking lines. Aside from the first speaking line in the film, there is beautiful music that accompanies the film. Within the story of the film we see the climax of the film approach upon a religious holiday for the Rabinowitz family. The holiday was the "Day of Atonement" which is the Jewish holiday also known as "Yom Kippur." In Yom Kippur, people of the Jewish faith were to fast for twenty-four hours and then are expected to repent and ask for forgiveness through intensive prayer. The interesting idea about the film is why did the writer decide to make the climax during this particular holiday in the Jewish faith?

I believe the reason for the writer and director to portray the film in this particular light is because as Yom Kippur is the day of repent we see Jackie facing his father for the first time since he was disowned for wanting to become a cantor. Not only is his father on his deathbed on the day of atonement but Jackie's father finally decides to accept his son for becoming a jazz singer. It is plausible that the writer thought that by bringing religion into the discussion of acceptance is the ethical way of dealing with a child doing an occupation that the parent did not wish for. The question that arises from The Jazz Singer makes me wonder about why did the writer in 1927 decide that it was an ethical point in the film to introduce the ideologies of religion to justify the decision of accepting Jackie's decision of becoming a jazz singer.

Overall there is an ethical question relating to the way the film is written compared to our ideologies today for deciding what is right from wrong. The question that The Jazz Singer arises is, "do we rely on religion to make ethical decisions in our everyday lives?" I'll leave you with that idea. What do you think?

One Song at a Time, Pop Culture Repeats Itself: From Minstrel Shows to Disney's Mickey Mouse

Entertainment repeats itself through media trends from the past. The most fascinating comparison from the past to present are the Minstrel shows and American popular culture.

Minstrel shows date back to the early 1830's that portrayed segments of comic skits, variety acts, dancing acts, and music acts. Originally minstrel acts were led by entertainers with black faces which depicted the traits of African Americans that were brought over from Africa to America to engage in slavery. Minstrel shows were arranged in three acts. The first would traditionally be dancing, the second, being a "pun-filled" stump speech, and the third act would be concluded by the "slapstick" musical plantation act. Music played a large role in the Minstrel shows. The songs sang in the shows were performed by artists such as; "Zip Coon (1834), Old Dan Tucker (1842), Miss Lucy Long (1842), and De Camptown Races (1850)," (Kun 2010).

We see pop culture in the United States repeat itself just as entertainment in general repeats itself, however, the creation of Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse is the most well known "Minstrel show" inspired form of entertainment. Mickey Mouse's first appearance was in Steamboat Willie, a black in white, silent film debuted in 1928. In the film we see Mickey interact with Minnie on a steamboat as Minnie accidentally drops the sheet music to "Turkey in the Straw" written and sung by Zip Coon from 1834. Mickey picks up the sheet music and begins to whistle "Turkey in the Straw."


Steamboat Willie Song (Turkey in the Straw)

Today in 2010, children would identify "Turkey in the Straw" with the song "Do your ears hang low?" As we see nursery rhymes develop from Minstrel shows in the early 1830's, we then note to see hip-hop today develop their tracks from nursery rimes like "Do your ears hang low?" For example, rapper "Jibbs" broke into the music industry by remixing the harmony of "Do your ears hang low?" into "Does your chain hang low?"


Jibbs- Does your chain hang low?

From Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse to American nursery rhymes to Jibbs' "Does your chain hang low?" we can conclude that there is a cohesive for American popular culture. This cohesive is repeating entertainment's history and using these traits to create something new. Think of it as reinventing pop music.


Kun, Josh (2010), http://soundclash307.tumblr.com/, Los Angeles, California: University of Southern California.
Lott, Eric (1993), Love and Theft: Blackface Minstrelsy and the American Working Class, New York: Oxford University Press, ISBN 019509641X .

"Blues Music in a White Man's World"

By: Catherine L. Keithley

After reading Leroi Jones' "Blue's People," I have found a connection between the two when defining Blue's music in American Pop Culture. The term “Blue’s People” derives the concept of the history of the Blues music defines the identity of a Blue’s person. There is something singularly American about the Blue’s. The Blue’s are about facing the reality of never going back home, being a person that has lost their culture… not speaking the same, children who will have different societal views and realizing you are a new person in a new country as a outcast.




Blues music is about waking up to the realization of social distance between you and your people and the country you are in. During the time of slavery we see people as property rather than individuals conveying personal opinions. Leroy Jones' ideas remind us to remember slaves are not immigrants like European immigrants. The social interpretation between European immigrants and African immigrants is that one signifies the celebration of life and the other signifies the becoming of a commodity object. Blues music is about the slaves becoming a commodity object within a market of bodies. Additionally, Jones adds that this actually happened to the Africans who became slaves in the United States. These human beings were stripped of their identities, the very identities that forced them to think and be people different than who they really are. Blues music expresses the struggle and need for social change.
Then we observe paradox of the American dream and the influence this had on Africans who were then victims of patriotism and the historical concept of truth. Blues singers became empowered by liberal freedom and independence, however, the success of liberal freedom for few depended on the lack of freedom for others. The notion of freedom was based on slavery.
Jones asks his readers, "What happens to these people who have lost their "identities" so to speak?" (Jones, 41). This he says is the "beginning of cultural innovations and cultural freedoms that come out of blues music. (Jones, 43). Which leads to the ultimate theme of economics versus population to find an answer through cultural practice. Blues music is about the sub-culture of being black and singing emotion that resides from the soul.
"With the soothing sounds of the saxophone, guitar, and a soulful voice, blues music relives itself every time it is played."

-Catherine Keithley
Leroi, Jones. Blues People:Negro Music in White America. 1st ed. New York, NY: Harper Perennial, 1999. 40-56. Print.

Check out Nina Simone performing Oscar Brown Jr.'s "Work Song"


Check out The Supremes singing "Chain Game"

American Popular Music : An Always Evolving Sound in Media & Society

By: Catherine Keithley



"People value American popular music for many reasons, including a desire for beauty, but also a great deal more;they use music to escape from the rigorous work week,to celebrate important events in their lives, to help them make money, war, and love" (Starr, and Waterman 6).

American popular music is important in our everyday lives this is true...but why is it that the pop music we listen to has such a distinctive sound? Why does Britney Spears' "In the Zone" album sound so similar to her most recent album "Circus?" Why are the Black Eyed Peas so famous for "I Gotta Feeling?" We hear these pop songs and forget our daily lives as authors Larry Starr and Christopher Waterman state in "American Popular Music: From Minstrelsy to MP3," but simultaneously there is a technical sound to all pop music. With a catchy chorus and recognizable feelings everyone may experience one may have a pop song.



Today in 2010, we notice a transformation within music written by The Beatles in the 1960's to today's pop music. Our music today has an electronic European feel and no longer is using a guitar and drums beat. With synthesizers our music is almost spoken, like Ke$ha's "Tik Tok." Pop music is about having a good time, getting ready for partying, and forgetting all your worries.

Along with a catchy sound artists today have managed the way they market themselves. Sure we can all sing "Tik Tok," but it is about attitude and physical presence while performing, the style clothing one may choose, etc. Popular music is a constantly changing sound and evolves with the culture and society we live in as time progresses.



Sources:
Larry, Starr, and Waterman Christopher. American Popular Music: From Minstrelsy to MP3. 1st ed. Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press, 2010. 6-8. Print.