Danitsa Andaluz
Professor Bonastia
Peopling of NYC
March 8, 2014
Oral History Interview Questions
- Name (Feel free to provide any pseudonym you may want to be identified by)
Benjamin Starship
- Age (if willing to reveal)
23
- How would you describe your musical genre?
Rap/Hip-Hop – Centered on lyricism with “conscious-rap” elements.
- What instruments do you play? (Can include voice, turntables, found objects, etc.)
I am a vocalist, specializing in spoken word in harmonic rhythm with an accompanying arrangement of instrumentals: Rap.
- Are you natively from New York City? Did you move from somewhere else, if so when? Was the motivation at all related to your music?
Oh, New York, born and raised. Only move once in my life and that was across the street; been living on Castle Hill Ave in the Bronx all my life.
- When did you begin performing publically?
Not counting certain events within my high school, I would say I started to perform publicly around the end of my senior year, so we’re talking about since around ’08. If I’m not mistaken my first performance was at what I believe used to be called the Sofa Lounge… the club that switches its name every few years, down the block from Dallas BBQs on Fordham by that highway entrance. It was hosted by Hot 97; even though I didn’t win any prizes, though the structure and fairness in those type of events is a whole other topic, walking away with the experience was prize enough
- 7. Are you a full-time musician? If not, what else do you do?
Unfortunately I am not a full-time musician. I am a student and also the Vice President of the Radio Station at Lehman College. Usually during the Fall and Spring Semester periods that’s what takes up the bulk of my time.
- 8. How would you describe your musical genre’s relation with the city of New York?
Well, for those who don’t know Hip-Hop was formed here in the Boogie Down Bronx. NYC is the birthplace of Hip-Hop, where it was cultivated before spreading across the nation and eventually the world. Rap/Hip-Hop is connected to NYC by an umbilical chord.
- 9. How would you say NYC’s population, culture, and/or landscape has affected this genre?
In many ways, but most importantly in a mutual way. That is to say not only do NYC’s population, culture and landscape affect the genre, but also the genre affects NYC’s population, culture and landscape. We create trends, and sometimes trends are created, which we continue to follow. In its lifetime, the genre has gone from emceeing or hyping up the crowd as the DJ (a lost art) spins and cuts party joints; to politically charged lyrics; to sexually charged lyrics; to conscious lyrics; to the romanticism of the gangster or thug; to Southern Influenced; just to name a few. Trying to figure out if the genre influenced the population or the population the genre is like the chicken and egg theory. All that’s certain is that there’s necessarily a correlation between what’s “hot” or “cool” in hip-hop with what’s “hot” or “cool” in NYC. This is speaking generally, because there are certain artist(s), in other genres as well as hip hop, whom have individual fan bases who might lead a different lifestyle and then of course there are people who just don’t follow trends.
- How has NYC specifically influenced your sound?
Well growing up in New York, I had no choice (ha). Whenever a New Yorker goes out of state, sometimes even out of town; they are recognized immediately as from New York (sometimes a Bronxite would even be able to recognize a Brooklynite!) so the NY persona has been embedded in me so deeply that it becomes a part of my music. I also listened to New York rappers a lot when I was younger, (and still do) such as the original G-Unit, Dipset, D-Block and the Lox, Tupac, Fabolous etc. and so I’ve developed a real old school feel to my flow.
- How would you say this genre is different in NYC as oppose to other cities in the US or internationally?
The Hip-Hop genre in NYC is different mostly instrumental wise and content wise. In addition to being the Mecca therefore eclectic, the general idea I get when I hear NY Rap or NY Hip Hop is I’m going to hear some raw bars and witty wordplay over a smooth beat, maybe some boom bap or a sample and most likely about the struggle or money. NYC HipHop, in opposition to Southern, Western or Central, is closer to having Jazz elements I suppose is the best way to describe it.
- In what ways, would you say, has this musical genre changed over time in NYC?
Unfortunately, I believe the genre began to evolve after the first stages but recently regressed. Hip Hop started out in the Bronx, at a Party, where what usually happened was the people came to see the DJ, or rather came to hear the DJ, spin and scratch the dance songs of the times. An Emcee decided to say a little more than “YEAH!” “LET’S GO!” “EVERYBODY SAY HOOO!” and thus the birth of rap/hip-hop. Evolution naturally taking place, the words came together to mean much more than trying to make that fine lady move her hips, or that fly young brother get down; and politics began showing up within the lyrics mixed with confessional poetry about the struggle of an individual to whom many unsung people of the community were able to relate; in addition to closer attention paid to form and literary techniques. Recently, the evolution has been turned into a cycle, with more “Rap/Hip-Hop” artist popping up only concerned with the party, forgetting about those unsung people of the community, who finally had something relatable in the media, by promoting high end fashion and destructive ideals and paying even less attention to literary techniques (or using them very sloppily). Alas there is hope, because I am speaking strictly mainstream there are always artist on the underground scene who strive to continue the evolution of rap/hip-hop, such as myself, and where there’s a will there’s a way.
- Where can we find access to your music?
I suppose it makes sense that flaunting one’s wealth (or imaginary wealth, as the case may be) would prove more popular than political lyrics…or for that matter, any lyrics that grapple with some sort of complexity. Everyone, regardless of race or class, likes buying stuff! Unity through hyper-capitalism! Name-checking brands in songs makes even more (crass) business sense now, as artists are making less from recordings, and more from sponsorship deals.