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visit-new-york · 1 year

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New York City

New York tumblr more photos here New York City, often simply referred to as NYC, is one of the most iconic and vibrant cities in the world. Located in the northeastern part of the United States, it is situated on the southeastern tip of the state of New York. With a population of over 8 million residents within the city limits and over 20 million in the greater metropolitan area, it is the most populous city in the United States.

Geography and Layout: New York City is composed of five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island. The city is located on a series of islands and connected by bridges and tunnels. Manhattan, the heart of the city, is where many of its most famous landmarks are located. It is divided into several neighborhoods, each with its own distinct character and atmosphere. The city is known for its impressive skyline, dominated by iconic skyscrapers like the Empire State Building, One World Trade Center (Freedom Tower), and the Chrysler Building.

Culture and Diversity: One of New York City's defining characteristics is its incredible diversity. People from all over the world have made the city their home, resulting in a rich tapestry of cultures, languages, cuisines, and traditions. This diversity is celebrated through various cultural events, festivals, and neighborhoods that showcase the heritage of different communities.

The city's cultural scene is unparalleled, with world-class museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and the American Museum of Natural History. Broadway, located in the Theater District of Manhattan, is synonymous with American theater and is famous for its top-tier productions.

Economy and Business: New York City is a global economic powerhouse. Its financial district, centered around Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, is home to some of the world's largest and most influential financial institutions. The city's economy is incredibly diverse, encompassing finance, media, technology, fashion, tourism, and more.

Education and Research: The city boasts some of the world's most prestigious universities, including Columbia University, New York University (NYU), and The City University of New York (CUNY) system. These institutions contribute to the city's reputation as a hub for research, innovation, and intellectual exchange.

Cuisine and Culinary Scene: New York City is a culinary melting pot, offering an array of dining options that reflect its multicultural makeup. From street food carts offering hot dogs and pretzels to high-end restaurants serving international cuisines, the city caters to all tastes and budgets. Iconic foods like New York-style pizza, bagels, and deli sandwiches are part of the city's culinary fabric.

Transportation: The city's extensive public transportation system, which includes the subway, buses, and ferries, is a crucial part of daily life for millions of residents and visitors. The yellow taxi cabs are also an iconic symbol of the city's transportation.

Landmarks and Attractions: New York City is home to an impressive array of landmarks and attractions. Some of the must-visit places include:

Times Square: A bustling commercial and entertainment hub known for its bright lights, theaters, and New Year's Eve celebrations.

Central Park: An expansive green oasis in the heart of Manhattan, offering a retreat from the urban hustle and bustle.

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: Iconic symbols of American freedom and immigration history.

Brooklyn Bridge: A historic suspension bridge connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn, offering stunning views of the city skyline.

Rockefeller Center: A complex of commercial buildings, famous for its ice-skating rink and the Top of the Rock observation deck.

The High Line: A unique elevated park built on a former railway track, offering a serene escape above the city streets.

Museums and Art Galleries: In addition to the aforementioned museums, NYC is home to the Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, and more.

Challenges and Opportunities: Despite its allure, New York City also faces challenges such as high living costs, traffic congestion, and issues related to affordable housing. The city has shown resilience in the face of challenges, and initiatives are continually being developed to address these concerns and create a more equitable and sustainable future.

In summary, New York City is a dynamic and multifaceted metropolis that captivates visitors and residents alike with its cultural richness, economic vitality, and unparalleled energy. Its ability to constantly reinvent itself while honoring its history makes it a truly remarkable and enduring global city.

#New York City #new york #newyork #New-York #nyc #NY #Manhattan #urban #city #USA #United States #buildings #travel #journey #outdoors #street #architecture #visit-new-york.tumblr.com

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thehollowprince · 3 days

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The Actor Who Played Jar Jar Binks Is Proud of His ‘Star Wars’ Legacy

Ahmed Best recalls the painful backlash to the “Phantom Menace” character that was considered a racial stereotype at the time but is now embraced by fans.

Ahmed Best is a futurist, an educator, a martial artist, a writer-director, and the actor behind Jar Jar Binks, the most hated character in the “Star Wars” universe.

Long-eared Jar Jar is a bipedal amphibianlike creature with an ungainly walk and a winning attitude. The groundbreaking, computer-generated goofball debuted in the first installment of George Lucas’s prequel trilogy, “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace,” and instantly set off widespread criticism from both fans and the press.

“It took almost a mortal toll on me. It was too much,” Best recently recalled. “It was the first time in my life where I couldn’t see the future. I didn’t see any hope. Here I was at 26 years old, living my dream, and my dream was over.”

Now 50, Best is the picture of panache who could easily be mistaken for an off-duty rock star. He arrived at our interview, riding a motorcycle and wearing a blue denim jacket, black jeans, and stylish shades.

In the presence of Best’s self-assured demeanor, it’s even more shocking to learn that back in 1999, the vitriol fans flung at Jar Jar and, in turn, at him, ravaged his mental health. But he revisited these memories a few weeks before the movie’s return to theaters on Friday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of its release.

Two constellations, “Star Wars” and “Star Trek,” nurtured Best’s curiosity for both science and the arts as a child in the South Bronx. The 1977 “Star Wars” (Episode IV) was the first movie he ever saw in a cinema. Back then, being part of the intergalactic saga seemed unfathomable.

Twenty years later, Best was performing in “Stomp,” the theater show where performers communicate through rhythm and acrobatics, when Robin Gurland, the casting director on “Phantom Menace,” attended a performance in San Francisco. She had spent months conducting an exhaustive search for the actor who could embody Jar Jar’s physicality. That evening, she found him.

“There was just something so electrifying about his performance; it was natural and innovative,” Gurland said by phone. “I couldn’t take my eyes off of Ahmed.”

“What if you were from this other planet, totally different from anything we know? How would you move?” Gurland recalled asking Best during his audition at Skywalker Ranch. “He got it immediately and was able to just create this being out of thin air.”

Doug Chiang, the design director on “Phantom Menace,” remembered Lucas describing Jar Jar as a combination of the silent comedy stars Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Lucas ruled out a puppet for the alien creature, Chiang said, but still needed Jar Jar to appear grounded in reality to hold up against live actors onscreen.

“Even though this was a synthetic character, created out of ones and zeros, George wanted it to have a lot of expression,” Chiang said via video call. “The actor component was absolutely critical.”

Commonplace now, motion capture, the process of recording a person or object’s movement to serve as the basis for a digital entity, was mostly uncharted territory. Jar Jar became the first main character in a feature film created this way, though initially, the filmmakers didn’t know if it would work.

When Best landed the part as well as the separate assignment to voice the character — providing a playful take he often used with his younger cousins — he thought “it was surreal,” he recalled, adding with a laugh, “I was like, ‘Why me?’ I wanted it, of course, and I’m glad George believed in me, a 23-year-old kid from the streets of New York.”

