GWSS Blog Post #4

Accessibility and maintaining a connection to our roots and history are especially important during this time and age. When recognizing our intersectionalities and heritage we see how we have developed as an individual in society. In the music industry, it often is very difficult to realize how much culture has an influence on multiple types of genres. Within "Commercial Stars and Artivistas" of American Sabor: Latinos and Latinas in US Popular Music”, they constantly express the importance of the participation in various genres. Success in the music industry is often very difficult to obtain. Celebrities like Jenifer Lopez or even Shakira have had a rise to fame. However, as expressed by the chapter fame comes with various costs. These Latin artists have a very large fan base, however, “They rarely play in their fan’s home communities, nor do they spend time with their fans off stage. They are faces of the corporate culture that values spectacle over participation.” (Marisol Berros-Miranda) That being said it is very important to understand the deep meaning behind the music industry. There are those that are activists within their art and go against the norm of the music industry. These are expressed as “artivistas”. Finding ways to support local artists that are bringing culture to life and are continually using music as a method of recognition. Additionally, there is a lack of accessibility for those that want to share their art with the world. Often marginalized communities are never given the credit they deserve, and nor do they have the resources or privilege that many other individuals have. Especially in this time, we need to change this so that culture is shared rather than stolen for others' gain. It is about learning from each other’s histories and growing from them.

Two songs: "Redemption Song" Bob Marley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KkWamnD3sE
                   "The Power of Equality" Red Hot Chili Peppers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT6UCvR7kgU

GWSS Blog Post #4

Maricruz Maldonado


Popular music most of the time has little to no activism involved in it. Some songs look like they could have had potential to change society such as "God is a Woman" by Ariana Grande. There is of course artist that have had expressed their opinions and advocate for change. The issue is that there is not enough of them. The fact that Beyonce made her album Lemonade and started to give a voice to the Black community and especially Black woman is powerful. The public had opinions and some were not happy that her songs were not meant for them. This comes from a White privilege that has been mentioned in past discussions. There has been history were White artist like Elvis Presley stole from Black artist like Big Mama Thornton. Talented Black Women like her have been ripped off and left to be forgotten because racist people only like White artists. They will not be forgotten because of classes like this one that are in a way like an altar. This is because they educate us to not forget how popular music was created by people of color. In Quetzal Imaginaries Quetzal Flores' "was raised with a family of social activist he saw music as a means to work for social justice as well as a form of creative expression"(8). In other words, he is using his music to raise social justice which is something Artist today should be doing. What they fail to reinforce is that music holds so much power. In American Sabor it talks about how "Quetzal and other Chicano rock bands at the turn of the century expands on the earlier musical fusions of Los Lobos  and foregrounds the ideals of community building, border crossing, and social justice"(31). It goes on further to say "Quetzal, Ozomatli, and other bands have opened up a space for the next generation of Chicano music that responds to the social experiences of Mexican Americans"(31). These bands were able through their music to tell a story and pave pathway for future artist to talk about social justice.

Some artist that I recommend listening to that have activism in their songs are Calibre 50- El inmigrante https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9zLchnWQcs and Logic- One Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIZhyifo6Q4  Calibre 50's song El Inmigrante is in Spanish but essentially what this song does is call out society for saying they hate Donald Trump yet they made him president. Through the story of an immigrant he spreads the message that we are not criminals but hard workers who all we ask for is equality, respect, and tolerance. This is the type of music our society needs because it tells a story and advocates for social justice. In Logic's song One Day the video is what makes his song part of activism because we know how immigrant children have been locked in cages when they are separated by ICE. Little do we know is that then they are trafficked and sold to other families. Logic is trying to expose ICE by using his platform and the way he does it is in a smart way. Some people don't want to hear the truth and when he drops a song the music video comes as a surprise. The children must be released and the separation of children from their families must be stopped. Overall, these are the types of artist that have my respect and will continue to change the world as they educate the public on social injustice.

Critical Karaoke

Name: Allison Bennett

NOTE: My recorded performance has been uploaded to Canvas.

AFRAM 337 Critical Karaoke Script: Pearl Jam’s “Better Man”

The first time that I heard this slow opening was two summers ago, when I was delving into what would become my all-time favorite music genre: Seattle grunge. While the relentless drumming and aggressive power-chords of Pearl Jam’s Ten is what initially captivated me the most, I quickly fell in love with the band’s more laid-back songs, too. Something to know about me is that when get into a band, I get INTO a band. I mean, I pore over the lyrics of every song, trying to figure out what they could possibly mean, and of course I study the band’s history as if I were preparing to take a test. So why THIS song?


Well, two summers ago, becoming obsessed with an iconic ‘90s scene wasn’t the only thing going on in my life. I had just escaped an abusive relationship that I had been in for over two years. I was at the start of a long process of recovery, and I felt completely alone. Though it sounds dramatic, this song helped me realize that I had it all wrong; my painful experiences weren’t unique to me.

