I'm not sure if anyone has read this already.If not here's something that was put in the paper about the Hyphy movement in the bay.
What Is It! (No...Really...Que Es?) -- San Jose Chicanos Get Hyphy
New America Media, Commentary, David Madrid, Aug 25, 2006
Editor's Note: "Hyphy" -- an energetic style of hip-hop endemic to the San Francisco Bay Area -- has made its way south to San Jose, where it is changing the style of a generation of young Chicanos, and even creating regional unity. David Madrid is on the staff of Silicon Valley De-Bug.
SAN JOSE, Calif.--A new generation of young Chicanos are into hyphy music and souped up muscle cars, not their neighborhood and family traditions of lowriders and oldies.
I was walking through the gates of the Santa Clara county fair grounds to the Street Low magazine car show recently, and was surprised to see the contrast of new and old Chicano identities that made up the massive crowds.
The meshing of the two cultures was as blunt as the car show flyer that had booked two headline musical acts, the Bay's own "Keak Da Sneak" with his hyphy hit "That's my Word" and the Latin soul of "Malo" with their timeless cruising classic "Sauvecito."
The hyphy movement is changing not just car shows, but the Chicano identity of San Jose itself.
Hyphy is a style of energetic hip-hop music that's regional to the Bay Area. But its more then just a genre of music to the youngsters of Northern California -- it's a way of life, and a unifying movement to put the Bay Area hip-hop scene on the map. For those who haven't heard hyphy, it's party music with a thug twist. The lyrics promote dancing, drug use and all out craziness. You can catch homies all over town sporting long T-shirt's and grills while sagging their jeans as they dance in the streets "ghost ridin' the whip." This style and mentality is rapidly spreading throughout California and nationwide, with the help of the late Mac Dre, E-40, and Keak Da Sneak, whose rap music introduced this Bayed-out phenomenon to a whole new generation.
This hyphy movement and way of life does not belong to any particular ethnicity or people -- it's not a black or brown thing, it's a straight-up Bay thing. Although originating out of Oakland and Vallejo, hyphy has grown throughout San Jose within the last few years. Its not just about clothes and music, its about representing your town and showing Bay love. And that Nor Cal unity made it possible for this multi-cultural hip hop style to manifest in primarily Mexican and Chicano communities here that had for generations maintained a distinct cultural fashion and style. As a result, San Jose may even be more culturally connected to the rest of the Bay Area then ever before.
Being part of the Bay is somewhat new for San Jose. Although geographically San Jose is considered the southern part of the Bay, it has always seemed to be disconnected from San Francisco and Oakland. The South Bay, Central Coast and Central Valley have always been defined by their stronger Mexican and Chicano histories. Chicano identities shaped the South Bay culture, from the apricot fields to modern day low-riding. That is why even today, young Chicanos in San Jose have some of the same interests and fashions that their elders have. In what other culture could you find a 16-year-old boy listening to the same music that his grandfather did when he was a kid?
But with the arrival of hyphy, some Chicano youth are stepping away from their traditional identity.
Mrs. Allen, staff person at Fischer Junior High, a predominantly Latino school on the East Side, says that hyphy is quickly becoming the most prominent way young people are representing themselves. "Before, it was easy to know who's who by the way they dressed, but now different kinds of groups all got a bit of hyphy." Even the gangsters have caught on. Both Surenos and Nortenos, she says, are suited in hyphy gear -- hanging up their Cortez's for Jordans.
Because of this, a lot of folks in San Jose say that the hyphy movement is a welcome alternative for the Chicano community, because it is a different identity than the one taken up by so many of our youth -- gang-banging. Of course, the hyphy mentality is still that of a thug, and one of being rowdy and partying with drugs. But it could still be an alternative to killing each other over gang conflict.
Some here are still critical of the whole phenomenon. Joey Martinez, a young home boy from East San Jose, is not alone when he says, "That hyphy sh-- got a lot of homies out here acting like they're black, that's not who we are." He and others embrace their Chicano heritage and feel that hyphy has no place in the authentic San Jose Chicano lifestyle. Joey says that hyphy is merely a fad anyhow, and adds, "Real homeboys don't sag."
