Hip Hop
Cultural Research > Hip Hop Intro > Hip Hop Essay
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Introduction The Look: Unique and unprecedented juxtaposition of casual sportswear and sartorial status symbols – chunky gold jewellery, expensive brands. Sub-subcultural specialisations include the Militant urban commando look and the Afrocentric look which gave prominence to traditional African batik fabrics and leather medallions in the red, gold and green of the Ethiopian flag. The Time: Starts mid-‘70s, develops throughout ‘80s and then, always evolving, carries on into the 21st century. The Place: The Bronx, New York City – today present virtually everywhere in the world. Influenced: Extraordinary and lasting impact on mainstream and even high fashion. |
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Essay Excerpt
In the mid ‘70s you might catch the Ramones performing one of their fast and furious early gigs down at CBGB’s Club on Bowery at Bleeker Street in Manhattan. At precisely the same moment in time, possibly even on the same night, if you’d travelled about ten miles to the north up to the Bronx you might have caught the ‘godfather’ of Hip Hop DJ Kool Herc doing his thing at a ‘block party’ or at the Hevalo, a teen nightclub at 180th Street and Jerome Avenue. |