Events

The Tupac Hologram and How We Treat Dead Stars 4

by Langston • Events, Industry, Technology

The internet has been buzzing over a video a hologram Tupac performing a couple of his greatest hits at the 2012 Coachella Music Festival. The hologram was created by Digital Domain Media, a company co-founded by James Cameron and responsible for the effects in films such as Titanic, Transformers, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. In case you havent’ seen it:

 

Reaction has been “mixed.” Some are genuinly happy to see one of the most popular rappers on the 1990s, hell of all time, rocking a stage again. Others are intrigued from a technological standpoint. A third group wavers between confused and disgusted by the entire endeavor. I’m not sure how I feel. While I marvel at the technology, the actual hologram makes me uncomfortable. It has a air of corniness and cheesiness that has never been associated with Tupac. Even though it shouted out Dre and danced with Snoop, it’s an avatar. Because it lacks a human essence, it seems like a cartoon- a high-tech, life-sized cartoon – but a cartoon nonetheless. I have no idea what to do with it.

The emergence of this hologram isn’t too surprising. It’s the most recent in long line of posthumous Tupac releases. In the immediate wake of his death, the Death Row released The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, the album Tupac planned to releases before his 1996 death. The first Makaveli album been followed by 6 official “studio” albums, the most recent being released in 2006, ten years after his death. Aside from these, there have been 16 Makaveli bootleggs, plus several remix, greatest hits, and tribute albums.  There have been books of poetry, biographies, and documentaries including Tupac Ressurrection (2003), which was narrated by ‘Pac himself.

After Tupac Resurrection, I stopped collecting Tupac material. Why? Because I was tired of consuming Tupac material that was shaped and mediated by others. One thing that made Tupac endearing was his ability to seem honest and genuine. Even if the image projected in the music didn’t accord with who he was as a man, it was an image he controlled. It was how he wanted to represent himself. In these releases, Tupac the artists gets lost. Sure, he wrote and recorded the verses, but the end product is the work of other individuals who have a variety of motives. For me, Tupac becomes source material, rather than author, of these posthumous releases. Hologram Tupac is merely character informed by Tupac the artist and man, but created by others.

I really wish the legacies of our deceased artists were treated with more care and caution. While I understand the importance of keeping dead artists relevant, it should never be at the expense of artistic integrity. I’m sure that I wasn’t the only disgusted by Michael Jackson’s Michael (2010) which was full of tracks MJ did not intend on releasing. Michael Jackson was a craftsman, a perfectionist and would have never released such unfinished and underwhelming material. Executives shouldn’t be so quick to release any and all material they have of a deceased artists even if the public is clamoring for it. A true fan should want a deceased artists’ legacy to grow stronger with time and not become diluted by lazy, gimmicky, or cheesy releases.  In short, we should have greater respect for the contributions made by our fallen stars. Let’s cease the exploitation, and works towards presenting their art in a manner in tune with who they were as living artists and human beings.

Trayvon Martin and the Hip Hop Community(ies) 8

by Langston • Events, Uncategorized • Tags: , ,

I came to this article preparing to write about the lack of hip hop response to the Trayvon Martin injustice. For the last 25 years, hip hop has been a site of resistance and protest. In the late 1980s, Public Enemy and N.W.A. voiced the emotions of communities plagued by poverty, drug abuse, and violence. In 1991, hip hoppers, such as Ice-T expressed the rage of those participating in the rebellion in Los Angeles. Rappers like Mos Def participated in Hip Hop For Respect, an album protesting police brutality in the wake of the Amadou Diallo case. Although the Trayvon Martin case has become a symbol for our complicated racial climate, our most popular hip hip voices have been silent. A case that has prompted response from the President of the United States has recieved silence from our top hip hop stars.

I was prepared to write a requiem for hip hop’s protest potential until I went to the Trayvon Martin Community rally in Houston, TX. Honestly, I went in part to lend my support and in part to be nosy. I wanted to see if people outside of Internet pundits and intellectuals were engaged with this issue. Well, they were. A sea of people, from all walks of life, gathered in Houston’s emancipation park to protest this gross injustice. Also in attendance were major players from Houston’s local hip hop scene. Scarface (@BrotherMob) and Willie D (@WillieDLive) of the Geto Boys, along with Trae the Truth (@TRAEABN), Bun B (@BunBTrillOG), Lil O (@SUCLILO) of the Screwed Up Click, MC Wickett Crickett (@WickettCrickett) and Slim Thug (@SlimThugga). Each artists offered seemingly genuine remarks about the tragedy and spirited calls for action. The crowd hung to ever word. It illuminate the important role rappers continue to play in inner-city communities. The crowd was inspired by that fact that on stage were a collective of artists with the desire and ability to  effectively communicate their concerns to a often-times disinterested mainstream. Even if Trae or Scarface never make a song about Trayvon Martin, their sheer presence at this rally seemed to symbolize power and hope for the local Black community.

