What is Music to You?

Music is everywhere and is everything. No matter who the person is or where they're from, music has impacted them in some way.  It is interesting to see what music is to certain individuals so I went around north Portland and asked the most RANDOM people I could find to ask about their views towards music.  To some it meant a lot and to others it didn't; to some it was that one song and to others it was many songs. Music is so diverse...just like its listeners....

Teach Me How to Dougie

Music that people can have a synchronized dance to helps unify and bring joy to people from all over.  It’s so funny to see the reactions from people when "Teach Me to Dougie" comes on by Cali Swag District. "Teach Me to Dougie" has exploded over the last couple of months, and whether I am in my car, house, party, or club, I could count on somebody to hit the dougie when the song is played.
Soulja Boy was the first to successfully start the trend in catchy synchronized dance music in September of 2007, with his hit single "Crank That (Soulja Boy." Since then, others have came out with their own versions of catchy dance music like "You’re a jerk" by New Boyz, and Catdaddy by the Rej3ctz.

Many people have criticized (including me) this style of music and say it is giving hip-hop a bad name. However, I disagree in some ways. Let’s be honest, how serious can you take these artists who put out songs like this? I mean this has almost become a different genre of music in itself, so I don't even like to call it hip-hop. Nonetheless, it’s fun to dance to and people always have a good time when they actually learn the dance (or think they have learned the dance).The bottom line is, it’s fun to do.

My mother even tried to "jerk" when "You’re a Jerk” came out. It was too funny, she was horrible, but we all got a great laugh out if it. When I asked her about it she said

“I think it is great that people who never met each other can be united by a dance that everybody knows,”

“Teach Me to Dougie" is arguably the biggest synchronized dance of all time.  I’ve seen Celebrities, athletes, and entertainers enjoy the song and publicly display their “dougie” skills on camera. NFL stars have hit the dougie in the end-zone after scoring a touchdown and NBA players have dougied during player introductions.  NBA rookie John Wall hit his own version of the dougie in his very first home game by tying in his “John Wall dance” and it instantly became a YouTube sensation.

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My 12 year old little brother even caught on to the Dougie hype. This just proves that it doesn’t matterwhat age you are or how good you are at it, the goal is to just have fun doing it.  Check my brother Brandyn Waterford out gettin’ his version of the Dougie on.

Video by Phil Waterford

OMG Tour

Usher has been one of the best R&B artists of all time. He dates me back to my middle school days of listening to "U Got It Bad" and "U Don't Have To Call," Usher has been through it all with me and he someone who I follow more than just on twitter, but on tour as well. How many artists can you think of that have been hot for over a decade? Not many right? Usher is a true artists and if you haven't seen him perform you are truly missing out.Here is a map of his current tour "OMG." He is currently on the east coast right now but makes his way to the west coast next month. Check it out.



View Follow Usher on OMG Tour in a larger map

The “N” word in hip-hop. Where do you stand?

One of the most ongoing controversial debates about hip-hop is the use of the N word.  Hip-hop critics have been complaining for years, but most hip-hop artist refuse to change the way they do music. In black culture, the N word is used so frequent that it has become generally become part of everyone’s vocabulary. Black leaders have been trying to start a movement to stop the use of this word without having to forego the First Amendment, yet there has been little to no success in doing so.

I asked several people who relate to the black as well as the hip-hop culture how they feel about the word. Trey Williams, age 22, said: “That word doesn’t mean what it once did, and has evolved over time. Harrison Jones, age 34 said: “I say it and don’t even think twice about it, I think rappers are just doing the same.”

It is true that when artists say the N word in their music, it is not meant to hurt or offend anybody. It has become a part of the culture and is not used in a derogatory way it once was.  However, it still remains a very controversial topic.




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Hip-hop artists like Chamillionaire and Jim Jones have both made attempts to drop the N word completely.

Chamillionaire dropped “Ultimate Victory,” an album that was cuss and N word free in 2007.  The Album peaked at number 3 for the U.S Billboard top rap albums. Chamillionaire told the Associated Press: “I never cursed all that much anyway, but he N-word was a different story: “I’ve always used the N-word.”




Photo by Mediatakeout.com




Jim Jones said after Obama was elected for President, he decided to replace the N word with the word Obama. The examples he gave offtheave.com were: “What up, my Obama?” “Yo, did you see them Obamas last night?” “Now that’s a real Obama.”

Most artists acknowledge the influence the N word may have, but refuse to stop putting it in their music.

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According to the Associated Press, platinum artist 50 cent defended hip-hop by explaining “rappers are telling stories based on their own gritty streets.”

“They forget that the art form is a mirror and what we’re writing is a reflection of where we grew up. They can be interpreted as glorifying it on some levels but they’re trying to capture a particular feel. I’ve made it this far without having to compromise myself, Ain’t no changing what I’m doing now,” he told The AP.

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Twista also told the AP: “It would have to pay something real strong to make me change the way I do my music. I’m gonna keep saying it because I know I’m just making good music.”

Photo By Rob Howard

In an interview between Oprah Winfrey and Jay-z, they discussed this issue.

“Oprah:  When I hear the N-word, I still think about every black man who was lynched--and the N-word was the last thing he heard. Is it really necessary that you put the N-word in your music?



Nothing is necessary," he explained to Winfrey. "It's just become part of the way we communicate. My generation hasn't had the same experience with that word that generations of people before us had. We weren't so close to the pain. So in our way, we disarmed the word. We took the fire pin out of the grenade."

Jay-z then went on to add: "It's difficult to teach racism in the home when your kid loves Jay-Z," he said. "It's hard to say, 'That guy is beneath you' when your kid idolizes that guy."