Le style hip hop?

A few days ago, a friend of mine encountered the all-too common practice of racial profiling here when he went to a local bar in Montreal after the screening of his film at the WFF and he and his friends (of whom six of seven out of 30 were black) were refused entry into the bar. There's been some coverage about it in the local English media here, but to get some of the eyewitness accounts and discussion about it, check out the social media links of first person accounts about it. It's pretty interesting to see the response to this incident, but not surprising. Anyway. The only reason I bring up this incident is that my friends were refused entrance into the establishment based on "le style gangster," and "gangster" that they were allegedly wearing.

Their 'semantics' aside, there is much to think about and to consider: in that case, was too much "style hip hop" just a euphemism for "too many black people?" Suffice to say, it's a debate that pushes a lot of buttons, because we live in a post-colonialist society and we all have our varying degrees of responsibility and collusion within it, based on our respective pockets of privilege within it. And nobody wants to give up their privilege. The problem of racism and the collective historical amnesia we seem to have with regard to Canada's history with it continues apace. It remains to be seen whether or not and to what extent we're able as a society to relinquish some of our privilege and to see if we can go beyond being shocked and dismayed about it to actually act.

I began to think about what hip-hop has become in terms of a product for mass consumption (which is not necessarily the same thing as the philosophy of it). Something that began as a creative and expression of political and social commentary/protest has become something entirely different.

What I am coming to realize in terms of storytelling (which thus far is proving itself out in terms of my own process and work in performance whether it's acting, singing, or dancing) as well is that the more specific one gets about characters, cultures, situations, and so on, the more one reveals the incredible paradox of the universal yet entirely personal human experience. That's in part how myths and fables are created.(Ugh. I know, I'm taking the long way around. Never fear, the point is imminent.)

Well, I submit this documentary to you for your consideration (part 1 of 6...check 'em all out if you're interested):

Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes

You see, I think that hip hop addresses issues that reach farther than those that beleaguer the black community specifically. I think in larger terms about socio-economic privilege and the widening gap between those who have it and those who don't.

And I wonder what are the myths that are being amplified or distorted for the purposes of marketing and selling hip hop music? I wonder about who are the largest consumers of commercial hip hop? And what is the message these consumers are being told? When those images prey on our insecurities and sense of powerlessness, what are we to conclude? Is it that we are in fact, all for sale? I don't know for sure. But I sure do wonder.

I've reading some really interesting books and watching a couple of documentaries lately. Zeitgeist, Freakonomics, The Corporation, The Colonizer and the Colonized, Women Who Run With the Wolves, The Chalice and the Blade. I've started reading about current events and I'm starting to notice things that are helping me to make connections about how I see the larger picture about what's going on in the world. And what I think about it. And what I'm going to do about it.

I think I may have a story that I want to tell.

P.S. This might be really interesting to consider as well. An oldie but a goodie: Rhyme & Reason