Hip hop, obviously, is much different than it was even ten years ago. Our most popular rappers are certified pop stars, operating in the world of Katie Perry, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake and the like. The ties between this faction of rappers and their communities of origin are not nearly as strong as they once were. Therefore, it is not surprising that they aren’t as engaged or vocal about the issues. I don’t look to Bruno Mars for social criticism, so I won’t look to Jay-Z either.

We need to remember that hip hop exists outside of the mainstream. On the regional and local level, hip hop artists continue to have solid bonds with their audiences. Hip hop’s protest potential remains high in these spaces. This is in part because they continue to live among, or at least in close proximity to, their core audiences and therefore have personal engagement issues effecting them. Furthermore, in order to be successful, these artists must remain artistically and personally connected to the concerns of their audiences.  Hip Hop’s political potential is not gone. It’s just that many of the cultures biggest voices have become detached. If we look examine the local level, we will see that hip hop continues to be a site of significant socio-political activity.

Awready! The Houston Hip Hop Conference 3

by Langston • academic, Events • Tags: , , ,

Hello All,

Wednesday, March 28, I will be participating in Awready: The Houston Hip Hop Conference. Awready is a collaboration between The University of Houston Libraries and Rice University’s H.E.R.E. Project. The purpose of the conference is to highlight the rich cultural contributions of Houston hip hop artists, especially DJ Screw. It’s an outgrowth of the Houston Hip Hop Collection, a collection organized by UH archivist Julie Grob that features a massive amount of Houston hip hop related materials. I’m moderating a panel on SLABs (Houston car culture) that includes Lil Randy and E.S.G., two members of the legendary Screwed Up Click. Other official conference participants include Trae the Truth, Z-Ro, Paul Wall and Willie D of the Geto Boys, but I imagine the whole Houston hip hop community will come out. Anyone who knows me, knows how hard I rep Houston and its hip hop culture. I owe part of my career to the Geto Boys, the Screwed Up Click, and UGK, so I’m truly honored to be part of this. Furthermore, its another example of universities and archives taking steps to collect, preserve, and present hip hop culture. Come check it out!

EVENT: Experience Music Pop Conference 2012 1

by Fredara Mareva • Events • Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Opening panel "The Artist and the City" (from l-r) Moderator- Ann Powers of NPR Music, Panelists - Angelique Kidjo, Esperanza Spalding, Heems, Santigold

 

 

If you’re fortunate enough to be in New York City this weekend, be sure to check out the annual Experience Music Conference co-hosted by the International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM-US) and The Clive Davis Institute for Recorded Music at NYU. In the pantheon of music conferences EMP/IASPM is unique because it fosters a unique blend of artists, journalists, and academics. The conference opened on Thursday night with a panel entitled, “The Artist and the City.”  NPR Music’s Ann Powers (@annkpowers) moderated a insightful discussion with  Angelique Kidjo, Esperanza Spalding, Heems, and Santigold on how urban influences informed their musical creativity and production.

The rest of the weekend should be equally lively including, a roundtable on the impact of Whitney Houston with Danyel Smith (@danamo) and Nelson George (@nelsongeorge), an Greg Tate-led panel called “The Church of What’s Happening Now,” a lunch session with Gza, and a closing keynote with Questlove. I’m even getting in on the action by joining a roundtable on Sunday at 2:15 called, I Pledge Allegiance to the Block: Cityscapes, Hegemonic Sound, and Blackness. (I know that was a shameless plug, but shout to our moderator, Dr. Guthrie Ramsey (@DrGuyMusiqology), and my panel mates Regina Bradley (@redclayscholar), Matthew Morrison (@_MadMo_), and Liana Silva (@literarychica).But who’s into all work and no play? Not music nerds, so there are parties every single night too.

So be sure to attend if you can or follow the hashtag #PopCon!

On-site registration is limited, but still available. Click here for the program schedule.

