Hip Hop

Celtic bands and Rockers are not the only musicians to sport kilts.  Take a look at these Hip Hop superstars:

[Source image 1:  http://nahright.com/news/2009/10/06/snoop-dogg-ft-the-dream-gangsta-luv/

Source image 2:  http://cocoandcreme.com/2010/10/pause-for-mens-fashion-diddy-and-the-kilt/]

Here's the challenge.  In picture number one, Snoop Dog, clearly establishes his cool, his sexuality, and perhaps race by embodying several codes which signify Hip Hop.  These signs, that is, scantily clad women, being surrounded by women, the homogeneous shape of the women's bodies, the positioning of the bodies, the bling, the lighting, perhaps even the Converse All-Stars certainly signify several things, but when we view the picture as a whole, Snoop Dog has either offset any questions about his authenticity as a Hip Hop artist, or, we might even suggest, the picture can be "read" comically--a level of cool by not taking oneself so seriously while working very hard to maintain star status at the same time.


Diddy pictures, captured at a performance, raise the questions Snoop Dog appears to offset.  The Coco and Creme fashion site captioned the picture, "is this OK?"  Obviously wearing a kilt is questionable.  The commentary goes on to say, if so, "we blame Lenny Kravitz."  (the commentary on Kravitz, who pictured in a leather kilt; "I’m sorry but Lenny was wrong for that ensemble a few weeks back. Dead wrong").  So, we have a "we."  Who is this "we?"  Moreover, the comments (available on line) clearly make this a "black" issue. Even within the Hip Hop fashion world, there is no escaping being perceived not as an artist; you are a black artist.  This reinforces and reifies white invisibility and hegemony.  A white rock star, such as Sting, when posing in a kilt, has challenged neither his masculinity or his race.  The commentary on Diddy's image ends with this quotation:  "This is perfectly fine for Scotland…but he better not bring that kilt state-side!"

So, we have a talented performer chained to the social subjectivity of race, perhaps gender, perhaps sexuality, and then he is threatened based on a non-rigorous  geographic audience analysis by an audience member.  When we remember that people get beat up and even killed over these issues, we see that not only are we not living in a post racial world, but wearing the wrong clothes subjects you to threats.