In Chiang’s view, “Ahmed’s role in this was very understated, and it’s heartbreaking that he didn’t receive the attention and accolade because Jar Jar was a breakthrough character.”

Best spent the better part of two years working with Lucas and Industrial Light & Magic; his acting provided the physical element for the foundational software Lucasfilm created for performance capture. “I’m not Jar Jar. We are Jar Jar,” Best said, crediting the numerous artists involved at different stages of the character’s development.

But during filming, Best had doubts about the role. He credits co-star Ewan McGregor, who played Obi-Wan Kenobi, with helping him embrace Jar Jar’s inherent silliness. Best was on set with the rest of the cast, performing while wearing a suit and headpiece that resembled Jar Jar’s final look

“In one of the first scenes we shot, I was having a hard time with the line ‘Weesa going home!’ because it didn’t feel right to me,” Best recalled. “And then Ewan said, ‘But how does it feel to Jar Jar?’ That’s when I thought, ‘I’m going to take my ego out of this.’”

When he saw the final rendering of Jar Jar onscreen, he was taken aback. “I was up there, and I wasn’t up there at the exact same time,” Best said. “Jar Jar moved like me, and that was just a very odd feeling.”

Unfortunately, Jar Jar was a pioneering character in more ways than one. Critics said the character was a collection of racial stereotypes, “a Rastafarian Stepin Fetchit,” as The Wall Street Journal described him. One complaint was Jar Jar’s accent, which some perceived as derived from Jamaican patois.

“Everybody talks about Jar Jar’s accent,” said Best, who is of West Indian descent. “I read exactly what George wrote. It wasn’t me. It wasn’t an accent.”

“Back in the day, Chewbacca was seen as the Black character,” he continued. “And then Yoda was ridiculed for being an Asian stereotype. Then, the Neimoidians were ridiculed for being an Asian stereotype. ‘Star Wars’ has had a history of being a lightning rod. That’s because it’s so successful.”

No matter the context, the onslaught of negative reactions in the nascent online forums of the late ’90s, as well as in traditional media, drove him to consider suicide, he said.

Looking back now, Best said Jar Jar “was probably also the first cyber-bullied pop culture character ever.” In his view there were other factors that contributed to the barrage, including racism among fans, something another “Star Wars” performer, Kelly Marie Tran, called out in 2018 when she endured online harassment. (He said he related to “Kelly Marie for sure. She’s a phenomenal actor” and the way she was treated was “completely unwarranted.”)

“There are a lot of people who want to see Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Darth Vader for the rest of their lives, and they don’t realize that ‘Star Wars’ is changing,” Best said. He noted that the “Star Wars” franchise had yet to have a movie centered on a Black protagonist and added with a laugh, “I’m available.”

But worse than the ceaseless public scrutiny was learning that his role had been dramatically reduced for the two sequels, “Attack of the Clones” and “Revenge of the Sith.”

“As an artist, you want the respect from your peers, and I felt as if I was being scaled back because I didn’t do a good job,” he said. “It really hurt. Everybody was running away from me, including the people that I gave two years of my life to.”

Finding acting work post-“Star Wars” proved nearly impossible. The first hurdle was proving he had been in the movies: “When I’d tell people what I did as Jar Jar, they would be like, ‘That’s just animation. I don’t see your face, so how do I know it was you?’” Best recalled. “And I’d say, ‘No, it was me. I’m an actor; it’s called motion capture.”

He admitted that even all these years later he remained hesitant to talk with journalists about that time. “It’s such a cultural phenomenon, and there are few Black voices in ‘Star Wars,’ so I feel that I’m partially obliged to keep my voice out there,” he said.

Since those dark days, Best has diversified his ambitions. He’s an adjunct lecturer at the University of Southern California’s School of Dramatic Arts, where he teaches filmmaking for actors. At Stanford University’s d.school, he has taught a class revolving around Afrofuturism, a subject that informs his belief that an optimistic future is possible through the combination of narrative art and technology.

“Jar Jar represents the possibility that whatever you got in your head, creatively, we can invent a future where this thing exists,” he said. “Just because no one has done it before, doesn’t mean it can’t be done.”

Throughout the years, Jar Jar hasn’t entirely left Best’s life. The actor has voiced the character in video games and in animated shows like “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.”

“It’s big, and it tends to overtake your life,” Best said. “The thoughts I’ve had were, ‘Who am I outside of this?’ Because as an artist, you don’t want to be locked into one thing.”

More recently, he’s rejoined the “Star Wars” universe in his own body, as the warrior teacher Kelleran Beq on the children’s show “Jedi Temple Challenge” and in an episode of “The Mandalorian.”

“This is going to sound really corny, please forgive me, but it felt like coming home,” Best said.

Despite the baggage, Best never stopped loving Jar Jar. When he meets fans — on the rare occasions that he agrees to appear at conventions — Best has noticed it’s usually young children, people with disabilities and those who have been ostracized who identify most with Jar Jar. “He’s misunderstood, but Jar Jar’s heart is so pure,” he said.

At the time of the backlash, Lucas assured Best that Jar Jar’s target audience — who were kids and for whom the character would become a fond childhood memory — would eventually come to his defense. “He was right,” Best said. “It’s a different story now.”

Witness the reception for Best in 2019 at “Star Wars” Celebration, an event dedicated to the franchise, when fans welcomed him with thunderous applause. “It really warmed my heart to see him get that,” Chiang recalled.

Heart comes up a lot when Best’s name is mentioned.

Dave Filoni, the chief creative officer of Lucasfilm and a writer on “The Mandalorian,” described him as “a unique talent, and no one can replicate what he brings through his performance as Jar Jar. There is comedy, but also a lot of heart.”

And Best takes solace in the role he’s played behind the scenes as well. He noted that the software developed through his work as Jar Jar became central to the creation of future C.G.I. characters.

“I’m in there,” Best said. “You can’t have Gollum without Jar Jar. You can’t have the Na’vi in ‘Avatar’ without Jar Jar. You can’t have Thanos or the Hulk without Jar Jar. I was the signal for the rest of this art form, and I’m proud of Jar Jar for that, and I’m proud to be a part of that. I’m in there!”

#glad he's living his best life #ahmed best #jar jar binks #kelleran beq #star wars: the phantom menace #star wars #the new york times

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hiphopncountrychick · 9 months

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🎤🌟 Once Upon a Beat: The Birth and Tale of Hip Hop! 🎶📜

Gather 'round, music lovers and history enthusiasts! Let me take you back to the gritty streets of the Bronx, where a musical revolution was about to be born. 🏙️🎧

In a world colored by disco balls and rock anthems, a new rhythm began to stir. It was the late 1970s, and amidst the concrete and chaos, something magical was brewing. Picture a neighborhood pulsating with energy, where creativity and resilience ran through the veins of its people.

