Reppin'and Rice: How AAPI Hip-Hop Fans Negotiate Their Racial Identities in the US Hip-Hop Community
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Reppin’ and Rice: How Asian American and Pacific Islander American Hip-Hop Fans Negotiate Their Racial Identities in the US Hip-Hop Community A thesis submitted to the Graduate School in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Sociology of the College of Arts and Sciences by Keri Eason B.A. Northern Kentucky University M.A. Northern Kentucky University July 2020 Committee Chair: Earl Wright II, Ph.D. Abstract Hip Hop is a global phenomenon. The boundaries of authenticity have shifted and continue to shift allowing more fans from different social backgrounds to join the U.S. multi- racial hip hop fan community. Asian American and Pacific Islander American communities are two of the groups who have become fans and have been conditionally accepted into the US hip hop community. They present an image that is in opposition to the stereotypes of what other hip hop fans learned and believe about AAPI communities. AAPI fans' race and gender acted as barriers to being seen as authentic hip hop fans. This study explores they ways that AAPI negotiated their racial identities in a community that is historically, socially, and politically tied to Black and Puerto Rican communities in the South Bronx during the 1970s. 2 3 Acknowledgements I am forever grateful to my thesis advisor, Dr. Earl Wright II, for his constant encouragement, mentorship, and guidance. I would also like to thank my other thesis committee member Dr. Annulla Linders who gave constant support and feedback throughout the project. I cannot express how grateful I am to my participants and fellow AAPI hip hop fans. It was truly an honor collaborating and working with you. I cannot express how thankful I am that you committed your time and energy into the project. On a personal note, I would like to my mother and brother, Anne Eason and Joshua Eason, for the never-ending support in completing this thesis as well as throughout my academic career. 4 Table of Contents Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………8 Literature Review…………………………………………………………………………..12 Asian American Hip Hop Artists’ Racial Identity Negotiation…………………....12 Asian American Hip Hop Fan Identity Negotiation……………………………….18 Authenticity………………………………………………………………………..22 Hip Hop Authenticity……………………………………………………………...24 Methodology……………………………………………………………………………….30 Findings…………………………………………………………………………………….32 External Responses to Love for Hip Hop………………………………………….33 Connection to Hip Hop……………………………………………………………38 Hip Hop Styles………………………………………………………………………43 Knowledge About Hip Hop………………………………………………………...44 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………….46 References………………………………………………………………………………….51 5 Participant Demographics Table Characteristic Participant Response (n=22) Age 18-21 22-25 7 26-29 2 30-39 10 40+ 3 Gender Expression Man 10 Nonbinary 1 Woman 11 Sexual Orientation Heterosexual 20 Lesbian 1 Queer 1 Ethnicity Chinese 3 Filipina/Filipino 3 Korean 9 Indian 1 Taiwanese 2 Marshallese 1 Multi-racial 3 Geographical Region Midwest 11 Northeast 4 Southeast 3 West 4 Highest Level of Education Completed Some College 5 Associate’s Degree 1 Bachelor’s Degree 14 Master’s Degree 1 Juris Doctorate 1 6 Employment Status Full-time 13 Part-time 3 Self-employed 2 Unemployed 1 Full-time Student 3 Current Income Level (Annual) $0k-$10k 2 $11k-$20k 2 $21k-$30k 2 $31k-$40k 2 $41k-$50k 2 $51-$60k 3 $61k-$70k 1 $71k-$80k 1 $81k-$90k $91k-$100k Over $100k 3 Did not answer 4 Approximate Family Income During Childhood $0k-$10k $11k-$20k $21k-$30k 3 $31k-$40k 1 $41k-$50k 2 $51-$60k 2 $61k-$70k 1 $71k-$80k 2 $81k-$90k $91k-$100k Over $100k 5 Did not answer 6 7 Introduction “Oh, this is my jam!” Nelly’s summer hit Grillz was blaring out of the enormous speakers the housing staff set up outside the giant cafeteria, Norse Commons. It had been a long day of icebreakers and games. We, the 2006 high school graduating class, would have been exhausted if it were not for the anxiety of meeting new people. College was an entirely different ballgame. Making friends in high school seemed so easy. We grew up together and we all were in the same classes. Suddenly, my life was different. I was away from home, my mom and brother, and the comfort and familiarity of high school friends. Facing new academic challenges was one test in my new life, but the idea of developing new friendships and a different support system somehow seemed even greater. It was a time to discover my place in an even bigger pond. I turned to the one thing in my life that had always connected me to