on 3/11/2002 11:10 AM, Steev Hise at steevATdetritus.net wrote:
> Hmm, interesting point, but does that really provide enough
> justification for the exploitation? Can we really say that the
> increased exposure makes it all worth while? In almost all cases
> of this sort of thing, the exploiting western artist is going to
> sell way more units and make way more money than the original
> "third world" one.
That's true, I'm sure Dr Dre in his fuckin caddy with his lil hick boy
eminem ridin alongside in his robin costume will be pushing more units on
scale than the indian composer...
at the same time, I'm not sure Dr Dre or most bedroom samplers for that
matter are checking the ethnological statistics as a moral stance between
them and their music....
I mean, the question needs to be asked, how can you control the flow of
media? How can you regulate when something is, or isn't, cultural
exploitation? A lot of sampling culture could be accused of this - a large
portion of it comes out of hip hop's home-made sampling aesthetics - using
old records because it was cheaper to use turntables than buy a guitar and
an amp... and this has strong origins in afro american culture, and grew up
from it... so is a white sample artist taking an obscure 80's funk riff
culturally imperialistic? I think you could say it is, because there is a
stronger platform for white artists in the music industry, and its likely
that obscure psychedelic funk outfit won't make near on all there albums
what the other artist could make on an ep. Or something. But most of
appropriated muzak is based on these principles, and comes from these roots
and developments, and I think its a great culture, so I don't necessarilly
see it as cultural imperialism.
I think it has a lot more to do with the spread of popular media through
society, and the question of whether you let that be a one way dialogue from
the glowing tit to the lounge room, or whether to reclaim it as a material
to be engaged with.
But this might be a tangent, so if it is, just nod and keep on doin whatever
EjEss
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