Got My Vans On: Summer Single Of The Year?

Trailer for Got My Vans On Video

Michael Miraflor declares the Pack's Got My Vans On to be the "summer single of the year" which, to be perfectly frank, was a surprising reminder that New York hip hop bloggers can write about successful artists from other regions without having to question their own status.

Miraflor also makes a telling point about why hyphy may not be taking off like many in the Bay had hoped:

If I were a label head, I would NOT have had E-40 introduce the Hyphy Movement to the rest of the country.  Yes, 40 water is a Bay Area legend, but outside of California his credibility takes a hit.  No disrespect, but dude must be pushing 45 years old and does not look like the Bay kids whose culture and style he is supposedly reflecting and perpetuating.  Hyphy needs something younger, more authentic and representative.... like The Pack.

Although I can understand why e-40 got pushed first, his age, his shifting identity, and his odd mixture of respect for and dismissal of hyphy kids undermines the role of spokesperson.  Eric K. Arnold's hyphy article for Vibe's July issue reveals 40's perspective on ghostriding and similar automotive stunts that are similar to his comments on the newness of hyphy more generally:

According to 40, the only thing that's new is the extra enthusiasm the younger generation brings to the scene.  "Now they're on top of the hood, they're on top of the trunk, and they're on top of the roof.  And, you know, they got all the doors open.  But it ain't really nothing new; it's just new to the world."

While it's true that elements of hyphy may have a variety of precedents, youth movements tend to operate under the shared perception that what they are doing is totally new and without precedent.  So E-40's statements aren't conducive to becoming a champion of hyphy.  What 40 doesn't seem to understand is that the newness in contemporary youth trends and movements often reveals itself in how received culture is taken, remixed and renewed via unexpected combinations and juxtapositions, a process that cannot simply be reduced to variations on the same old thing.

In any case, comparing the Pack's video for Got My Vans On at the start of this post to E-40's Tell Me When To Go which follows, it's quite clear that the Pack's video displays youth movement energy while E-40's makes a strong regional statement, further support that the Pack might be the ones to break hyphy in ways that recent attempts by the music/media industrial complex couldn''t manufacture.

Too $hort, another older figure who's pushing hyphy, seems much more clued in to what members of various older generations can do to help the spread of hyphy.  As he told Tamara Palmer while referring to himself in the third person:

I think 40 and Too $hort are going to endorse it, and I think that if 40 or Too $hort tried to take it to the masses we’re almost just like perpetrating a little bit. . . It shoulda been Mac Dre to be the one bringing it to the masses, but his life was cut short. I think it’s on the next generation. Me and 40, all we can do is help. It’s an endorsement, that’s all. 'Cause me and him sat around and talked about the youngsters and how much our songs influenced them, but me and 40 don’t jump out of cars and ghost ride the whip and go stupid hanging out of windows. We don’t do that s**t. Somebody who does that needs to lead it. Mac Dre did that stuff. Keak da Sneak does that stuff. Mistah F.A.B. does that stuff. They need to lead the moment. 40 and me just need to be the Bay Area ambassadors we are, just stayin up on the throne or whatever and just overlook the masses and just say, "Handle your business." I’m trying to be a guiding light.

Obviously, it's not like Too $hort thinks any less of himself than does E-40, he just generally seems to understand the larger game much better than most folks and he also knows that he can benefit from hyphy without having to act like the kids are just following in his footsteps.

Since I opened with a reference to a current New York cliche, I think it's fitting to close with Too $hort's response to the typical Bay Area complaint that everybody else in rap music steals from the Bay:

I’m really not condoning all these Bay Area muhf**kers running around talkin’ bout, “Man, they’re stealing from us, they’re stealing from us!” Steal it back muhf**ker, s**t! Quit complaining!

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Got My Vans On: Programming The Sneaker Freak
A Quick Note About The Pack's Vans

Update:
Eric Arnold, author of the Vibe article discussed above, weighs in with an extended contribution in the comments section.  Don't sleep!

