Baggy Trousers - Madness
 

Duane,

Thanks for asking about Baggy Pants.

I heard... it started due to Hand-Me-Down clothes. Obviously the big brother's clothes were too big. BUT, for some reason, some kids thoughts those kids in hand-me-downs were Cool and off it goes. (And it's now pushed as cool.)

This makes sense as I've heard from several parents bewildered why their children want to Act and dress like the School Drongos who they think of as Cool for some reason.

And while I am here... Ankesh... there is Nothing Authentic about those Rappers - and Rap Crap started BEFORE the 90s. It started in the 80s.

You cannot tell me 50 cent and M&M are Authentic when they don't even use their real name. It ain't about being Authentic... it's about being Controversial. And if it upsets the kids parents then the kids go for it.

From the Beatles with their Long Hair to the gyrating hips of Elvis... it's all about the Controversy. Just ask Madonna.

Michael Ross

Re: Excellent Post Ankesh! and a question :->
 

Hi Ankesh,

Thanks for Playing :->

THAT was what I heard as well. Specifically "Chuck D" from the old Hip Hop Group Public enemy had come to our city for some kind of symposium.

And I heard he "Schooled" the attendees on what the real deal was with the baggy trouser.

I believe it is fact. Here is what on Historian said.

http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/p...template=apart

"The style originated in prisons and picked up steam with the hip-hop scene, said Southern University History Department professor Raymond Lockett.

"Prisoners are not allowed to have belts and shoe laces. Since they can't have belts, their pants are saggy and our young people are picking up that style.

"A lot of people are making a lot of money with our youngsters with that style of dress," Lockett said."

So I believe it did originate from prisons.

Pretty Interesting.

Here is a review of some of the thoughts from one of Chuck D's university presentations. He shares his thoughts on MORE than just baggy pants.

http://www.expressnews.ualberta.ca/article.cfm?id=5350

Re: Baggy Trousers - Madness
 

Hmm Hand Me Down clothes ? I never heard that one before.

Hmm, In my reply to Ankesh's post above I have a link to Chuck D's presentation at a university. While the article does not discuss his views on baggy pants. The article does state that Chuck D encourages Critical thinking

Thought you might find some of what he says interesting.


D on current rap music and hip hop stars:

"Someone performed a lobotomy on rap music and hip hop...It's debatable whether the soul is still there...More and more you see rappers who don't have words in their vocabularies."

eg. Chuck D on education

"Remember, human beings are the most valuable, most important resource on the planet...If money is your God, then you'll tap dance for governments, for anything. Leave here tonight with your own mind to think for yourself. Don't be a robot."

D on consumerism and how corporations market their goods:

"The feeling is that if you ain't buying something then you ain't nothing. [It's as if] you have to suck up to some corporation to legitimize your existence."

He some interesting views on government I think you'll find...interesting as well.

http://www.expressnews.ualberta.ca/article.cfm?id=5350

Here's the gist of it...
 

Duane,

I believe they Gave it away as a PDF or Doc or Txt file some time back.

I read it. Ain't nuth'n special. Just...

Visit nightclubs and see what Beats gets them up and dancing.

Buy those songs

Take them to a Recording Studio and ask the Music Programer to create something which incorporates those beats.

Hire the people as needed - musicians, reps to get it into the stores, etc.

And try to get Accounts for everything so you Pay for it after you've made the sales instead of as you are going.

The book also had a money back guarantee... they guaranteed to refund the $39 purchase price if you followed their directions and didn't get a number 1 hit. Of course, getting $39 back from them would be the least of your problems as you'd be in the hole to tens of thousands of dollars.

Michael Ross

Re: Here's the gist of it...
 

Hi Duane and Michael,

I think "The Manual" by the KLF is still floating around online as a text file, if you search for it...

As well as incorporating popular beats (as Michael said), I think they had some advice on lyrics too... Use lyrics that will "grab" what the kids are interested in!

People have credited "The Manual" with creating worldwide hit songs for them. One example was the hit song "Tubthumping" by Chumbawumba (#6 on the singles charts in the USA, #2 on the singles charts in the UK), released in 1997. I got that "factoid" from the Wikipedia entry on The Manual. :)

You can listen to Tubthumping on Youtube. I think it's pretty catchy!

Cheers, :)

Dien

Re: Making The Sale...
 

Gordon, there's no big secret to their 'success', really. It's basic pop psychology.

Listen to the rhythm...can't you feel it? Of course you can...it's the heartbeat you heard in utero with the volume selectively turned up. Note the selectively...that's a clue to the influence factor.

Mama's hearbeat was constant and fairly steady...and definitely rhythmical. So is rap et al...BUT it also has some accented tones, beats, etc that emphasize certain words and phrases...and thus the negative influences. The fact that the perpetrators have their own agenda, and look, talk, and act like some of the young people wish they could in their rebellious moments, just adds to the scenario. No secrets...just pure manipulation over a basic, soothing, back to the womb comfort level that soothes the soul while being adversely influenced in a blissfully unaware mode. Baby talk for the youth of today.

Don't listen to the words...read them instead...and you'll 'get' the real message without the influence and manipulation. The goal? Segregating folks into easily manipulated groups to break down the fabric that keeps people, societies, and nations working together. Remember divide and conquer? Same thing.

Sandi Bowman