Nas - Affirmative Action (St. Denis Style Remix)

So I'm taking French II, right? And we got these projects where we have to make a presentation about some aspect of French culture before the class. We have people doing projects on paintings, movies, clothing, Marie Antoinette, and music. I wanted to do music, and someone else is speaking on Daft Punk. Maybe I should do mine on something hip-hop? Sounds good. I know a lot about hip-hop. But French hip-hop? This is all I know.... 

"Affirmative Action" is originally from Nas's 1996 album, It Was Written. "Affirmative Action" was the mafioso themed introduction to first line-up of the New York-based supergroup known as The Firm. This here is a bit of an international remix. They scrapped Cormega and Foxy's lackluster performances, leaving only Nas and AZ's epic verses with the addition of the duo known as Suprême NTM. NTM stands for "Nique Ta Mere", which according to Yahoo! Babelfish translates to "Screw Your Mother." This is an official remix, the only version of this song to have a music video. 

   

I have no idea WTF these French rappers are talking about, but I know that they are going hard as hell. I can hear the intensity of their voices. I see them in their beanies and heavycoats, perfectly pulling off the hand gestures. Even when they are waving around those glow sticks, they pull it off. They look like they're in the right place, in front of the projects, and in midst of a big ass cypher with Nas and AZ. Back then, AZ and Nas were yin and yang as the voices of the American streets. These guys from Suprême NTM looked, and sounded like their French counterparts.

I am really digging the style of this video. I noticed that it's very reminscent of 1995's "La Haine". "La Haine" is a French film, directed by Matthieu Kassovitz. In a nutshell, it's a day in the lives of three street kids living in the French projects. It was championed in the United States by Jodie Foster, of all people. I finally saw it, and it became one of my favorite movies.

 

Anyways, there are uncanny similarities between the urban winter gear of the characters in the film, and the people of "Affirmative Action." "La Haine" and "Affirmative Action" are obviously both black an white. And they have plenty of shots of the projects to go around.  My first thought was that the music video was definitely inspired by "La Haine." But "La Haine" was art imitating life. So was "Affirmative Action" for that matter, but I get the impression from paying attention to NTM that the lifestyle that they lead is similar to that of the three main characters in "La Haine." Maybe "La Haine" just realistically depicted the common reality for so many kids from the street. 

 

Whatever the case, these are two works of media arts that illustrate hard times in '95 and '96. The international remix of "Affirmative Action" and "La Haine are both testament to the fact that there are ghettos on both sides of Atlantic Ocean. 

Rocawear & Jay-Z's Impact on American Fashion

As far as my style goes, I wear what I like. From an existentialist point of view, my style would best be described as urban-conservative. That means hip-hop inspired, but staying away from brand names, loud colors, or excessive baggyness. There was a time in my life, however, where I wanted to bestraight thug. If it was in the ads of XXL Magazine, I bought it. You could catch me sporting anything from Ecko Unlimited, Sean John, Southpole, and Rocawear. I had a strong preference for Rocawear.

This is from the 8th grade yearbook, in 2002-2003, where I was voted funniest. I'm a rocking the hardcore, black denim Rocawear jacket, and accessorizing with a ridiculous mean-mug. The mean mug is an ironic contrast to the "Funniest! Ha Ha!" next to my picture.

I got it as a Christmas gift from my grandma, when she took me shopping at Burlington Coat Factory. The jacket is as warm as it gets. I love the khaki Rocawear logo on the back. It matched my khaki school pants, and let everybody know that, I'm something like Young Hov, "the best rapper alive."

"Still smokin' that La, La, La/

Beanie Sigel Desert Eagle the .45/

It's the Roc, baby sing our lullaby."

From Jay-Z's "La La La (Excuse Me Again)", Bad Boys II Soundtrack, 2002.

Rap was very cliqueish back then. Kanye West spit a verse here and there, but was ultimately still just a producer behind the boards. He had no influence on the fashion. Like Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, we were all wearing gang gear for the Rocafella army.

Come to high school, I feel I have to be an individual. I don't want to be in uniform with any classification of people. I'm shunning the brand names, and going for shit that's classic. But yet, I still let the music I listen to inspire the way I dress.

Here's my Reasonable Doubt t-shirt I got for 6 dollars from Hot Topic. In middle school, people still used to buy the albums that were hot at the time. Now in high school, P2P downloading is what's up. Kids like me were part of a renaissance of our favorite rappers roots, going to through all of their classic albums. Here I am, supporting Jay-Z the artist, but I'm not an advertisement for Rocawear.

"OK I'm gettin weeded now I know I'm contradicting myself/

Look I don't need that now/

It just once in a blue moon when there's nothin to do and/

The tension gets too thick for my sober mind to cut through."

From Jay-Z's "Feelin' It", Reasonable Doubt, 1996.

Recently, I had an epiphany when I realized I've been having most of the shirts in my closet since high school. There was a voice in my head that said "This is 2010 motherfucker, it's time to upgrade". I went to the mall with $100 on a hunt for t-shirts for the spring and the summer My curiousity led me to Macy's, and I was stunned when I found this badass tee on sale for $10.

Just wow. Forget being militantly anti-name brand. This is college. If the logo is subtle, or if the clothes have a message, I'll wear whatever. But I never thought I'd ever wear Rocawear again. I love this new bold artistic direction, reflective of the major themes of Jay-Z's body of work. This shirt visually renders the explicit lyrics of rap music, and puts it into context.

"Blame Reagan for making me into a monster/

Blame Oliver North and Iran-Contra/

I ran contraband that they sponsored/

Before this rhymin stuff we was in concert."

From Jay-Z's "Blue Magic", American Gangster, 2007.

He's been hanging out with Kanye a lot, who's now a mega star that made it big while colorfully defying the conventions of hip-hop fashion. Jay-Z is bigger than the game. He's a trend setter. We've watched the evolution of Jay-Z's style in music over the years. While other rappers and urban clothing lines conform to the status quo of the times, Jay-Z has always been in pursuit of what can be called groundbreaking. The Jiggaman will remain a superpower of pop culture for years to come. It's definitely a good look to make shirts with a deeper message...

^ Any rappers come to mind?