Enter the pioneers: DJs spinning vinyl records, searching for the grooviest beats; MCs, or "masters of ceremonies," stepping up to the mic with tales from the corners of their lives; B-boys and B-girls, turning empty lots into dance battlegrounds, showcasing moves that defied gravity. This was the birth of Hip Hop.

The turntables spun stories, the lyrics wove narratives, and the dance moves spoke a language of their own. It wasn't just music; it was a voice for the unheard, a spotlight for the marginalized, and a celebration of the struggles and triumphs that shaped a generation.

From those humble beginnings, Hip Hop exploded like fireworks on the 4th of July. It spread from block parties to boomboxes, from borough to borough, touching hearts and inspiring minds. The movement was unstoppable, giving birth to legends like Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, and Run-D.M.C., whose words and beats resonated far beyond the concrete jungle.

But Hip Hop didn't stop there. It evolved, adapted, and embraced new influences. It wasn't confined by geography or language; it was a universal language in itself. From the golden age of the '80s to the fusion of the '90s and the innovation of the 2000s, Hip Hop kept rewriting its own story.

Today, it's more than a genre; it's a cultural force that shapes fashion, art, and social change. It's a reminder that from adversity comes creativity, from struggle comes strength, and from beats comes unity.

So next time you nod your head to a catchy rap verse or find yourself moving to a groovy beat, remember the journey that brought us here. Hip Hop is a story of empowerment, expression, and evolution, and it's a story we're all part of. 🎵📖

#HipHopStorytelling #BeatsAndBeginnings #MusicalRevolution #FromTheBronxWithLove #inspiration #wholesome #hip hop #hiphop #rap #music #history

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stylechronicles · 10 months

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The Birthplace of a Cultural Revolution: Exploring the Origins of Hip-Hop and its Influence on Fashion

Welcome to our blog, where we embark on a journey to uncover the origins of hip-hop and its profound impact on both music and fashion. In this post, we delve into the birthplace of this cultural revolution, tracing its roots back to the vibrant streets of the South Bronx. We'll also explore the close connection between hip-hop fashion and street style, highlighting how the fashion choices of early hip-hop pioneers became intertwined with the very essence of the genre. So, let's rewind to the past and uncover the rich history that birthed hip-hop and shaped its unique sense of style.

The Birth of Hip-Hop:

Hip-hop emerged during the 1970s in the South Bronx, New York City, as a creative and expressive response to socio-economic challenges faced by African American and Latino communities. Its inception can be attributed to the fusion of various elements, including DJing, MCing (rapping), graffiti art, and, of course, dance. The neighborhoods became a breeding ground for innovation, and the streets served as the backdrop for this cultural movement.

Street Style and Self-Expression:

Hip-hop culture has always been rooted in individuality and self-expression. Early pioneers expressed their identity and creativity through their clothing, which laid the foundation for the iconic hip-hop fashion and street style we know today. In the face of limited resources, they repurposed and personalized clothing, creating their own unique looks that set them apart from mainstream fashion.

Influence of African and African American Aesthetics:

Hip-hop fashion draws inspiration from African and African American aesthetics, paying homage to cultural heritage and ancestral roots. Bold and vibrant colors, patterns, and prints reminiscent of traditional African garments found their way into the fashion choices of early hip-hop artists. This infusion of cultural elements became a defining feature of hip-hop fashion.

Rise of Sneaker Culture:

Sneakers have become synonymous with hip-hop fashion and street style. From Adidas to Nike, Puma to Converse, sneakers became a symbol of identity and status within the hip-hop community. The love for sneakers grew hand in hand with the rise of breakdancing and the need for functional footwear that could withstand the demands of dance battles and energetic moves.

Branding and Logomania:

Hip-hop fashion has a close relationship with branding and logos. As the genre gained popularity, artists started sporting clothing adorned with recognizable logos, transforming fashion into a form of self-promotion. Brands like FUBU, Karl Kani, and Sean John became synonymous with the hip-hop fashion movement, representing not just style but also entrepreneurial success within the community.

Influence on Mainstream Fashion:

Hip-hop's influence on fashion extends far beyond its grassroots beginnings. As the genre gained mainstream recognition, elements of hip-hop style started to influence high fashion runways, streetwear brands, and pop culture. Baggy pants, oversized hoodies, bucket hats, and gold chains all found their way into the fashion lexicon, transcending cultural boundaries and becoming iconic symbols of hip-hop style.

Conclusion:

Hip-hop's origin lies in the vibrant streets of the South Bronx, where a fusion of artistic expression gave birth to a cultural revolution. The fashion choices of early hip-hop pioneers became intertwined with the essence of the genre, fostering a unique street style that celebrated self-expression, cultural heritage, and individuality. Hip-hop fashion's influence on mainstream culture is a testament to its enduring power. From sneakers to branding, streetwear to logomania, hip-hop has left an indelible mark on the fashion world. So, whether you're donning a fresh pair of sneakers,rocking a statement logo, or embracing the vibrant colors and patterns of hip-hop fashion, remember that you're not just wearing clothes—you're paying homage to a cultural movement that continues to shape and redefine fashion as we know it. Let your fashion choices become a testament to the spirit of hip-hop, where individuality, creativity, and self-expression thrive.

#hip hop #hip hop fashion #black culture #hip hop style #hiphop fashion #street wear #streetwear #hip hop clothing #hiphop clothes #hiphop clothing #hip hop influence #Sneaker Culture #rap music #rapper #urban #urbanwear #styleblogger

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granvarones · 2 months

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“here is a message to the super hoes”

whew, name a more iconic and sex-positive opening line of a hip-hop song released in 1998 - during the genre’s golden era? well, maybe i am being hyperbolic, but almost every lyric in “jimmy” by the pioneering new york hip-hop group boogie down productions is a foundational text.

music enthusiasts, critics, and historians all agree that the late 1980s was a golden era for hip-hop. artists like public enemy, NWA, eric b. & rakim, and boogie down productions (BDP) were all reshaping the genre’s landscape by utilizing powerful storytelling for social commentary and activism.

composed initially of KRS-one, d nice, and scott la rock, BDP emerged in 1987 with their explosive and critically acclaimed debut album “criminal minded.” the impact of BDP’s hard-hitting style of rap narrated the realities of life in the bronx during the ronald reagan era was immediate. sadly, BDP was dealt a devastating blow in august 1987 when member scott la rock was murdered, just months after the release of the album. he was 25 years old.

by the release of BDP’s sophomore album “by all means necessary” in april 1988, the group’s music had transitioned towards a more socially conscious and political commentary. inspired by Black revolutionary malcolm x’s philosophy of self-determination and empowerment, the album tackled topics ranging from racism, poverty, education, health, and the AIDS crisis.

