A smaller but important part of hip hop is dance hall. This article in Vibe tells us about dance hall and the creativity that came out of their to help start hip hop in the beginning. A dance hall is just a place you go to dance. It does not need to be a hall and it doesn't even need a roof, but it does need to have music that you can't hear on the radio. Raw music, loud music, sexy music, and occasionally crazy music. If it can make Jamaican people dance, then call it dance hall. Jamaican beats played at the dance hall is credited for some of the sounds we have heard and hear today. These sounds are so distinct today's rappers credit dance hall for beats they have personally spit on. Spit meaning flowed on not literally spit on. Artists such as Busta Rhymes, Biggie, Run DMC, and many more give mad credit to dance hall and the Jamaican based music. They have used these beats to produce many hit tracks and just want to give them the props it deserves. Yes, of course there are the melodic beats we hear and can make on beat machines, but these dance hall beats are invaluable and made through real live music. There are no beats being made on a computer ,but only with instruments. Who cares if the beats were made while being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. They still make the crowds go wild and the rap artists speak their minds like never before.

The second annotation is about the Bad Boy label. This annotation comes from the Source magazine. If you don't know Bad Boy changed is know a major record label for hip hop artists. The founder is Sean "P-Diddy" Combs who know is a muti millionaire. Sean Combs did not start this way and had his ups and downs. This article focuses on when he threw a huge event at City College in New York. It was a celebrity basketball game that ended up with nine people dead. These nine people were trampled to death after there was a heard trying to get out of the stadium. A man pulled out a gun and the people in the crowds went crazy. Puffy fell in depression after this event and was contimplating suicide. Puffy felt reborn after a moment with god and wanted to be resurrected. After this day he exploded onto the scene. His first real success was by a women named Mary J. Blige. He made the beats for her and promoted her so well, now she is known as the Queen of Hip Hop Soul. The part of the article that grips me the most is the first initiation between him and Biggie. Biggie signed to the Bad Boy label and that is how Puffy started to make his millions. It states that Biggie was in jail in there first meeting and Puffy put up a huge amount of money to bail him out. From then on their friendship took off and so did their business careers.

I found a great article this weekend called New York State of Mind by David Bry. It talks about the resurgences of East Coast Hip hop. Hip hop if I haven't already stated in earlier annotations started in the streets of New York. Then after many years past by, the scene their started to fade and the West Coast started to gain all of the attention. Mainly due to the rising of what we call gangsta rap. The resergence still had many of the same aspects as earlier times and can be heard in the beats. The vintage funk beats, hand claps, finger snaps, and bouncy bass lines match the rumbling metal on metal rhythm of a subway train. New York hip hop believe in the purity of hard, non melodic arrangement and complex punch lines. Word play had developed a level of snobbery that had to match the levels of black critics around cafes in NYU. Blessed with a wizened voice at just 18 years with his unrelenting rhythmic flow came Nas. Another first class rapper today was Jay Z. Jay Z though in the beginning had to push hard to promote himself because nobody else gave him a chance in the industry. The Wu Tang Clan also came from the streets of New York. The biggest group of all rappers with eight members. Finally, there is DMX. DMX and Jay Z would get together in pool halls to battle each other. Battling means to free style rap with one another with no music. The reason one knows these two men are so talented is because they both came from different parts of the hood and now they both rap icons.

My last annotation for the week is an idea I have for my final product. I want put music into my website, but do not know how. On different pages I really would like to have music playing, but there would be an option to turn it off. I thought this would be great for the people who have not been cultured to hip hop music. For example if there is a Biggie page there could be his song "Juicy" playing in the backround or have the option of listening to it. I thought for the memorial type page for the fallen stars the song "I Miss You" by Aaliyah would be very appropriate. Aaliyah made this song for her new Cd, but died before she was able to ever perform it live or make a video for it. Some other songs would include: The Sugar Hill Gang, Tupac (Me Against the World), Run DMC, and Jay Z. If not I was thinking of making a soundtrack for my website and passing some Cd's out during my presentation. I just really want to share the joy of listening to this great music and want others to understand where the artists are coming from. Most importantly I want people to know that not all hip hop music is about violence and gangs, but those are just the stereotypes put on them by the news and other media.

