blog post 7. la stereo and rhythm science

briefly summarize the overall argument(s) of the deBourgoing piece...

Hip Hop Goes Transmedia is a piece on the current (well, almost a year old) climate of hip hop as it exists in LA. There are 7 main points pushed in the piece talking about the many aspects of hip hop. The overarching theme of the piece seems to revolve around how people in the rap game are embracing two things specifically, technology and culture. People who have fallen in love with hip hop, rap, djing, emceeing, what have you are embracing a new identity in LA and are utilizing new technology to achieve their goals. deBourgoing seems to be arguing the authenticity and strength of the genre after it has been hailed as dead by some of the biggest names in the game. deBourgoing also ties in a sense of the past cultures that inspired hip hop into the rising scene that exists today, and how people are looking for ways to be different while still "sampling" past ideas and methods.

briefly describe any connections you see between her argument(s) and the things we discussed in the first half of the course...

I guess the best connection here is the importance of collaboration and utilizing crowds in manners that they normally arent. Take the first point on the importance of having a presence online to help bolster your image in real life. Finding someone online helps them grow an audience in real life and seeing someone live is a great excuse to find their persona online.

the Miller book is a bit tough to read, but do your best to summarize his key argument(s)...

I actually really enjoy reading Miller, the way he writes makes me focus on the beats and rhythm of his prose... yet I am kind of at a loss for what he was talking about. It will take a while to sink in but as of right now I see his main points as:

Identity is important to understand, and it is important to realize how much of a mess our identities are. "multiplex consciousness" seems to mean the stacked tiers of different identities we walk around with and how much of a struggle it is for any specific one to take shape.

Originality and sampling are in a struggle between each other and have been for as long as we have been able to think. Our perceptions of reality and originality are based heavily on things that are wholly unoriginal. I dont even know if that makes sense but that's how I see it.

make any connections you can between deBourgoing, Miller, and any of the topics we've discussed in class so far...

I think one theme that is popping up a lot here is the concept of utilizing the old to make something new, be that a new way of categorizing, a new way of using crowds and fans, or just a new beat.