“cuz now in winter aids attacks

so run out and get your jimmy hats”

written, produced, and performed by KRS-one, “jimmy,” short for “jimmy hat,” was a metaphor for condoms and was revolutionary for its time. amidst the track’s frenetic beats and melodic rhymes, the song delivers a crucial public health message about safer sex, prevention, and the responsibility we all have to protect our health and the health of our communities.

youtube

before the 1980s and the emergence of AIDS, condoms were primarily viewed and recommended as a means of preventing pregnancy, with their role in preventing sexually transmitted infections (s) receiving less emphasis. but by the mid-1980s, there was a collective effort by health organizations, activists, media and popular culture to normalize condoms and conversations about safer sex as a form of STI and HIV prevention.

“do me a favor, wear your hat”

while not officially released as a commercial single, "jimmy" was a standout track from the "by all means necessary" album and garnered radio play in the summer of 1988. just a few months after US surgeon general c. everett coop sent 107 million copies of a pamphlet titled understanding AIDS, to every household in the US. this effort remains the most extensive public mailing in history.

boogie down productions’ “jimmy” is a pivotal moment in hip-hop history, demonstrating the genre’s capacity to engage with pressing societal issues. through their innovative approach to music and social commentary, BDP set the tone for artists like bell biv devoe, ice cube, salt n pepa, and TLC to use their platform for advocacy and/or safer sex education.

“jimmy,” with its candid message about safer sex and HIV prevention, served as an essential intervention in 1988, utilizing hip-hop to reach young people. the song remains a powerful reminder of hip-hop’s role in public health awareness and the genre’s enduring impact on pop culture.

#granvarones #gay #queer #latinx #afrolatinx #storytelling #trans #aids #lgbtqia #songs that soundtracked the aids epidemic #hip hop #Youtube

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juunyar · 1 year

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Little Mac - The Underdog [Punch-Out!] An innovative mix of puzzle, action, and rhythm gameplay, alongside iconic music, Punch-Out is one of the best Nintendo IP's, they should really make a new entry.

Although some posture the country caricatures as racist, I'd say that Punch Out isn't a series about punching down, or using these stereotypes in a discriminatory manner, so instead of becoming offensive or in bad taste, they're sort of a celebration of each country's differences, but how nonetheless we are all equally human and deserving of respect and goodwill.

I was inspired to do this by the on-going Art Contest on r/LittleMacMains, please enter if possible, it's a wonderful community about the little Bronx kid who could.

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odinsblog · 2 years

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TO UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL ASSAULT that pro-Israel groups unleashed last year in Ohio, and have now expanded to the entire country, it helps to start in 2019, when Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez entered the House of Representatives, creating a cadre of Democratic rising stars who questioned unconditional US military aid to Israel. The emergence of the “Squad,” combined with polling showing a sharp drop in overall Democratic support for the Jewish state, fueled media speculation that Democrats might tilt in the direction of Britain’s Labour Party, which had chosen a longtime activist for Palestinian rights, Jeremy Corbyn, as its leader. “Democrats,” declared CNN, “may be approaching a turning point on Israel.”

To ensure that turning point didn’t come, the pro-Israel establishment realized it needed a new architecture. Despite its name, AIPAC had never created a political action committee to directly give money to candidates. Instead, donors close to the organization established their own PACs, whose giving reflected AIPAC’s priorities. For decades, the activists who ran these affiliated groups had been holding fundraisers in their living rooms and boardrooms. But individuals can donate only $5,000 per election cycle to a traditional PAC and another $5,800 directly to a candidate, and over the years, new fundraising techniques eclipsed this old way of playing the game. The first innovation was the internet, which allowed candidates with passionate followings, like Howard Dean and Bernie Sanders, to raise vast sums through small online donations. The second was Citizens United, the 2010 Supreme Court decision that permitted the creation of the “Super PAC,” a new kind of political action committee that could accept unlimited donations so long as it spent them on “independent expenditures” that weren’t coordinated with the campaigns it promoted. Over the last decade, these two new methods—one based on large numbers of small donors, the other based on small numbers of extremely large donors—transformed campaign fundraising. AIPAC was employing neither.

All that began to change in January 2019, the month the Squad arrived in Washington. Over the years, AIPAC’s confrontations with Barack Obama and warm relations with Benjamin Netanyahu and the Trump administration had damaged its standing among Democrats. But a group of donors and strategists with close ties to AIPAC provided a solution: the creation of DMFI, which aimed to rebrand unconditional support for Israel as a Democratic cause. More importantly, DMFI ran a Super PAC, which gave pro-Israel donors a way to write $100,000 or even $1 million checks, which could then be funneled into congressional campaigns. Two months later, AIPAC created Pro-Israel America, which aimed to raise small donations from its members online.

The new institutions faced an early setback. In the summer of 2020, DMFI spent close to $2 million in independent expenditures to defend Eliot Engel, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and an influential AIPAC ally, against a primary challenge from Jamaal Bowman, a Bronx middle school principal who criticized the use of US aid to detain Palestinian children and garnered an endorsement from Ocasio-Cortez. Pro-Israel America chipped in another $228,000, making it the largest direct contributor to Engel’s campaign. It wasn’t enough. Boosted by spending from the progressive groups Justice Democrats and the Working Families Party, Bowman defeated Engel by almost 15 points.

But the new pro-Israel groups proved their worth the following year by toppling Nina Turner in Ohio. Their victory opened the floodgates: Six months later, AIPAC created its own Super PAC. This year, another AIPAC ally, South Carolina political commentator Bakari Sellers, announced plans to create a PAC largely aimed at defeating Palestinian American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib. In New York, a billionaire investor, Daniel Loeb, has created an organization, the New York Solidarity Network, to boost pro-Israel candidates there.

What AIPAC and its allies have recognized is not just the power of immense campaign spending, but the power of immense campaign spending in open Democratic congressional primaries. Because partisan polarization has reduced the number of swing districts, primaries now matter more. In a district like Ohio’s 11th, which favored Biden by 60 points, the only way to defeat Turner was to stop her from winning the Democratic nomination. Open primaries are particularly important because, once elected, incumbents are hard to dislodge. And the combination of congressional redistricting and Democratic retirements has created more open seats than usual this year. Campaign spending in House primaries is also effective because voters know less about the candidates than they do in a presidential or even senate race, making it easier to mold public opinion. Finally, Democratic primaries offer pro-Israel groups an advantage. Many progressive donors are reluctant to match AIPAC’s spending in races that pit Democrats against each other, because they want to husband their money for general election campaigns against Republicans. AIPAC feels no similar reluctance. It doesn’t care if Republicans win elections. It simply wants to ensure that Democrats who support Palestinian rights lose.

