Hip Hop Physics

This was taken, in part, from my other blog.

I read this morning about someone who made a physics rap song its huge on Youtube.”Rap and physics are culturally miles apart,” McAlpine, a science writer at CERN, wrote to the Lansing State Journal in an e-mail last week, “and I find it amusing to try and throw them together.”

And on one hand, I felt her 100%. Cute. On the other, I felt that there was sort of a cascade of meaning, if that makes any sense. If physics and rap are culturally far apart, does that not also imply that rappers and physicists are worlds apart? Does that also imply that rap fans and physicists are worlds apart? Is the humor, which stems from the juxtaposition of 2 concepts that seem to be polar opposites, a bit arrogant and racist?

I listen to reggaeton. I used to listen to rap. I am a female. I have a degree in Computer Science and I, while certainly no physicist, am rather science oriented. As is my architect, hiphop loving brother. And my pool playing, “motherfucker” spouting, engineer father. Perhaps one of us would find it intriguing to make a rap about architecture or engineering- computer or otherwise. But to fill a niche, to combine our interests, NOT to make it a Talking Dog sort of spectacle. You know- the content is forgettable, the delivery nothing special, but ITS A TALKING DOG? That’s FUNNY!!!

I love the absurd. I love Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. I am, though rather droll, often amusing. Children, in particular, find me intriguing.There is nothing to improbable or impossible for me to discuss.I will take any premise and treat it as if it were possible and we will often discuss the logic of certain things.

I’m rather droll. Children find that part very amusing. That I am fully capable of having an intelligent discussion with them about their talking cats, flying dolls etc just KILLS them. Adults often have doubts, they wonder if I am perhaps insane or maybe merely ignorant. They need a wink or a nod to understand that, yes! I am aware.

So, I am not a humorless crank. I’m enjoy parody and satire. I’m very fond of the absurd, the tongue in cheek, the droll.

But, what makes the absurd so funny is the impossibility (or improbability) of certain things happening. Why is it so funny=absurd=unlikely that a rap would be about physics? What does this say about OUR perceptions of :

rappers

the rap audience

writers of papers on physics

the readers of such papers

If it is funny because no one would ever think to combine rap and physics, because of the ABSURDITY of a rapper rapping about physics OR a physicists discussing his science in rap I sort of find it a tiny bit offensive. It um, it feels like blackface to me. And I don’t like it. If she hadn’t made that comment, I probably would be merely amused. “Look, someone likes rap and physics and combined the two”. But because she framed it as if the idea of the 2 things occuring together in nature were sooooo strange- meh. I dislike it. By extension, I hear her saying that I am not the intended audience for physics theory. That I could be, is ludicrous- absurd. I dont like what that implies.

I’ll end this here.

Read Full Post »

Apocalypse Dembow

Ok, it doesn’t quite rhyme. But I like it, so it stays.

I like the term “apocalyptic reggaeton” to describe this variant of the genre. The sound is pretty aggressive with a lot of sonic references to horror movies, sci-fi movies and war. Gunfire, marching, sirens etc.. You know what I mean, Don Omar in his Mad Max outfit. Actually, thats a bit Post Apocalyptic. I’m thinking full on Urban Techno War Zone here.

I don’t watch tv much, or movies for that matter. But even I get the references and when I hear this, I see the cyborg armies and roaming band of warriors.

When I’m frustrated or angry  this is what I play. Headbanging reggaeton style.

So, here you go, in the interest of education, I post some of my favorite hard hitting super aggressive reggaeton mp3s.

Apocalypse Dembow

Don Omar, Tego Calderon , Wisin y Yandel- La Calle Me Llama

(A version of this is song 1 on my iPod and if I forget to select a playlist, my alarmclock plays this to wake me up in the mornings. I’d never paid much attention, but the lyrics are appropriate. “…quisiera quedarme, pero la calle me llama”.)

Franco “El Gorila”- Duro Mueven

Baby Rasta y Nengo Flow- Tirale

Dalmata- Nos Matamos

Arcangel- El Pistolon Remix

Brugal- Creo que Conmigo Jugaste

High Rollers Family- El Poder del Jefe

Manny Yow- Ella Se Acelera

Albert y Esquizo- Paramelo Ahi

How about some Q & A? You dont have to answer, of course, but I like to ponder such things.

What age and gender do you imagine the artists to be?

Nationality? Race? Income level?

What age, gender and nationality do they presume their audience to be?

Would my grandmother or a 5 year old from rural China respond to this like I do, or is the feel totally due to context? I can’t imagine anyone taking this to be HAPPY music, but does it sound inherently bellicose or do years of listening to sci-fi and horror soundtracks and watching Terminator movies train me to hear it that way?

Does my 12 year old daughter hear it like I do, or is it just a lot of random noise? I’m old enough that I hear/see Blade Runner, Gotham City and Dick Tracy. I suspect my young friends hear movies so new I cant even begin to name them!

I dont have the answers, but I like to ask the questions!! Why? Dunno.

Well, I wrote this post last week, but I read this morning about someone who made a physics rap song its huge on Youtube.”Rap and physics are culturally miles apart,” McAlpine, a science writer at CERN, wrote to the Lansing State Journal in an e-mail last week, “and I find it amusing to try and throw them together.”

And on one hand, I felt her 100%. Cute. On the other, I felt that there was sort of a cascade of meaning, if that makes any sense. If physics and rap are culturally far apart, does that not also imply that rappers and physicists are worlds apart? Does that also imply that rap fans and physicists are worlds apart? Is the humor, which stems from the juxtaposition of 2 concepts that seem to be polar opposites, a bit arrogant and racist?

I listen to reggaeton. I used to listen to rap. I am a female. I have a degree in Computer Science and I, while certainly no physicist, am rather science oriented. As is my architect, hiphop loving brother. And my pool playing “motherfucker” spouting engineer father. Perhaps one of us would find it intriguing to make a rap about architecture or engineering- computer or otherwise. But to fill a niche, to combine our interests, NOT to make it a Talking Dog sort of spectacle. You know- the content is forgettable, the delivery nothing special, but ITS A TALKING DOG? Thats FUNNY!!!

If it is funny because no one would ever think to combine rap and physics, because of the ABSURDITY of a rapper rapping about physics OR a physicists discussing his science in rap I sort of find it a tiny bit offensive. It um, it feels like blackface to me. And I don’t like it. If she hadn’t made that comment, I probably would be merely amused. “Look, someone likes rap and physics and combined the two”. But because she framed it as if the idea of the 2 things occuring together in nature were sooooo strange- meh. I dislike it. By extension, I hear her saying that I am strange and an anomaly. I dont like what that implies.

Mind you, I am looking for things to take offense at! Its what I do,so don’t go complaining that all I do is complain (unless that is what you do as well, and then really you should understand).

Well, now that I have found a way to post some free reggaeton mp3s to download and wonder about the cultural references and context of those songs AND complain about that news story and people in general, I’m content to end this post. Enjoy the music, unless you’re a namby pamby 80 year old pacifist woman.

Read Full Post »