Asian American Rap
modelminority.com
Asian American Rap
by Judy Tseng
It was Labor Day weekend, 1998. I was on my way to Philadelphia to see
a performance by the Mountain Brothers, a trio of lyrical Chinese
Americans whose non-sell-out, hip-hop music "makes brothers say 'true,'
sisters say 'ooh,' white folks say 'right on,' and yellows say
'finally....'" Music critic Oliver Wang had called the Mountain
Brothers "Asian America's best shot at hip hop glory." After reading
through the group's extensive homepage on the World Wide Web, "Woody,"
"Alex," and I were eagerly looking forward to their performance....
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Duke Pennyworth
The old AA "homies" and "fly girls" I see are really dumb looking -- potato
race-sack pants, bandanas, giant ear rings: typical cannibal attire.
Turiyan gold
Lil kim chi
Booya -- go...@ij.net
"The eventual decline and fall of nomadic dynasties like the Yuan
and Qing is because their people absorbed the stupid , effeminate ,
evil, arrogant, backstabbing, unpatriotic, and inferior complexed
Han culture." -- Temujin bilikh
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Your majesty is a natural military genius (T`ai Tsung Khan)..
Your majesty is a Spirtual Sage. You go back to the ancients,
beyond what *I* can attain" -- Li ching
Joseph Mak
:looking -- potato race-sack pants, bandanas, giant ear rings
:typical cannibal attire.
Hmm... I don't see that. What I do see is the embrace of a
culture that is largely african american influenced. In the
early 90's, I recall AA rap groups being politically-charged,
without either "potato race-sack pants" or "giant ear rings"
Asian American rap groups like the Asiatic Apostles, Yellow
Peril, and the Seoul Brothers. I see the Mountain Brothers
(Steve Wei [Styles], Scott Jung [Chops] and Christopher Wong
[Peril]) as being a group that chooses to produce original beats
over sampling, while conjuring metaphor rich, social
consciousness through the lyrics in their songs. And of course,
there's others... but what's the point? The issue obviously
isn't regarding what their music is about, in fact - it isn't an
issue at all. Unless you're arguing how hip hop artists should
be regarded. The above is just another lame stereotypical
comment that takes a jab at the expense of hip hop, and hip hop
artists.
Joe Mak
--
"it's the master/ mister musical massacre/
passion for disaster/ paragraph ambassador..." - rakim
n i h i l i s m (rants, postcards, resources and joe mak...)
http://members.home.net/josephmak
icq: 3859389
Let's-See-Now
Two weeks ago in a record store,
I saw a young white guy wearing a wide headband. On it was a red circle
flanked by the characters for Japan. Maybe the guy was a sushi chef
trapped in a white kid's body or maybe he was possessed by a Kamikaze
pilot. Perhaps (most likely) he put the thing on because "it looked
cool." Whatever the case, the headband was upside down. Although this
episode of fashion faux pas may appear trivial,
Mr. Japanese Wanna-Be is part of a much greater trend that is
permeating American pop culture: he is appropriating symbols and ideas
from other cultures with impunity and utter ignorance.
A more common occurrence of this phenomenon manifests itself in tattoos.
Like Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, tattoos have firmly established
their presence in mainstream fashion.
Many people, most of them non-Asian, have adorned their bodies with
Eastern language and symbols. These same people would never consider
tattooing the word "Luck" on their backs in English but would readily do
so if it were written in Chinese, Tagalog, or Arabic. One famous example
is Sporty Spice and the Chinese "Girl Power" tattoo on her arm (who knew
"Girl Power" could be translated into Chinese?). I understand the
significance of the phrase to her and her group, but it is unclear as to
why she chose to tattoo it in Chinese. Perhaps English is considered
tacky because it is too familiar and mundane.
Is this ignorant cultural co-opting or is it a reflection of our
postmodern society? Historically, Asian culture and traditions have been
used as wellsprings of exotic and mysterious inspiration. Is this still
happening or do we now live in a society beyond context? One could argue
that America is the great melting pot of cultures and Asia is the new
flavor of the month (or year or decade).
