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White Hip Hop fans discover Indie Rock, face prejudice and confusion · by Sach O
An Ohword special report.
While black kids discovering Indie has been widely reported about on the internet following a recent New York Times article, an equally shocking and befuddling shift in cultural values has been largely ignored on the web: white Hip Hop fans are tuning in to Indie Rock in droves. Yes, hard as it is to believe, a generation of fans raised on black music is suddenly turning its collective back on rap for the siren song that is independent rawk-n-roll, often times in the face of prejudice and cultural misunderstanding.
“It was like, check it yo! I had bought these tickets to see The Shins right and the door says 8 PM. So I roll up all swoll round 11ish figuring the opening act is about to come on and the show is over! They started on time yo! What the fuck?”
“I was at this show right and this kid looked at me real weird like, so I walked up and smacked him up a bit just to let him know who runs things and suddenly the whole show stopped! Just cuz of one little slap! They didn’t even know what to do or nothing, there was no security. It’s like they’d never seen a fight at a show before n shit!”
“The girls weren’t even impressed by my fly gear and shit! They were all buzzing around this lil skinny big head kid with glasses…it was bugged.”
Comments like these are all too common as a legion of white kids who were only vaguely aware of the Beatles last week are now flooding hipster clubs in greater and greater numbers, often encouraged by their favorite rap musicians to integrate into the rock community. And not everyone is happy about it:
“I blame Pharell and Dangermouse. First they make skating cool to black kids and then they start walking up on our turf. Sure I didn’t fall for that NERD shit but I gotta admit that Gnarls Barkley got me open for a while. Got me open? Fuck I’m even starting to talk like them now!”
“You gotta understand, these are the kids that used to beat us up in highschool! They used to diss us for listening to the Apples in Stereo and dressing in tight jeans and now they just want to walk up and take our shit? Wigsta please!”
“Fuck those sellout bitches! They’re straight faggots for listening to that shit and that’s word to my mama yo! All of those indie kids are TOTALLY GAY. Now excuse me, a Lil Wayne and Baby mixtape just leaked and I gotta check E-Bay for some new kicks and a limited edition shirt to rock at the club next week.”
While this sort of stinging criticism pales in comparison to the standard barbs directed at hipsters by rap fans, apparently they cut deep and when asked for comment, many responded with dismay.
“Look…I’ve been listening to Hip Hop for 15 years and I can’t take this shit anymore ok? Puffy? Fine. Nelly? Fine. Ja Rule? Ok. 50 Cent? I’ll live through it. But that Laffy Taffy shit was the last straw. I’ve already gone through enough pain guys, just let me listen to the Decemberists in peace.”
“Its hard to admit…but I like this shit. I just…its…I…I really don’t want to have to wear tight pants…is that ok?”
Of course, this tension is exclusively limited towards WHITE hip hop fans. The scenesters have reacted differently to the influx of African-Americans at shows.
“Black people listen to TV on the Radio now? AWESOME. I HAVE GOT TO BLOG ABOUT THIS!!!!”
“I met my BLACK girlfriend at a recent Bloc Party show. It’s awesome to find a girl that treats her man right…even if that neck-rolling thing is kind of scary.”
“What’s the big deal anyways? This is the same crowd as Wu-Tang’s last tour.”
While none know if this musical integration will continue unabated or if it’s just a passing fad, already some are accepting this new reality and moving forward.
“Shit, who can blame these guys? Shit, they may be fake-thugs and look goofy wearing the clothes but no group of music fans deserve the “White Rapper Show”. That’s just salt in the wounds.”
Comments for "White Hip Hop fans discover Indie Rock, face prejudice and confusion"
0/5 Not finding anything in this remotely funny and believe me I know funny.
— Jay B Feb 1, 03:41 AM
^ What he said. This is definitely a dud.
— R.H.S. Feb 1, 04:59 AM
This is somewhat related to this story, which is a hilarious post in its own right.
I saw hipster idol Girl Talk in Philly recently at a venue that is THE hipster command center. The crowd, 90% skinny, young white hipsters, would only go crazy, dance and sing along to ironic songs (“Stay Fly,” “Hustlin,” “Fireman”) and would stop and looked confused when he dropped Pat Benatar, Paula Abdul, The Verve and Oasis. And the venue that held the show refuses to book ANY hip hop acts, even though 80% of Girl Talk’s music is hip hop related and the 90% white crowd ONLY recognized the hip hop songs he dropped.
What kind of white fans are these?
— Rap Jack Bauer Feb 1, 11:00 AM
Well, look here smartypantses, you fucking forgot to mention Deerhoof now didn’t ya?? Didn’t their record drop this week too?? Ehhh (insert fart noise), looking to this week’s CMJ chart for the new releases and name-dropping them in the same article is ummm, how do you say? “Weaksauce?”
— midnightheory Feb 1, 12:47 PM
I found it funny. Then again, I’m partially who this is about….being the one jackass that almost picked a fight at an animal collective show last year. But seriously, dude kept bumping into my woman. Oh well.
— Jeff Feb 1, 05:33 PM
shit was hi-larious.
— hoof Feb 1, 09:07 PM
that was great
— SergDun Feb 1, 11:33 PM
I loled.
— what? what? what? Feb 2, 01:03 AM
I loled, but then I live in Portland Oregon – hipster central of the goddamn world.
— Madeline Feb 3, 12:14 AM
Yes, as a resident of Portland, this web log hits close to home. The first time I visited this city it was to see the Cappadonna; now, the last live music I enjoyed was that of a country & western legend, and I was recently even coerced into entering an unheated warehouse filled with artists watching people sing while wearing pink feather boas, but I got laid that night honest.
— Mathew Feb 3, 10:29 PM
Yeah, that shit is crazy how you go to an underground hip hop show and it looks like the same crowd from a rock show. It doesn’t bother me though.
As long as people support the indie circuit, it doesn’t matter.
Check out my blogs!
http://dramaking510.blogspot.com
— Kevin Mar 6, 01:09 PM