Brief 1
IDEA 1
Initially thinking about which sub-genre to choose, I considered Minimal Dubstep as I felt being somewhat in this scene attending many events throughout the last few years has enabled me to reach a good level of understanding of what it is that makes these scene individual, they rely heavily on the sound-system. This sound-system culture however is relevant to many other sub-genres like gabba and phsytrance. To make it individual to this sub-genre I'd have to look deeper into the culture behind the music, the crowd as a whole are there in adoration of the music, events have nice vibes with friendly 'dubstep heads' on a whole, however there has been a fair share of violence particularly at one of minimal dubstep's homes The West Indian Center in Leeds, stabbings and gang violence. However these are mostly associated with the drug culture behind the scene which isn't representative of the majority of the crowd as they're there for that bass that shakes your soul, entitling you to free earplugs with every can of Red Stripe.
Iration Steppas Soundsystem:
"We took our sound down there and in them days no one knew what sound system culture was about. We dropped the bass and all the Vodka, Rum, JD dropped down, man went crazy! He was like 'I didn't know it was like that kind of bass!'", reminisces Iration. It was April 1998, spirits were high and things were good.
http://packlondon.com/news/NewsDetail/289
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=64&v=2RJ3ov1-CJs
IDEA 2
IDEA 1
Initially thinking about which sub-genre to choose, I considered Minimal Dubstep as I felt being somewhat in this scene attending many events throughout the last few years has enabled me to reach a good level of understanding of what it is that makes these scene individual, they rely heavily on the sound-system. This sound-system culture however is relevant to many other sub-genres like gabba and phsytrance. To make it individual to this sub-genre I'd have to look deeper into the culture behind the music, the crowd as a whole are there in adoration of the music, events have nice vibes with friendly 'dubstep heads' on a whole, however there has been a fair share of violence particularly at one of minimal dubstep's homes The West Indian Center in Leeds, stabbings and gang violence. However these are mostly associated with the drug culture behind the scene which isn't representative of the majority of the crowd as they're there for that bass that shakes your soul, entitling you to free earplugs with every can of Red Stripe.
Iration Steppas Soundsystem:
"We took our sound down there and in them days no one knew what sound system culture was about. We dropped the bass and all the Vodka, Rum, JD dropped down, man went crazy! He was like 'I didn't know it was like that kind of bass!'", reminisces Iration. It was April 1998, spirits were high and things were good.
http://packlondon.com/news/NewsDetail/289
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=64&v=2RJ3ov1-CJs
IDEA 2
Another possible sub-genre to choose from is Jump Up, a genre under the broad wing of drum and bass. It's characterised by it's aggressive nature in terms of the actual frequencies and often the crowds, whilst there is a real community behind the scene it is also quite heavily drug fuelled which can often lead to violence. I feel perhaps more confident on focusing on this sub-genre as Jump Up has been a not so guilty pleasure of mine ever since I was 17, attending my first squat rave opened my eyes up to not only a new composition of music, but a new way of socialising and dancing. Something that really caught my eye was the way people moved to this music, not only was their jaw swinging but their feet were rapidly co-ordinated, 'skanking' became a thing I had to learn. Now, travelling across the country to go to Jump Up events I often in places other than London get weird stares, I was circled by almost the whole club in Falmouth with everyone asking "how the fuck do you do that/ what is that?"
“So much love for DNB & all the Drums heads, you won’t find another scene with such loyal supporters & such energy in the raves” (Harry Shotta 2013).
Most graphic design done for Jump Up nights (posters, flyers etc) and album artwork for the DJ's is repulsive. My favourite event 'Next Hype' occurs once every two months in Vauxhall at Fire and Lightbox complex boasting 7 arenas of screeching bass, rowdy crowds and mouthy MC's. As much as I love the music, vast numbers just come to sell drugs, start fights and support those Mc's I have trouble appreciating, due to the sexist, graphic, abusive nature of their 'bars' (lyrics). For instance one of the biggest MC's MC Bassman is a convicted rapist, my friend has actually seen this man beat up a woman in the carpark of an event venue. It's really unnerving therefore to hear him (and other adoring fans) chanting lyrics such as..
"Not a pussy tek with the bass subject"
"When me fuck a girl she screams like a cat
mmeeeeeooooowwwwww love it like dat"
"The bass is heavy - Like a sack of spuds".
"When me not around you know she use her finger,
When me not around you know she use her finger,
When me not around you know she use her finger,
One time me catch her with a big banana"
as well as hosting nights like '50 shades of bass'.
And similar undertones of violence and sexism from MC Eksman a pioneer of the scene..
"Yo, she want some hotel sex, Hotel sex, she want some hotel sex. Hotel sex, she want some hotel sex. In the shower in the bed, bent over the desk. She says “aaaargh that feels amazing”, Ekser went stiff with the noise she was making. Up down, up down, bed starts shaking, Wall starts banging till my back starts aching."
“So much love for DNB & all the Drums heads, you won’t find another scene with such loyal supporters & such energy in the raves” (Harry Shotta 2013).
Most graphic design done for Jump Up nights (posters, flyers etc) and album artwork for the DJ's is repulsive. My favourite event 'Next Hype' occurs once every two months in Vauxhall at Fire and Lightbox complex boasting 7 arenas of screeching bass, rowdy crowds and mouthy MC's. As much as I love the music, vast numbers just come to sell drugs, start fights and support those Mc's I have trouble appreciating, due to the sexist, graphic, abusive nature of their 'bars' (lyrics). For instance one of the biggest MC's MC Bassman is a convicted rapist, my friend has actually seen this man beat up a woman in the carpark of an event venue. It's really unnerving therefore to hear him (and other adoring fans) chanting lyrics such as..
"Not a pussy tek with the bass subject"
"When me fuck a girl she screams like a cat
mmeeeeeooooowwwwww love it like dat"
"The bass is heavy - Like a sack of spuds".
"When me not around you know she use her finger,
When me not around you know she use her finger,
When me not around you know she use her finger,
One time me catch her with a big banana"
as well as hosting nights like '50 shades of bass'.
And similar undertones of violence and sexism from MC Eksman a pioneer of the scene..
"Yo, she want some hotel sex, Hotel sex, she want some hotel sex. Hotel sex, she want some hotel sex. In the shower in the bed, bent over the desk. She says “aaaargh that feels amazing”, Ekser went stiff with the noise she was making. Up down, up down, bed starts shaking, Wall starts banging till my back starts aching."
The blatantly misogynistic lyrics alienate their female audience, contradicting their aim to attract females, promoting many nights with female free entry, there is only a handful of females I could name in the scene that have managed to push their way to recognition through the aggressive male orientated forefront, yet I've still only seen one female MC at Next Hype, once, right at the end at 6am. She absolutely blew the men out the water, MC Enamie
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