DJing as a Pilipino Thing

   Antonio T. Tiongson Jr.'s "Filipinos Represents" reports how hip hop is integrated into and shaped the identity of the Filipino community.  A quote that is perplexing and intriguing in the article is “In effect, Filipino DJs are partaking in practices that could be described as anti-essentialist because of their refusal to let their Filipinoness overdetermine the music they produce” (Tiongson 60). This perspective differs from the African American interpretation of hip hop, as the Filipino culture recognizes the form as a canvas to paint and bring awareness of their identity as well as focus more on developing their form in order to distinguish themselves within the realm of hip hop. However, there are also fallacies within just overlooking and ignoring the race and culture aspect within the art of hip hop. The reason why some African Americans integrate their race and culture into hip hop is because it allows them to tell their story and that it is a struggle that resonates deeply within their lives as well as their community. The artist’s background also allows the audience to understand who the artist is and for them to recognize and sympathize with their situation. Not everyone needs to utilize race and class as an excuse to get into hip hop, but every artist has their own upbringing and story to share with the community. That is to say, Filipino hip hop artists aren’t required to use their race as a justification for working in the art, but their background and perspective allows them to connect and relate to the people, as music and art extends beyond just the rhythm and lyrics. Another concern that could occur with the generalization of hip hop is the mitigation of the politics and the story behind the artist’s song and lyric. The origin of hip-hop has birthed from the South Bronx housing projects in response to racial segregation, gang violence, and urban decay. However, just seeing hip hop as music rather than a message about the artist and the community defeats the original purpose of hip hop, as it was an artistic medium used to describe the upbringing of the artist and acknowledge the problems that still linger within their community today. During the uprising of the hip hop culture in the mid 1990’s, the artform was being exploited by record companies by hiring talented individuals to profit off of the struggles of their own community. Overlooking the lyrics and message of the artist for the rhythm, beat, and sound not only defies the significance of hip hop, but also causes harm to the African American culture, as their struggles continue to be exploited by record labels and the media. Although it is acceptable for Filipinos to utilize hip hop to shape their identity, it is also important for them to recognize the significance of hip hop amongst the African American community and not clash based on differing interpretations.