Information Diffusion and Hip-Hop

Information and knowledge are diffused via artistic expression in Hip-Hop culture among other methods. Here is a very brief sketch of some ideas on this topic. ANY and ALL comments will be answered and are valued. 

Graffiti and Tags

There is a lot of metadata here!  

Tags and other graffiti carry metadata. for instance, when one sees a tagger's tag--and one is familiar with the the tagger, then one will know about them--how brave they are--by where they throw up their tags--the more dangerous, the braver. One would know much about their style oftentimes. If they are a local, they might have legendary status, people might know much about the tagger from the metadata derived from their tags, yet they might not even know the tagger's real identity.

Murals

Political Information Hip-Hop Mural

Hip-Hop murals tell stories. Sometimes the story is that of the local neighborhood. The art will be done by someone who intimately knows the neighborhood's characters, triumphs and tragedies. This kind of artwork is powerful, moving and imparts information and knowledge about the neighborhood even if the observer is a stranger to the area.

Educational Concepts in Hip-Hop Lyrics

Hip-Hop lyrics are often full of rich educational information that informs the listener in their own language and on their own terms via Hip-Hop music. For example, Immortal Technique imparts knowledge on a wider-variety of subjects from politics to the drug war. His song Peruvian Cocaine tells the story of the drug trade from the people's point of view--in this case indigenous people forced into the drug trade and how the governments involved in the drug war all profit from it in one way or another.

Dead Prez are another amazing example of Hip-Hop imparting knowledge via flow and beats. Their music addresses so many topics it is hard to cover. Some topics include, social behavior information, political information, historical information, artistic information among other great and relevant topics. Dead Prez has songs about health and fitness, discipline and education--real education--not the White-supremacist standard education, but education from the people's POV.

Both Immortal Technique and Dead Prez sample historical figures such as Malcolm X, Mumia Abu Jamal, members of the Black Panther Party for Self-defense and others. These samples allow young people to hear historical leadership and their ideas. They impart an historical narrative from a Black and Brown POV The information and knowledge imparted by Dead Prez and Immortal Technique cannot be underestimated.

Only Educational Opportunity for Many

In many cases these are the only arenas people will get a chance to hear about COINTELPRO, Colonialism concepts, other political viewpoints. Also, the people speaking are respected teachers and artists in our community and have authority to speak to social, cultural, educational and political issues. I know I trust these artists more than almost any politician I can think of today.

These ideas can be more fully developed, but I would love to work with someone to get more detailed articles written on this subject.

Tags, Tagging and Information Diffusion

I was was gazing at some train tags--some nice bombs in the train yard with my littler brother, who happens to be a graffiti artist.  He interpreted the tags and bombs I could not read.  He and I read me all kinds of information from throughout the country, from LA, to Chicago, to Seattle and other places.  Then a train yard cop came and chased us away.

Tags in Denmark

My brother Jaimie used to be well known throughout San Jo as Daze2000 back in the 80's, then went on to LOVE and other names throughout the years.  He's retired now.

For those unfamiliar with tagging--here is a sufficient definition from Wikipedia:

Some of the most common styles of graffiti have their own names. A "tag" is the most basic writing of an artist's name, it is simply a handstyle. A graffiti writer's tag is his or her personalized signature. Tagging is often the example given when opponents of graffiti refer to any acts of handstyle graffiti writing (it is by far the most common form of graffiti). Tags can contain subtle and sometimes cryptic messages, and may incorporate the artist's crew initials or other letters.Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tag_(graffiti)

Back in the day, I could be anywhere in San Jose and see my brother's tag.  I would immediately know it was him, and that he was getting up in a variety of places.  Tags can also be used for groups, or "crews" of artists, who tag their territory--similar to gang tags.  Gang tags convey a host of meanings to those who are aware of them.  They convey the name of the gang, that gangs history, and the implicit threat that this is "their" territory and they will protect it, etc..

Fab Five Freddy's tag travelling throughout NYC.

The above is a characterization of tagging as a folksonomy by artists and by gangsters.  The tags carry meaning, information and knowledge can be gleaned from them--for instance, the knowledge the one is in a particular gang's territory and more.

I would liken the above to information tagging on files on the internet and in computer systems in general.  There is a relationship between the two types of tagging that has yet to be explored.

Graffiti Tagging	Information Tagging
Imparts information to readers	Imparts information to users
Is portable, can travel	Is portable, can travel
Is a system of social classification	Is a system of social classification
Can be collaboratively created, or at least understood	Collaboratively created
Can be broad or narrow folksonomies	Can be broad or narrow folksonomies
Is a folksonomy	Is a folksonomy
Can satisfy information needs	Can satisfy information needs

Tagging information

Tagging became popular during the social software craze known as Web 2.0.  Pre-Yahoo Flickr was a major player when it came to bring tagging as a folksonomy on the web to the masses.

Graffiti tagging on buses or trains conveys travelling information--the tags are carried around town or around the country and people are shown the tag.  I would liken this to searching via tags in tag clouds or by other means--one will travel to the place where the information is located--it is in a way opposite of graffiti tagging, but closely related.


The above is meant to be a super brief sketch of an idea.  What do you think?  Do you agree?  Disagree?  Have something to add?


I would like to open up the study of the relationship between Hip Hop culture and Information Science.