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Hip Hop Culture and Language

Russ

Istar
SO I want to write a black character in a WIP who comes from Detroit and makes a fortune in the music industry, but don't want him to sound like he came from a re-run of the Jeffersons or Good Times.

Any sources on these subjects greatly appreciated. I do deep research so don't be shy to recommend books or whatever I might need.

On a related note, I need a real world suit manufacturer where the name projects money and power. Any suggestions appreciated.
 

Devor

Fiery Keeper of the Hat
Moderator
On a related note, I need a real world suit manufacturer where the name projects money and power. Any suggestions appreciated.

Can't help about the music guy. But that's not usually how high end suits work. You get a tailor to customize your designer high-end suits. For instance, IRL there's a guy who flies between Hong Kong, New York and London to do measurements, show off fabrics and take orders. I'm sure everything is actually made in a factory in China, but it's the fit, rather than the fabric, that makes a suit high-end.

A common label on such a suit might read the "Designer's Name," plus the word "Bespoke."
 
C

Chessie

Guest
I hate to say it...can't believe I'm about to go there but...read about Eminem. He's from Detroit and went from nothing to rapping/producing now, I think. There are many examples of hip hop artists who've gone from rags to riches. Lots of movies made about them, too, and information on the internet. N.W.A. is a good story, too. Good luck.
 

Penpilot

Staff
Article Team
^^^ to riff off this a bit. There's Eminem's movie 8 mile. Oh and there are artist who have reality shows that you can mine for stuff. Just google hip hop/rapper reality shows.
 
I'm actually a huge fan of hip-hop, so I'm super stoked to see a thread like this. Honestly, I'd watch documentaries. Some that I would probably recommend are Something out of Nothing: The Art of Rap, The Art of 16 Bars, NWA: Hip-Hop's Most Dangerous Group, and Welcome to Death Row. Research Dr. Dre, because that's probably one of the best examples of an artist turned label-owner. Jay-Z is another good example, but Dre's story demonstrates more of the essence of the scene in my opinion. Also, look into the story of Tech N9ne, as well as Slug from Atmosphere. Both are underground artists who have made their way in the scene (although not as much as Dre or Jay-Z), and have ended up starting their own labels.

If you have more questions, feel free to PM me. I have lots of potential info and feedback on this subject :)
 
So I was thinking about this post yesterday, and thought of some ideas for the clothing. Gucci and Versace are both pretty popular in the scene. Givency, Tom Ford, and Fubu are worth looking into as well. Custom shoes are something to look into (for example, Jay-Z wears custom Jordan's). Also, when wearing more colorful clothing, matching is a pretty big deal (matching hat color with shoe color is a good example). You might also wanna look into the stylist Dapper Dan from Harlem. I'm not sure if he's still in business, but he used to make clothes for everyone back in the day. Either way it would be a good way to get acquainted with some of the history of hip hop fashion.
 

R.H. Smith

Minstrel
Seeing as I'm such a huge fan of rap and hip-hip, right up my alley. I likey. Though, in my opinion, a very big factor is where they came from, where they grew up, etc The biggest factor that influences how you write, make beats and produce is your background, your past. Fleshing these out, I think, will greatly impact how the reader relates to the MC, and I speak from experience being in the music industry.
 
Seeing as I'm such a huge fan of rap and hip-hip, right up my alley. I likey. Though, in my opinion, a very big factor is where they came from, where they grew up, etc The biggest factor that influences how you write, make beats and produce is your background, your past.

This is a very good point. Style is going to be very dependent on where the character is from. If you have a particular city in mind, I would recommend looking up artists from that area to get a feel for the style of their music and their attire.

Fleshing these out, I think, will greatly impact how the reader relates to the MC, and I speak from experience being in the music industry.

Hehe... MC :p
 
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