For the last few years, Detroit has hosted the Electronic Music Festival during Memorial Day Weekend. And while I was able to make the first two, I didn't make it last year, and I'm not going to be there this year. But listening to the simulcast (registration required but worth it!) a few things struck me.
1. Whenever we talk about black popular culture and its contemporary effects good or ill, we talk about hip-hop. And quiet as its kept, we don't really talk about hip-hop...we talk about MC'ing. This approach neglects the role of house, techno, electro, bass, and garage in underground culture. There's a mode of blackness working within techno and house in particular that's on some other shit to be frank.
2. Yesterday I talked about Detroit and philanthropy. If I would've asked folks to name the city that gave the most, there's no way in HELL anyone (not even me) would've offered up Detroit. Just doesn't fit with our conceptions of the city. Similarly, who would've thought that musics as life-affirming and powerful (did I mention that house music is my religion?) could emanate from such blown-out spots as Detroit on the one hand or Chicago on the other?
3. The Dutch ministry of culture is sponsoring part of the festival. The DUTCH GOVERNMENT!!!!
4. I've talked about how I think we ought to be about "real political change" that is about using the apparatus of government to make life materially better for all of us. Living wages, free post-secondary tuition, you name it and I'll be dat. Thinking about the potential of cultural events and phenomenon to expand our vision of what is politically possible, maybe I need to rethink my strict adherence to this notion.
5. Damn these beats are banging.
Posted by at May 30, 2004 08:21 AM | TrackBack
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