Last Thurs Hip Hop Historian Jeff Chang was in town at SF State to premiere a new film HIP-HOP: BEYOND BEATS AND RHYMES and talk about his work.The year’s most talked-about film, Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes takes an in-depth look at representations of manhood, sexism and homophobia in hip-hop culture. This groundbreaking documentary is a “loving critique” of certain disturbing developments in hip-hop music culture from the point of view of a fan who challenges the art form’s representations of masculinity. The film premieres on Independent Lens on PBS tonight, Tuesday, February 20, 2007.
I just picked up Chang's excellent new anthology Total Chaos which presents an amazing array of voices on the art and aesthetics of the hip hop movement. He's also emceeing the upcoming Applied Reseach Center national conference Facing Race later in March in New York City from 3/22-24.
As a teacher that remembers the Last Poets, Watts Prophets, poets like Amiri Baraka [who made an appearance at City Lights last night - see photo to the right], and even Gil Scott-Heron and Africa Bambaataa, I find Chang's writing extremely helpful in bringing me up to speed with current changes in hip hop.
[Photo - SF People's Organization leader Julian Davis dialogues with Baraka at City Lights]
1 comment:
It's so cool to see Asian Americans in music--but it seems like everyone that gets press is in hip hop. Or maybe classical music.
Have you heard of Dawn Xiana Moon? She's an Asian American singer-songwriter. Fantastic voice. Vienna Teng is another one.
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