Response to Homework Assignment - ENJOY!
Posted on February 4, 2008 with 0 comments
I am taking a class called "The Impact of Music on Life. So far I think the class will be enlightening. I had to post an essay in response to a study question. The one I chose was this: "How are ethnicity, class, gender, and region embodied in country music, hip-hop, or some other music that you know about?" Naturally I chose House Music, and here was my response...
"Study Questions 8 and 15
Question 15
There is a class/genre of music that is very much misunderstood, and this question affords me the platform to address it. This genre is called House Music. The reason that House Music is misunderstood is because it is typically an “underground” genre, meaning that it is prevalent in after-hours nightclubs and college radio stations. House Music got its beginnings in downtown Chicago via the night club. The majority of the patrons at the time were young Black men, but soon all sorts of people from various other parts of town were frequenting the clubs across the city. In the 1980s House Music was popularized in New York, Detroit and London. In the early 1990s it became big news across the rest of the US, with a featured article in USA Today in 1990 (and another one a year later). Top 40 radio stations were dedicating weekend slots to the music. Other European and Asian countries were taking hold. People were drawn to the pulsating beats and rhythms. One theory behind the rapid expansion of House Music was that the message in the music was simply that of Love, Peace, and Harmony. To further expound on those themes a sub-genre soon emerged and took the dance community by storm: Gospel House. There is a poplar vocal speech (often used in the “real” underground clubs) that sums up the House Music culture: “You may be Black. You may be White. You may be Jew or Gentile. It don’t make a difference in our house…” Today House Music can be heard in the most unlikely locations – given it’s beginnings in the big city. There are events in places such as Denver, Atlanta, Omaha, and even Salt Lake City. These are “smaller” markets compared to Chicago, New York or Detroit. With House Music, ethnicity and social status is not an issue since the music is literally made by people worldwide. The one thing that stands out the most is that House Music is a reincarnation of Disco, and that music was special in its own way, too."
"Study Questions 8 and 15
Question 15
There is a class/genre of music that is very much misunderstood, and this question affords me the platform to address it. This genre is called House Music. The reason that House Music is misunderstood is because it is typically an “underground” genre, meaning that it is prevalent in after-hours nightclubs and college radio stations. House Music got its beginnings in downtown Chicago via the night club. The majority of the patrons at the time were young Black men, but soon all sorts of people from various other parts of town were frequenting the clubs across the city. In the 1980s House Music was popularized in New York, Detroit and London. In the early 1990s it became big news across the rest of the US, with a featured article in USA Today in 1990 (and another one a year later). Top 40 radio stations were dedicating weekend slots to the music. Other European and Asian countries were taking hold. People were drawn to the pulsating beats and rhythms. One theory behind the rapid expansion of House Music was that the message in the music was simply that of Love, Peace, and Harmony. To further expound on those themes a sub-genre soon emerged and took the dance community by storm: Gospel House. There is a poplar vocal speech (often used in the “real” underground clubs) that sums up the House Music culture: “You may be Black. You may be White. You may be Jew or Gentile. It don’t make a difference in our house…” Today House Music can be heard in the most unlikely locations – given it’s beginnings in the big city. There are events in places such as Denver, Atlanta, Omaha, and even Salt Lake City. These are “smaller” markets compared to Chicago, New York or Detroit. With House Music, ethnicity and social status is not an issue since the music is literally made by people worldwide. The one thing that stands out the most is that House Music is a reincarnation of Disco, and that music was special in its own way, too."