She [lied] and [said] she’s in love with him”. I did the same. The song tells the story of a woman, who, like me, had found herself trapped in a toxic relationship. “She dreams in red”; she yearns for healthy, stable and true love, but she doesn’t find it where she is, and fears she never will.

The accuracy and precision of these lyrics were strangely comforting to me, as a constant reminder that others have been there; I was never alone. The song deeply resonated with me, perfectly putting words to the feelings and situation that I had been in. 


 “There’s no one else who needs to know”. Just like this woman, I never told anyone about the what I had endured daily, the gaslighting, the hot-and-cold, the anger outbursts. I, too, struggled to remember the good memories at the beginning of my relationship; were they real? What about the person who I originally fell in love with; was he just a façade? “Swears she knew him, now she swears he’s gone”… 


I know what you may be thinking: this song is written by a group of heterosexual white men; how could they possibly be able to describe my experiences as a woman? And that’s where some history comes in. While none of the band members have the capacity to fully understand what it is like to be in our shoes, that is not to say that Vedder, in particular, did not do all that he could to paint a picture that would do us justice. 


In 1992, Vedder unapologetically scrawled “PRO-CHOICE” across his arm at an MTV Unplugged performance that would infamously go down in dominant rock history as a defiant challenge to the patriarchal grounds upon which dominant rock culture stood. The band also contributed songs to the Home Alive: the Art of Self Defense compilation, taking a stand against violence against women and sexual assault. Importantly, when “Better Man” was written, the riot grrrl movement was in full swing. However, riot grrrl artists often chose to avoid the mainstream, preferring to preserve their authenticity over spreading their feminist messages to a larger audience. 


By contrast, Pearl Jam was at the center of alternative rock, and rose to mainstream fame. Though none of the band members could speak FOR riot grrrls, they did try to speak WITH them through this song, by attempting to help bring women’s shared experiences of the abusive relationship to the forefront of society’s attention. Reflecting the male-centered orientation of rock, Pearl Jam’s audience has been primarily composed of men, many of whom were (and are) rockists who pitted masculinized rock against femininized pop, worshipping the former and lambasting the latter. Just as Pearl Jam was not afraid to offend and likely lose the loyalties of some of the rockist men in their audience in 1992, in “Better Man,” they once again chose to separate themselves from that same segment of their audience. Through this song, Pearl Jam leverages its centered positionality in an attempt to force a conversation about issues affecting women before a rockist audience who would not consider these issues otherwise, as rockism is marked by the erasure of femme perspectives. By using their privilege, Pearl Jam successfully shed light on a woman’s perspective, literally using their voices to draw attention to an oppressive experience shared by many women, including myself. For that, I’m forever grateful.



Song Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27ztFtLKvuQ

Ofrenda Reflection

Raia X
GWSS 241

I don't think I have ever attended an event like this. This is a beautiful community and side to Seattle I have personally never before seen.

My favorite quote was that it's "not about sadness of dying, but joy of living." Fall quarter, I experienced loss for the first time. I have learned so much about the varying healing processes people go through when learning a loved one. Hearing Ofelia Esparza and Rosanna talk about their process of putting themselves into family's hearts in an interactive, intricate, sacred space of honoring, made me appreciate this tradition even more.

It is really interesting to me how the process of losing a loved one especially is mirrored by one's cultural upbringing. Each altar has a message and story to it, many of which I may have completely missed as an ignorant, innocent scroller through the offerings. I think the reclaiming of this tradition is so important because it can really shape one's healing process. I know for a fact that I now have a much deeper appreciation for this art.

GWSS Blog Post #4

GWSS 241 Blog Post #4

Adubbs

Following our Ofrendas for the Future event over the weekend, combined with this week’s materials, and our discussion around the Black Lives Matter movement I personally found this week to be very emotional. I have always viewed music as an intersectional and inclusive space where humans can come together to enjoy a universal language because as an avid music-lover and concertgoer this is what I have experienced. However, as this class and this week’s materials have highlighted, the commercialization of music helped cultivate a culture-for-profit which contributes to the systemic and institutionalized erasure and discrediting of people of color, despite their meaningful contributions.

As we read in chapter four of American Sabor, “early hip hop musicians were reacting to the physically barren landscape of what they referred to as “the ghetto” – an urban neighborhood where low-income people are concentrated and neglected”. Hip hop was born from the creative responses of these marginalized communities to create space for Black and Brown youth to express themselves through the art that is known today as emceeing, breakdancing, deejaying, and graffiti. And as we learned through our readings, “Latin@s were deeply involved in both scenes despite being invisible in media” (MHP). Mainstream media was and always has been problematic in this way. Since reporters can take whatever images and words that will help write the most compelling stories, critical parts may be left out or altered in a way that misrepresents what is actually happening. We are still seeing this today with the recent Black Lives Matter protests across the Unites States and other parts of globe.  