The new April issue of Vibe came out just in time for my final project. The main theme for the issue is hip hop stars in Hollywood. They write about artists such as Aaliyah, Tupac, Nelly, Eve, Ice Cube, DMX, Queen Latifah, Janet Jackson, Busta Rhymes, and a lot more. Just ten years ago hip hop stars were never in the movies. The magazine shows how this has changed since the movement has becom larger. Tupac and Janet Jackson were one of the first to represent their community on the big screen. Poetic Justice was a big hit that received great reviews. Then came Tupac again with the movie Juice. Tupac was such a versatile artist that he was offered many more roles in movies, but died before he had the chance to take the oppurtunities. Redman and Methodman were leading stars last year in the movie How High. This movie was hilarious and they were also in charge of making the soundtrack which was very successful too. The latest big hit was a movie produced by Ice Cube called Barber Shop. This comedy was able to reached a lot of people because they talked about touchy subjects. Some movies that hip hop artists are in only attract a certain crowd which includes just minorities, younger, and of the lower class. This movie attracted all and has been even nominated in different categories for many awards. In my project there is going to be a sub section called Hip hop and the movies. This months issure helps me out because there are many examples to support my points.

The site I chose to evaluate is www.radioofindia.com. I found this site doing another project for my COM 420 class. For the navigation aspect everything seems with good compliance except for the site structure. The structure seems a bit clutered and there is an unnecessary level at the bottom asking "how bad is your heartburn". All of the functions are clearly labeled and work without leavig the site. For control not all of the graphic links are available as text links. There are bars on the left side of the page with different flags and there are no text links to them. The language used was very simple to understand and I can see no type of Jargon. Users are able to receive email feedback by the contact function. Online help is not available, but there is a help button. The links do match all of the pages to where they refer. On some of the side bars there are many words to describe each link. This seems a bit too distracting for myself. The error messages do appear when neccessary because if one does not log in it informs the users that there is an error. These messages are presented in plain language. The worst aspect about this sight is the visual clarity. The layout seems a bit cluttered, there is too much yellow, the whit space seems insufficient, all of the images do not have an alt text, and the color combination is just ugly. Also there is writing in white that blends in with the red backround which I think was a bad choice.

The final log for the week is also what I saw on television this last week. It was great that MTV had a whole week dedicated to hip hop, but this could only be seen if one had cable. For all the folks that don't have cable they might not know exactly how big this culture has really gotten. Well, the Grammys this week on basic cable should put the doubters to rest. Just three years ago Jay Z, arguabley the most powerful rap stars in the industry boycott the award show. This was because the Grammy's were not giving the respect and appreciation to the hip hop community. All of the hip hop awards that year were not going to be given out publicly on television so he decided to take action. Well three years later things have sure changed. Every single hip hop based category was shown on television which included 13 categories. Not only that, but Eminem and Nelly were both nominated for record and album of the year. Things have sure come a long way since just three years ago when they did not want to show even one award. The Grammys also had live performances by Nelly, Kelly Rowland, Ashanti, Ja Rule, and Eminem. Eminem was put at the end of the show because producers knew that viewers would watch the award show until Eminem performed. The Grammy's which used to be solely based on rock,country, jazz, classical, and even operah have changed because the hip hop culture is just undeniable in today's society. I am going to use this piece in my project for when I argue that this culture alone has changed all of society which includes: television, music, the population, magazines, videos, movies, and now even award shows.

The next thing I would like to discuss is not anything I have read, but what I have seen for the last week on television. Starting this past Monday, MTV had hip hop week. A whole week strictly dedicated to hip hop and nothing else. I don't think that they have ever had just a Rock week or any other types of week long events. I loved watching MTV for the whole week and just ate it up. They had a oustanding document about where hip hop is today and the stubling blocks that the culture has passed. Another great segment was about rap stars and their true riches. This piece was very powerful because it let the audience know the true riches of rap stars. It told us that rappers are not as rich as they appear on the videos. The videos have rented jewelery, houses, and cars. I thought MTV was bold for making a documentry about a subject matter that rap stars might not want the audience to know. The only real down side to the week was the MC battle that was supposed to happen in Time Square. The winner was going to get a contract with Def Jam, but the contest was cancelled until further notice. Of course they had a huge tribute to all of the fallen stars within the culture that have inspired not only other rappers, but everyone around the world. This week proves that hip hop is huge and taking over the billboard charts.

