1. Looking for the Perfect Beat Carly Zielke & Sean Kile Week 9

2. -Hip hop was born in the South Bronx out of poverty & social injustice. -Hip hop culture consists of beats, breakdancing, & graffiti. -Though hip hop is often associated with violence and considered to be a negative influence, it came about as an alternative to gang violence. -It was founded by three young DJs in the late 70s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk3U1iR3vfU&feat ure=relatedIntroduction

3. DJ Kool Herc Afrika Bambaataa Grandmaster Flash The Founders

4. The Bronx (1970s) - Rising unemployment levels. -Government funding pulled. -NYC redevelopment plan does not include the Bronx & its future. -People forced to move to housing project. -Arson epidemic -Fires not seen as a cry for help, but rather an sign of the people’s failure.

5. DJ Kool Herc - Real name is Clive Campbell aka ‘The Father’ of Hip Hop. -Born 1955 in Kingston, Jamaica. -Moved to New York in 1967 with family & brought with him a love for powerful sound systems. -Had a difficult time fitting in with American peers, especially because of his accent. -His apartment was burnt down & his family was forced to move to lower income housing. -Discovered ‘The Break’ & popularized the ‘echo effect’. -Gained popularity by throwing parties in his apartment building basement (1520 Sedgwick Avenue) & outdoors. -By 1976, he was famous in the Bronx and began playing big clubs. - Inspired many other young black youths to pursue a similar path.

6. Grandmaster Flash -Real name Joseph Sadler. -Born in the Barbados. -Polished Herc’s B-Boy appeal by polishing breaks. Unlike Herc, he produced music with smooth transitions. -Thus, he became known as the ‘Scientist of the Mix’. He developed new techniques and technologies. -Like Herc’s ‘Herculoids’, Flash assembled the Furious Five to add a new dimension to his music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN9-K0aZXRg -Wild Style: 1:03:40

7. Afrika Bambaataa -Real Name is Kevin Donovan. -Born in the South Bronx. -Started throwing parties as early as age 11. -After visiting Africa he formed the Zulu Nation. -The Zulu Nation rejected the gang mentality. -The Zulus were interested in creating a unified & international hip hop culture. -Similar to Furious Five and the Herculoids, Afrika Bambaataa was often accompanied by the Soul Sonic Force -Was known for his massive & diverse record collection. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNdmW3enax4&feature=related

8. Breakdancing -Part of the Hip Hop trinity. -The purpose of DJs finding the breaks was to please the B-Boys. -The presence of breakdancing was central to hip hop’s growth into a popular art form. -Breakdancing had a competitive nature, and came to helped replace some violence amongst gangs. -If someone was particularily talented at breakdancing, they gained popularity and status in their community. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1CFYDhjRo8&feature=r elated

9. -Besides acting as a marker of gang territory, graffiti became widely used as a form of political activism & cultural expression. -Graffiti brought attention to the Hip Hop culture & the social issues of Black youths. -Evidence of White police’s unjust treatment towards Black youths was strong in the 1985 case of Michael Stewart. -Graffiti was feared by the public because it revealed to them what New York City was attempting to keep hidden in the Bronx. -After Goetz’s shooting of 4 Black kids in the subway in 1985, he was portrayed as a hero by the media. The silent majority saw this action as a victory against graffiti - a final solution. http://vimeo.com/2406405 Wild Style 47:45 Graffiti

10. Blaxploitation -Blaxploitation films began in the mid 1980s -The inclusion of hip hop in films alerted the mainstream to hip hop’s economic viability. -Hager’s Beat Streat, much like Wild Style, was unfortunately based around a childish version of Hip hop -Merchandizing and commercialization followed from the success of dumbed down hip hop productions -Graffiti and Breakdancing culture followed suit by moving to canvas, hiring managers, and performing for money http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eN9KP6lOZs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9oR2EmU854

11. General Questions 1.Does the commercialization of hip hop culture take away from its authenticity? Or simply offer it a much larger audience and increase its available resources? 2.Do any examples of blatant exploitation of hip hop culture come to mind such as ads or movies? 3.Has hip hop lost its purpose? Is it still a valid art form or a series of commercial productions? -Does the scene at the rich couple’s house seem plausible? Do you think ‘outsiders’ at the time would be that open-minded about hip hop culture? -Why would the director include the scene with the shotgun? What does its inclusion prove or try to prove? Wild Style 25:25 vs 45:30 Wild Style Questions

12. MUSIC QUIZ! -Guess what artist produced what song - 2 songs, choose from Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash