The Local Music Scene

Paper Summary:

This paper is original ethnographic research, which describes the music scene in Houston and relates it to sociological theories. The author points out that, by focusing on the similarities between people and their values and cultural expressions, a consensus theorist would find much to discuss when analyzing the urban dance club scene; however, interactionist theory applies even more readily to the club scene than consensus theory because of the more intense focus on small group populations and because the patrons of a club gather together for basically the same purpose. The paper relates that postmodernists are able to analyze club culture by studying the impact that diversity and globalization have had on the global spread of musical styles, the blurred distinction between media-informed images of youth behavior and the value system shared by club goers.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Ethnography
The Music
The Artists
The Fans
Sociological Observations and Analysis
Conclusion
Methodology

From the Paper:

"Hip-hop is itself subdivided into numerous genres, each with its own flavor, style, and mood. At dance clubs like Crome, hip-hop tunes retain the warm, fun vibe of rap music while pumping out more regular beat patterns than some of the more soulful or underground artists use. Moreover, modern hip-hop is often infused with world beat samples, derived from Middle Eastern or Eastern European scales that add a distinct sound. When a live MC is in the house, the hip-hop comes alive, hearkening back to the heyday of the genre as a coalescing of looped samples, turntable mixing, scratching, and MC-ing."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Conflict Theory." Retrieved 4 April 2006 from http://www.sociology.org.uk/p2t3.htm
• "Interactionist Theory." Retrieved 4 April 2006 from http://www.sociology.org.uk/p2t4.htm
• Klages, M. (2003). Postmodernism. Retrieved 4 April 2006 from http://www.colorado.edu/English/ENGL2012Klages/pomo.html
• Parelius, J. & Parelius, A. (1987). Consensus theorists. Retrieved 4 Apr 2006 from http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~robpar/SOE_page_3.html

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• Analytical Essay # 119888 : "Black Women in the Rap Music and Hip Hop Cultures"

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