AAs acting Black

[AZNSLGR]

This topic is on Asian Americans partaking in Hip Hop (Black) culture.

Does it bother anyone that there are tons of young asian kids in the US that speak (or try to speak) ebonics and dress "black"? Whether it be a rich Taiwanese kid in the suburbs or a Vietnamese gang-banger in the city, asian kids are taking on the Hip Hop culture as their own.

I assume this is more of a trend on the West Coast, where I've been the last two decades. I have cousins and friends, who are asian, that talk "black" all the time. Whats funny is that they're not even aware of it. Thats just how they talk and dress. The same for our local white & latino kids.

I've never really thought much about it and never thought people would despise it until I overheard a group of "out-of-town" college kids saying, "whats with all these gooks acting like niggers out here?" I knew they weren't locals cause they looked like tourists, all wearing their college gear (some mid-west college I forgot the name of).

As I'm not the kind to stay quiet about stuff I overhear, although I know its wiser to just keep quiet, I butted in and said, "so, would you like us to act more honkey?" "He was like, wtf did you just say?,,,,its none of your business,,,blah blah."

I've mentioned the "honkey" bit in another thread and I am definitely not trying to get everyone riled up over this stuff. I'm just talking from real life, personal experiences and the topics might be offensive but there isn't much of a forum for AAs and minorities in general to share these happenings with. I find this board somewhat therapuetic in that we can joke about these issues with others that have the same experiences while recieving good advice from our peers of YW.

Whats your take on asians acting or talking black? Are we all suppose to speak proper white english? This is based on my one isolated experience, but I'm sure some of us have strong opinions or have heard others (parents, fellow AAs, whites, blacks, etc.) opinions on this.

[AngryABCGirl]

Well if anything this isn't limited to just Asians, a lot of popular Chicano culture very influenced by the "hip hop culture."

Then it depends. I've met a lot of Asians who "act Black" because they grew up in East Oakland, Richmond, or Long Beach, mostly Cambodians, and that was the culture they were surrounded around and literally assimilated into.

Then there's those who grew up in nice suburbs who did the same thing with the azn thing and the rice rockets and slur talking. I think there's a big different to the two samples.

I do think overall though an explanation for both Asians and Latinos absorbing elements of "hip hop culture" and in many cases remaking it (azn pryde to chicano lowrider culture) for themselves is a way of saying no to assimilating into lily-white culture, and a culture that started about resistance is hip hop culture and parts of it continue to be so.

At this point I don't really care about kids do, but one critique I have of this Asians should be mindful about using the n-word and throwing it around. I see too much of that.

It's interesting though how AAs get a lot more critiqued for acting Black than acting White, because acting White is so much harder to define. Is that acting Americanized or what? But many AAs don't really act white or black... oh no...

Anyway you might find this documentary made by two Blasians about this very topic interesting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0-z99ZIGlI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnaqV8zedV4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y13zR204vYE&

It actually bothers me a lot more when I see Asians in Asia trying acting Black for some reason because they're taking elements from a culture totally out of the a context they can understand. At least Asian Americans can understand a common language and the context of hip hop culture (to an extent and not everyone though), but what the hell is up with like kids in Taiwan wearing doo-rangs when there's nothing to doo? Plus I know most of these kids would be scared or never seen actual Black people based on the movies and images they see. At least a lot of AA kids who "act Black" were directly influenced by the culture they grew up in.

[nameless]

It's interesting though how AAs get a lot more critiqued for acting Black than acting White, because acting White is so much harder to define. Is that acting Americanized or what? But many AAs don't really act white or black... oh no...

That's true, but I think the criticism comes more from the fact that "acting Black" is viewed as contrary behavior. It doesn't make much sense for someone to adopt a sub-culture that goes against prescribed social behavior (i.e. proper English, current majority fashion).

[sandra]

how is it really any different than an asian kid who grew up in suburbia in an upper middle class predominantly white neighborhood "acting white"?

we're all products of our environment.

[VV o n g B a]

acting like "x" race is pretty relative and evolves. it used to be that black kids in ny stigmatized their academically well performing peers by saying they "acted white." now they say their peers are "acting asian (http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/05/acting-white-is-old-school/)." apparently after all these years where asians have strived to develop their own recognizable cultural image in the US, we've actually achieved it. "acting asian" now has a meaning... YES! but oh wait, it turns out to be exactly the image the more progressive ppl don't want to be known for. lol.

anyways, i can't say i really respect asians from the burbs taking on hip hop culture but i can understand them and still have fun w/ them. i'm less comfortable around ppl that actually live it even if that means they aren't faking anything. if the kids are from the burbs, i still have some common frame of reference. when i hung out w/ some asians that were brought up in ghetto areas, i was distinctly less comfortable around them. they didn't care about the same things i cared about, didn't see things the way i saw them, and didn't live their lives in a way that i would choose to live it. i couldn't empathize w/ them, couldn't understand them. e.g. why the hell would u go to pharm school for 6 years so u could then go and manufacture and deal ecstasy? but that was a goal i knew one of them had. and of course he didn't make it thru pharm school. his whole crew tended to act like that.

at least the rich suburban hiphop asian had the sense to go to business school so he could take over his dad's jewelry business.

