How is it similar and different from American Fashion?
Is Japanese Hip Hop Fashion just copying American fashion? How do Japanese view Hip Hop Fashion? What is Japanese Hip Hop Fashion associated with?
Japan's difference views on fashion.
--Hip hop fashion compare and contrasts
Hip hop fashion complements the expressions and attitudes of hip hop culture in general, by expressing and reflecting sense of cool and confidence.
Why is hip hop fashion so cool and trendy in Japan?
Japanese artists:
倖田來未 - Hot Stuff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhYx04ZmvA8
ZEEBRA - Jackin' 4 Beats
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHlzpqYA5NI&feature=related
American Artists:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hvEsCUj0xQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWg3IMN_rhU
--What is hip hop fashion associated with in Japan
The hip hop culture was not easily absorbed by this relatively conservative society at the time. This was the reason why the initial promoters of the fashion were actually the bad boys of the streets and gang members. Hanging out on the streets with boom boxes dressed up as hip hop hooligans was reminiscent of gang behavior for most parents and concerned individuals at the time.
Now-a-days, Japanese Hip Hop Fashion is widely seen throughout the streets of Japan, as the popularity of hip hop music, dance, and art grew.
Do Japanese Hip Hoppers know the messages? the meaning of hip hop?
This question is always asked when Japanese hip hop is being observed by Americans. I have a couple ideas:
During my study abroad in Japan; making my weekly trips to Harajuku's 竹下通り (Takeshita street), to indulge myself in my interest in Japanese fashion. There are plenty of diverse stores on 竹下通り, including many hip hop clothing stores. I found it interesting that these stores usually had Nigerians dressed up in all kinds of American brands, both East and West gear. Pretty much, seeing a NY hat and a LA jacket on someone doesn’t mean anything to Japanese people, however Americans might find that odd that 2 cities on opposite coasts are being represented together. The first time I saw a Nigerian wear NY and LA brands together, I laughed... alot...
Why would it mean anything to Japanese people? NY and LA are miles and miles away, why would they need to know about American cities when it comes to their fashion? American's may view this as an example of Japanese Hip Hoppers not knowing enough about hip hop, through how they express their fashion.
[Fashion]
Japanese
http://www.cultureuniversal.com/articles_japanese-fashion.htm
American
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT7wq0y3maU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiFg-8o4ed8&feature=related
How we look at society
Gender relations with fashion
[SMST and BOTY]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L_-wkQbVZw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oH7k_fEDIQ
--Are the Japanese copying Americans and trying to be black?
I come to the "trying to be black?" statement I hear oh so often when talking about Japanese hip hop.
[Hip Hop essence]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm9VK16MmGU
Americans have criticized Japanese for copying hip hop fashion and trying to “be black” for a while. I have read many stories of Americans travelling to Japan and asking young Japanese hip hoppers out of the blue whether they have heard of Malcolm X or some other political leader for the African American movement. Then afterward they complain about how Japanese hip hoppers are posers who don't know anything about the history of hip hop, etc.
Yes, I can say that is largely true that the majority of Japanese hip hoppers are into nothing but fashion, style, music, but don't care about lyrics, social, culutural background of hip hop itself. This is mainly because they don't understand what rappers are rapping about in English. Even some of the CDs come with translated lyrics yet it's so hard for many of them to figure out what the lyrics all mean without the background knowledge. It is difficult to try to understand the background of hip hop from a book or from twisted lyrics talking about a part of history.
I have had many encounters in Japan where I thought, being American, would instantly make me more knowledgeable about American hip hop artists... and I was sadly proved wrong more than once.
Just their style, happens to be similar to American hip hop. Obviously it has to come from somewhere, it does come out of the blue, things get borrowed and twisted around to fit the society hip hop resides in. Some Americans will argue and say that hip hop should strictly stay in the black community and only other communities can particapate but can't possess the essence of hip hop. I will not agree or disagree with this statement, but statements like these are the reasons why Japanese hip hop artists have worked hard to make hip hop in Japan become more about Japan as the lyrics become more society related. I believe hip hop artists in Japan are finally getting on their feet.Recent sales of hip hop artists in japan have shown that Japanese artists are starting to outsell American ones.
It is interesting that many American hip hop artists will buy and wear Japanese brand hip hop clothing.
There are always going to be people who love the fashion, the music, etc, of hip-hop culture, but don't get the "message," or even want to hear it, or who even care about "what's really going on" and a whole lot of them are going to be part of the group who are the so-called originators. There are way more young americans who know more about their favorite hip hop artist than they know about any type of history. So if Americans are looking at Japanese as not knowing about the history, I think we need to check back to our own grounds before attacking others.
Well I know this all is not organized but I'm going to try to dig further and hopefully smooth out all the wrinkles...
--I want to explore these ideas further and try to get an better understanding as to why these judgments are being made about people and their choices to wear what they feel is cool and makes them confident when they walk down the street. Hip hop is about confidence and I think embracing that in a sense of fashion is something that the Japanese can relate to (considering other fashion styles in Japan). I would also like to explore why some Japanese only care about the fashion and have primarily no interest in learning about the history of hip hop.
---
I'm going to talk a little bit more about hip hop fashion again:
As much as I could say that wearing hip hop fashion is just someone picking out something they think is cool and wearing it daily. From my personal experience, I do wear different types of fashion, for different days, possible different moods have influenced this, but I feel that no matter what I wear, the way I put it together and how I portray myself while I'm in whatever clothes... I do feel I become apart of it and I made my own statement through my fashion
I think within the Japanese society, fashion is very important because the society is very strict with acting a certain way and being polite, etc. So many youths find an almost freedom with their fashion. Their fashion also takes them to their community and others who have the same interests, I think that's important. It also the younger generation to still have that bond with a community through the things they enjoy and I sometimes feel that in america we lack that sense of community with interests.
