Noise-off

I worked a hip-hop gig Sunday night at the Hordern Pavilion. Featured were two artists called DJ Shadow/Mos Def,

Two veritable hip-hop superstars from opposite sides of the US. Brooklyn's Mos Def is an eloquent MC. Californian DJ Shadow remains about the most musically eloquent DJ out there.

Judging from the full house there’s a healthy following for hip hop. The crowd was pretty cool with a large cross-section of punters from across Sydney. Other drivers told of fares from all over including the south-west and north shore.

I enjoy the hip hop shown Friday evenings on ABC TV's Rage. Hip hop is a social protest and commentary genre which in my book gives it legitimacy. Unlike vicious gansta rap and storm-trooper metal. With that it's 'noise-off', morons !

In the past Rage used to air this crap well after 3 am but increasingly it's appearing much earlier in the program. Why ? What cultural relevance has gansta rap and death metal with Australian audiences ? Zilch.

In giving prominence to issues like sexism, racism, homophobia, violence, crass materialism etc, I wonder what statement the ABC Yoooth Network is making ? Surely it's not a statement of simple rebellion. Or am I’m missing something deep and significant with Rage's programming of gangsta/nazi noise ?

Comments

[James]

Couldn't agree more Adrian..
Hip-hop rocks, it is a sweet sounding social protest...
The beastie boys are a fine example of this, with their lyrics rallying against homophobia, racism and sexisim.
Gangster rap on the other hand is just pathetic trash sung by pathetic trash..

[David]

Many of the Beastie Boys songs from earlier albums were very sexist and homophobic. I guess when they became Beastie Men they changed.

Kayne West and Common are doing some good stuff recently.

Not into gangsta rap in gernal however Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle is still one of my favourite albums ever.

[ab]

Actually it's interesting you say that, because Beastie Boys are very accomplished (serious) jazz artists & the provocative lyrics were probably to try to capture a genre outside of their usual haunt.

Public Enemy were some very nasty rap artists, but their old school stuff, musically, had heaps of substance and lyrically, while it might have been confronting for white/middle class people, was really witty and challenging. I still remember half their lyrics off by heart & they still make me laugh 2 think of them.

I have to say I agree with you about hip hop Adrian, but rather than import US artists, O-z hip hop is superior to UK & US hip hop, we should promote our own amazingly talented artists more. I also prefer it when o-z artists rhyme in their own accent instead of mimicking US style for comercial viability.

[Brett]

What a load of crock. Can you even name a single fascist death metal band? Idiot.

[adrian]

Brett, no I can't. Sorry.

[Cibbuano]

man, DJ Shadow and Mos Def! What a show that must've been... I wanted to go, but those were pricey tickets...

[lg]

I just love good manners!

[lg]

Good manners make me feel just so warm and fuzzy all over!

[Kim]

I went to that DJ Shadow and Mos Def gig. I drove and parked at Fox Studios though, rather than catch a cab - sorry Adrian! And the gig was good, but to be honest, I've been to better Aussie hip hop gigs: The Herd, Hermitude, all those Elephant Trax artists are the best!

[James]

Lobbing death metal in with gangsta rap is really... odd. And incorrect.
Death metal is pretty much all in the alteration of the voice. A novelty that adds nothing musically, but no worse or better than adding an accent to any other set of vocals. Usually, death metal vocals (when used properly) are an emphasis on the artist venting anger.

Of course there are the ones who use it to highlight messages of hate and persecution. The person who listens to the lyrics with any intelligence will understand them for what they are and discard the message instantly. Such use of any medium is a passing fad, before the proponents have to find a novel way of pushing their crap.

In essence, just because some facist pig is using one art form to push hate doesn't make it any less valid an art form.