Finding Independence at SXSW 3

by Langston • Events • Tags: ,

Tawn P (@Tawn_P) at Turnin' Headz SXSW Showcase

The SXSW music festival was founded in 1987 with the purposes of providing emerging artists an opportunity to promote their music, perform, and connect with industry professionals. Over time, it has grown into one of the largest music festivals in the world while adding notable interactive and film components.

This year’s SXSW festival featured over 2000 bands performing at over 90 venues in downtown Austin. Urban music had a large presence, as there were a plethora of hip hop showcases featuring buzzing artists like Asap Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, and eXquire. The most excitement however, stemmed from performances by mainstream superstars Eminem, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, Big Sean, Rick Ross and even Lionel Ritchie.

Personally, I found SXSW Music to be a bit overblown. Most of my time was spent wading through crowds of hipsters, thugs, and alkies in search of new music. While there are a handful of artists whom I would have liked to see, I couldn’t see myself standing 2 hours in line to see a 15 minute show from artists during their 15 minutes of fame. With the presence of superstars, almost-superstars, and others recognizable enough to be featured on official showcases, I couldn’t help but wonder what SXSW meant for the truly independent artists.

Truly exemplifying the independent spirit was the Turnin’ Headz Showcase, a 3-day show that operated out of a parking lot inhabited by several food trucks. The Turnin’ Headz movement (@TurninHeadzHou) is a monthly, independent hip hop showcase in Houston, Texas. It’s goal is to provide a platform for independent artists, which is why artists can only perform at the monthly event once.  Because their SXSW showcase was outdoors, artists were able to broadcast their music to the general public, rather than the limited showcase crowds. Many random SXSW attendees emerged off the street to partake in the music and interact with the artists. During the Friday show, I spoke with a few Turnin’ Headz artists about their SXSW experience…

Nasty Nique Roots, of Dirty & Nasty (@Dirtyknowsnasty), notes the benefit of being independent at SXSW: He also sees it as an important career marker:

“The SXSW thing is just a resume builder. SXSW artists are limited in what they can do. They [registered SXSW artists] can’t perform after 7 on unofficial showcases. It’s a resume builder, though.  You can say, ‘Hey, I’m a SXSW artist,’ and that kind of ups your quote-un-quote value.”

Bishop Black (@vurbcollegeguy), of Stereo Arcade, sees SXSW as a place for practice and exposure:

“Practice, man. Practice. Working different crowds. Working in different circumstances. Circumstances can be thrown upon you just minutes before a show. As an artist, its about your integrity. If you’re supposed to be there [SXSW] and its nothing that’s just totally ignorant or chaotic, then  you got to weather the storm…It’s not a game out here. There’s other artists that are waiting to get your spot next year, man. So you got to solidify yourself every year, man.”

While D-Risha (@TheMightyDRisha) acknowledges that the presence of superstars takes away from the independents,  he suggests that such situations come with the independent struggle:

“Man, I think when Kanye got here, that what started the influx of big artists. I think it takes away from the independent scene. It doesn’t hurt nobody like me. I’m not gonna give a shit. But it sucks for artists who get down here then have Jay-Z perform at the same time… That’s the sacrifice you make in the independent scene. This is independence in its finest form. We don’t have the great resources to do what we do and get venues everyday, but we’re doing the groundwork to hopefully do that in the future.”

The essence of SXSW seems to lie with those who aren’t a part of the official conference. Artists like those of the Turning Headz showcase made SXSW work for them by using a micro-version of the DIY model they use everyday.  So, while SXSW is ever-becoming a mainstream musical outlet, indie artists continue to see it as an attractive opportunity to further their careers.

 

SXSW Music 2012 3

by Langston • Events, Industry • Tags:

My first SXSW Music experience was a mix of excitement, annoyance, but mostly contemplation. I was excited just to be around  several of my favorite artists, acts i’ve never heard of, and fellow music nerds like myself. These same factions were the source of my annoyance as I spent most of my times wading through crowds and trying to figure out which showcases I could actually make it into. Ultimately, I left wondering how much this colossal festival benefited independent and mid-level artists. Check back tomorrow my examination of the ultimate utility of SXSW 2012 for up and coming artists and bands.

Loberace and the Great White Way 2

by Langston • Events • Tags: , , ,

Rapper/singer Cee Lo recently announced plans for a one-man Vegas show called “Cee Lo Green Presents Loberace.” The Liberace inspired show will feature mind-bending and glammed-out presentations of material by The Rolling Stones, Prince, and Blue Magic along with his own songs. Across the pond, notable African-American Broadway director Kenny Leon will soon begin casting for “Holler If You Hear Me,” a musical inspired by work of Tupac Shakur. The musical has received the blessing of Tupac’s mother Afeni, and a premiere date has not be determined.

