I'm fairly inexperienced when it comes to remixes. I think I've seen many remixes, but I've never really thought about them as products that utilize different media to convey a story, narrative, or idea to their consumers. I am probably like most consumers of remixes, just watching them because I recognize something familiar and at the same time enjoy being entertained by them. Perhaps that is why remixes are so appealing.
These are two remixes I "like."
This is a remix of "Star Wars Kid."
I like this remix because this kid, whose ability to record himself acting out a Star Wars narrative (and who among us hasn't?) regardless of what he may look like, was and continues to be one of greatest single contributions to the Internet. There is a joy on this boy's face--which unfortunately probably didn't remain as he began to be teased by his classmates--that is something we could all learn a lesson from. How many people do you know who are afraid to be who they really are? The lightsaber effects, the music and the text create a space for him within the Star Wars narrative that I hope Star Wars Kid can enjoy today.
This is a remix of M.O.P's "Ante Up."
Nothing says a hip hop remix like Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street. I love the choreography that occurs here at Bert and Ernie bop up and down to M.O.P.. I wish it'd been the entire song, but alas it isn't. In looking for hip hop remixes, I was surprised that there actually weren't that many. (Well, not of the old school hip hop I used to listen to.) This made me think about who controls our access to remixes. Should people like me create remixes of the music I want to see remixed? I guess the simple answer is, of course, produce what you would like to consume... Hmmmm... Some Gang Starr - Step into the Arena?
BLOGS
As a fiction writer, the blogs I read are classified as "literary blogs." I guess this is what people who read and are "literary" read. I have to admit that while I follow these blogs, I don't go to them every single time I am online.
Laila Lalami is a really insightful and talented Moroccan fiction writer. I've read her novel Secret Son and her collection of stories, Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits. They are two books that I enjoyed a great deal. She is also a teacher of writing. I think all writers and teachers of writing have a unique and necessary view of the world. I think she has a lot to say about the writing and the reading of fiction.
Galleycat is a NY-based blog about the book publishing industry. The industry is interesting to me because I attended an MFA program in NYC where everyone follows the industry and is looking to publish and "make it big" in NYC.
Bookslut is a book review blog. More and more often, Bookslut is getting recognition as a producer of quality book reviews.
I like your choices of remixes. I think that there are a lot of people of all ages and backgrounds who ahve imitated being some kind of character from Star Wars. That movie is big from many people and the fact that a kid, probably a teenager is doing his own remake version of it is great. I think the web has appealed to so many people and is a true and accurate way of people sharing who they are with the world and letting others get a glimpse of them.
ReplyDeleteThe remix of Bert and Ernie is amazing. I remeber Seseame Street clearly and to have those two rapping is halarious. I agree that a person should put what they want to put on the web. Who knows maybe there will be some people who will be willing to remix using old hip hop songs.
Your choices of blogs are unique, different, but the same as well. They all center around reading, which is great. I do like to read, but it is usually magazines.