MUSIC IS LIFE P.XXIII :AYITI:THE DIASPORA

"HEARTBEAT" -

NNEKA

"New York City has the largest concentration of Haitians in the United States as well as the oldest established Haitian communities of the country. The conservative estimate of the legal Haitian population in the New York City Metropolitan Area, as recorded by INS is approximately 156,000. However, community leaders and directors of community centers, who come in constant contact with the illegal population, strongly believe that the actual number is closer to 400,000." -

Wikipedia

Z.A-Post Haiti's earthquake the world still wacthes as the poorest country in the western hemisphere rebuilds and restores the ediface of society and life. Today's A.L.I.H.S.T feature briefly looks at haitian diaspora through the beat of survival, and culture as expressed in examples as the dispersal in America:


"The largest communities are found in Brooklyn where the legal population is placed at approximately 88,763, and in Queens where the number of Haitians is believed to be around 40,000. Members of the community who are of working-class background tend to establish their residence in Brooklyn, primarily in the neighborhoods of Flatbush, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, and Canarsie; many are apartment dwellers many homes in the area are duplexes and triplexes. Middle-class Haitians who choose to stay in Brooklyn own brownstone homes in the Park Slope area and single family homes in the Midwood section."

Wikipedia

A description of one of the tri-state area haitian communities. Between refugee camps, U.N control, and government centers, the people of haiti, one are strengthening the ties that bind:


"The country needs to go from the uncertainty of the moment, to some normalcy. We have waited too long after January 12, 2010 to build and rebuild the new Haiti, which must be decentralized."-

Wyclef Jean


Words from Recording artist/Politician Wyclef Jean. Among the diaspora, in places as the Domenican Republic and france, the struggle of this people has encountered everything from poverty to discrimination; to political strength to a thriving culture. One voice to close this brief outlook is the international entity of "Negusworld Enterprises"(Clothing line/Multimedia). My brother/associate Johwell Baptiste(co-founder), also of haitian descent expounds on J.E.M.B.H.A; A movement/train of thought launched last year that communicates to diaspora's within urban communities, and nations.



THE URBAN CRY LLC 2011

MUSIC IS LIFE P.XXII: THE BREADBASKET II

"An American Dream" -
Norman Mailer
(Late American Author)









The term "popular culture" itself is of 19th century coinage, in original usage referring to the education and "culturedness" of the lower classes, as was delivered in an address at the Birmingham Town Hall, England.[1] The term began to assume the meaning of a culture of the lower classes separate from and opposed to "true education" towards the end of the century,[2] a usage that became established by the interbellum period.[3] The current meaning of the term, culture for mass consumption, especially originating in the United States, is established by the end of World War II.[4] The abbreviated form "pop culture" dates to the 1960s-

Wikipedia


2011.I easily thought to use the late norman mailer as a feature to today's A.L.I.H.S.T blog, as in his lifetime a s a writer/author he inked some of the greatest insights to pop culture during the late 20th and 21st cenuries. Post 21st century, pop culture is a breathing mass of film, entertainment, musical cult followings, political iconizations and agenda's; that influences the entire globe. As a sequel to the first, the breadbasket II looks briefly at american pop culture and its many relationships; another one being with faith and politics.

"F&R incorporates my original Idea Club blog (a weekly question on an issue in the news) and allows me to jump quickly on ideas and news in the public conversation about religion, spirituality and ethics"-

Cathy lynn Grossman (USA TODAY Faith and religion column)

- An active blog on the staff of the publication USA Today, its clear to see how the voice of movements, both political and faith-based from conservative christainity to the controversies of Islamic agenda is well into the fabric of pop culture.

"I don't want to sound presumptuous, but I've made it my goal to revolutionise pop music. The last revolution was launched by Madonna 25 years ago.

When you’re in the public eye, you’re a role model whether you want to be or not, and I want to be. I’m not one of those self-obsessed artists who don’t care about their fans. It’s not just about the music. I look out into the O2 and there are 18,000 screaming young people and I have a responsibility to them — and you’re an idiot if you don’t know that." -
Lady Gaga

April 12, 2010.

-Along with figures as Kanye west, Artist lady gaga's voice is influential in the entertainment aspect of pop culture. Above she stated her role of responsibility. Music has power over generations. For example the messages inflected in Hip Hop music is manifold. In all facets of pop culture, what is understood as negative messages usaully serve as exploitations of the consumers for the capitalism for the elite in these industries. One brief documentry shows the balance of faith, politics and pop culture:


"This is for the day trippers and the hipsters, wars and the fashionista's, spiritual leaders practicing all the laws of attraction and teachers who read the passages from the Bhagavad gita" -Talib kweli (Cold rain)

-In conclusion one easily rule out that faith-based fundamentals or ethical standards challenge the influence of pop culture (as the view of conservative groups) or in some cases it balances it. American pop culture, from then till now, will generally have influence. Media is its main conduit, in its grand scheme, from fads, televison to issues of demoralization, its up to the person, or persons to be the judge how much influence it will have.

THE URBAN CRY LLC 2011

UPDATES 3/11

Formally known as the urbanpriesthood group, it is now revised as The Urban Cry LLC as of march 2011. The next blog feature will be published 3/10/11(Reflections of culture feature essay).