The article I want to discuss is called Hip Hop theatrics. It talks about how hip hop has changed over the years into a wide array of components. It does not just involve rap music, but also hip hop has even moved into theater. The event takes place in California for three days. The hip hop festival is devoted to a different type of crowd then your average theater goers. The crowd being of a younger generation that plays video games, watches TV, and have quicker attention spans. Hip hop theater uses rhyming and rhythm to deliver dialogue and tell stories. There issues involve disenfranchised, unemployment or racism. I really think this is a great article because it proves that hip hop has grown into a culture and not a fad. This hip hop theater involves all of the elements used to build the character of what it is today. For example the shows use rapping, DJing, graffiti art, and break dancing. I don't see or have heard of such things as rock theater or country theater. I think the reason being is that hip hop was not easily accepted into the main stream and the drive it took was much more then any other of these types of music cultures. The element of this theater that stands out in my mind is that it does not always involve profanity, violence, sex, or guns. A work calles "Keep Hedz Ringin" was a hip hop adaptation of Wagners opers, "The Ring of the Nibelung."

My last annotation for the week is from the magazine called the Source. The Source if I haven't mentioned before is the other major hip hop magazine. (The other one being Vibe.) This article pays a tribute to the lives of the other rap stars that have been taken away from the culture due to their unexpected deaths. Amongst the stars are Big Punisher, Aaliyah, Lisa "Lefteye" Lopez, and Jam Master Jay of Run DMC. I really enjoyed this article and found it very relevant for my web site. I plan on making a link to my web site paying tribute to the lost musicians that have contributed to hip hop in many different ways. This article has dates and contributions that each have made personally to the music. I especially think this aticle has so many strong points because it does not mention Tupa nor Biggie even once. People need to realize that the death of these two rap stars are not the only deaths that need tribute. In many ways these other artists have affected hip hop just as much, if not more than Tupac and Biggie. For example Aaliyah, Aaliyah was admired by so many kids, teens, and adults for her rhythmic and soulful music. She put the Rhythm and Blues back into hip hop when it was so strongly needed. Jam Master Jay was one of the original beat makers of hip hop history. His contributions made the remix even possible for so many fans today. I am pleased to of found this article and have really enjoyed reading and gaining new knowledge from it.

I just found a great article in Spin magazine called "Behind Blue Eyes". The author is Alan Light and the article is about Eminem. It talks about how Marshall Mathers a.k.a. Eminem has come up in the hip hop industry. Not is he just the first real succesful white rapper, but some compare him to Tupac and Biggie lyrically. I would have to agree with the author with this statement because Eminem does spit lyrics like I have never heard before. The author also talks about how controversial his lyrics are, which I can't disagree with there either. Eminem really pushes the 1st amendment with his words by talking about gays, killing his wife, and just taking over the world. People should realize that the things he says are to sell records and push the buttons of others to grab their attention. If Eminem was homophobic why would he do a duet number with Elton John at the MTV music awards. The author also talks about his new movie The 8 Mile. This is a great article that shows the point in my argument that hip hop is everywhere and not just music. The movie is about a struggling white rap star from Detroit who dreams of making it big one day. I personally saw the movie and thought it was an excellent flick with above average acting. The article closes with comparing Eminem with other white rappers that have come and went with a blink of an eye. I also agree with the author that Eminem is here to stay for as long as he wants. Especially since now he has his own record label and the hottest new artist on it named 50 cent.