people in the past: my love for music. I saw a group of first-year students sitting together on a bench. The group was made up of both Black and white people. This was exciting to me as I had been looking forward to the diversity of college. My high school had been predominantly white and I was one of few students of color. In fact, there were only two Black male students in my graduating high school class. I was nervous to approach the group. There were several men in the group who were much different than the boys I had befriended in high school. My high school guy friends were members of the drama club and into the independent (indie) music scene. At first glance the men seemed to have more mainstream aesthetics and tastes. I did not really hang out with cis- gendered heterosexual boys during high school, especially after coming out as a lesbian during my sophomore year. I was not a man-hating baby lesbian, but I felt more comfortable being 8 around childhood female friends. I was comforted, however, to see a couple of white women sitting on the concrete next to the men. It seemed as if they all knew each other from the jokes going back and forth. I gathered my courage to go and interact with the group. As I approached them I heard Nelly’s song Grillz still was playing loudly in the background. I said, “This makes me miss the Country Grammar days.” A white male student with brown hair, who was wearing a yellow NKU t-shirt with black basketball shorts, looked up at me. The outfit was nothing to write home about, but I noticed that he was wearing a new pair of the black and red Jordan 4 shoes. “What do you know about Nelly?” he asked. Two of his friends (one Black and one white male student) started laughing. “What do you mean? I begged my mom for Air Force 1s,” I said. “An Asian in Air Force 1s!” The Black student chimed in. The way he said the comment made it sound like it was absurd that I would want Air Forces 1s from their favorite rapper. The second blonde white guy said, “You don’t know about rap.” At the time I could not tell why they were not accepting me. Was it because I was Asian? female? or both? It did not matter. I had to think fast. I had to show them that I knew about hip hop artists, music, and culture to prove that I was a legitimate fan. The truth was that I did know many things about rap. Not only did I know the names and albums of different rappers, I could also list some of the major producers in the rap game. I could even list the artists’ other musical collaborations, where they were raised, and their less popular songs that were not on the radio. I responded, “Alright, alright. I like Lupe, Jay-Z, T.I., Clipse, and ….” Before I could name more rappers, however, the white guy in the Js burst out laughing. His friends, including the white women, immediately joined in the laughter. The white hip hop 9 “keeper of knowledge” in the Js said, “Hahaha! Oh, okay… I bet you like them. Everyone likes them.” I did not have the opportunity to talk about other collaborations or wanting to visit the areas where the rappers grew up. Instead, I was completely shut down. As a 17-year-old I felt humiliated. I was upset with myself because I could not think of any comebacks on the spot. My effort to make a group of friends at Orientation had failed for reasons I did not fully understand. I knew that I had been rejected in the rap discussion. Looking back, I should have remained in that space and faced their comments for my own pride. But I walked away feeling dismissed. Although that experience as a 17-year-old first-year student seemed soul crushing to me at the time, it did not deter me from listening to rap/hip hop. As I got older I enjoyed listening to and learning about different subgenres of rap. Depending on my mood I listened to a variety of subgenres. I had dabbled in Gangster, Trap Music, and even some Chopped and Screwed rap. It was not until I found Talib Kweli and Mos Def’s group Blackstar that I fell in love. After Talib and Mos (who later changed his name to Yasiin Bey) I found Common and then went back in time to listen to Tupac, Biggie, and Nas’ first albums. Originally, I liked how these emcees’ flowed and put their words together. They also had unique voices that were pleasant to the ear. I started listening to more of their work and over time began to appreciate and pay more attention to the production of the songs as well as the music. I was always interested in music production even during my basketball playing days in high school. I was envious of the people who had the ear to create beats and music, but I did not pay close enough attention to recognize the specific beats for which producers were known.