Before I took this class, and probably only since last weeks class period, I would have been included in the crowd that Schloss categorizes in his introduction as finding b-boying “somewhere between parachute pants and Rubik’s cubes, a Reagan era fad.” Last weeks look at the bonus interviews in Style Wars helped change that perspective some, and Foundation was a nice addition. Here were some of the things I liked from the first part of the book, I’ll finish the rest before class tomorrow.

First, like “Roc the Mic Right” for a few weeks ago, I love the ethnographic approach. Using personal interviews from those who are involved and creating the culture is the best approach I have seen in the works we have read. It gives a since of authenticity that is slightly removed from a simple academic analysis of lyrics or otherwise.

Second, I love Schloss’s overarching theme that hip hop did not just “happen.” Rather he points to specific choices and innovations within the culture that shaped hip hop. One example I particularly like was the connection between deejay and b-boy. “The breaks” being highlighted and used to get the b-boys interested, and the two turn tables to highlight those breaks (p28).

Finally, though I didn’t quite get his argument until the end of the chapter, his focus on the personal relationships and the individual nature of the transfer of culture was interesting. I think we saw that with deejays a few weeks ago, and especially with graffiti last week. I think that also ties into what we have said about call and response, and beyond that fits in with Schloss’s point about the organic and purposeful creation of hip hop I mentioned previously.