Comments

[Hell's Angel]

I think he's right. The Pack have a strong movement over there and the single is a definite HIT. but it falls short in comparison to the Triggastate movement in Florida.

[Clyde Smith]

Well, Triggastate reps seem to be following this development quite closely, judging from the comments I've now seen here and at Miraflor's post.

[Eric Arnold]

Hmm. Some good points there, but also a few things that need clarification. I wouldn't disagree that 40 and $hort are getting to the stage of their careers where it's becoming increasingly difficult to project them as the faces of a youth movement that's at least one generation removed from them. but, in all fairness, they're not completely out of touch either. $hort is not only one of the few hip-hop pioneers still making viable radio and club hits ("Blow the Whistle" is a hot-ass song), but he was smart enough to recognize that the Pack represent the future of Bay Area hip-hop, or at least of the hyphy movement. He's the reason they signed to Jive.

Similarly, as much grumbling as there has been about 40's involvement in the hyphy movement, let's not forget a few facts: he did appear on several of the definitive hyphy songs to date, i.e. the Federation's "Hyphy," Fab's "Super Sic Wid It," and his own "Da Dummy," in addition to "Tell Me When to Go." By the same token, Traxamillion's new cut "Sideshow" would have been good had just Fab been on it, but the appearance of Too $hort gives it an extra credibility push.

And then there is the fact that 40's continually worked with up-and-coming artists, to help them establish themselves-- a list that includes not only Fab, the Feds, and Turf Talk, but also Keak da Sneak (who was making records with 40 as far back as 1998) and even Goapele. It should also be noted that 40 never said he was personally ghost-riding the whip; if you listen to the lyrics, he's an observer, not a participant: "sitting in my scraper watching Oakland goin' wild." Same thing with $hort: he never implies he's hyphy himelf, he says he's "from East Oakland where the youngsters go hyphy," a line that affirms his solidarity with young people (something that's missing from most 40 year olds).

However, and herein lies the rub, 40 and $hort still remain for all intents and purposes the only nationally-known rap artists from the bay (which may change soon, given the rash of major-label interest and recent signings). since the East Coast bias is no mere myth, it's been difficult for newer talent and up-and-comers to be taken seriously on a national scale, no matter how big their buzz regionally. if Zion-I were signed to a major, for instance, they'd probably be forced to go the Talib Kweli route and make crossover records with coked-out R&B divas.

If we must point fingers for the confusion over 40's role in hyphy, we should take aim at Warner Brothers, who decided that their marketing campaign for 40's record would center around the hyphy movement, and who obscured the fact that hyphy started in oakland, not vallejo. But then again, without 40's participation, would it have even become a national movement? Younger artists still have to prove that they can stand on their own without their elders, but like i said, that's difficult in a rap industry where the validity of new artists is often tied to who makes guest appearances on their albums. how many songs by lesser-known artists have Busta Rhymes, Mary J. Blige, and Missy Elliot appeared on?

Another point that needs to be clarified: in the vibe article excerpted above (which i wrote), 40's main point was that acting hyphy isn't new to the bay at all, it's new to the rest of the nation. that's where i think a lot of the confusion arises, because like 40 told me, people have been highsiding and going stupid for years. there are new nuances to it, like shaking dreads, etc., but to say that hyphy is a completely new thing that developed entirely on its own with no historical and cultural precedents is a misnomer. Same thing with hyphy music, which is really more of an extention and evolvement of the bay area sound, mixed with crunk and electro-funk, than a completely new thing. the tempos are faster, and hooks and choruses have become more prominent, sure, but Rick Rock and EA-Ski have been around forever. even newer producers like Droop-e and Traxamillion have a sound that owes much to the mobb music format of the 90s, just flipped a little differently.