My conspiracy theory is about Tupac and Biggie Smalls. This theory has recently been published in the L.A. Times. It accuses Biggie of hiring L.A. Crips to put a hit on Tupac. Supposedly they were paid a million dollars and the gun was given to them by Biggie. It was a former LAPD investigator that came up with this theory. This former law officer states that this is not just a theory, but he has witnesses and gang members fessing up to the crime. The only reason he can even link this together is because earlier in the evening of the Tyson fight, Tupac and his crew beat up some guy in a hotel that was associated with the crips. He also states that he can not reveal any of his sources because he gave them his word. Alright if that does not sound like some bull shit I don't know what is. There have been facts proving that Biggie was in New York at the time of the killing in Las Vegas. There are records of him recording songs that same night in the studio with material witnesses proving without a doubt that he was in New York. The investigator states that Biggie was under a false identity in the hotel, and was waiting for the perfect moment to strike with his retaliation. I can understand that Biggie was mad about Tupac making fun of him in the song "Hit em up", but he is nick named Biggie for a reason. With all the star power that Biggies has, there is no possible way that people would not have recognized a 6+ft , over 300lb black man. This conspiracy was drawn up by this investigator in my mind to recieve attention and of course money. A brief overview of the article and reactions from the family of the Notorious BIG can be found on http://rap.about.com/library/weekly/aanotoriousbigfamiliyresponds090602.htm.
Aaron I tried to make this a link but the address would not publish, it just left a blank spot where the address should be.

Another great source I found is also from a issue of Vibe. By the way Vibe is a major hip hop magazine dedicated to its artists and fans. It is titled When Will It End. The cover is of the Notorious B.I.G. one of the most well known rap stars of all time. Biggie as people called him represented east coast rap. He was killed a year after Tupac and the rumors started to spread. Of course the public thought that this tragedy also had to do with the east and west coast rivalry still going on during that time. The magazine shows how his death changed hip hop to an extreme. The artists were finally coming out saying this violence has to stop and music is supposed to be enjoyable. I will also have a section on the web site just dedicated to Biggie. I am not sure yet if it is going to be together with the Tupac section. I think this is very important in the history of hip hop because the deaths of these two people changed the whole community of artists and fans of rap music. Shifts started to happen because artists from all over were starting to collaborate and put out the tightest cuts together. The Vibe magazine has great pictures I can scan and use for the web site. Another interesting fact that it points out is that Tupac and Biggie were once good friends and performed with each other at one time. It also states that the killer has still not been caught back in 1997. The case still in unsolved similar with the Tupac murder. This is the reason there are still so many theories of what happend that night during the killings of both Tupac and Biggie.

Alright so finally all my ideas for my project are coming together and I have started to sketch out the different web pages that I want to publish for the sight. A very important aspect of hip hop history is when Tupac Shakur was killed outside of Las Vegas. It was first killing of a major hip hop artist that shocked and changed the whole hip hop community. I was able to locate a Vibe Magazine from 1996 that is remembering Tupac Shakur and tells how he was killed. The magazine was not able to tell who killed him because the case is still not solved till this day. The author writes about how there was a east against west coast rap rivalry going on during that time so that was the leading story on why he was killed. Fans know that Tupac is a major player in representing west coast rap. This issue of Vibe will help me collaborate on my Tupac section of the web page. He is known today as the baddest gangsta rapper along with the Notorious B.I.G. today.

The piece of persuasive communication I chose is a commercial on television. It is a Heinieken commercial and the scene is set between a man and a women on a date. The guy is drinking a Heinieken while listening to his date and in comes another women into the bar. The person who is sitting behind him is drinking some other brand of beer and puts it down next to him. Before the other women walks up to him, he puts down the Heinieken and picks up the other brand of beer. The women then approaches him and grabs the beer and dumps it on his head. She is supposed to be his girlfriend catching him out with another women. The guy is happy though because he was able to create a positive situation in a negative experience. He saved the Heinieken and not the relationship.
The word game technique was used in the commercial. The main idea for the commercial was to save the Heinieken. This idea was not tied in directly with a word, but the idea was tied in with the negative image of getting caught by his girlfriend. A plain folks idea is also used because the people in the commercial looked like the average people one can see in a bar. I think this approch was taken to show the audience that Heinieken is drank by normal people that don't have to be in a higher or lower class to drink this beverage. The fear approach is used to be able to convince people to drink this certain brand of beer. It does not directly have a message stating drink this beer or this will happen, but is shows the guy fearing that his Heinieken will get wasted. This tells the audience that this beer is so good, he is wanting to save it and switch beers to get dumped on his head. This commercial is really unique and well thought out. It stuck in my head and just because of the commercial I bought a Heinieken to drink this weekend.