This post is one of those, “I did it first, and realer than anyone else,” authenticity claims where I make ridiculous boasts about how, “I created something, because I heard about it recently on the Internet completely removed from the local synthesis of the phenomenon and said that I am the original source of said idea, just because I made a simple connection, by chance, some time ago, and don’t understand the connections, whether creative or cultural, that others made in coming to similar conclusions as me.”
This is partly a response to a recent post I came across on another blog…
from www.discobelle.net posted with vodpod
…
…and partly is just an excuse to post something from my 1st mixed tape, which I’ve always wanted to turn into an mp3.
Some of the rules to make an authenticity argument:
I have to preface this claim with a date of creation to prove that I was smarter than everyone else and foresaw the creation of the idea, and even go so far to infer that anyone else who got the idea is stealing mine! I did it in 1997. I was 16, an impressively young age.
Then I have to make excuses for technical perfection because of my lack of funds and technology. Hey, in 97′, I didn’t even have email yet! I used a CD Walkman and a Gemini Sampler to create my genius invention. Note the poor sound quality proof that I recorded it on a dubbed over tape Suzuki method cello tape on an 1980’s alarm clock radio.
Oh… and I did it better. (Even if it’s off beat!)
So anyway, here it is… My invention… Trancehall:
Okay, Not exactly.
I understand Trancehall, and Trance-Rap are just signifiers to say what the genres of dancehall and rap sound like now-a-days. It probably has more to do with the, technological revolution that we are in the midst of. Information, faster, virtual worlds, social networking, the proliferation of digital music softwares that have built in sounds catered to trance dj’s as well as hip hop, reggae, soca, house, electro, whatever, whatever, whatever…
I’ve been thinking a lot about authenticity lately inspired by conversations at Wayne and Wax, and that post on Discobelle.
First, as far as Zulu house, I don’t know if these guys are aware of it, but actual ethnic Zulus have popularized house in their native land years ago and called it Kwaito. Haven’t these guys ever heard of DJ Cleo?
Second, in the conversation at Wayne and Wax, Birdseed, habitual commenter at the site made the claim that we’re on some kind of virtual slum tour when we even listen to musics created by people poorer than us and far removed from us. While my own ideas of identity didn’t allow me to fully buy his claims, and such strong counterexamples such as David Rodigan and MC Gringo exist, there are definite instances where this reigns true, especially in todays hyper technologized Internet music market. And after all is said and done when we are walking around in the world the same systems that keep us in our place are still in power, and are still keeping us in our place, and limiting us from expressing ourselves as freely as we may be able to in the virtual matrix.
(I’ve been struggling with this lately personally as I feel that in a lot of ways, in America, law that is based in one dominant culture’s set of religious principles, and morality, has become dogmatic truth for many people who only live their lives based on the fear of legal retribution or consequences, and who may actually have no stake in the idea of morality that is pushed by that of the original culture’s.)
I still feel that authenticity claims can only go so far, whether made by people who claim that they are authentic, or by people who claim that someone or something else is more pure or authentic because of its circumstances. I am of mixed heritage, so I understand a lot of times that synthesis is just a condition of circumstance, and never a pure, uninfluenced, authentic phenomenon. We all connected, seen? (Pong)
Anyway here’s the rest of my first mix tape, enjoy!
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