HipHop is "Industrial Dancing" in more than one way...

Our newest crop of performers are teaching people how to get along in this world, but its not a good thing.

Have you seen a typical Janet Jackon show? What are they doing? - it doesn't look artistic, its just doing a bunch of un-natural movements all together. They are technically great, but its not any kind of art, or personal expression. This is "industrial dance" in more than one way...

A typical job interview for a HipHop contract would sound something like this:
Are you willing and able to carry out instructions without letting your personal preferances get in the way?
Can you do as you are told, fit in with the others, go along with the group?
Because if not, then we will find someone who can.

I don't see any artistic requirements there. It could be an interview for Hitler's SS squads who round up Jews and torture them. What it actually is in this case is a matter of getting performers to influence whole communities to be pushed to the outside of society again. They either want us IN, doing their work for them, or they want us well defined and visable on the outside of society. Just as long as they don't start trying to re-create society to becoming a better place for all, a culture of vital , happy , healthy people doing sustainable living in peace.

Crime, gang mentality, violence, street toughness. These are the qualities that keep people down in real life, but in HipHop they are the hallmarks of success. Being able to portray that mindset as something you need to have, being able to glorify these traits, is the key to success in HipHop.

Listeners are influenced to be like that, its cool - see the sexy girls doing it on stage?> thats they way I want to be, and I 'want' one of them girls! Would I be able to impress her if I showed those traits? I can try.

African Americans and their gift of rhythmn and music are being asked to do this thing again. A very few of them will succeed, and get money for it, some get hugely wealthy like Janet Jackson. Elitism raises its head everywhere. It is still being seen as something to aim for, despite the fact that it is impossible for everyone, or even a majority of us, to be wealthy like that. Equality is as good as it CAN get, and "they" are succeeding in getting people to forget about that stuff.

For other performers, like the dancers behind the singer, it may be temporary success, but thats fine, better than squalor. Just do what is asked, bend your body any way they tell you too. I am willing to do it, just say the word!

This is different than that first great wave of empowerement defined by the rockers of the 1960's. They asked us to rebel against the military industrial complex, that system of elitism and power and control, and "get back to the garden". There is nothing in hipHop that empowers people, unless being the toughest criminal on the block is empowerment. That guy will end up in jail, where the Elites want all those who don't match the profile of an Elite memeber of the Wealthy. Or he will be dead, likely killed by others of his own kind, mostly likely black on black. Its not all along color lines now, they have us lining up as "anyone on the outside of Elitism" to kill each other.

There are many ways in which the Elites control ordinary people. Sex, drugs, greed , illness - these will surely keep us in our place if we let them take over our motivations. Anything but allowing us to see that life could be good, a life of equality and vital health, focused on the things that make us happy without drugs, money, sex and power over others. Adventure, insight, love, sharing and caring, clean environment, good food and good health, agriculature based instead of industrial based living [what the civil war was about actually!]. People are not deciding what they prefer in life, and instead are just accepting what there is now. The more you accept, the greater your reward [money]. No options, no discussions, just variable amounts of success in the system we have. This is reflected in Rumsfelds mindset "the army we have, not the army we want". We deserve better out of life, instead of giving into the Elitist agenda for obedience and control in trade for some money.

The industrialists have had their way for over two centuries now. Agriculturalist cultures would not have these problems we have today, in trade for not having so much technology. Would you give up your "GameBoy" for a clear sky and a stable climate? That sort of arguement is kept out of the discourse offered by mainstream media and entertainment. And HipHop is training youth to see that there are no options.

Finally, the image of a people doing one of those old 'stamina dancing competitions' , to win a prize, comes to mind when I see Janet Jackson's performances on TV. The dancers seem to be "at their limit", working hard at pleasing their masters, and keeping their feelings to themselves, their own desires are buried in favour of pleasing their master. Who would really want to dance like that, what kind of expression is that? - its not any kind of personal expression, unless they have a big stick up their butts and are trying to tell us how that feels to them!! Its much more like work, like defying gravity, like showing others that successfull people will do anything they are asked to do. It is way to physically complex, contrived, and convoluted to be art. Its more like slavery.

The "Slave masters" want to further the agenda of the Elites. This means having controllable people to serve the Elites. Not too healthy, not empowered, no self-expression, and no dreams of creating a better world and only getting along in this one the only way they can - crime, hate, toughness, inequality. it doesn't need to be that way, but don't let the people know that!!

Karlin.