For my DJ selections I wanted to share J. Cole’s “Be Free”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9IsM0RX7cc

Jorja Smith’s “Blue Lights”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8YwnQMQuJI

I chose these two songs specifically because they directly address the war on our Black community by the police force. In J. Cole’s song we see painful imagery of Black and Brown folx being attacked and beaten by police. In the song we hear audio from Michael Brown’s friend who witnessed his brutal and unjust murder. In Jorja Smith’s song she sings about wishing she could turn police car lights into strobe lights or fairy lights, so as to signal something other than fear. The song shares a message about how young Black boys shouldn’t have a guilty conscience but that they do because the police are always after them, despite having done nothing wrong. However, to connect this to my points above, media often paints people of color as “thugs”, thereby justifying the deadly actions of the police. But songs like these expose the truth about what’s happening in our communities.

Last but not least, I would like to conclude my post by paying my respects to all of the Black lives that have been robbed, especially the recent lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Tony McDade.

Emma Hurring 6/3 GWSS 241, blog post #4

W, 6/3 GWSS 241, blog post #4 - Emma Hurring 

In her article Self-Reflective Moments in Zapateado, Martha Gonzalez states how she, "was a singer through imitation", but later, "found that [she] had many things to say with words". I was simultaneously inspired by this and saddened. I thought it was disheartening that an individual took so much time in realizing that she could have her own voice, and had spent so many years just going off others. In my opinion, music is deeply personal and often reflective, and I'm disappointed for her that she wasn't able to partake in this. However, I do think that it's really inspiring that she eventually found music that she could create that she was really passionate about. In Quetzal Imaginaries, Martha Gonzalez comment on how how song writing is "story-telling", expanding on this she states how song writing can embody, "a person’s life-views, triumphs, and struggles". This opinion is furthered by Flores, who understood what it meant to use your profession and creativity as a means of fighting for "social justice". Flores further connects with Martha Gonzalez on the concept of being able to perform as yourself, or expressing what you really want to through your own music. For example, he states that "self-representation" was a struggle, suggesting he really found it hard to talk about and convey his thoughts, opinions and sense of self through his music. 


DJ Selections for the week: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW9rITLjKz8 
My first DJ selection is the Nicki Minaj song, I am your leader. I chose this song because it is very self-reflective of Minaj's own life, feelings and experiences within the music industry. I thought this really related to my paragraph above, as it shows how over time artists can really create music that talk about their life and the things that are important to them. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi7Yh16dA0w 
My second DJ selection is Sara Bareilles - Love Song. I chose this song because it really speaks to me about using music to talk about the things that you want your music to be about. Sara was encouraged by her producers to write a love song, as they believed it would help to make her records sell more effectively. She chose not to do so, and wrote the ironic "Love Song". This was her moment where she was able to perform as herself, and write about the things that really mattered to her and make her music really reflective of her own experiences within the music industry. 

GWSS Blog Post #4

Hello,

I hope everyone is doing well during this time and taking the steps to stay healthy, safe and educated!

As quoted in the chapter "Commercial Stars and Artivistas" of American Sabor: Latinos and Latinas in US Popular Music, "The popularity of Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, and others represented an unprecedented level of commercial success for Latinos. This success came at a price, though, because stars like these are virtually inaccessible to their fans. They rarely play in their fans' home communities, nor do they spend time with their fans offstage. They are the faces of a corporate culture that values spectate over participation." This same reality can be said for many other artists of color. These communities are exploited for the purpose of money and entertainment. They are controlled by their management companies, most often white I would argue, and are silenced from speaking out against issues and straying from the norm of the music canon. This prevents them from being able to perform in their home communities, address issues of injustice within the industry, and participate within the art of their ancestral history. This reminds me of the sports industrial complex I learned about in my Gender and Sports class and the exploitation of black athletes in low income neighborhoods. They are taken away from their communities and used for revenue and entertainment, completely under the power of the big shot institutions paying them and making them sign contracts. This just shows you how deeply rooted systemic issues of power and race are within our society and how powerful it is to have to activist processes in place and people doing work to dismantle these systems. Our culture needs to change and the lives of the marginalized must be prioritized. 

DJ Selections

"Where Is The Love" by the Black Eyed Peas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpYeekQkAdc

"God Bless Amerika" by Lil Wayne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Nb4EHY_2bI&list=PLAZEcPgunTPKtixp6y5t1IA15JoDeRJwv&index=21

Both of these songs mean so much considering the time we're in. There is a need for change within our societal system, specifically regarding the treatment of black people. Lil Wayne alludes to the disproportionate amount of police violence experienced by black individuals and expresses his fear for his life on the daily. This is unfair and can go on no longer. As the Black Eyed Peas proclaim, "where is the love?" Everyone deserves human rights but how can we focus on this before black lives are centered. We as a society need to recognize our privilege and how our experiences may be different for others. Maybe then there can be more empathy!