Nakamura, BYTE THIS!

Recently, I saw a wonderful lecture presented by the Asian/Asian American Cultural Affairs office at Columbia College Chicago. The lecture featured Giant Robot Co-Editor, Eric Nakamura, filmmaker Tadashi Nakamura, and musician Goh Nakamura. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend my Reviewing the Arts class for this lecture. So I believe that it is important with me to share my experience at this lecture to explain my absence.

As an Asian American artist, I found that it was very important to finally meet Asian Americans working within the art world. Especially successful artists. The theme of the lecture was "Byte This!", a discussion of art in the digital world. The first person to talk was Eric Nakamura. In his part, he discussed Giant Robot's growth from a paper "zine" to a popular print magazine, store, online site, and even restaurant. He discussed that in the digital world, a company is able to broadcast their services quickly. He showed examples of the Facebook fan page, Twitter, and Blogspot of Giant Robot. It was obvious to see that the digital world has not only made the distribution of his company more efficient, but it has also helped him keep in touch with readers, fans, and people interested in supporting print magazine companies.

Similarly, Tadashi Nakamura discussed his use of social networking sites to provide his fans and supporters with up-to-date information and even streaming his videos for people to view for free. As Tadashi said in the lecture "If you make an amazing video and no one sees it, well then there was no point in making the video." I agree with Tadashi because as a fan of his work, I have been able to watch his videos, learn from his social commentary and then share his work with my friends. I believe that even though the movies are free, they are effecting more people and spreading social change by allowing them to be viewed online.

Finally, Goh Nakamura spoke. He seemed to be a little less effected by the digital world, but he did discuss how his rise to fame came from YouTube. Through YouTube he discussed that he was able to be seen by more people, therefore allowing his album to be downloaded by more people all over the world. There was a funny side to this man that made his lecture the most enjoyable. He seemed simple and his story was very personal. There was no big leap from nothing to something like there was with Giant Robot. Goh made it seem like through YouTube his success just "happened," in which I believe is the story of many successful musicians and artists today. Take Justin Bieber from my previous blog, he was found by Usher through his YouTube performances. WAHLAH.

Overrall, the lecture was very motivating. I believe that there will always be constant critique of the digital world but instead of fighting against it, we should embrace it. The Nakamura lecture definitely showed me that there is beauty to social networking sites and blogspots but the lecture also helped me see that there is a place for Asian Americans within the art world and digital world.

And I was like "Baby, Baby, Baby"...No, really I was.

This is going to ruin me.


Justin Bieber's latest single "Baby," has caught my attention. In the past, his other jams ("One Time," "One Less Lonely Girl") have completely turned me away and left me completely appalled by Pop music of today. But, lately, the constant radio play of "Baby," has me, like many young girls today, swooning over the Beebz.

Why do I like this song? Well first, it's the beat. There is a heavy beat accompanied by a nice strum of the guitar. The mix of these two make the song danceable with elements of a ballad.

What else do I like? The lyrics and how they are sung. Justin Bieber is maybe sixteen years old and he is singing about being in love with a girl. He's totally tearing apart the Pop music scene dominated by club songs that talk about women as being "sexy," and do not go any further than that. In "Baby," Bieber is singing about being in love with a girl that he "thought would always be mine." He's talking about almost loosing a girl and how much it destroys him. It's sweet and discusses a woman being wanted emotionally and not physically.

I also enjoy the addition of Ludacris to the song. Ludacris' rhymes are about when he was in love when he was thirteen. Again, he's not talking about his physical attraction to the girl but his emotional attachment. Which I believe is wonderful and refreshing within Pop music. "Baby," is promoting love and the love that everyone has for someone else no matter what age they are at.

Maybe I'm just re-living the days when I was younger and I obsessed over Pop music, but I know I am not alone in this. I have plenty of friends that have reacted similarly to this song. It speaks to the older teenager generation and Bieber's young boy voice takes us all back to the days of N*SYNC and the Backstreet Boys.

Erykah Badu, Uncovered

"Window Seat," is Erykah Badu's latest music video for her just released album, "New Amerykah Part Two." In the video Badu takes off all of her clothes while walking down the same street were President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The video has been dubbed controversial and Badu was fined $500 for indecent exposure in a public area. What is not discussed or brought up in news stories or blogs in which the video is featured, is the fact that Badu is reworking the Kennedy's assassination.

When I first watched the video, I did not see the connection. Someone actually told me about the connection between the assassination and the alarming ending of the music video. After watching the video again and again, I began to deconstruct the elements that make this video so interesting.

In the beginning of the video, Badu is shown driving a old-fashioned car while the audio clip playing over is from a newscast that aired during the Kennedy assassination. Badu is then shown walking from her car to the street in a trenchcoat, hoodie and large sunglasses (that oddly resemble the First Lady, Jackie O's). The camera follows Badu, carefully and slowly. There may have been possible camera editing, because the shot seems to blur everything besides Badu. Th Badu's attention is not focused on the camera, but just passed the camera. Her expression is confident but with a touch of apathy. There is nothing on Badu's face that let's you know what is about to happen.

As Badu walks, she removes her clothing. She is not alone, there are many people around her, some watching, some ignoring. When Badu turns the corner to the street where Kennedy was shot, the camera follows her from the back. Badu's tattoo "Evolving," can be read, replacing Badu's face. When Badu becomes fully naked, a soft gun shot can be heard and Badu falls to the grown. A voice replaces the music, Badu's voice, and she discusses the assassination of the individual to the oppressing greater forces. The camera moves swiftly around the area, as if searching for the gunmen. With no luck, the camera pans back to Badu who appears standing up with a new hair-do. She is smiling, 'evolving.'

What I like about this video, is Badu's ability to own her creativity. In the video, she is confident and her confidence is alarming. She is offering a completely new look for females. She is removing her clothes, but she is owning her body in the process. Badu is taking her thoughts and throwing them out to the world. She wants the world to hear, to understand and to question. Unlike many mainstream videos out today, Badu's video made me think and want to discuss.