—The Israel Lobby’s New Campaign Playbook; unprecedented financial assault in this year's primary campaigns doesn't just threaten the Democratic Party's ability to support Palestinian rights. It threatens the Democratic Party's ability to be progressive at all

#politics #palestine #israel #rashida tlaib #citizens united #nina turner #aipac #dmfi #bakari sellers #aoc #alexandria ocasio cortez

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mediocre-eternity · 3 months

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Do you prefer old timey trains or modern trains? Were the old ones as arousing as people suggest?

Old timey trains! Like black and white cartoon films! Ah-ha!

When I was riding them, they weren’t old-timey. They were a modern innovation… and there’s quite a lot less of them in America, even less so than just forty years ago. Though, some years ago Daniel and I visited Japan and we were riding their trains up and down the country as much as we could. I think the Shinkansen trains can reach speeds of over 300 kmh… it was so impressive. And they were so curious to be inside of, too. I spent an entire night running up and down the length of the Shinkansen until Daniel couldn’t find me anymore.

I suppose that answers your question; modern trains entertain me more. Though in America, at one point it was quite magical to be able to ride from New Orleans to say, Kansas City. And the train stations years ago were huge and ornate. I suppose I never really fully experienced them because they weren’t as convenient for immortal passengers as planes are today. And years ago you couldn’t simply jump into a train and be whisked away to Harlem, or Manhattan, or Queens, or the Bronx…

#the vampire armand #the vampire chronicles #tvc #interview with the vampire #iwtv #queen of the damned #asks #anon

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homomenhommes · 8 months

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The young Kushar twins

1942 – George and Mike Kushar are twin gay American underground filmmaker, actors, and cartoonists. They are notable for their low-budget and camp films such as Sins of the Fleshapoids, The Craven Sluck and Ascension of the Demonoids.

When Mike and George Kuchar first got their hands on an 8mm movie camera in 1954 as 12 year old boys, no one really thought the format was suitable for anything but vacation footage, yet since then no one in America has contributed more to the craft and philosophy of personal film-making than the twin brothers from the Bronx. In a culture of hype and careerism, where "size counts", its not surprising, then, that gangly, self-effacing Mike Kuchar, the lesser well known of the two, is not in any sense famous.

They have been making innovative, if engagingly threadbare, epics since that day in 1954, when The Wet Destruction of the Atlantic Empire saw the light of day. In that case, the boys' appropriation of all available materials included their mother's nightgown. According to George, "At the age of twelve I made a transvestite movie on the roof and was brutally beaten by my mother for having disgraced her, and also for soiling her nightgown." Mrs. Kuchar's reaction was the Kuchars' first bad review, but it is a testimony to how endearing they and their work are that by the mid-1960s she was making regular cameo appearances in her sons' work. Devotees of comic books, pornography, and commercial Hollywood cinema, George and Mike tried to replicate on film what they saw in their working-class lives—or filter it through their own gay sensibilities—using their 8mm camera and whatever locations, props, friends, and families were available.

Wet Destruction was followed by many other works in the comic chaos mode, torrid two-dollar melodramas based on Kuchar favorites such as Douglas Sirk's Written on the Wind (1956). Some of the titles are as notorious as the films themselves: Corruption of the Damned (1967), Pussy on a Hot Tin Roof (1961), Hold Me While I'm Naked (1966). Many featured shoestring special effects that included floods, earthquakes, and tornadoes, rendered with stock footage, backyard assemblages, and matte paintings by the talented duo. The Kuchars were innovative exhibitors as well, setting up informal cinema clubs to show their work, which scandalized some of the attendees with its sexual frankness, anarchistic air, laughable plots, and grade-Z special effects. Eventually members of the haute underground —Andy Warhol, Ken Jacobs, Jack Smith — took notice, and the Kuchars' films became both infamous in creating their legend and influential in showing others that neither large budgets nor good taste were necessary conditions of film art

Mike and George ended their collaborative approach to movie making in 1965 when Mike phased himself out of their first 16mm work-in-progress, Corruption of the Damned, to concentrate on a futuristic science-fiction fantasy which would turn out to be the 45-minute Sins of the Fleshapoids, and which featured George in probably his finest acting appearance as Gianbeano, the evil prince.

Although their films would always display some stylistic similarity, reflective of their common love of fifties' Hollywood melodrama and their low-budget orientation, Mike dealt more with classical or Romanesque imagery that tended to have erotic under-currents, while George would go on to pioneer a form of personal film-making that relied heavily on first-person narration and his own presence in the frame - a style which he has honed in his prolific "video-diary" output of the last decade. Mike has always taken a more off-screen role in his own films, which are just as personal but in a different way, and tend on average to be longer than George's.

George went on refining the steamy camp melodrama, using a stock company of friends, and, later, working in a diary format that allowed him to record with droll humor the nuances of his daily life and his self-proclaimed "favorite topic," Midwestern tornadoes. In the early 1970s he became a cartoonist in the underground comics scene but continued to make films. In 1975, George collaborated with the late gay filmmaker Curt McDowell for one of the underground's best-known titles, Thundercrack!, a lewd sendup of the "old dark house" genre from 1930s Hollywood, which George co-wrote and acted in.

George Kuchar's latest major work, funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, carries his obsession with earthly, fleshly things into the literal stratosphere. Secrets of the Shadow World is a 140-minute digital video epic ostensibly tracking George's attempts to make a "big UFO movie," but it is really an excuse to display the filmmaker's scintillating sensibility and eccentric gallery of friends. In a bizarre tableau that reaches the giddy heights of camp, he shows the Roswell, New Mexico alien as a sex fiend, stretched out on top of his friend Linda Martinez, who thrills to the touch of its plastic paw and moody, ovoid bedroom eyes.

Mike's work would span a range of subjects and techniques and he never established a consistent trademark style like George. Even his two major works of the sixties, Sins of the Fleshapoids and The Secret of Wendel Samson (1966), made only a year apart, are very different films. His output over the years was more sporadic and less prolific than his brother's, all of which helps to explain why George has a higher profile than Mike today. George's employment as a film teacher at the San Francisco Art Institute for almost thirty years now has also contributed to his somewhat broader recognition.

On the other hand, Mike has stayed active over the years, working on his own films and occasionally as a cinematographer on other independent productions, usually in Europe. A gifted painter and illustrator since his teens, he's derived some income from story board work and contributed to a number of gay erotic comic books.

In the past 10 years, Mike Kuchar has focused on more intimate one person expressionistic films. At the Vienna Film Festival in 2009, he unveiled two shorts, Swan Song and Dumped. Swan Song features the pain of a young man tormented by his sensuality who is painted as an animal writhing in pain, and Dumped stars veteran stage actress Deirdre McGill in a portrait of a woman engaged in a deadly love triangle.