[Sunflare]

I have no problem seeing AA's acting Black and having an admiration for the Hip Hop culture. It's all good. Personally, I don't talk as a black person would, suprisingly as I am Blasian, but I don't take offense at all to any Asian Americans who carry themselves in this way.

I look at the way Afro-Americans talk as just a different variation on how the English language is spoken. Just as the way Asian-Americans, Anglo-Americans, Carribean or British people may speak English. An accent or dialect, that's all. Not bad ebonics, necessarily, as some people might say. . . .

There are many dialects spoken in China and India. But they are all basically the same language. Well, to my limited knowledge anyway.

A friend from Japan told me that there are many different accents to the Japanese language spoken there. But she said that there isn't too much debate as to what is proper Japanese and what is not proper Japanese. They don't make a big deal about it the way Americans do over the English language.

The only thing I disagree with is the excessive use of the word 'nigger' by black and non-black youth. That's my only gripe.

[TB4000]

It's all just about being hip to most of them, nothing more, nothing less. Trying to find an identity could be part of, or it could just be what they grew up around. I know some people say that when they see a white/latino/asian kid acting like a street thug it's because they feel their own culture isn't cool enough.

[Sunflare]

It's all just about being hip to most of them, nothing more, nothing less. Trying to find an identity could be part of, or it could just be what they grew up around. I know some people say that when they see a white/latino/asian kid acting like a street thug it's because they feel their own culture isn't cool enough.

Yup. I hear that alot, especially with AM's trying to be black because they are supposedly self hating. (For the most part totally false.)

It's almost just as bad as the accusations against AF's trying to be white, also supposedly self hating. (Yeah sometimes that is definitely the case ,looking at the interracial dating disparity issue, but not always. . . )

Why can't people get with the program and see Asian Americans as just that - Americans ????

[sandra]

Yup. I hear that alot, especially with AM's trying to be black because they are supposedly self hating. (For the most part totally false.)

It's almost just as bad as the accusations against AF's trying to be white, also supposedly self hating. (Yeah sometimes that is definitely the case ,looking at the interracial dating disparity issue, but not always. . . )

Why can't people get with the program and see Asian Americans as just that - Americans ????

yeh, my thoughts exactly. with hip hop so mainstream nowadays, why is adopting the hip hop culture seen as self-loathing or wanting to be black?

[Sunflare]

yeh, my thoughts exactly. with hip hop so mainstream nowadays, why is adopting the hip hop culture seen as self-loathing or wanting to be black?

'Cause we are living in the most racist country in the world unfortunately. Sad but true.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

'Cause we are living in the most racist country in the world unfortunately. Sad but true.

Traveled much? Anyway, I'll just stop here.

[BeTheReds]

I say it doesn't matter how one acts. There isn't a proper way to act or talk. For news media and governmental purposes a certain level of standard language should be maintained but how people themselves talk should not be regulated, nor should any one dialect in any multicultural society be associated with a certain ethnic group.

Regional dialects on the other hand are fading, specifically because there is more communication between regions.

[AngryABCGirl]

yeh, my thoughts exactly. with hip hop so mainstream nowadays, why is adopting the hip hop culture seen as self-loathing or wanting to be black?

Even though its mainstream, it does carry certain negative connotations with it. The gangster culture that's associated with it for one.

Asians adopting it also shatters, and back to it again, being a model minority, by adopting the culture of the, what, the unmodel minority? I think me and a lot of my friends went for the whole azn thing back when we were in junior high because we sick of being disrespected and treated as those nice Asians and also as a reaction against assimilation into whiteness.

[Sunflare]

Traveled much? Anyway, I'll just stop here.

It's OK, speak your mind. What is your take on other places around the world? Maybe there is something that you know that I am not aware of yet. . .

[QUOTE=BeTheReds;529448]I say it doesn't matter how one acts. There isn't a proper way to act or talk. For news media and governmental purposes a certain level of standard language should be maintained but how people themselves talk should not be regulated, nor should any one dialect in any multicultural society be associated with a certain ethnic group. QUOTE]

True. On top of that, a person who speaks English in a different dialect or accent does not necessarily reflect the persons lack of, or surpassing in, intellectual ability.

