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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
Is the U.S. Ready for Asian American Pop Stars?
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:57:19 PM)
ime was when we saw literary fame or Hollywood stardom as the final frontier for Asian acceptance in the U.S. More recently the frontier shifted to pro sports and national politics.
A year into the 21st Century we see Asian lights going on in the literary world, Hollywood and pro sports. We even see Asian Americans in two cabinet posts. But one arena remains starkly devoid of Asian stars -- the pop music scene.
James Iha, Smashing Pumpkins guitarist/backup vocals & solo recording artist
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Classical stars like Yo-Yo Ma, Seiji Ozawa and Vanessa Mae are old news. We've noted Japanese imports like Shonen Knife, Keiko Matsui and Pizzicato Five. We've marveled at the unlikely hit "Sukiyaki". Many of us have spotted James Iha in Smashing Pumpkins and Jeff Lin in Harvey Danger, or maybe even heard of Asian American bands like Seam and Versus.
But where is pop music's Chow Yun-Fat, Ichiro, Chang-rae Lee, Norman Mineta?
One indication of our lack of presence in pop music is the fact that Ming-Na and husband Eric Zee have even financed a record label (Innovazian) in hopes of promoting an Asian American pop/R&B boy group -- a sort of private Head Start program for pop music. Few of us even know its name (At Last). Its first CD sold all of 3,000 copies.
Those of a paranoid or cynical bent will postulate conspiracies among racist, short-sighted heads of major record labels. The sociologically inclined will see pop music as the inner sanctum of American culture and Asians as the perpetual outsiders.
But for purposes of this page, put on your music critic/historian hat and prognosticate the most likely path by which an Asian star will ascend to the American pop firmament. Will it be a Canto-Pop, J-Pop or K-Pop star storming the U.S. via the import route? Will it be a surprise chart-topper by an AA artist (say James Iha with another, more successful solo album)? Or will there be a frontal assault by a wave of AA groups/artists currently playing the club and auditorium circuits?
This interactive article is closed to new input.
Discussions posted during the past year remain available for browsing.
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
Yes, it may be a while before Asian-Americans become accepted into mainstream music, but the trailblazing artists of today such as AT LAST work to pave the way for future generations. Not only have they appeared on syndicated television shows such as The Wayne Brady Show and The Other Half, they were also a performing act at Jingle Ball 2002, a concert by KIISFM LA 102.7 featuring Justin Timberlake, Destiny's Child, Mariah Carey, Avril Lavigne, Kelly Osbourne, and the Goo Goo Dolls.
Instead of criticizing them, predicting their failure, or being cynical, support these artists.
GL
Tuesday, March 18, 2003 at 23:33:37 (PST)
[66.47.78.206]
Media-appointed God 78 IQ:
the 78 must refer to your intelligence
quotient. Don't be an idiot all of your
life. Is this the criteria on which you base the value of a human being.
Please oh please what the hell have you done in your legacy that's worth a damn to the world attention. If you're talking about Mr. Ali he alone stood against the entire American government for the courage of his personal convictions. May I hasten to remind you that he relinquished a WORLD TITLE to
back up his belief in the great lie that turned out to be the Vietnam war and refused to hurt or kill anyone that had not bought any harm to him or his family. To quote Mr. Ali " I ain't going over no foreign land to kill a yellow man who has done nothing to me. Remember this was the 70's and his terminology of "yellow man" was not intended as one of disrespect. Regardless of how incorrect the term may be by today's standard, he often expresseed his respect and indeed respect for the indivdual freedoms of
Asian as well as all other people. The man does not have nor has ever had a predjudice bone in his body. Not to
mention the fact that he was and still is to some degree the most recognizable
face on the planet earth. Oh, did we forget to mention that he single handedly revolutionized financial compensation in all of sports. Oh did we forget to mention that after 3 1/2 yeaars layoff he REGAINED THE WORLD TITLE by beating the snot out of any and all contenders. To this day he is probably the most well known and well received humanitarian/ good will ambassador on earth. So tell me again just who are you to criticize Ali ?????
You're the one who needs help you can't carry Ali's shorts in both of your hands my friend !!!!!!!!! How big is your autobiography again ? about one page ??
due tell
Tuesday, March 18, 2003 at 11:59:06 (PST)
[153.104.214.108]
ok i just read the reply by ninja turtle who sounds like he goes to those star trek conventions. Firstly your stupidity and wannabenism stands out by the sole fact that you talk about whos good and whose bad. This aint wrestling. And who gives a damn about what malcolm X says. Just because Malcolm X a political figure says something, dose that mean its correct. You sound like one of those guys who needs to wear his glasses to take a pee. I still hold to what i said, whether you agree with it or not, dosent mean im good or bad. Oh yeah here is one asian Hip Hop group that even Mario copied one song from, and yup theyre right from my country Malaysia. introducing 'Too Phatt'
www.toophat.com.my
The Malaysian Sensation
Tuesday, March 18, 2003 at 09:07:26 (PST)
[203.106.179.243]
"People ask me how many children I have. I say one boy and seven mistakes."
Ali: "Superman don't need no seatbelt!"
Stewardess: "Superman don't need no airplane either."
This guy is your idol? God help you.
Media-appointed GOD 78 IQ
Monday, March 17, 2003 at 10:27:16 (PST)
[148.104.5.7]
Dear KKK, err ... "KDK" I mean (woops freudian slip teehee=),
The bottom line is this and I dont think theres any need to delve any further beyond it ...
I luv hip-hop.
