Hip Hop Culture in Metal - Is It Kosher?
Metal’s most recent visual rage is the introduction of hip hop culture. Straight billed hats, bling, and perhaps most apparent is the usage of glossy gold lettering on apparel, are all becoming more commonplace in mainstream metal. My question I pose to you all is this…is traditional metal culture open and liberal enough to allow such an alternative presence to exist?
I, and many other metalheads who fall more into the traditional black shirt, camo shorts camp have many a comment on how dis-satisfied we are to attend a concert or a festival where bands like Emmure and Despised Icon, whom embrace this new phenomenon, play with their fans running a muck. But upon thinking about it, who the fuck are we to judge others when we walk around with our “metal uniforms?’
I, being a fan who makes a conscious effort to not be elitist, am admittedly human and can fall into the trappings of what it means to look and act like a metalhead. I continue to be dis-satisfied with this new trend, and the only reason I can give to why I feel this way is my experience with the fans’ general attitude. Like the hardcore and metalcore scenes of a few years ago, this new deathcore fanbase embraces metal, but at the same time rejects traditional metalists. They take over a pit and go out of their way to scrape the edge of a pit and go about with their hardcore acrobatics. In all honestly, all the dipshits with attitudes who once embraced bro-core, seem to be taking on this new culture as a way to enjoy metal without actually having to become a “metalhead.”
Could I be way off base on this one? Perhaps..it wouldn’t be the first time, however, I can only write about my experiences to give you my opinion. So in essence, I am saying fuck fairness and balanced journalistic integrity. If these guys continue to tromp around shows expecting to take over, they will continue to receive scowls and nudges from us traditionalists. You want to wear your gold embossed shirt and bandannas? Go fucking right ahead, we are there to generally share in our love for the same music, but if you push through the crowd, and then act like a jackass when breakdowns happen, don’t be surprised when you get a shove or an elbow to the face.
CODY
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Comments
Comment from Rhodeislandrock
Time: August 26, 2008, 6:38 pm
It’s all fashion and trying to be cool. Ever actually talk to some of these so-called metalheads? Usually they speak in a hip-hop based language too and they have no clue of what true Heavy Metal is about. Metal was never about fashion (until the Sunset Strip glam scene), it was about rebellion and expression…..along with musical ability and appreciation. It’s always the trendy bands that have these fans: Killswitch, Papa Roach, any band on Ozzfest. Nothing is worse than going to see a band like Megadeth or Judas Priest and having some dude in a New York Knicks jersey, with matching hat, and all the gold bling trying to get tough and enter a pit. These are the type of people that we used to beat up in high school back in the ’80s. Not that we were criminals and beat people up on a daily basis but that’s how it went in the old days. I’m too old to get into it on the floor anymore, I prefer to find a nice safe spot on the side or towards the back to enjoy a show when it gets a little too stupid on the floor.
A couple of funny stories:
Back at one of the Ozzfests, Motorhead headlined the 2nd stage. Now I had been in back of the pit area for bands like Kittie & System Of A Down & Drain STH but the pit raged on pretty good. When it was time for Motorhead, I pushed my way to the front. Just before the band hit the stage, about a dozen big bikers pushed through and I was surrounded! I have never felt more safe at a show! When Motorhead started and the pit started, one of the bikers got pushed. These guys assaulted the pit and by the start of the 2nd song, there was no pit.
Another time I was at a local metal show in a club and a pit started up. Like you mentioned, there is always a couple of moshers who have to get the bystanders on the edge (who are watching the stage) involved. I was with a buddy of mine who went about 350 lbs and was one mean bastard and he got pushed. He happened to catch a glimpse of the guy who did it so he waited and, when the guy came around again, he punched him straight in the face and broke his nose. No more pit after that one either!
My question is: How can you enjoy the music if you are to busy slamming into each other?
Comment from coled24
Time: August 26, 2008, 6:57 pm
You used the right picture. Emmure. That band is represents everything that is wrong in Metal today and they look like a bunch of stupid pieces of shit. All these guys talk about how shitty Fred Durst was and how he bastardized the genre but look if you look at bands like Emmure, what do you see? Flat brimmed, alternatively colored Yankees caps, long white t-shirts and they dance around like hip hop artists on stage. Mr. Durst has had a bigger impact than one would think.
Comment from CARTER
Time: August 26, 2008, 9:12 am
Does the look seem to be mostly worn by shitty bands? There may be a connection here, but more testing needs to be done…