Finding the Latin Beat

An analysis response to “Crossing Pop Lines: Attention to Latinos is Overdue, But Sometimes Off-Target” by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez

       To find the Latin beat, one has to remember the ones that actually brought us the sound of Latin America and the Islands. There a long list of artist with likes of Ritchie Valens, Jose Feliciano, Celia Cruz, Carlos Santana, Gloria Estefan, and Selena. Looking at each of these artists has placed their own stamp on the music in both cultures. The mainstream music has either helped the native culture or hindered it.  Let’s explore each of these artists and reflect on their contributions. But first let define the Latin music artist is an artist with a Latin or Hispanic background, but that is really complex with that basic answer. In truth, Latin music artist have to fall in to three categories: Rhythm, Cultural background, and Language; not where they are born.

Ritchie Valens

            On cannot forget the first Latin crossover is Ritchie Valens or Ricardo Valenzuela-Reyes, Mexican born American. He brought the music to the American public in late 1950’s; even though, it was a short career, he lit up the Latin music scene. Due to the time period, Ritchie had Americanize his name to be accepted.   Jose Feliciano, Puerto Rican, with a successful career; he refused to bend for his culture and work to span the gap. Celia Cruz is the first female Latin music artist from Cuba, is considered the “Queen of Salsa”; never comprised herself for her career. Carlos Santana, Mexican-American, that pioneered the mixed of rock, salsa and jazz fusion in the 1960s and 1970s. Gloria Estefan, a Cuban American artist that is more than just the “Queen of Latin pop”, she has her career for a positive direction for her culture. Selena, a Mexican American artist, that had actually crossed over to the American charts with her Tejano music. Each of these artists contributed to the music, but several had to give up something of their self in the process.

Selena

            In many aspects, Valdes-Rodriguez has presented very valid points to our Latin music artists to lack of attention to them in the pop culture, in general. To most people, the origin of a person does not matter, only if the music is good. If the sound being present is pleasant and meaningful to a person is what is important. The world should accept people for who and what they can do, not what culture they are. Here in United States culture does make a person and values, but just in United States there too much count and should not be held against them.

Bibliography

AOL Music. (2009, April 30). Hispanic Crossover Artists: Muscians Who Topped the Latino and American Charts. Retrieved May 25, 2011, from Associated Contedt: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1687484/hispanic_crossover_artists_musicians.html?cat=7

Valdes-Rodriguez, A. (2008). Crossing Pop Lines: Attention to Latinos is Overdue, But Sometimes Off-Target. In L. Gray-Rosendale, Pop Perspectives: Readings in Critique Contemporary Culture (pp. 566-570). New York: McGraw-Hill.

How the Words and Pictures Affect’s Us

            The Postman’s and Power’s claim that there is a difference between the types of pictures and language affects us all. Everybody is affected what we see and words spoken; their effects by the media is induce and entices our emotions. It depend the type that presented is to open our emotions to involve a response whether it is good or bad. The media has become very successful at creating the response they want.

            The authors’ claim on the news media is really just trying to trifling with the events. “Of course, it is a tendency of journalism in general to concentrate on the surface of events rather than underlying conditions; this is as true for the newspapers as it is for the newscast.”  (Postman, 1992)   The printed media source is really left to the reader’s choice for reading, but on the other hand, television viewers do not. The authors’ presents a very good argument to the situation. The extending circumstances do limited the visual media of the amount that can be presented at any given time.

            I do agree with authors views, because with the new technologies people are really gotten a bit lazy when it comes to reading. The majority of the masses would rather sit back and have someone tell what to think and do; then put any effort into their own enlightenment, this really a shame on the human race. Have we forgotten the past so quickly? 

Postman, N & Powers, S., (1992), The bias of language, the bias of pictures. In L. Bray-Rosendale, Pop Perspectives (pp. 481-490). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Volkswagen Commercial: The Force

Volkswagen Commercial: The Force

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=R55e-uHQna0#at=11

These a very cute video for people watch, not because of the car. It is obvious that ‘Darth Vader’ is a young boy about six to eight years of age, and big “Star Wars” fan. He runs around the house trying to use the “Force” on every object. He is very diligent in his efforts with the “Force” each time he tries and fails. His prescient is very endearing and charming; even though, he feels the “Force” is not strong enough and is very dejected. His sadness is so evident, that cannot even eat his peanut butter sandwich. The shock in his body language when tries the “Force” on the car is so enlightening, the amazement is comical.

 His father can feel his sons despair that he uses the remote start, so he will believe in himself. The gender interaction is all done in body language and facial gestures, that mom starts with the look of let’s give it up to what are you doing when the father starts the car. The video show a loving and helpful family, but within reason. The family is a typical 21^st century family everybody really doing their own things and going here, there, and everywhere.

The Darth Vader character is a thirty year old character, but there have been many Star Wars movies on DVDs and cartoons and toys and video games for all ages, that keep Darth Vader alive in a young and mature boys’ hearts. In the video age, many characters are still the idols as they were when they first became popular.

Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris video review

 

http://www.vevo.com/watch/justin-bieber/baby/USUV71000127

This video is a representation of the adolescence culture in our society. This video is a very good and realistic portrayal of our youth music scene. The gender representation is definitely directed towards girls between the ages of 12 to 16 years of age. It is very apparent that this is the target group by the actors in the video and the song. The young people in the video start out stand-offish and separate from one another. The girls are trying to ignore to boys in the bowling alley, but it only increase the boys’ interest in the girls and interrupt their play. Then the girls start to pay attention to boys and start responding and dancing with them. This not so typical of interaction between this age group, because both are unsure of the other and trying do thing to get the opposite sexes  to notice each other. Young people today play many little games with each other, and many times just trying to be notice by their crush.

In small town America, many young people will go the bowling alleys and skating rinks to associate with their peers outside of school, except for church functions. These are consider safe place for young people to associate with each other in a relaxed, but overseen by adults. This video is a very good representation of the 21^st century young person and the advantages they have their fingertips. This is not really any different type of association between young people over the years.

The merging of various music styles has been happening in all music genres through history. With merging of music styles helps to develop new styles, but always keeping to true music. Music is always revolving and creating new styles, which help music fresh and entertaining for all ages.  

ENGLISH COMP II

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