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Discussion: The Unbearable Whiteness of Indie
Member Since: 5/18/2012
Posts: 20,576
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The Unbearable Whiteness of Indie
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What substantiates this are the microaggressions, as well as overt and covert expressions of racism, that happen as a result of those systemically held ideals. Some may take the success of artists of color as threat to their space or scene. White art is deemed more worthy of respect, and so white audiences respond to it positively—it is set up for success. It’s evidenced the last week of news: be it the insidious petition urging Glastonbury to drop Kanye West in favor of a "rock band" (read: a white artist), or the repeated co-option of Indian and Desi pop culture by Major Lazer going unremarked upon. White art additionally dilutes and flattens aspects of other cultures' music that it adopts in the process of making them more "accessible" for those whose curiosity does not extend beyond the parameters of Europe and North America. White "ambassadors" decide what parts of these musics of cultures get to filter through based on white notions of what is good, or real or what ethnomusical practices appeal to an American sense of authenticity (see also: Diplo).
Artists, labels and producers are not the only ones complicit in perpetuating this, though. It’s successful music publications—Pitchfork included—who have celebrated Vampire Weekend and Dirty Projectors' use of attenuated 'afro' elements, calling the latter’s music "idiosyncratic" and saying the former owes thanks to Paul Simon, the evident creator of African music. White musicians seemingly can have it all: their almost impenetrable music scenes as well as their bastardization of most any other cultures. The root work by artists of color effectively disappears.
I can count on one hand the prominent performers in the independent scene that look like me: M.I.A., Himanshu Suri (Heems and Das Racist), Dapwell (Das Racist) and Natasha Khan (Bat For Lashes). Of those four people, Heems and M.I.A. root their work in rap, put their Desi heritage and brown skin on blast, curve balling their outspoken resistance back to critics with a middle finger. Whether it’s Arulpragasam’s observation of "Some people see planes/ Some people see drones/ Some people see a doom/ And some people see domes" on "CanSeeCanDo" or Suri’s ironic chanting of "USA! USA! USA!" on Eat Pray Thug’s "Al Q8a". They illuminate political issues that concern and affect them, which is what resonates so intensely with brown fans of their music.
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Intellectual delineations associated with race make for a lack of serious discussion here: White people accept Kathleen Hanna’s branch of feminism though it has often and primarily benefitted other white women, and stand by her in solidarity as she praises icons of White aspiration like Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift. While Hanna has, historically, played with sarcasm and irony in her lyrics, her work has never been derided as a joke, her lyrical critiques have been taken as just that. M.I.A. and Heems, however, are often subject to bad press for this same approach--press that paints them as attention-seeking and caustic. The feel-good feminism of white women earns infinitely more respect in both the artistic and 'real' world as evidenced by their prominence and visibility; making art about your experience of racism is seemingly much less acceptable, cool or "punk".
It’s difficult not to be deterred and alienated by the overwhelming Whiteness of it all, especially when as a person of color, Western society flat out resists the witness of your life. However, it’s important to seize and act on precedents being set by the likes of Heems and M.I.A., paving a way that makes it easier for new artists of color to follow suit and make their mark. Whiteness is a mark of exclusivity that must be broken; to have masses of talent ignored in favor of a select few is not acceptable. Visibility of people of color in independent music is absolutely paramount for the genre to evolve and truly represent those cast away from the scene for too long.
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Pitchfork
And before people are like "oh another black person arguing about racism", she's Asian.
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Member Since: 4/3/2014
Posts: 19,477
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Queen of the first two seasons of Skins
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Member Since: 3/15/2013
Posts: 16,409
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You should bold the important parts so its easier to read
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Member Since: 5/18/2012
Posts: 20,576
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Quote:
Originally posted by BILLIONAIRE✘BOY
You should bold the important parts so its easier to read |
No, you should click the source and read the article.
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Member Since: 9/3/2011
Posts: 14,867
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I saw this article when they published it. Why is Cassie from Skins [  ] in the picture? 
Re: the content; kinda reads like self-shade. Pitchfork are so embarrassing. 
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Member Since: 5/8/2012
Posts: 13,178
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Member Since: 3/15/2013
Posts: 16,409
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Quote:
Originally posted by Tropez
No, you should click the source and read the article.
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I personally read it already .. most people wont. You don't have to it was just a suggestion.
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Member Since: 4/14/2011
Posts: 48,397
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I completely understand what they're saying but to be honest, why is taking elements from foreign cultures and incorporating them into Western art seen so negatively when artists acknowledge they're borrowing them? Look at Picasso we praise his work and he borrowed African elements in some of his most famous work. What is the difference when Vampire Weekend or Foster The People do it?
