So why are hip-hop lovers the minority here? I don't want to place Amherst students in the hated "box," but it's pretty damn obvious that hip-hop isn't a favorite because it's not needed. Amherst's notoriously rich, preppy environment is the exact opposite of the environment in which the hip-hop culture developed. Hip-hop and all that it encompasses-from rap to break dancing to graffiti to DJing-caught on because it offered young urbanites a chance to freely express themselves.
The hip-hop culture is a political one that offers an outlet of reflection on the political, social and economics of the time. And although it's primarily associated with black communities thus far, other groups have been quick to take up the subculture-not just other minorities like Hispanic Americans and Asian Americans, but also white Americans (look at Eminem for an obvious example).
But to take Amherst out of the box that I unfairly placed it in earlier, we're not all indie rock listeners here, as shown by this past weekend's hip-hop performances organized by the Chicana/o Caucus and the Asian Students Association (ASA). Take a look:
Urban Mechanix
Started by Joel Estrada '00, Chicana/o Caucus' break dancing showcase Urban Mechanix is in its fourth year. The show has sold out every year that it has been organized.
Chicana/o Caucus organized Urban Mechanix with the purpose of bringing "a taste of urban culture to Amherst College," according to Chicana/o Caucus event coordinator Angelica Corral '05. The first year of its existence was organized in conjunction with the East Coast Chicano Student Forum Conference, which Amherst hosted in 1997. That year, Chicana/o Caucus drew from the talent of local break dancers (B-Boys, as they're known in the hip-hop world), but the show has expanded to featuring professional B-Boys from both coasts.
The historical roots of B-Boying are firmly implanted in the social conditions of our time. B-Boying originated from capoiera angola, a style of dance developed by black slaves to hone their fighting techniques under the guise of leisure-time dancing. "Just as break dancing sprung from Brazilian slaves' attempt to resist their captivity, break dance in the United States became a symbol of an urban culture of resistance-one aspect of hip-hop culture.," explained Corral. "Today, the phenomenon of hip-hop in mainstream media has further politicized break dancing."
Corral also explained the continuing popularity of Urban Mechanix: "I think we're all aware that few events at this college unite a large, diverse crowd of Amherst students. If you looked around the frontroom on Friday night, you would've seen Amherst students and town residents of all different racial and economic backgrounds. We are all united by the hip-hop we love."
Microphone Bandits
ASA sponsored a show, dubbed Microphone Bandits, on the night after Urban Mechanix. It featured a wider sample of hip-hop, including DJ Kuttin' Kandi, rappers Kontrast, R&B artist Sumeet Bharati and graffiti artist Siddhartha Joag. Proceeds from the night went towards the Free David Wong Committee, a group of activists who joined together to work to free a man whom they claim was wrongfully imprisoned. "The artists came together for a cause: supporting someone from the Asian-American community who is in trouble. That gave the whole night a purpose," explained ASA Co-Chair Marika Hashimoto '06.
Although the idea of Asian American hip-hop artists might appear to be a novel one, Asian American performers began emerging in the music scene as early as the late 1980s, especially at college and community events. Nearly every one of these early groups were politically charged and turned to hip-hop as a means of bringing their agendas to the attention of a younger generation. "[Hip-hop is] a medium that reaches people," said Hashimoto.
As to the presence of Asian Americans in hip-hop, Hashimoto said: "[Hip-hop artists] believe that there are no restrictions as to who's allowed to access that scene and that it should be open to everybody. ... Hip-hop really gives you a voice and Asian Americans especially need to speak out using that voice. Hip-hop is a very effective method. ... There's a lot of talent in the Asian American community; we just need to reach out and support it."