MetaChat - I told you didn't I tell you

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13 July 2012

I told you didn't I tell you A while ago I made a thread about how hip hop has being inundated by (or growing a) 'hipster' class but that it's hard to articulate something like that on a specific basis if I wanted to write an article about it→[More:]

I specifically called out Pitchfork but there's a couple other contexts I had in mind; specifically Tumblr and other NYC linked media.

Well I sign into Tumblr the other day and what do I see:

Official Tumblr Pitchfork Music Festival After Party and Meetup at Bottom Lounge

what is this? hmm? if my hunch is not true why are Tumblr and Pitchfork hooking up to do a party? They have some sort of commonality in their approach or demographic

So another new rapper called Azelia Banks is also coming up these days. And the second I laid my eyes on news/music by her I understood that she's coming up with that alt/hipster crowd and not from the regular hip hop crowd. She even got into the New York Times in an article talking about her fashion sense and bisexuality etc. And I'm on Pinterest, cause I'm on Pinterest now, and I see this high end fashion site pin... a picture of Azelia Banks.

Now explain to me how this happened. They aren't pinning Kendrick Lamar. They aren't pinning other new rappers. This boutique fashion site is pinning Azelia Banks.

I am telling you there is a major hipster hip hop wing growing out there and crossing over early to all these alt audiences before taking root in regular rap circles. I need to write an article about it someday.

post by: Firas at: 13:38 | 11 comments

Hmm. I'd never heard of Banks so I looked up some videos on YouTube. She can spit, for sure. I personally don't much care for house music as production behind hip-hop, but to each their own.

That said, couldn't "there is a major hipster hip hop wing growing out there and crossing over early to all these alt audiences before taking root in regular rap circles" have been said about The Streets about a decade ago?

posted by ufez 13 July | 15:25

of course. The Streets are definitely outside the regular rap universe. I remember Malcolm Gladwell talking about 'em.

But this hipster machine is big now. Remember the Odd Future hype an year ago? It was extreme, and it was promulgated by this whole pitchfork/tumblr crowd

posted by Firas 13 July | 15:53

Remember the Odd Future hype an year ago?

Honestly, no. I mean, they hit my radar and I did hear some stuff about them, but I'm kind of outside of the hype circles nowadays, demographically and lifestyle-wise.

I was pretty damn surprised to hear a review of the new Killer Mike album on NPR's Morning Edition a few weeks back, though.

posted by ufez 13 July | 16:51

Firas: dude, you're getting older. It's okay, we all do it, but you have to make your own peace with it.

posted by BoringPostcards 13 July | 22:04

coming up with that alt/hipster crowd and not from the regular hip hop crowd.

I'm not sure I perceive a difference or have ever perceived a difference.

Pitchfork and Tumblr = big moneymaking media/content sharing sites. Partnering makes sense to me.

If you were thinking there was some sort of purity involved here somewhere, I'm not sure that was ever true.

What BP said...

posted by Miko 13 July | 22:13

it's not about purity, it's about cultural demographics and the aesthetics that appeal to different demographics. That's a normal thing. Artists and media etc don't exist in a basic universal state. They exist in a social environment. This is why US Weekly has a different demographic from the Washington Post, or the White Stripes had a different fan base from 50 Cent

I mean, what I'm talking about is not a mystery .. in fact I just googled "hipster hop" and here's a wikipedia article on it

link. In fact they name the specific artists I was thinking of too.

Like I said, there's a reason Azelia Banks is having attention paid to her by The NYT, pitchfork, a luxury retail fashion site and other hip hop artists aren't. She's in a certain aesthetic and cultural branch of the genre that crosses over to to this indie / alt aesthetic.

posted by Firas 14 July | 05:10

I believe 5 is the magic number.

I'm not a hipster fan, but people should be allowed to make and listen to the music they like. I feel really uncomfortable telling listeners and creators that they're doing it wrong.

posted by seanyboy 14 July | 09:03

That last comment edited. Because I'm an idiot.

posted by seanyboy 14 July | 09:07

Rage against the dying of the light Firas!

posted by jouke 14 July | 09:22

Sure, observe the fine distinctions - commercial pop is commercial pop, though, and these are the things it does. People aren't really all that complicated. Artists keep moving. Money follows them, sometimes.

posted by Miko 14 July | 09:25

It ain't about your age, Firas. You're right.

Chuck be fuckin' it up.

posted by Hugh Janus 14 July | 11:26

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