Many white Americans in this country seem to be bored with their
whiteness. I've had numerous white friends claim that they have no
culture or that they wish they were ethnic. Have you noticed how many
white Americans cling to that one eighth bit of Cherokee blood, that one
Latino grandmother or distant Japanese cousin? To them, being a person
of color has flare- it is something that is different from the everyday
norm of whiteness. Apparently, the ideas and imagery of the East are as
mystified and foreign as they were a hundred years ago.
Asian culture may be prevalent in our pop culture society but it is
certainly nothing new. The Oriental mystique has always existed as the
predominate fascination of the Western world. Americans look to Asian
culture as a way to make themselves ethnic by appropriating symbols that
represent a sense of exoticism and intrigue.
Chinese tattoos, for example, often prompt onlookers to ask the tattoo
wearer the significance of their meaning, giving the tattooed a chance
to seem cultured and otherworldly. It is the best of both worlds: not
having to truly educate oneself about another culture and being able to
wear the pretense of mystique and wisdom on one's sleeve (or arm). It is
the superficial possession of a cultural trinket without having an
understanding, or even willingness to understand, its true significance.
These are the same reasons only certain aspects of Asian culture and
Asian pop culture are popular in America.
The late Nineties have seen the meteoric rise in popularity of figures
as such Jackie Chan, John Woo and Jet Li, as well as characters like
Pokemon, Sanrio and Ultraman. The mainstreaming of these Asian (mostly
Japanese and Hong Kong) items are due more to their universality than
anything truly cultural. This is why John Woo is quickly going from cult
figure to household name while Zhang Yimou, who directed "Raise the Red
Lantern," remains an obscure arthouse name. Zhang's films deal with very
culturally specific and historically rich topics and ideas, while Woo's
films exist in the borderless genre of "Action." People are always more
likely to accept things that are easy to understand. Woo's balletic
gunplay and quick roundhouse kicks will sell more tickets than Zhang's
veiled allegories of Chinese bureaucracy. It is the "pop" that most of
us want, not the "culture." At the same time, Woo, along with Ultraman
and Hello Kitty are exotic enough to quench the perpetual thirst of
mainstream America for something different. Mel Gibson is lethally dull
after three movies, but add Jet Li and he's back in action.
Although some people may argue that any form of cultural appropriation
is wrong, I believe that people should be into whatever they want. My
hope, however, is that people will educate themselves about what they
take or borrow from other cultures.
People also need to realize that there's more to Asian American culture
than Kung-Fu and anime. Asian Americans have stood by while a myopic
representation of our culture(s) has permeated the American
consciousness. We are content to be able to enter the mainstream through
a narrow hole kicked by Jackie Chan, but passive acceptance goes hand in
hand with the diluting of our culture(s). Do we want our languages
etched on the skin of people who don't understand their meanings? I am
not saying people cannot "take our culture" but I am advocating that
they use it with respect and understanding- or not use it at all. The
next time you see a young white woman with characters scrawled on her
back, ask her what those characters mean to her.
Dan Wu grew up in Kentucky of all places and now enjoys living in San
Francisco. He tends to overexamine issues of race and identity and pours
it all into a 'zine called "Oriental Whatever."
Dan can be reached at oriental...@hotmail.com.
Jean Chen is an East Coast girl who moved to San Francisco 3 years ago.
Her webzine Flika can be found at www.flika.com. You can email her at
je...@stirmag.com.
.
© 1998,1999 Slant Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
webm...@stirmag.com
Send snail mail to: Slant Publishing, 3145 Geary Blvd., #528, San
Francisco, CA 94118
ROTFLOL.
Don Kirkman
<3958-384...@storefull-121.iap.bryant.webtv.net>:
You obviously don't know how common this is and has been in Japan, to
name one Asian country (I don't know about the others, but assume the
situation is probably the same). People familiar with Japan regularly
point out the nonsensical, meaningless, superficial, or even obscene
English on T-shirts and accessories intended for home consumption.
IOW, it's a world-wide phenomenon; you can drop it from your list of
things only whites/Westerners/Americans do.