Probably the best and most progressive thing the hyphy movement has done is make bay area-originated music that doesn't necessarily sound regional. the Pack are a good example of this. they made a very universal song, and it's good to see that people in other areas are feeling it. Also, i think Shadow's recent tour of europe with Fab and Turf Talk is gonna open some doors too.

as far as hyphy goes, i think once people hear the music, they like it, but part of the problem has been getting it past the East Coast gatekeepers, who are slowly coming to terms with the realization that people outside of the area are no longer feeling East Coast rap the way they used to. I mean, does anyone really care about "New York Shit" outside of the 5 Boroughs anymore?

it's revelaing that the best pure hip-hop album i've heard this year is probably Strange Fruit Project's The Healing--from Waco, Texas. best hyphy album? So far, it's Traxamillion's the Slapp Addict. best east coast album? couldn't really tell you, i lost interest after Mobb Deep made a song with Lil Jon, then joined G-Unit. -EA

[Clyde Smith]

Eric, thank you so much for weighing in and taking the time to really consider the issues.

It seemed pretty obvious to me that E-40 was pushed because of the fact that he already had a national reputation and that also seems to be the way major label people think in general.

I'm not trying to say that E-40 is perpetrating, by any means, but I do think a younger act has to be part of the package to break things open if only due to the relentless ageism of young folks.

While New York does still play gatekeeper, that's being rapidly undermined by the dominance of the South. What I'm hearing from my limited contacts is that hyphy as a movement just isn't being felt in Deep South clubs because they've got their own thing going on now and after years of being shit on by both coasts who they had supported financially, they truly don't give a fuck about playing up to anybody these days. And why should they?

But some Cali artists have been reporting a good response when they actually visit the South and since hyphy does have so many Southern connections, I would think that concentrating on that market would be more viable in the long run. In fact, except for artists in New York, I think it's possibly becoming counterproductive to spend too much time on New York before you have a strong following elsewhere.

On the other hand, the Pack has caught some New Yorker's attention and that can only be a good thing cause if New York embraces someone, they get so much more media attention than they ever would otherwise, deserved or not.

I have to agree with you on music coming out of New York right now. It's just hard to care about and when you've got people pushing Papoose as a new hope, you've just got to shake your head. No disrespect to Papoose but the tracks I've heard have nothing new to offer. Plus looking like ET is a decided disadvantage in the hip hop market!

But I need to get off the dissing New York path. It's not that productive and, really, spending much time dissecting New York's situation seems like a waste of time except when attempting to figure out how to reach New York media.

To me, the game's becoming much more about bypassing New York gatekeepers and taking it straight to the people of New York. NY media won't be able to ignore that once they figure out that there's money to be made.

Again, thanks for dropping by and sharing your insights. I wish more Californians would make their presence felt at ProHipHop. But, then again, I wish more people in general would drop by and share knowledge as you've done, without belittling me or whoever they disagree with. We'll see if getting off the battle tip helps in that regard!

[Eric Arnold]

i agree with most of what you're putting down here. for hyphy to continue to evolve, people like fab, the pack, and the team need to have national hit singles, not just regional hits. and keak might have to get outside of oakland sometime, yadidahmean?

there have been a lot of conflicting reports about hyphy's validity outside of the bay. i had industry folks telling me ny wasn't feeling "tell me when to go" at the same time dj cosmo baker, a buddy of joe quixx, was telling me it was the hottest club song in brooklyn. some folks have said la doesn't support bay music, but balance has been telling me he's been traveling there frequently and they're more open to it than a lot of people think. if you look at some of the responses on the fan blogs, it clearly runs counter to the industry line, but that has more weight than some think. for instance, 'vans' has received around 400,000 hits on my space, which is quite impressive. radio stations are a different story, because commercial stations will only play so much independent music. but street buzz still goes a long way.

also, i don't think southern support is really as much of the issue as you frame it here. "u and dat" and "white gurl" off of 40's album both feature southern artists, so it's obvious the respect is mutual. the bay and the south have a long history going way back to 40's mailman and the early days of too short, and there are probably far more similarities than differences between hyphy and crunk. remember that lil jon's first hit, "couldn't be a better player," featured too short.