Mike recently returned from Portugal to San Francisco's Mission District, where he shares a cheap walk-up flat with brother George.

in 1997, the Kuchar brothers collaborated on a book, Reflections from a Cinematic Cesspool (1997). It is a humorous memoir discussing four decades of filmmaking and includes an introduction by filmmaker John Waters

12 A.D. – Caligula was the popular nickname of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, Roman emperor from 37 AD to 41 AD. Caligula was a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Caligula's father Germanicus, the nephew and adopted son of Emperor Tiberius, was a very successful general and one of Rome's most beloved public figures. The young Gaius earned the nickname Caligula (meaning "little soldier's boot", the diminutive form of caliga, hob-nailed military boot) from his father's soldiers while accompanying him during his campaigns in Germania.

When Germanicus died at Antioch in 19 AD, his wife Agrippina the Elder returned to Rome with her six children where she became entangled in an increasingly bitter feud with Tiberius. This conflict eventually led to the destruction of her family, with Caligula as the sole male survivor. Unscathed by the deadly intrigues, Caligula accepted the invitation to join the emperor on the island of Capri in 31 AD, where Tiberius himself had withdrawn five years earlier. With the death of Tiberius in 37 AD, Caligula succeeded his great uncle and adoptive grandfather.

There are few surviving sources on Caligula's reign, although he is described as a noble and moderate ruler during the first six months of his rule. After this, the sources focus upon his cruelty, sadism, extravagance, and intense sexual perversity, presenting him as an insane tyrant. While the reliability of these sources has increasingly been called into question, it is known that during his brief reign, Caligula worked to increase the unconstrained personal power of the emperor. He directed much of his attention to ambitious construction projects and notoriously luxurious dwellings for himself. However, he initiated the construction of two new aqueducts in Rome: the Aqua Claudia and the Anio Novus. During his reign, the Empire annexed the Kingdom of Mauretania and made it into a province.

Philo of Alexandria and Seneca the Younger describe Caligula as an insane emperor who was self-absorbed, angry, killed on a whim, and indulged in too much spending and sex. He is accused of sleeping with other men's wives and bragging about it, killing for mere amusement, and wanting a statue of himself erected in the Temple of Jerusalem for his worship. Once, at some games at which he was presiding, he ordered his guards to throw an entire section of the crowd into the arena during intermission to be eaten by animals because there were no criminals to be prosecuted and he was bored.

While repeating the earlier stories, the later sources of Suetonius and Cassius Dio provide additional tales of insanity. They accuse Caligula of incest with his sisters, Agrippina the Younger, Drusilla, and Livilla, and say he prostituted them to other men. They state he sent troops on illogical military exercises, turned the palace into a brothel, and, most famously, planned or promised to make his horse, Incitatus, a consul, and actually appointed him a priest.

He assassinated at the Palatine Games by his own officers after a reign of only four years. He was noted for his madness and cruelty including arbitrary murder. His taste in men was far-reaching. In fact, his taste for anything sexual, male, female, relative, or animal seems far-reaching. One of his playmates was a priest who he enjoyed screwing in public at religious events. He forced his officers into regular sex bouts. He is reported to have made them kiss his penis in public.

In early 41 AD, Caligula became the first Roman emperor to be assassinated, the result of a conspiracy involving officers of the Praetorian Guard, as well as members of the Roman Senate and of the imperial court. The conspirators' attempt to use the opportunity to restore the Roman Republic was thwarted: on the same day the Praetorian Guard declared Caligula's uncle Claudius emperor in his place.

1922 – André Baudry (d.2018), as leader of the French homophile movement from the early 1950s into the 1980s, was the principal spokesman for homosexuals in France before the rise of gay liberation in the 1970s. Born in Rethonde, France, on August 22, 1922, Baudry grew up in Senlis, where his father was a notary. After the death of his mother, Baudry, then eight years old, was sent to a Jesuit-run boarding school in Laval. He came down with tuberculosis soon after graduation and spent the first years of World War II in hospital and then in a sanatorium in eastern France. Baudry entered the Roman Catholic seminary at Versailles in 1943, but abandoned his plans for the priesthood in late 1945 or early 1946 because of what he considered an irreconcilable conflict between his religious vocation and his homosexuality. He went on to teach philosophy in a Catholic private school in Paris until the mid-1950s.

In 1946, Baudry began frequenting a circle of conservative Catholic homosexual writers that included Roger Peyrefitte, André du Dognon, and Jacques de Ricaumont. Ricaumont introduced Baudry to the Swiss homophile review Der Kreis (The Circle). He became its French correspondent in 1951 under the pseudonym André Romane. The homophile movement, which was international in scope, disliked the term "homosexual" because it seemed to stress sex over love, whereas "homophile," as Baudry observed, more broadly "designates those persons who can find their erotic fulfilment (... physical, psychological, emotional and intellectual) only with another person of the same sex."

Baudry began holding meetings of Der Kreis's Paris subscribers in his apartment. In January 1954, he launched his own monthly periodical, named Arcadie after the mythical Ancient Greek paradise peopled by happy shepherds. Arcadie contained short works of fiction, as well as scientific, literary, and historical articles that focused on (and defended) homosexuality. Despite the review's austere tone and drab appearance (with no illustrations), the government banned its sale at newsstands; and in 1956 the courts fined Baudry forty thousand francs for offending morals.

Baudry's 'Arcadie' Magazine

Arcadie nonetheless survived and eventually reached ten thousand subscribers throughout France and perhaps three or four times as many readers. Baudry also sent free copies to politicians, magistrates, doctors, and clergymen, in hopes of changing their negative attitude toward homosexuality.

In 1957 Baudry founded a homophile association, Clespala (Club Littéraire et Scientifique des Pays Latins, or Literary and Scientific Club of the Latin Countries), often also called "Arcadie" for short, headquartered in Paris, first on the rue Béranger, then on the rue du Château-d'Eau from 1969. The club held weekend dances for members (overwhelmingly male) and sponsored occasional banquets, cultural activities, and conferences. Once a month, Baudry addressed those members present in the clubhouse with his "Word of the Month," a speech that some sarcastically called a "sermon" because of Baudry's preachiness.

Baudry once said: "I was a happy, well-adjusted homophile; in any case I had never been ... a complicated, tortured, traumatized, and anxious homosexual worried by the anathema of the Church, by the family or by my surroundings." He wanted other homosexuals to accept themselves in the same way and live happy, full, and productive lives.

Baudry eschewed political agitation and demonstrations for equal rights, because, as one Arcadian put it, "we [homosexuals] are a minority and always will be a minority. The only policy possible for us is to educate intelligent people ... They are the ones who, little by little, shape public opinion." By the late 1970s, this position seemed hopelessly outdated to the younger generation. France changed dramatically after the "May events" of 1968 and, as one of Baudry's critics commented, "Try talking about 'dignity' and 'morals' to the children of the barricades and of the permissive society!" French gay liberationists of the 1970s were left-wing radicals, who tried to advance their cause through anti-establishment rhetoric, provocative behavior, and clamorous street demonstrations, all anathema to Baudry. Gay liberationists returned his contempt, and (paraphrasing Karl Marx) declared that "Arcadie is the opium of the homosexuals."