[several restatements of the same thesis clipped]
--
Don
gweilojake
By adopting cultural elements, there begins the process of cultural
understanding and appreciation! I would probably laugh if I saw some
hakujin "a la Ralph Maccio Karate Kid" as you described (more for lack of
style than anything else). However, who among us can dictate who is
"eligible" to manifest the iconography of Asian arts and cultures. Do not
lose sight of the fact that there may be just as many Asian-Americans who
would not recognise the kanji you described.
I have had a tattoo of Guang-gong on my shoulder since I was 18. I am still
amazed how many Chinese-Americans do not understand the significance of the
god. I have friends who get tattoos of Pei-yao' (a Cantonese dog-like
creature sybolic of good fortune in gambling) on their back or arms,
completely neglecting the fact that the creature must have its ass on the
ground (symbolic of its ability to affect sound outcome and steadiness). My
girlfriend at the time had a tattoo of Kuan-yin....on her back AND wearing
red! She had done so intentionally as a statement taunting bad fortune
(zhut sae). There again, most Chinese-Americans friends here in the U.S.
merely whined "Cool, I wanna get one...!"
Belonging to a specific ethnic community does not entitle that individual to
exclusive use and ABUSE of their cultural heritage!
Gweilojake...
Let's-See-Now <Flashba...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:3958-384...@storefull-121.iap.bryant.webtv.net...
modelminority.com
> Do you really want to walk down the path of "proprietary culture"?
>
> By adopting cultural elements, there begins the process of cultural
> understanding and appreciation! I would probably laugh if I saw some
> hakujin "a la Ralph Maccio Karate Kid" as you described (more for lack of
> style than anything else). However, who among us can dictate who is
> "eligible" to manifest the iconography of Asian arts and cultures.
You should have read Judy's article, which was the source of this thread. It
clearly identifies a standard for authenticity in the appropriation of rap that
properly distinguishes between the experiences of Asian Americans and whites,
based on the sharing of social and historical contexts between Asian American
and African American artists. See
http://democracyweb.com/modelminority.com/music/rap.htm.
As Judy notes, white appropriation of "the iconography of Asian arts and
cultures" has historically had the purpose and effect of stereotyping and
subordination:
[excerpted from Judy's article]
Listening to African American rappers and reading African American literature
increased Asian Americans' social awareness so that their lyrics mirrored each
other. For example, critiques of media stereotypes in raps by Yellow Peril,
Fists of Fury, and the Seoul Brothers mirrored the lyrics of Big Daddy Kane and
Chuck D's rap "Burn Hollywood Burn":
In the movies portrayin' the roles
Of butlers and maids slaves and hoes
Many intelligent black men seem to look uncivilized
when on the screen
Like a guess I figure you play some jigaboo
On the plantation, what else can a nigger do ...
So Step and fetch this shit
for all the years we looked like clowns
the joke is over smell the smoke from all around
Burn Hollywood burn(51)
Yellow Peril addressed its anger at the media's use of white actors portraying
Asians and stereotypical roles given to Asian American women in their rap "Asian
for the Man":
Hollywood's history of disrespectin our race
Kinda reminds me of Al Jolson's black face
Let's look at Charlie Chan played by a white man
They taped up his eyes to try to disguise
A white boy spoutin fortune cookie bullshit ...
They say it's just movies just tv just acting
But it serves another purpose in this society
Programmin self hate for a racist ideology
...
Yo David Carradine you shoulda learned from the start
You're an unskilled white boy who's pimpin the arts
...
Many Asian sisters made to Hollywood hos
Pimped by the industry fulfillin white fantasy
If you don't know what I'm sayin I'll tell you explicitly
That fuckin Broadway show about an oriental ho
Totally dependent on gwai lo G.I. Joe
For his blue eyes and American bravery
Tryin to subject her to race and gender slavery(52)
"Asian for the Man" thus educated audiences about the historical depictions of
Asian Americans and also supported the Miss Saigon protesters in neighboring New
York City with a critique of the Broadway musical.(53) Yellow Peril also
attacked the popularity of white actors representing martial arts in "KFC":
Fuck Chuck Norris Jean-Claude Damme
They use techniques like the slo-motion cam
Monkey-see monkey-do they try to imitate Kung Fu
Before you study martial arts you should get yourself a clue...
