SPRING 2000 VOL.6 Trends ® Urban MOTIVATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT A quarterly newsletter published by Saluting The Hip-Hop Nation “Rap is something you do, hip-hop is something you live and I live it. It’s like a tribe of people who relate to one another. We bop our heads the same way, to the same beats. We wear a certain kind of clothing and we go to the same kind of places. Hip-Hop is music, Hip-Hop is graffiti, Hip-Hop is dancing, Hip-Hop is MC-ing, Hip-Hop is spoken word. It’s what Be-bop was to Thelonious Monk.” Erykah Badu, Electronic Urban Report We couldn’t have said it better our- With all of this mainstream accep- tion. By asserting their individuality selves. Hip-hop music, fashion and tance (and even co-option) it's and their survival in spite of the odds, attitudes have gone mainstream. Need become imperative for suppliers and they have earned at least that form of proof? You can actually register now for retailers to learn about and reach out respect from other, more mainstream college courses on hip-hop, and you to "hip-hoppers." Main Street and Wall sub-cultures in American society. can mail your letters with a hip-hop Street may not want to emulate them stamp from the US Postal Service. by walking a mile in their shoes, but Ruling the airwaves they sure would like to sell them the Hip-hop music is no longer relegated to Generation Y, also known in the main- footwear to make the trek, and with late night radio as it was in its infancy. stream as the "Millennial Generation," good reason. This population will rep- Urban-formatted radio stations are the Echo Boomers, or Generation Net, resent the bulk of the market for many leaders in many markets across the were born in the 1980’s and beyond. products and services. While the country and rap/hip-hop music sales At 60 million strong, they are the sales potential is enormous, this cus- continue to increase exponentially. In biggest group since the Baby tomer base is not as easy to target as fact, it was hip-hop music that saved Boomers, and may turn out to be the the Baby Boomer or the Gen X con- many of the record companies from largest teen population in U.S. history. sumer. Determining the shopping going under in the 1990’s. When While most adults are still trying to fig- habits of hip-hop customers takes Lauryn Hill won five Grammys in 1998 ure out exactly what it is they "stand authentic,culturally-sensitive research. and appeared on countless magazine for," it’s inevitable that young hip-hop- covers, Middle America began to sit up pers will, just like the baby boomers A Shift in Values and take notice. What was once under- and the Generation X-ers before them, In doing such research, MEE has ground is now situated next to Garth make a big impact on our society. found a different set of values among Brooks at the local music retailer. Now young people who face constant dis- you’re as likely to hear DMX thumping Important to the cultural and econom- crimination, poverty, oppression and from car speakers at a suburban mall ic trends of this country, many of this other unhealthy influences. They per- as you are in the heart of the inner city. "new generation," regardless of race, ceive that there is no real future worth According to Soundscan, three-quar- embrace the hip-hop phenomenon, waiting for, so instead they "live for the ters of all rap music is sold to White continuing its emergence as a critical moment." They build their own net- consumers, most of who reside market for mainstream success. Even works of peers who they can depend nowhere near the inner city. the youngest members of the hip-hop on, doubting that government or big nation are media-wise, sophisticated business will ever be there to take and influential trendsetters. They are Setting the Fashion Pace care of them. They will look to have Members of the hip-hop nation are discriminating and active consumers more fun and excitement in their lives, at even earlier ages than previous more likely to seek ways to assert either to escape from reality or to grab their individual identity than other cus- generations, spending billions of dol- all they can "while there is still time." In lars of their own money each year on tomers. They perceive themselves as spite of their bleak reality, a sense of setting the trends, not following them. videos/movies, music, clothing and resiliency and hope undergirds the food. On top of that, they influence Because they feel that mainstream hip-hop nation. If imitation is indeed society has rejected them, by not cre- household spending and buying deci- the sincerest form of flattery, hip-hop- sions at an even larger rate. ating a place at "America’s table," pers should feel awash with adula- they feel absolutely no allegiance to ...Continued on page 2 Hip-hop Nation (continued) following traditional values, attitudes ing conformity to one "look" is a no- FromTheEditor and styles. Why should they feel pres- win strategy. What’s valued is being sured to gain acceptance or fit in with unique. Young people today exhibit Welcome to this first issue of UrbanTrends of the new people who have, literally and figura- their personality and style through millennium, and my first as its Editor! tively, turned their backs on them? individual choices, whether it’s through hairstyles, tattooing or After more than six years of writing, editing and con- Fashion and music go hand in hand footwear. "The pitch to these con- sulting behind the scenes, I’ve joined MEE Productions within the hip-hop nation. When young sumers should not be about how they as its new Director of Communications. As this new people see their favorite hip-hop can impress society, but about how regime gets underway, look for a few changes in artists modeling the latest fashions in they can use what they have to UrbanTrends over the coming issues. Specifically, I magazines like The Source or Vibe, it express themselves," said Juzang. envision UT reflecting the dynamism, diversity and innova- won’t be long before they are seeking tion of the urban populations it covers. That style will be it out at their neighborhood boutique. Once you win them over, hip-hoppers reflected in our content, our graphics and our message, Urban youth don’t care about what’s tend to be brand loyal. Understanding while we retain our professionalism and standards. being paraded on the runways of how to do that is the hard part. These Paris or Milan. What matters to them is are customers who know what they Some things, however, won’t change. UT will contin- what Missy Elliott or DMX or Dru Hill is want before they head out shopping. ue to inform our readers about the latest trends in the wearing. The marketer who wants to They’ve seen it in a magazine, in ever-changing world of urban life. We remain fully be ahead of the demand will be somebody’s video on television, or on committed to sharing practical information, from an watching BET and other video music one of their peers. That means stores insider’s point of view, about what’s going on in the outlets regularly to see where the must be at least one step ahead of inner city. You should find something new and of fashion trends are headed. the curve. "If you’re only carrying Puff interest to you in every issue of UrbanTrends. If you Daddy’s new Sean John collection, do, we will have succeeded. Selling to the Hip-hop Consumer for example, and suddenly Karl Kani Because of the oral communications makes a big comeback with the For example, in this issue, we take an updated look culture of African Americans, com- Nation," said MEE senior VP Thierry at the hip-hop nation. You won’t find its members bined with the global capacity of the Fortune, "you’re going to be stuck represented as a category in the newest census; nev- Internet, young people everywhere with a lot of unsold goods." ertheless they are a force to be reckoned with. Also, find out about even the most obscure we present our second-annual “Who’s Hot/Who’s trends soon after they emerge and Respecting the Cultural Identity Not” survey of African American youth. Here you look to their peers, not mainstream As hip-hop continues its crossover learn who’s leading the pack in movies, music and media, to determine "what’s hot" (see into the mainstream, moving from the sports. It turned up some old favorites, as well as our chart on p. 5). What we are now inner cities across the Plains, integri- some surprising newcomers. Couple that with new seeing is a global cultural influence ty remains an issue. "Keeping it real" trends in fashion, music, movies and more, and you’ll that can travel around the world near- is essential in any messages target- see that we’ve attempted to present a broad picture ly instantaneously. ed to urban youth. Marketing ads of where urban youth are leading us. based on traditional, Eurocentric "Even though mainstream society positioning, images, and feelings, continuously criticizes them," says simply don't work. We hope you will read UrbanTrends each quarter, MEE President Ivan Juzang, "urban and encourage your colleagues and friends to order youth are still setting the trends for Since the hip-hop nation feels that so their own subscriptions.