In the 1970s, as homosexuality came into the open in France, Baudry (who was an eloquent speaker) appeared frequently on radio and television and gave numerous interviews to the press, but he declined to work with other gay groups. In 1982, Baudry abruptly ceased publication of Arcadie, closed down Clespala, and retired with his life partner, Giuseppe Adamo (who had worked as barman in the club), to the latter's native village near Naples, Italy. He died there in 2018.

1969 – Andrew Cunanan (d.1997) was an American spree killer who murdered at least five people, including fashion designer Gianni Versace, during a three-month period in 1997, ending with his own suicide, at age 27.

At school, Cunanan was remembered as being bright and very talkative, testing with an I.Q. of 147. As a teenager, he developed a reputation as a prolific liar given to telling fantastic tales about his family and personal life. He was also adept at changing his appearance according to what he felt was most attractive at a given moment.

After dropping out of college, he settled in the Castro District of San Francisco. While there, he frequented high-class gay bars and prostituted himself to wealthy older men.

When Cunanan was 19, his mother learned of Cunanan's homosexuality. During an ensuing argument, he threw her against a wall, dislocating her shoulder.

Before the murders, Cunanan was involved in petty theft and drug dealing.

Friends in San Diego, where he lived prior to the spree, felt he had some sort of break down after being rejected by his lover and his best friend. His friends attended an extravagant going away party for him when he said he was moving to San Francisco. He didn't go to San Francisco, though. He bought a one-way ticket to Minneapolis, where he stayed with a former lover, David Madson, 33. He arranged a fling with an old friend, Jeffrey Trail.

His friend Jeffrey Trail was his first murder in a three-month killing spree beginning April 27, 1997, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Trail's body, with his head bashed in, was found wrapped in a rug in Madson's loft on April 29th. The second victim, architect David Madson, was killed May 2, 1997. His body, with a single shot to the head, was found four days later about 60 miles north of Minneapolis. Cunanan then drove to Chicago to kill Lee Miglin, 72, a real-estate developer, with a saw blade and pruning shears on May 4. The fourth victim, William Reese, 45, a cemetery caretaker, was killed for his car on May 9, 1997. Reese was killed by a single shot to the head with a .40-caliber Taurus. Cunanan then hid in Miami Beach, Florida, for months before the fifth murder. July 15, 1997, Andrew Cunanan, the 27-year-old multi-murderer, shot and killed Gianni Versace on his front steps in Miami Beach, Florida, U.S as he was returning home after a morning walk.

On July 23, 1997, eight days after murdering Versace, Cunanan shot himself in the mouth in the upstairs bedroom of a Miami houseboat. He used the same gun he had used to commit the other murders, a Taurus PT100 semi-automatic pistol in .40 S&W caliber, which had been stolen from the first victim, Jeff Trail.

His motivations remain a mystery. Various theories include jealousy for Versace's role as a "gay icon", as well as necessity and opportunity in some of the other murders.Cunanan was portrayed by Shane Perdue in the film The Versace Murder (1998), Jonathan Trent in the film Murder in Fashion (2009), Luke Morrison in the television film House of Versace (2013), and Darren Criss in The Assassination of Gianni Versace (2018), the second season of the television series American Crime Story.

2001 – The Canadian Human Rights tribunal rules in favor of prisons respecting sex reassignment.

#gay history #history

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getmybuzzup · 7 months

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BANDMANRILL & SHA EK SHARE NEW VIDEO FOR “JIGGY IN JERSEY, PT. 3” - As the regional sounds of Jersey Club and New York drill continue to permeate the mainstream, Newark’s Bandmanrill and the Bronx’s Sha EK continue to refine and innovate their local flair, with star producer MCVERTT behind the boards. Marking the progression of the cross-Hudson collaborators and the undeniable chemistry they’ve developed, the trio shares their new video for “Jiggy in Jersey, Pt. 3” (ft. MCVERTT) out now via Defiant Records/Warner Records. Listen HERE https://wp.me/p1PuJR-5Dtz Please Reblog!

#BANDMANRILL #JIGGY IN JERSEY #PT. 3 #sha ek #video #Music Videos

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webradiobroadcast · 11 months

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Exploring the Vibrant World of Web Radio Genres

Web radio has revolutionized the way we listen to music, providing access to an extensive range of genres from all corners of the globe. With a simple click, you can immerse yourself in the diverse sounds of various musical styles, uncovering hidden gems and expanding your musical horizons. In this article, we will embark on a journey through different web radio genres, exploring the unique characteristics, histories, and notable artists of each. Whether you're a seasoned music enthusiast or a curious listener, get ready to discover the rich tapestry of musical genres available at your fingertips.

1. Jazz:

Jazz, born in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is a genre renowned for its improvisation, syncopation, and expressive melodies. From the smooth elegance of Louis Armstrong's trumpet to the complex harmonies of Miles Davis, jazz offers a spectrum of subgenres such as bebop, cool jazz, and fusion. Tune into web radio stations dedicated to jazz, and you'll be treated to an array of classics and contemporary pieces that embody the soulful spirit of this genre.

2. Classical:

Classical music, with its rich history spanning centuries, showcases the works of legendary composers like Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. Experience the grandeur of orchestral masterpieces, the intricate beauty of chamber music, and the emotional depth of opera. Web radio stations specializing in classical music provide a gateway to explore the vast repertoire of this genre, offering everything from Baroque to Romantic to contemporary compositions.

3. Electronic:

The electronic music genre has taken the world by storm, with its pulsating beats, infectious rhythms, and innovative soundscapes. From the origins of Kraftwerk to the modern-day DJs and producers pushing boundaries, electronic music encompasses subgenres like techno, house, trance, and dubstep. Web radio stations dedicated to electronic music expose you to cutting-edge tracks, live DJ sets, and a vibrant global community of electronic music lovers.

4. Rock:

Rock music has been a driving force in popular culture since the 1950s. From the rebellious energy of Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley to the poetic lyrics of Bob Dylan and the electric sounds of Led Zeppelin and Queen, rock has continuously evolved. Tune into web radio stations that specialize in rock music, and you'll encounter a vast spectrum of subgenres like classic rock, alternative rock, punk, and heavy metal, each with its own distinct sound and fan base.

5. World Music:

World music transports us to distant lands, embracing the rich musical traditions of diverse cultures. Whether it's the infectious rhythms of African drums, the mesmerizing melodies of Indian classical music, or the soulful sounds of Latin American salsa, web radio stations dedicated to world music allow us to appreciate the global tapestry of musical expressions. Explore the diverse genres within world music and discover the beauty of cultural fusion and exploration.

