POSTING #13

One of the most significant experiences as I fieldworker I have had since doing this project would have to be when I attended the hip hop show at village green records.  It was a very cold friday night.  The show was held outside right in front of the record store.  The setup was as follows, a few speakers connected to a Mac computer and turntable.  Although it was cold and windy there was still a nice turn out.  From time to time people walking around in the The Village would stumble over to the show and hang around to listen to what was going on.  There were about 10 acts in the show and the owner of the record store set up the show in a format where artists were free to do whatever they wanted during their time.  Plus the owner really gave no one a set amount of time that they had to be on stage or had to get off it.  This gave the artists freedom to do what they wanted and I believe added to the overall feel of the show.  All of the hip-hop artists in the show did their set with energy and passion.  It was really a great thing to watch for anyone interested in hip-hop.  All of these performers represented what hip-hop is about.

POSTING #12

When I think of the word rhetoric I automatically think of English and the way a person speaks.  I didn't know, but judging from the blog question I guess it is more than just the way you speak.  The only place I ever really hear the word is in English class when teachers are teaching about proper use of grammar and annunciation.  I really don't associate any type of connotation with the word, but now that I think about it I guess it would have to have a negative connotation to it, because every time I hear it it is dealing with correcting the way a person speaks.  I do believe there is rhetoric that coincides with my culture.  Members of the hip-hop community speak a language that can be perceived by outsiders as a whole new language in itself.  Due to this fact it would probably be a good idea for me to incorporate a section in my mini-ethnography that deals solely on the rhetoric of the culture.

POSTING #11

For the most part I believe that my writing process has stayed the same.  At the beginning of my research for papers I tend to always procrastinate when it comes to the gathering of information and drafts.  After I finally get that under control my writing process begins.  I have never been a fan of "rough drafts" and revisions.  My writing process is more circular, like we discussed in class.  I usually gather all of my information and then just sit down and write.  When I am typing the paper I usually revise and edit as I go along.  Sometimes this process takes a while, doing it this way but I like to handle the process this way because I believe it allows me to be a more creative writer.  I just write whatever is in my head at the time and worry about it later.  This usually consists of my first draft.  Then once I turn the draft in I make final revisions once it is handed back to me.  The only assignments that I would say conflicted with my writing process would be the blogs, because of my procrastination.  But now doing the blogs is helping me along in my writing process.  All of the assignments assigned with this paper were pretty easy to me.  I actually write because I like to and sometimes do it in my spare time 

POSTING #10

I plan on using a similar structure for my mini-ethnography that I used for the research proposal.  I like how the headings in the proposal organized thoughts and gave the reader an idea about what they were going to read before they began.  I plan on changing a few titles in the headings to make the topics seem more interesting to the reader.  I plan on beginning by reading over my research proposal for ideas.  I might start by profiling one of my more interesting informants.  I know I will talk a lot about my position in the culture and interest in it.  I am going to try to write my paper in a way that makes it easier for outsiders to follow while keeping them interested.  I believe that my headings/paper will be organized into themes, giving the reader the ability to easily recognize them.  I will also call attention to some main focal points of the culture; things as to why I feel the culture is headed the direction I think it is.  I believe that this structure, for me is the best approach to take when writing my ethnography.  By organizing my paper this way I believe the whole process will come easier to me and will also allow for a more fluent and relevant paper.

POSTING #9

Taking a step back from research I can now analyze a few things.  I believe that one of the hardest parts for me during this research process was staying on schedule.  I tend to procrastinate a lot and this kind of hurt me in the early stages of research.  I tend to wait to the last minute to do research/drafts.  Even though sometimes this tends to help me, due to the fact that I feel pressure to complete the assignment on time, I still think sometimes it hurts more than helps.  Another problem I had during my research was organization.  Organization is key when gathering information from numerous sources.  Once I got organized with my sources and scheduling the work started to go a little more smoother for me.  One of the easiest things for me in my research process was writing on the topic that I am writing on.  I have been a fan of hip-hop music since an early age.  I have always enjoyed listening to various artists in the culture.  The fact that I am a Dj makes research come a little easier too.  Once I attained all my sources the first drafts seemed to come as second nature to me because I am discussing a topic I have spent my whole life being involved in.  I haven't really keep up with blogs due to my unorganized, but doing them now is helping me to reevaluate my performance on this project.  I do think some of the blogs will help me in writing my mini-ethnography, because stuff that I said in some blogs can easily be put in my paper and be relevant.

POSTING #8

I believe one of the main themes evident in my research is expression.  This is what I believe Hip-hop is all about.  When it comes down to it the music, trends, and ways members of the hip-hop community dress, its all about expression.  It is constantly seen in the attitudes of members in the culture.  In talking with some members of my community they seem to agree that the theme runs evident in the culture.  I believe my place in the hip-hop culture is that of something like an ambassador.  I believe that all Djs have this responsibility to the culture; to make sure it is seen and represented the way we in the culture perceive it.  I believe that Dj's have the responsibility to make sure all types of hip-hop music are heard.  It is their job to stay emersed in the culture and to stay up to date with all types of music.  I believe this position is similar to the way I felt before this project.  Although, this project has caused me to reexamine my positions on things dealing with hip hop culture.  There are some things that I didn't take the time to think about regarding my culture that I know do; like the effects the music industry has on rappers and other members of the culture.

POSTING #7

Through my research I can give back to the hip hop community by exposing what I think members of the culture want outsiders to see when looking in from the other side.  Members of the hip hop culture want outsiders to see hip hop for what they think it is; a diverse culture that allows members to express there selves in ways which they cannot do in other venues.  Members also want outsiders to see that culture tends to grow in terms of diversity and range.  Some hip-hop artists’ music is universal and can be heard in many other countries besides the U.S.  That is how big this culture is.  Hip-hop is so much more than the image the media portrays of it.    I will also be giving back by giving acknowledgement/tribute to the people who have made hip-hop what it is.  These people include artists like the late Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur.  These two rappers are often used as the poster children for hip hop, but I believe there are many things about these people and other artists that many outsiders know nothing about.