U luv "some" hip-hop but hate the one aspect of it known as "rap".
Cats like HM+MS hate the PEOPLE who luv hip-hop.
THUH END.
-Your friendly neighborhood Ninja Turtle.
ps if DMX or Dr.Dre are a little too hardcore for ya, how bout at least tryin to pick up somethin' like a "Will Smith" cd? I'm born way after the 60's+70's but the open-minded guy in me has allowed me to dig thru ma' parents old record collection .... I am now a huge fan of The Beatles, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Linda Ronstadt, Simon&Garfunkel, James Taylor, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Little Richard, etc.....................
Ninja Turtle, I LUV KDK!!
Sunday, March 16, 2003 at 18:52:04 (PST)
[64.37.155.9]
"I'll tell you exactly what I think of the Hip-Hop culture. Its CRAP. THATS RIGHT! ITS CRAP! I cannot find any original rap these days. I still stand by my statement, rapping requires little to no talent. I mean come on, be realistic! They talk about Hos, guns, money, and cars while throwing in the F word and the N word every 5 seconds. I'd like you to defend the very quality of your culture without using your little "freespeech" arguement. Do you know why I want you to? Because you yourself know that you can't defend the piece of crap state of the current hiphop culture. You can't accuse me of being against the hiphop culture either. Do you want to know why I stopped listening to most hiphop? Because I realized how bad it had become. I mean come on! Can there be any more songs about being in the club?"
Amen,hip hop culture...HAHAHAHA!!!
Its an anthem for bunch of slacking LOSERS! Future criminals and if lucky janitors of the world.
All raps consists of materialistic bulls***, how I have this and that and if you don't have it , you're nothing. Alot young blacks trying to imitate it, driving rimmed out cars with gaudy bodyframe while most still live in run down ghettos.
What kind of message is that?
No wonder majority of black youths in inner cities grow up all screwed up.
When do you think its an approporiate age to stop living the hip hop lifestyle?
Its all about FRONTIN' !!
Sunday, March 16, 2003 at 16:35:36 (PST)
[152.163.189.136]
NinjaTurtle I fail to see how you can ride on one arguement. That we are hating?!That there is such thing as freedom of expression? WELL GUESS WHAT?! THATS EXACTLY WHAT I"M USING! First off, most of your points are illegible. I can hardly understand what you are trying to say in most of your posts. Second, how is Harold Ming be part of the KKK? He slammed Jews and WASP. THATS RIGHT! WASP! Last time I checked, the majority of the KKK members happen to be of the same ethnic group as WASP. Also, last time I checked, the KKK wasn't too kind to poeple of asian descent. Looks like your comment is null. I'll tell you exactly what I think of the Hip-Hop culture. Its CRAP. THATS RIGHT! ITS CRAP! I cannot find any original rap these days. I still stand by my statement, rapping requires little to no talent. I mean come on, be realistic! They talk about Hos, guns, money, and cars while throwing in the F word and the N word every 5 seconds. I'd like you to defend the very quality of your culture without using your little "freespeech" arguement. Do you know why I want you to? Because you yourself know that you can't defend the piece of crap state of the current hiphop culture. You can't accuse me of being against the hiphop culture either. Do you want to know why I stopped listening to most hiphop? Because I realized how bad it had become. I mean come on! Can there be any more songs about being in the club? I wish that there were more artist like Erykah Badu, Common, and generally more artist that made an authentic move towards old school hiphop. Old school hiphop was hiphops glory days. I miss them.
KDK
Friday, March 14, 2003 at 16:19:31 (PST)
[67.213.169.227]
Whoawhoawhoa hold it right ders before dissin DA MAN DA LEGEND Ali, Mr. Dooohhh! Guy, the man was a "boxer" to begin with, even sez so himself:
"I didn't say I am the smartest. I said I am the greatest."
But consider this .... he said that immediately right after flunkin the IQ test which he was forcibly made to do by the military to fight in the Vietnam war which he wuz strongly opposed to .....
My favorite ones of his are:
"Ain't no Viet Cong ever called me nigga!"
"God gave me this physical impairment (Parkinson's Disease) to remind me that I am not the greatest. He is."
"Liston is going to be the first Negro to go into space--I'm going to put him there."
Here's a link with many of his best quotes, many which show his IQ is much greater than what it is on paper:
http://www.geocities.com/tygrr_i/aliqts.html
(ahhh, da benefits of history class ...)
Ninja Turtle, HEIL ALI !!
Friday, March 14, 2003 at 12:10:58 (PST)
[64.37.155.9]
AC Dropout:
60-70% leaves 40-30% last time I checked my math. My comment actually has more to do with distribution of the final product per worldwide media. Neither was the comment limited to animation.
Sorry not many Japanese animation companies controlling media distribution
last time I checked. Next you're going to tell me that they are multi-billion $ concerns as was so incorrectly stated.
Ninja Turtle:
I much more enjoyed the exchange of barbs with AC, you my friend are just not intellectually equipped to offer me a fair duel. Go back to your hip-hop and daydreaming in history class, and leave the more germain discussion for the big boys my son.
Harold Ming
Friday, March 14, 2003 at 10:25:14 (PST)
[153.104.214.108]
Hahahahaha!!! "Jews and WASPS"?!! Man, and I thought I wuz just joshin when I said you remind me of a KKK klansman!!! Har old man, UR just a barrel o' laughs!!
NinjaTurtle,HEIL HIPHOP!!
Thursday, March 13, 2003 at 14:47:55 (PST)
[64.37.155.9]
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