Growing up I noticed that white people always seemed to be behind the 8 ball when it came to being current with Black culture. However, it seems that younger white people have whole heartedly jumped on the Black bandwagon and have taken many aspects of Black culture to incorporate into mainstream culture. From rap music to cornrows and now to big booties and curvy bodies Black culture seems to drive mainstream culture more than ever. What is causing this shift?
More cultural innovation comes from blacks, there is more cultural churn and so more new features get traction and some bust out to the wider culture.
Black culture is more showboaty, very loaded with symbolism.Blacks are good at thinking up stuff like this. It centers on kids always seeking a new way to be cool and keeps expanding.
This is evident in our history. Jazz, Rock, R&B, Rap, Ska Hip Hop all came from blacks. Gang signs, Jive Turkey, Hang Ten, wassup, and underwear showing came from blacks as well.
So lots of innovation but my beef is that every new innovation is a step towards simpler and stupider. Its always a step down towards the lowest common denominator. Jazz was more complex than rock. Singing melodic songs was more complex than spoken word poetry.
When white invent culture, they invent opera and classical music which weaves together dozens of instruments. That;s not popular though but it sure is complex.
I'd much rather black innovation build towards complexity rather than towards simplicity.