posts on the norient space by Wayne Marshall

A kaleidoscopic tumble through decades of international street fashion, the video clip «Champs-Élysées» by Bonnie Banane poses puzzles about class and style. It’s not clear that it transcends the pitfalls of classface minstrelsy, or even gives a shit.

Ethnomusicologist Wayne Marshall examines «Treble Culture» – and not «Bass Culture» as others do. He just published his first essay on this topic. On Norient he offers insights via five tracks and clips.

Rather than dance, critics have alleged, «daggering», «perreo» and the like are little more than heavy petting in public – a corruption of courtship and a shameful activity for young innocents. An overview.

That beat you’ve been hearing – the steady boom-ch-boom-chick rattling the trunks of passing cars and moving masses in the club – isn’t just another fleeting hip hop trend. It’s the new sound of the Americas.