my feeling is we'll probably see more collabos between bay and southern artists in the future. another thing that could really solidify this connection is if we see more bay area producers like rick rock and traxamillion produce for southern and midwestern artists, which is probably happening even as i type this.

new york can come get some too, it's all good. shoot, mobb deep needs to holla at trax, even papoose for that matter. believe me when i tell you, he gotz the heaterz, mayne!!!

sorry, just had a slapp atack. ok, where was i? ah yes...

as for the gatekeepers, they'll come around eventually if the buzz continues to grow. it is a trip, though, when major hip-hop magazines get scooped on national trend stories by such normally non hip-hop outlets as newsweek and the new york times.
yadidahboobooptally,
-EA

[Clyde Smith]

Thanks again. You know so much more about that scene than I ever will that I'm just glad you're dropping in.

Since you mention Balance, I remember that he had good things to say about his reception in Houston as well.

A Bay Area music lawyer pointed out at a conference I attended that part of the problem in hip hop is that folks think that they have to move somebody out of the way to have a place when, in fact, there's room for a lot of folks and a lot of styles.

Besides, like most anarchists, I could give a fuck about who's king cause I think all kings are a joke. But that's another story!

[Rizoh]

I'm starting to feel this song. Unfortunately, MTV has banned it for some odd reason.

[Clyde Smith]

Rizoh, you're leaving us hanging. Got any more info on that?

[jj cool jay]

the bay dont look at 40 like hes the hyphy trend setter the dude makes good music and not everyone in the bay is hyphy. Not every dude is jumping out of cars and stuff like that, theirs dudes talkin about real shit and they can blow if the bay got more attention. They bay has love for each other cause there real and dont give damn about anyone they just want attention cause they been makin money. Look out for yaboy clyde carson (blackwallstreet members) Dem hoodstars San quinn Messy marv

[Haitians & Jamaicans]

DO THEY PLAY SUPER HYPHY ON NEW YORK RADIO OR IN CLUBS IN NEW YORK? I (((LOVE))) THAT SONG...AND IVE BEEN WONDERING THAT FOR A MINUTE...

[Uniquebeauty]

I really love this song so much even tho i dont where vans n e more but I think tha concept of the song is different nd Im really feelin it

[Ansel Cliatt]

I personally think E-40 was the perfect person to bring HYPHY out. What most people fail to understand is hyphy is not a dance or song it's a lifestyle. There's just music and dances that happen to go along with it. Some may say E-40 and Too Short are too old but I totaly disagree. To me your never to old to make music. Lil Wyane said it best: "You retire out when you die out". Me personally I wouldn't give a damn if thes two niggas rapped they self to the grave. They shit is hotter than it's ever been right now so why not. Being from the Yay Area I know what the hell I'm talking about. It's not like E-40 doesn't realize that thge HYPHY MOVEMENT is for us younger niggas. He signed his son Droop-E and Turf Talk who are probaly the youngest cats that are on a major bay label right now. But anyone who really knows anything about the the hyphy movemnet knows the biggest credit goes to the producers: Rick Rock, Droop-E, Trax, and many many many many many more.

[Murphy]

The pack is doin it big man that got my vans on tune is goin down in clubs man its big. the pack tooshort and 40 are bringin a new type of hip hop sound which is called the hyphy sound or let me say the hyphy movement which is the kind of music im feelin right now so i think mtv sucks man. thank god theres BET that shows love to us blacks that are tryin to make it big in the media so who needs mtv then. go dumb man lol

[HipHopStyle]

Bay Area artists like E40 started a lot of slang in the bay, which was reapetdley stolen across the nation. The lingo belongs to us... it is okay to use it, I can say that. But we never said we are takin it back. We are not complaing Bay Area artists are re-indetifyin to all ya'll ignant niggas out there where a lot of original beats, and original lyrics come from...

[Clyde Smith]

Almost a year later and all I can hear are the whirring wheels of my scraper bike!

http://www.vidrap.com/2007/06/trunk-boiz---sc.html

Clyde