6. Hip-Hop:

Hip-hop emerged in the 1970s as an expressive and socially conscious genre. From its roots in the Bronx, New York, hip-hop has grown into a global phenomenon, featuring artists like Grandmaster Flash, Tupac Shakur, Jay-Z, and Kendrick Lamar. Web radio stations specializing in hip-hop offer a platform to discover rap battles, intricate wordplay, and the cultural impact of this influential genre.

7. Blues:

The soulful and emotive sounds of the blues have captivated audiences for generations. Originating in African-American communities, blues music has influenced countless genres, from rock 'n' roll to jazz. Dive into web radio stations dedicated to the blues, and you'll be transported to the Mississippi Delta, experiencing the raw power of legendary artists like B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and Etta James.

Conclusion:

Web radio has opened up a world of musical exploration, allowing us to delve into an extraordinary range of genres at any time and from anywhere. Whether you're a fan of jazz, classical, electronic, rock, world music, hip-hop, blues, or any other genre, the vast landscape of web radio offers endless possibilities to satisfy your musical cravings. Embrace the diversity of these genres, discover new artists, and let the magic of web radio introduce you to captivating sounds that will enrich your musical journey.

Source: https://webradiobroadcast.blogspot.com/2023/05/exploring-vibrant-world-of-web-radio.html

#internet radio #web radio #online radio #radio

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checkthreetimes · 1 year

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Hip-Hop: The Most Listened To Genre And Its Subgenres

Hip-hop is a cultural movement that emerged in the late 1970s in the Bronx, New York. It encompasses various elements such as rap, DJing, breakdancing, and graffiti art. Hip-hop music is characterized by rhythmic spoken words accompanied by beats, samples, and scratching. It's a music genre, a lifestyle, a language, and a way of expression. It has influenced many aspects of pop culture, such as fashion, film, television, sports, and politics. Hip-hop has also spawned many subgenres and styles over the years, reflecting its artists' and fans' diversity and creativity.

Popularity Around the World

Hip-hop is the most popular music genre in the United States and the United Kingdom. In 2021, hip-hop accounted for 27.64% of all music consumption in the U.S., measured by equivalent album units. It also dominated the on-demand streaming market, with 29.39% of all streams coming from this genre.

Hip-hop is also popular in other parts of the world, such as Canada, France, Germany, Japan and South Korea. According to Spotify, hip-hop is the most listened-to genre globally, with over 9 billion streams per month. Some of the most popular hip-hop artists worldwide include Drake, Eminem, Kanye West, Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar.

Subgenres and Styles

Hip-hop has grown and changed over the past five decades. It encompasses a variety of styles and influences, some of which have become mainstream and some of which have remained underground. This article will explore some of the major subgenres and styles of hip-hop music.

Old-school hip-hop

Hip-hop music traces its roots back to the late 1970s and early 1980s, with its earliest form featuring basic drum beats, turntablism, and MCing. Notable pioneers of old-school hip-hop include Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, Kurtis Blow, and Run-DMC.

New-school hip-hop

The second wave of hip-hop music, known as the new-school hip-hop movement, surfaced in the mid-1980s and continued until the early 1990s. It brought forth a diverse and intricate collection of beats, lyrical styles, and influences from different musical genres, such as jazz, rock, and funk. The trailblazers of this genre include LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, and N.W.A.

Golden age hip-hop

The late 1980s to early 1990s marked the golden age of hip-hop, a time when artistic quality and innovation flourished in the genre. This era showcased a range of sounds, themes, and techniques from various regions and subcultures, featuring legends such as Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One, De La Soul, and A Tribe Called Quest.

Gangsta rap

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, a subgenre of hip-hop emerged, which dealt with themes like crime, violence, drugs, and social issues. This form of music was heavily influenced by the everyday struggles of people living in inner-city neighborhoods and often attracted controversy and criticism. Gangsta rap was pioneered by artists such as Ice-T, N.W.A., Snoop Dogg, and Tupac Shakur.

Alternative hip-hop

Alternative hip-hop is a subgenre that originated in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It aimed to challenge the traditional norms and conventions of mainstream hip-hop music by integrating elements from other genres like rock, jazz, soul, and folk. Some of the pioneers of this genre are De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, and Outkast.

East Coast hip-hop

A regional style of hip-hop that originated in New York City and its surrounding areas. It is characterized by complex lyrics, storytelling skills, and sample-based production. Some of the icons of East Coast hip-hop include Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan, and Jay-Z.

West Coast hip-hop

A regional style of hip-hop that originated in Los Angeles and its surrounding areas. It is characterized by funky beats, synthesizers and gangsta rap themes. Some of the icons of West Coast hip-hop include Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur, and The Game.

Southern hip-hop

A regional style of hip-hop that originated in the Southern states of the U.S., such as Texas, Louisiana, Georgia and Florida. It is characterized by slow and heavy beats, chopped and screwed vocals, crunk energy and dirty south slang. Some of the icons of Southern hip-hop include Outkast, UGK, Scarface, Lil Wayne and T.I.

Midwest hip-hop

A regional style of hip-hop originated in the Midwestern states of the U.S., such as Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio. It is characterized by fast and complex flows, lyrical dexterity, and diverse influences from other genres such as soul, rock, and techno. Some of the icons of Midwest hip-hop include Eminem, Kanye West, Common, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, and Tech N9ne.

Trap

A subgenre of hip-hop that emerged in the early 2000s in the Southern U.S., especially in Atlanta. It is characterized by hard-hitting drums, 808 bass, hi-hat rolls, and lyrics about drug dealing, crime and street life. Some of the pioneers of trap include T.I., Gucci Mane, Young Jeezy and Three 6 Mafia.

Conscious hip-hop

A subgenre of hip-hop that emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s that focused on themes such as social justice, political awareness, spirituality and Afrocentrism. It was influenced by the civil rights movement, black nationalism and the teachings of Islam. Some of the innovators of conscious hip-hop include Public Enemy, KRS-One, Mos Def and Talib Kweli.

Mumble rap

A type of hip-hop that became popular in the mid-2010s is known as mumble rap. This subgenre features slurred or unintelligible vocals, simple beats, and memorable hooks. Some people criticize mumble rap for its lack of meaningful lyrics and technical ability. Notable artists in this category include Future, Lil Uzi Vert, Migos, and Lil Yachty.

These are just some of the main subgenres and styles of hip-hop music. Many more variations and hybrids exist within this rich and diverse genre. Hip-hop is constantly evolving and adapting to new trends and influences, making it one of the most exciting and influential forms of music in the world. Hip-hop has shaped and transformed the music industry and culture for decades. It has given voice to the marginalized, challenged the status quo, and inspired generations of artists and fans. Hip-hop celebrates creativity, innovation, and expression. And it's here to stay.

#hip hop

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