Re: Spearhead/ UK hip Hop attitudes
Erik Gaderlund
Fri, 5 Dec 1997 12:08:55 -0800
>Date: Fri, 5 Dec 1997 12:46:37 +1100
>Mime-Version: 1.0
>To: acid-jazz@UCSD.EDU
>From: kiveson@coombs.anu.edu.au (Kurt Iveson)
>Subject: Re: Spearhead/ UK hip Hop attitudes
>
>Kurt Iveson wrote:
>This kind of attitude really frustrates me ... from my perspective down
>here in Australia at least, it seems that the problem is that people in
>America (in general ... most of the people on this list are *exceptions* to
>the sweeping generalisation that is to follow...) *only wanna hear hip hop
>that sounds American*. Hip hop in an English accent, a French accent, an
>Australian accent? Forget it! If there wasn't so much American cultural
>imperialism in the music industry, then maybe so many people from other
>places wouldn't be trying to sound American, and maybe those who stay true
>to their local roots (which, after all, is one of the great aspects of hip
>hop .. that it fosters local expression) would actually get heard in
>America once in a while instead of being ignored. (Of course, the reason
>many people have turned to big beat and turned away from lyricism is tied
>up with this issue, but that's another post.)
>
Yes, but this means that those of us in the US can stay clearly out of the
main stream and be happy. But, it also means that we can have a terrible
time finding what is out of the main stream. Where in the US can one find
Suprême NTM, Les Sage Poètes De La Rue, La Funk Mob, DJ Cam, &c., or MC
Solaar on vinyl. Because I'm not quite willing to pay the unreal prices at
CDEurope.com.
Now we've heard about some rappers with English accents (Slick Rick
anyone?), but what about Australian, New Zeland, Belize, South African,
anyother from the old empire?
P.S. Franti is cool, but, I must confess I bought DHOH because Charlie
Hunter was on it.
later,
erik g