Like it or not, the hyphy movement is here in San Jose. Who decides to get on the yellow bus is up to them
What Is It! (No...Really...Que Es?) -- San Jose Chicanos Get Hyphy
New America Media, Commentary, David Madrid, Aug 25, 2006
Editor's Note: "Hyphy" -- an energetic style of hip-hop endemic to the San Francisco Bay Area -- has made its way south to San Jose, where it is changing the style of a generation of young Chicanos, and even creating regional unity. David Madrid is on the staff of Silicon Valley De-Bug.
SAN JOSE, Calif.--A new generation of young Chicanos are into hyphy music and souped up muscle cars, not their neighborhood and family traditions of lowriders and oldies.
I was walking through the gates of the Santa Clara county fair grounds to the Street Low magazine car show recently, and was surprised to see the contrast of new and old Chicano identities that made up the massive crowds.
The meshing of the two cultures was as blunt as the car show flyer that had booked two headline musical acts, the Bay's own "Keak Da Sneak" with his hyphy hit "That's my Word" and the Latin soul of "Malo" with their timeless cruising classic "Sauvecito."
The hyphy movement is changing not just car shows, but the Chicano identity of San Jose itself.
Hyphy is a style of energetic hip-hop music that's regional to the Bay Area. But its more then just a genre of music to the youngsters of Northern California -- it's a way of life, and a unifying movement to put the Bay Area hip-hop scene on the map. For those who haven't heard hyphy, it's party music with a thug twist. The lyrics promote dancing, drug use and all out craziness. You can catch homies all over town sporting long T-shirt's and grills while sagging their jeans as they dance in the streets "ghost ridin' the whip." This style and mentality is rapidly spreading throughout California and nationwide, with the help of the late Mac Dre, E-40, and Keak Da Sneak, whose rap music introduced this Bayed-out phenomenon to a whole new generation.
This hyphy movement and way of life does not belong to any particular ethnicity or people -- it's not a black or brown thing, it's a straight-up Bay thing. Although originating out of Oakland and Vallejo, hyphy has grown throughout San Jose within the last few years. Its not just about clothes and music, its about representing your town and showing Bay love. And that Nor Cal unity made it possible for this multi-cultural hip hop style to manifest in primarily Mexican and Chicano communities here that had for generations maintained a distinct cultural fashion and style. As a result, San Jose may even be more culturally connected to the rest of the Bay Area then ever before.
Being part of the Bay is somewhat new for San Jose. Although geographically San Jose is considered the southern part of the Bay, it has always seemed to be disconnected from San Francisco and Oakland. The South Bay, Central Coast and Central Valley have always been defined by their stronger Mexican and Chicano histories. Chicano identities shaped the South Bay culture, from the apricot fields to modern day low-riding. That is why even today, young Chicanos in San Jose have some of the same interests and fashions that their elders have. In what other culture could you find a 16-year-old boy listening to the same music that his grandfather did when he was a kid?
But with the arrival of hyphy, some Chicano youth are stepping away from their traditional identity.
Mrs. Allen, staff person at Fischer Junior High, a predominantly Latino school on the East Side, says that hyphy is quickly becoming the most prominent way young people are representing themselves. "Before, it was easy to know who's who by the way they dressed, but now different kinds of groups all got a bit of hyphy." Even the gangsters have caught on. Both Surenos and Nortenos, she says, are suited in hyphy gear -- hanging up their Cortez's for Jordans.
Because of this, a lot of folks in San Jose say that the hyphy movement is a welcome alternative for the Chicano community, because it is a different identity than the one taken up by so many of our youth -- gang-banging. Of course, the hyphy mentality is still that of a thug, and one of being rowdy and partying with drugs. But it could still be an alternative to killing each other over gang conflict.
Some here are still critical of the whole phenomenon. Joey Martinez, a young home boy from East San Jose, is not alone when he says, "That hyphy sh-- got a lot of homies out here acting like they're black, that's not who we are." He and others embrace their Chicano heritage and feel that hyphy has no place in the authentic San Jose Chicano lifestyle. Joey says that hyphy is merely a fad anyhow, and adds, "Real homeboys don't sag."
Like it or not, the hyphy movement is here in San Jose. Who decides to get on the yellow bus is up to them