There is a black kid I know in a Physics class that I took. This guy is totally gangsta, been locked up for a while for selling drugs and now out on parole. (exactly why he's in college, to beat the rap for possession and sale of drugs)

The way he talks is straight up gangsta, every other word that comes out of his mouth is a "muthafucka", "bitch ass" and other such expressive phrases. You should see the privilaged professor and how he tries to deal with his personality and manner of speaking.

People when they first meet him might think he's not fit for college. But he tears the Physics exams apart to pieces. He got better grades then everybody else in my class which consisted of persons of many different backgrounds. This guy's mathematical ability is unbelievable.

The privilaged professor was so impressed by this young man's intellectual ability, that the lingo rubbed of on him. Now he's trying to talk gangsta to the other people in his classes. For real, it's freaking funny.

A true ghetto child walking the walk, and talking the talk, but a total freaking genius at the same time. I truely give this guy props.

[AngryABCGirl]

'Cause we are living in the most racist country in the world unfortunately. Sad but true.

I wouldn't say so at all. Minorities are treated much much much worse in Europe, we have it so good compared to them. I've studied and done research there on the situation especially of Muslim groups from Algeria and Pakistan, by far one of the largest minorities. People talk shit to your face their and expect to get away with it, I was lucky I had a perfect American accent. Asia is no picnic either, but the racism there is more based on stereotyping than a former colonial mentality that a lot of Europeans have that they're still the masters of the universe or something when the fact is these days the quality of life in much of the EU isn't all that great.

[VV o n g B a]

^ that may be true if u're a minority living in the EU, but i don't think that applies to the majority.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Development_Index#Top_fifty_countries_.28HDI _range_from_0.968_down_to_0.843.29

[Sunflare]

I wouldn't say so at all. Minorities are treated much much much worse in Europe, we have it so good compared to them. I've studied and done research there on the situation especially of Muslim groups from Algeria and Pakistan, by far one of the largest minorities. People talk shit to your face their and expect to get away with it, I was lucky I had a perfect American accent. Asia is no picnic either, but the racism there is more based on stereotyping than a former colonial mentality that a lot of Europeans have that they're still the masters of the universe or something when the fact is these days the quality of life in much of the EU isn't all that great.

:nodding in agreement:

That's a good point. I should have thought about that. Race relations are at it's worst in other countries especially England, France, and Germany too, I understand.

I heard the the problem in the UK is Islamophobia and outright racism, even violent biased attacks against persons of South-Asian and Middle-Eastern descent. . . . . . :thinking: . . yeah, exactly like what you are saying.

I heard that there is alot of racism towards Pacific-Asians in Germany, particularly Vietnamese. Many of them, AM's, were subject to beatings by Neo-Nazi skinheads and other involved in White Supremacy ideology.

Maybe I should reconsider, kiss the ground I'm standing on, and be grateful that I am living in the United States after all that's said.

. .But that's unsanitary and nasty, so I wont do that. :spit:

[AngryABCGirl]

^ that may be true if u're a minority living in the EU, but i don't think that applies to the majority.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Development_Index#Top_fifty_countries_.28HDI _range_from_0.968_down_to_0.843.29

Most of the buildings in Europe and infrastructure is old and aging and not pleasant to be in without a willingness or the funds the rebuild and/or upgrade, with the exception being of the newly developing post-Soviet countries that have new and nicer public transit system for example. The housing just sucks, so does the produce. The cost of living is also very high in relation to wages, and with the exception of cell phone technology, the rest of tech is far behind the US and especially Asia. The unemployment rate is also abysmally high. Of course is this worse for minorities there, but the average middle-class European has a lot less than average American.

Even though the development index developed Asian countries is lower, I'd say the average person lives a lot better off than their counterpart in Europe and has more access to nicer housing and consumer goods and a more thriving economy in the developed parts of Asia, just based on my experiences living in both.

[popculturepooka]

Meh, I don't really care either way. I do thinks it's a bit silly that asian kids are wearing doo-rags when they have nothing to "doo", but whatever. That's them.

The only time these type of Asians bother me is when they are trying to "outblack" me.

It seems like nearly all of them (on sighting me) take it as a challenge to show how "down" they are. That's the definition of trying too hard.

[Chooky]

This topic is on Asian Americans partaking in Hip Hop (Black) culture.

Does it bother anyone that there are tons of young asian kids in the US that speak (or try to speak) ebonics and dress "black"?

I think it's normal for people to acculturate themselves into "mainsteam" trends, and when you're young it seems more desirable to do so. I don't see any reasons why young Asians shouldn't do the same, they're just trying to find themselves.

In fact I'd say that it would be impossible to experience youth in the U.S.A (and U.K) without adopting some form of Black derived affectation. I'd go so far as to say that "youth culture" itself wouldn't exist without black counter-culture - we'd all still be dressing like our parents, speaking like we had potatoes in our mouths and listening to Pat Boone-esque ballads.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Robert Johnson!!!!!!