Coming on the heels of Jay-Z’s performance at Carnegie Hall, these two shows signify hip hop’s increasing acceptance into the American mainstream. Cee Lo’s Las Vegas show, though surprising, is fitting considering the increasingly eclectic identity that he has adopted over the last decade. More interesting is the Tupac musical, which seems far removed everything he represented during his rap career. If this actually gets off the ground, it will be interesting to see how it effects middle America’s perception of his life and career.

The most important question is what this mainstreaming means for hip hop’s community of origin. The culture is now moving into spaces that have traditionally been closed to the African-American working class. As we have seen with jazz, once a form is adopted into the mainstream, claims of cultural ownership become complicated. I think African-American influence on the business side of hip hop will prevent it from being totally removed from Black culture, but will it continue to represent the experience of those on the margins?

SXSW 2012 [Infographic] 2

by Langston • Events • Tags:

In anticipation for this years SXSW Music Festival, taking place in Austin from March 13-18, Music Metric has released an infographic detailing a number of interesting trends among artists performing this year.

Some interesting notes:

*Last.fm is the leading social network among artists performing at this years festival. Even more surprising is that facebook in second place, more than double the relative number of fans following artists on both Myspace and Twitter.

* Artists performing at last year’s festival saw an average 25% increase in fans. (Raphael Saadiq’s numbers are a bit skewed because he released an album during SXSW’s impact period.

* I’m a bit surprised that there are not any African-American artists among the “Fastest Growing Artists of 2012.” Music Metric does not provide their source for this data, so the information could be skewed. Nevertheless, this call into question the ultimate reach and influence of Black independent music.

Check out the infographic and accompanying discussion here.

(De)Coloring the Grammys 6

by Langston • Events • Tags: , , , , ,

The death of African-American pop great Whitney Houston [1. Check back tomorrow for Soul 4 Sale's commentary on Whitney Houston's legacy] cast a large shadow over the 54th Grammy Awards, which was presented this past Sunday. Houston, a pop starlet, was also an artist firmly rooted in the African-American musical continuum, one that has been historically under-appreciated by mainstream institutions like the Grammys. In recent years, however, there has been a larger African-American presence at the Grammy Awards. With the emergence of hip hop as a major musical and cultural force, it appeared that the Grammys couldn’t afford not to embrace African-American music. The last few Grammy telecasts featured several African-American performers and presenters. This year, however, there seemed to be a lack of color and a promotion of White musical culture.

The “whitening” of this year’s telecast falls in line with recent restructuring of the Grammy’s Award categories. Last year, the Grammy’s announced that they were cutting several categories, reducing the total number of awards from 109 to 78. As Ines Gonzales, executive vice president for the National Hispanic Media Coalition, notes “Over 70 percent of these categories represented ethnic and race-based styles of music.” [2. http://www.neontommy.com/news/2012/02/artists-protest-grammy-award-cuts ] The number of African-American oriented categories were severely reduced. The R&B field went from 8 categories to 4, while Gospel was completely folded and merged with Contemporary Christian music. Many other ethnic-based fields were cut as well, which led to calls of a racism and a protest from several minority artists.

This year’s Grammy telecast appeared to be a direct appeal to white musical culture. First, older white artists, including Bruce Springsteen, The Beach Boys, Paul McCartney, and Glen Campbell were featured prominently. It looks as if the Grammys were offering tribute to a bygone era(s) and musical landscape, one less dominated by color. Second, there were strange and pointless pairings of Black and white artists. The Alicia Keys/Bonnie Raitt tribute to Etta James left much to be desired and the Rihanna/Coldplay combo was laughable. Third, there were sanitized and soul-less performances from Chris Brown and Lil Wayne. Nicki Minaj’s performance, while certainly edgy, was even couched in whiteness. Interestingly enough, this de-coloring of the Grammys can be juxtaposed with the dominance of Adele, an artist largely influenced by African-American musical culture. 

So, what does the 54th Grammy Awards tell us about the state of African-American music? The Grammys active appeal to a white consumer base seems to suggests that the Black musical influence is waning, but I’m not so sure that is the case. The Grammys remain a primary index and taste-maker in American popular music, which makes this years awards a bit troublesome. Minority artists should take note.