Alex

For my final research essay I wish to explore the hyphy movement. Not many people know what the hyphy movement is but if you were to talk to anyone from the okland area, know as “the bay” they would know exactly what you were talking about. Hyphy is a slang word created by Bay Area Rapper ‘Keak Da Sneak’ which is used in the San Francisco Bay Area that literally means "rambunctious"(as defined by him). Starting in the 90s and continuing to the 2000’s the hyphy movement which was lead by a group of rappers with a unique sound that is more upbeat with a lot of bass. This era allowed for many slang words to develop, most of them referring to things that you can do or things involved. The most noticeable concepts that emerged from the hyphy movement was the concept of ‘going hyphy’ or going dumb’ which was the combination of hyphy juice, an energy drink started by Clyde Carson(a bay area rapper) mixed with patron silver. Going hyphy can be related to the crunk movement of the south, which also involved drinking and going crazy, also lead by rappers, it is the act of getting intoxicated and dancing like you just don’t care about anything. The hyphy movement has evolved and recently have added the ‘side show’ which is basically swarms of people that gather in the middle of an intersection with all sorts of drugs and ‘scrapers’ (which are older cars with a loud sound system and large rims. The argument conflict that is apparent is that similar to the aids activism unless you know and are a part of the movement you will not understand it and most likely will assume that it is a negative thing where in actuality it is more of expressing pride for living in the area. The hyphy movement is the largest off shoot of rap since the crunk era with lil jon. The sideshows are similar to rockers in a mosh-pit it is just outside and cars are sometimes involved. Parts of the movement are slowly moving to the east coast through youtube and the radio. Things that were observable on the east coast that originated in the bay is the ‘stunna shades’ and 'ghost ride the whip.’ The main controversy here is that that people are not understanding of the hyphy movement and thing that it is a bad thing, but in actuality is it a new sub culture that has evolved through this new rap music. One argument that I have found (not sure whether I will support it or not) states that the side shows which the majority of outsiders view as stupid and dangerous is actually giving something for the people who go to them something to do where otherwise they would break the law in more severe ways, theft and violence where the major “alternatives.” The sideshows are planned by someone, no one really know but the word is spread almost instantly within in couple of days everyone knows where and when the sideshow is going to take place. This also brings in ideas of flash mobs, that through cells phones and things of that nature that these huge groups can appropriate in such a short time.

not really sure what i am going to argue with this idea but it definatly incorporates a lot of different ideas, leaning towards using flash mobs and identifying it as a sub culture of rap. also there is a __no__ scholarly articles about it because not a lot is know about it, wikipedia and an individual from the okland area will be my main source of information, seems reliable though. my scholarly articles will come with the flash mob idea and subcultures.

**Terry: How exactly is this cultural resistance? What is it resisting? What position do you plan on taking on the issue and what are others doing to stop it or keep it going?**

 * J:Those are excellent questions. An excellent way to understand a resistance movement and find a position of your own is to look at the response to that particular movement. What is it about this movement that might be upsetting people[crazy loud rambunctious]? What ideology do the opponents to the Hyphy movement claim?[drugs and crazy people from the ghetto]

Dialogue assignment 4 people 1. msnbc reporter 2. “official filmer” of sideshows 3. E-40 4. Me All sitting in a room discussing issues of rap, the hip hop movements in the past (crunk)/the origination of rap and the identity it game people.

4. so e40 I don’t think I truly understand your stance on the rap era/movment as a whole, what are your thought?

3. well first off rap is no different than any other type of music. It tells the stories of the artisit whether they be about hard times in the ghetto, love, drugs, alcohol. The only thing that is observably different is the rep that we get. Rap artists are not respected as much as lets say the rolling stones where they could go anywhere and everyone will know who they are. Rappers on the other hand are given a bad rep from the start, I feel that we are racially profiled of all being from the ghetto and talking about sex sex and more sex. This is a false assumption. Just look at kanye west for example, he is a rich kid who still made it big in the hip hop industry. Now I don’t want to blame is on the race factor but that’s what it seems like on the outside. Really what it is, is just a new genre that hasn’t totally caught on yet, like rock and roll. When it was first introduced no one was ready for it but it soon caught on and became the classics that we have today. At first no one accepted it because it was all about sex drugs and rock and roll, it as the rebellion of that generation, hip hop is he rebellion of this generation.

1. okay yes this may be true and all what you said about rebellion, but what about your “hyphy movement” that you are ever so proud of being the godfather of it all. What about that, it seems to take African American people back through violence and drugs? What about that?

2. excuss me I need to cut in. as the official documeter of the side shows which is the main event for the hyphy movement. I need to put my word in. now I may not be as intelligent as some of you cuz I never went to college or anything but i know what I see and what I film. The side shows are not a bunch of druggies and bums, ts the community of Oakland and east Oakland coming together to bond together. Before the hyphy movement there were bowling allies and bars and clubs but now there is nothing, nothing for the Oakland community to do. Therfore the hyphy movemnt is born. Side shows were started as something for the community to do on the weekend when they come home from their long days at work and are able to just to have a good time and not worry about what is happening in their life. It give people an outlet to express themselves.

3. yes now he is correct in what he says there. Anyone can get hyphy its just a matter of understanding the culture surrounding the hyphy movement that is the most important part of it. Hyphy is a culture, it’s the way we dress the lingo the cars, pulling donuts, its all about movement, energy and just letting yourself not worry about anything. Putting all the problems in your life on hold and just releasing emotions in the form of dance and upbeat music.

4. yes that makes sense and all but I think that 1 will agree since we are not a part of this movement and as outsiders looking in, it seems that there is a lot of drugs and alcohol that go into the side show. Mix that with crowded streets and driving cars and people are bound to get hurt, I have even seen a video of someone getting hit by a car doing donuts in the middle of an intersection. This cannot be a safe thing to do where people are dying and getting hurt.

2. no one has ever died during a side show the only time that people have died was fleeing a sideshow after the cops attempted to break it up with force someone was driving to fast and crash, other than that the amount of people that get hurt is few. People still come out to have a good time. I think now, since this has become such a big thing in the west coast that we should get a venue that we can have sideshows at whenever we wanted, this way we would not have to break the laws to have a good time even though we aren’t doing anything wrong because we are just trying to blow off some steam

1. having your own venue would be a ridiculous concept it makes no sense to provide a place for the hyphy movement to go crazy, this would mos tikely cause more accidents because without the police to break them up they would go for much longer than they should in the first place and more injuries will occur and overall would not be a smart move on the cities part.

4. I would have to agree that it would not make sense to give you the venue to perform these ludacriss actions at, but I do think that with time the hyphy movement will progress into something similar to rock and roll and just be accepted into society, but never get as popular as you may think.**