go to http://www.myspace.com/fit135

Thanks for chiming in and crossing over to English for those of us who still don’t speak enough languages.

That documentary sounds great, I’d like to see it.

As far as taking the view of the bourgeois, that’s the main perspective I take, I’m not from the ghetto, though I’ve been to a few. I grew up in Tribeca in downtown Manhattan.

I think that it’s possible to understand that the images aren’t real but also see them as powerful at the same time and that perpetuating the images that make the bourgeois crap in their pants is confirming their view of these people and feeding their fear which, in my opinion, is the driving force behind most racism.

Ignorance, the lack of knowledge that fundamentally people of other races and social backgrounds are just like you and brush their teeth, fall in love, laugh, watch the same tv shows you do, feel nervous about people different from them, etc is what causes people to be afraid and maintain distance. Distance allows this ignorance to continue, and allows people to remain racist and bigoted. If the bourgeoisie in question knew any of the people they are nervous about enough to have some positive experiences with them and become friends the next time they see someone on the street who looks like them they’d say “oh that looks like George who I met and was funny” rather than “That looks like that boy from the newscast who was setting the cars on fire”.

Obviously this is a simplification and racism is a pretty complicated and difficult problem. The next thing to me is what do Justice seek to achieve by having such a clip for their video? It didn’t happen by accident. They are trying to identify themselves with a ‘tough and dangerous’ image of young people and make themselves look cool in the process. Are they from these places? Somehow I really doubt it. That then crosses the line into exploitation in my eyes.

I’m happy to have generated some conversation here, it’s interesting that the posts I get the best responses for are when I diss someone. Ha.

Still I don’t know if I agree w/ Lomami on principle, when dealing with filmed art there is always meaning if only because film/video is basically a hermetic environment where every shot and cut is the product of direct conscious decision. It’s a lot of work to make a film (or video) and decisions are made at every step usually by one person (the director), nothing is there by accident so whether anyone likes it or not it’s definitely a text that’s open to reading and interpretation of meaning. I distrust anyone who tries to assert otherwise because I usually assume they’re trying to slip something under the radar or being dishonest.

the KTJ video however is only moved by artistic will/freedom, and then defly more related to media than to the actual riots/violence. the very last cut has the kid saying “does it make you horny shooting this u m’f#cker?”

there’s (obviously) a wave of extremely balanced reactions about the clip. started here (in french):
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=47106334&blogID=394138278&indicate=1

Lomami writes: “trying to find a message in this video would be much like watching the suburb riots from the top of the Eiffel tower while eating pricy apetizers”

the whole Kourtrajmé history of filming is very savvy, and diverse, and definitely worth digging, though.

Peace for All.

Phillip: I think that one thing that accounts for the draw/alienation of house (and tech to a lesser extent) is their highlighting of the pleasure principle, dancing and overt expression of emotion. A lot of this is associated in many people’s minds as being either feminine or gay and DEFINITELY not ‘serious artistic music’ or ‘hardcore underground realness’ or fitting into a lot of the other categories that people seem to allow themselves to like music under. A great many people can’t allow themselves to like anything too explicit or overt, hence the demonization of the 4×4 kick as ‘stupid, simple, easy’ etc (try making good 4×4 producers, it’s HARD) which is really because this is a powerful rhythm that people respond to. House with it’s 4×4 beats, emphasize on melody, warmth and feeling often gets filed under ‘cheese’ because people, I think, feel it would be too easy to like and therefore is not artistically or intellectually valid. Sort of stream-of-consciousnessing there but hopefully you get my drift.

KOURTRAJME: I actually sort of hate that Justice video. Firstly I don’t like the song but more importantly, what does it mean? I feel like those kids are being turned into dehumanized angry threatening apes. The riots in Paris were started by police brutality, not just random opportunistic marauding. The video actually fits really well with my perception of Justice’s petulant indie machismo, their wedding of psuedo-punk nihilistic rioting to inner city ghetto anger just rings really false to me and strikes me as an attempt on their part to ‘urbanize’ their rock-ist sound. I’m not buying it at all.

Coming full-circle I feel like Justice is a great example of how if you’ll just apply white, middle class rock aesthetics (visual and musical) to a black-underground aesthetic (house and disco) the white rockist mainstream will suddenly treat you seriously, like ‘artists’ and shower you in praise and money. Its a long story that’s getting really boring and ugly. Puke.

obviously homophobia must have something to do with it — you routinely see house get called “gay,” in both the literal and pejorative senses, especially amongst indie-rock crowds. (chuck D, if i recall correctly, also thought house was too “gay” to be acceptable by hip-hop standards; i’ve seen a quote to that effect somewhere.) and then there’s also the curious notion that house is “too euro,” despite its US origins. (of course, much of the energy in house and techno these days IS based in the EU and the UK. not that there should be anything wrong with being european — hell, many of them had the good sense to oppose the current war — but you see “euro douches” routinely slagged in places like brooklynvegan and other sources of indie-rock conservatism.)

perhaps things are changing a bit; the rising popularity of folks like switch and sinden are making house music more acceptable to indie audiences, while bassline may be bringing grime fans back around to the 4×4 beat. and, granted, house and techno often define themselves as insular genres, while many of the new club styles are aggressively inclusive and eclectic. (personally i think both stances are appropriate, depending upon your purpose and context.) the current re-evaluation of disco may help matters. anyway, i’m sort of rambling, but i’d be interested to hear your further thoughts on house and its marginalization, should you ever manage to work it into another post.

thanks for the geko jones WFMU set, btw. blistering!

still, one should check the “stress” video:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x58z2a_justice-stress-official-video_music

by KOURTRAJME,
disturbing citizens peace since 1995