You don't got what it takes to be in Kung Fu Cinema(54)
Yellow Peril's disgust at whites gaining fame and fortune through an Asian art
form paralleled the feelings Public Enemy had for Elvis Presley, whose fame was
a result of imitating African American singers:
Elvis was a hero to most
But he never meant shit to me
He was a straight out racist
That sucker was simple and plain
Motherfuck him and John Wayne(55)
gweilojake
culture" I was pleased to find your web-page link. While I have read about
these groups in Giant Robot (thanks, Eric, N8, Mike) and other thread here
at SCAA, that is the most comprehensive article to date.
However, Judy falls victim to this same scenario described therein. While
she condemns Anglo rappers by assuming they are merely mis-appropriating
relevant themes without a sincere appreciation of their context. Such
statements fail to take into account rap artists such as the
politically-charged Consolidated or the Def-Jam/Columbia artists 3rd Bass
(Anglo artists out of South Bronx, not Upper West Side). Note, artists such
as Fists of Fury are both Columbia University graduates, Yellow Peril out of
the mean streets of Rutgers University. While their academic
accomplishments should not serve to indict them, it presents a challenge to
an audience to whom they convey a message of social injustices and the
disparities of the system. Can individuals with academic backgrounds and
career prospects truly empathise with the disenfranchised inner-city youth
which typifies the its audience.
The author raises this issue:
"If rap is a transparent channel for the expression of Asian American as
well as African American ideological perspectives, then Asian American
rappers must be doing more than emulating sounds and rhythms. They are
finding a voice in a form rooted in African and African American culture.(9)
But are these artists engaging in authentic self-expression, or false
appropriation?(12) How does the use of rap by Asian Americans differ from a
white person grabbing the mic and rhyming?"
Her arguments reveal inconsistencies, as African-American artists voice a
sense of communitas, of shared suffering and experiences within a community
whereas Asian-American rap artists (half of those cited) are from largely
suburban environments devoid of Asian-American communities, and thus subject
to the racism which has shaped their music. Their inspiration (though not
necessarily the musical content) is borne of their ethnic isolation. Judy
Tseng fails to give credit to the growing numbers of Anglo rap artists who
are born and raised in African-American communities, living a parallel
existence.
Local Chinese-American artists from Mott Street, such as Queen Kong, and the
Samoan troupe Boo-Ya Boyz, are more indicative of the rap culture, having
lived the themes and issues of which she wrote and performed. Each artist
deserves to be judged as an individual. To do otherwise is to be guilty of
the same injustices voiced in rap culture.
Her statement about the appropriation of "Asian iconography" may have had
some merit in the 19th through early 20th century, it is a gross
generalisation in a global community. To pejorate the concept of cultural
borrowing as being an act of subjugation is an injustice. Are we to
chastise the Ralph Lauren's, Dolce Y Gabbana's and Gucci's of the world for
their marketing of Asian artistic and cultural properties while ignoring the
same actions of David Tang, Vivienne Tam and Anna Sui?
Gweilojake...
modelminority.com <modelminori...@email.com> wrote in message
news:384CAFB7...@email.com...
> gweilojake wrote:
>
> > Do you really want to walk down the path of "proprietary culture"?
> >
> > By adopting cultural elements, there begins the process of cultural
> > understanding and appreciation! I would probably laugh if I saw some
> > hakujin "a la Ralph Maccio Karate Kid" as you described (more for lack
of
> > style than anything else). However, who among us can dictate who is
> > "eligible" to manifest the iconography of Asian arts and cultures.
>
modelminority.com
where you're more likely to get a reply.
gweilojake wrote:
> While I was responding to comments within the thread related to "proprietary
> culture" I was pleased to find your web-page link. While I have read about
> these groups in Giant Robot (thanks, Eric, N8, Mike) and other thread here
> at SCAA, that is the most comprehensive article to date....
[snip]