Another Friday night at Lotus, another party at APT, one in LES another in Brooklyn, who cares? When it all comes down to it, these parties are just satellites for the same rotation of trendies on any particular night. So who cares about those parties and those people? Right?
You, whoever you are, reading this, should care! The fact that you're eyes are on this page probably means you've been at to one of these night-time get-togethers yourself, or only have one degree of separation from them. The fact that you can club hop during any particlar week and see the same set of grills is the most important detail to said question- because it proves that this ain't a scene, it's a goddamn culture.
Granted, it's a small culture, a culture within a culture- born from two unbearably cool parent cultures (hip-hop and hipster) but it still makes the mark. This culture, hipster in its own right, is replicating the process hip-hop endured while it was in its infant stages. Then, iconic rappers and hip-hop contributors (everyone from photographers to dancers) were revolving in the same circles when it was just "a scene". They were competing over the dopest gear, trying to bag the flyest shorties, fronting with the largest door knockers but all dancing to the same beat- the same way it is at a 1992 Party or a Yo Yo Party.
At some point Va$htie's video gems will be the latest hyped DVD box set, Kesh will fix trends that will leak to top tier fashion and Thelonious Kapps (Theophilous London?) will further usher hip-hop away from its current state of dumb. Other folks-double edged marketers- have already recognized the real- The Cool Kids did a commercial for Rhapsody, Chromeo got biz from XM and MTV both and Perez Hilton is diggin' on Kid Sister. Robin Williams rocks Bape!!!
Whatever the event is, there is a creativity we all understand and appreciate, that's what attracts us there. After all, just because you partied at The Pussy Party doesn't mean you'd necessarily show up to Kareem Black's photo exhibit. But this isn't just a random smattering of people. We're a nameless culture, diferent enough from our mother culture, hip-hop, to retain our own identity (and how fly we are!) but similar enough to be relatively accessible to curious mainstreamers.
So when you see us in the street, holler at us, because as corny as it sounds, we really are building a culture here. One day I'll script a book throwing down the history of today's youth cultures (as interpreted by yours truly), but for now, rest assured that ours is one based on a few things: creativity, in all shapes and sizes, staying fly,in thrift shop threads to 5th Ave purchases and partying like a...you know how we do.
The hardest thing is not recognizing that there is something legitimate going on here. The hardest part is trying to find a term to call it? Whatever it is, you can definitely call it dope.
'prece.