Gucci? Louis!

Of course Gucci and Louis are two of the biggest brands of luxury clothing in the world, and until fifteen or twenty years ago, they were almost exclusively the possessions of the upper class and rich. The commercialization of a little known art form that started in the 1980's would change these high end brands from a signature of wealth and class to a popular brand worn by teenagers in the inner city. That little known art form is now a billion dollar global enterprise.


Originally, hip hop was not based on material consumption, it was actually created from a lack of material consumption. The New York City School System had eradicated music education in the public school curriculum, and the youth who created hip hop were musicians looking for a form and a source for their creativity. The same young people who would have been in orchestra, or marching band were using their innate musical abilities to fill a void in their education.

Which leads me back to my original Wow.
Enter 2010.
We are now seeing a complete re figuration of the traditional MC. Not as a Hispanic or African American female. These new MC's are from the West Coast, and they go by the name:
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From their twitter page |
Young people, in spite of their attitudes, can be very perceptive about the world, and how they fit into it. They often make remarks that are profound, even if they are uninformed and a bit immature in their delivery. These things do not drop out of the sky from another planet, this group has been years in the making, and is the result of Hip Hop culture crossing borders, and our society becoming "closer" because we can "communicate" on a faster, though more superficial level.
I am not sure what is being expressed here, and whether or not The White Girl Mob will be able to fully own their definition of themselves, in a world that leans towards women expressing themselves in less threatening ways. As a feminist, who believes in racial and gender equality for all beings on this planet, I certainly hope they can define themselves according to their own definition. However, I wonder if this is in retaliation to their environment, and to society's attitudes towards what is expected of "White Women".
Ultimately, original hip hop was a tough message of love for self, community, and family. Through the years it has transformed into something that is sometimes ugly, and unrecognizable. White Girl Mob is not the first hip hop group to use provocative language to achieve fame and success. NWA when it first debuted on the air waves, was hugely divisive and offensive to African American and Hip hop community.
I like to believe that hip hop has survived and continues to this day, because of the message at its core: Love for self, family, and community. Although the messengers do not always get this, Hip Hop as an art form is large enough to welcome people from all different walks of life. I hope that the White Girl Mob, (like the members of NWA, who encountered all sorts of "trouble" from their new fame mixed with their old life), can transform themselves through the Hip Hop medium. After all, Hip Hop is art, and it is transformative.

Videos
Gucci Gucci by Kreayshawn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WJFjXtHcy4
We Swobbin by White Girl Mob http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv_fLORekXs&NR=1
Articles
http://bossip.com/427262/white-girl-mob-hip-hops-favorite-white-girls/
http://www.vibe.com/posts/white-girl-mob-kreayshawn-affiliate-v-nasty-defends-her-use-n-word
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