Clothing Discussions

TaraLee said…

Fardreamer said…

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I think the notion that rappers want to emulate - or perpetuate - the "Hey! I was in jail! Look at me!" look is not only gross, but it also gives more ammunition for racists when it comes to "justifying" why they hate African-Americans.

You'd think that anyone who feels that he or she deserves respect and wants to be treated equally would want to project self-respect and respect for others, but dressing like ex-cons and mimicking their "gangsta" attitudes is counterproductive.

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Alex

I agree, but I think that your "confusion" may stem from trying to apply logic to a group of kids who are not thinking logically. In order to be seen to be more "gangsta" it is seen to  be a good thing to have been in jail. If you are a suburban kid trying to make it in the gangsta rap world you have to pretend that you are from and of the streets, being educated and living with your parents in the suburbs will not sell your records.

Sadly, since there are not enough real role models in the community kids turn to musicians and celebrities who are all trying to portray an image that is not real. If young kids saw how men in suits are actually crafting the image of these rappers and musicians to sell more music they would be horrified to see how un hip the images they are buying into really are.

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Point taken, but there is also something to be said about the audience - especially the non-Aftrican American teens and young adults who, for various reasons (rebelliousness, an honestly acquired taste for hip-hop, or just wanting to do the "in" thing) help make "gangsta" rappers so darned successful.

I think that Bill Cosby is right when he expresses his dismay at what, exactly, young black kids - especially boys - seem to have adopted as their culture. 

I'm not, by nature, one of those "bleeding heart liberals" or the other side of the coin, ultra-conservative as far as moral values are concerned.  And I don't think all hip-hop artists are bad role models.  I'm not a fan of the genre, but I do like some raps, especially those by Will Smith. 

CloudNine said…

big, vehement, NO! there are some fashion trends that just make you scratch your head. this is one of those.

the history i heard was this: when gang members were sent to lockup, their belts were taken away, causing their baggy pants to fall down. when they got out of jail, they kept up the fashion statement as a signal to other gang members that they had been arrested. whiteboys from the suburbs picked up the trend, and the rest is history. (sotra like the term "bling")

so even with the explanation of the trend, i'm still scratching my head. wouldn't a criminal see it as a failure that he got caught? why would he want to advertise to others that he was dumb enough to get busted? i guess i just don't understand the criminal element. bummer.

also, if your pants are falling down, isn't it harder to run from the cops? seems a self-perpetuating trend to me!

 

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ROFLMAO at that one!!!!!!!!!  yeah...bummer!

I still choose "C" :)

No! its not suppose to be on the outside thats the reason it's called "under" wear. I mean think of this if you had to run for your life do you think that you'ld get very far while holding them up! 

B, it is tacky and gross! Pull 'em up fellas!

No!!!  It's almost as stupid a 'look' as putting hats on sideways or backward...It's like he woke up that morning, looked in the mirror, and asked himself what he could do to really look lame...

NO NO! I get embarrassed FOR them!

B- Definately. I don't want to see anyone's underwear hanging out. It's messy and gross!

As a teacher, I am horrified when I see male students with jeans belted BELOW their behinds and their shirts hiked up above them.  I don't feel comfortable saying anything, though, because I don't want their response to be "why are you looking at my butt?"

I don't get it as a fashion "trend" and I certainly don't want to look at ANYONE'S underwear.  TACKY and LOW CLASS!!!!!

no I think that i would not see what kind of underwear they are wearing. It seems that they don't care what people see.

I am indifferent as to how other choose to dress.

B.No! I have 2 sons that are in the hiphop era and I like hiphop myself and some of their friend are all about showing the butt but I dont allow my kids to do it because no one wants to go around looking at some ones butt all the time,how many people do you see working for companies with their pants down and the third reason is because if we had a house fire you would never make it out alive because your pants are already half way down around your ankles.ha,ha,ha