But yeah the lack of diversity is a problem in alternative. Women are finally joining the genre and I am sure minorities will do so too in time. Besides M.I.A. and the other artists they mention, the lead singer of Alabama Shakes is a good example of that plus FKA Twigs maybe.
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Member Since: 9/3/2011
Posts: 14,867
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IIRC the full article kinda drags Belle & Sebastian to the pits. It's all over the place and poorly written; leaping from one point to another without having a firm narrative. Stay in school gerlz.
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Member Since: 5/18/2012
Posts: 20,576
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Quote:
Originally posted by BILLIONAIRE✘BOY
I personally read it already .. most people wont. You don't have to it was just a suggestion. |
If they can't read a simple article like this, they clearly need to brush up their reading skills. It takes 5 minutes tops. Besides highlighting things would just take them out of context.
Quote:
Originally posted by Reader
IIRC the full article kinda drags Belle & Sebastian to the pits. It's all over the place and poorly written; leaping from one point to another without having a firm narrative. Stay in school gerlz.
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That's one of the major ills of the article. But her point is easy to follow.
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 41,181
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NOT everything is about race 
There are many black artists doing great in the indie world. Jhene, Azealia, FKA Twigs, Kelela, Tink, Denai Moore plus countless rappers, namely Chance The Rapper, Cozz, Pell etc. Whoever wrote the article needs to chill.
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Member Since: 4/14/2011
Posts: 48,397
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Quote:
Originally posted by Truth Teller
NOT everything is about race
There are many black artists doing great in the indie world. Jhene, Azealia, FKA Twigs, Kelela, Tink, Denai Moore plus countless rappers, namely Chance The Rapper, Cozz, Pell etc. Whoever wrote the article needs to chill. |
Yes but they're in their own sphere, you rarely see them getting alternative airplay along with white artists. Actually until very recently (with a few exceptions) alternative radio stations played almost only white males
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Member Since: 3/25/2012
Posts: 10,673
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Quote:
Originally posted by LoKoPaNdA
But yeah the lack of diversity is a problem in alternative. Women are finally joining the genre and I am sure minorities will do so too in time. Besides M.I.A. and the other artists they mention, the lead singer of Alabama Shakes is a good example of that plus FKA Twigs maybe.
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Artists like MIA, FKA Twigs and Jhene unfortunately tend to get labeled as progressive r&b or "alt r&b" though (obviously because of their skin color). Hopefully we will see more minority artists accepted in the indie scene soon though. 
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Member Since: 4/6/2011
Posts: 31,849
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most indie acts aren't even remotely famous so she can have several seats.  like damn now they are attacking indie artists? 
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Member Since: 3/15/2013
Posts: 16,409
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Quote:
Originally posted by Tropez
If they can't read a simple article like this, they clearly need to brush up their reading skills. It takes 5 minutes tops. Besides highlighting things would just take them out of context.
That's one of the major ills of the article. But her point is easy to follow.
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Thats fine, no need to be rude 
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Member Since: 9/3/2011
Posts: 14,867
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Quote:
Originally posted by LoKoPaNdA
Yes but they're in their own sphere, you rarely see them getting alternative airplay along with white artists. Actually until very recently (with a few exceptions) alternative radio stations played almost only white males
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That is a good point tbh. Thinking of alternative radio, it's so white. Artists like FKA, MIA do incorporate other genres into their music as opposed to artists like, say, Foo Fighters or Coldplay - maybe that can partly explain it.
Alt is really blossoming lately.  
EDIT: cloudinthesky basically said what I was thinking 
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 35,912
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omg that girl on the right is from GoT
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Member Since: 9/15/2012
Posts: 22,487
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I mean indie entails a lot of music, and I don't really agree those artists listed in the article are the only four that aren't white. Really all music besides R&B, hip-hop, rap and gospel are absolutely dominated by white artists, I don't really understand the need to single out indie music as the problem.
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 2,380
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Ugh this is so stupid. It's like saying there aren't enough white k-pop singers!!!1!!
What about black people dominating Hip Hop/R&B and barely any white people making it into that scene? Not everything is about race.
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Member Since: 3/1/2014
Posts: 2,096
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Quote:
Originally posted by LoKoPaNdA
...
But yeah the lack of diversity is a problem in alternative. Women are finally joining the genre and I am sure minorities will do so too in time. Besides M.I.A. and the other artists they mention, the lead singer of Alabama Shakes is a good example of that plus FKA Twigs maybe.
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What do you mean women are finally joining the genre?
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