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>1. How would you describe oklayplayer.com? Where would you place it in the music universe? Would you say it fits the label "alternative hip hop" site? What is its relationship to mainstream rap? Does it attempt to break into the mainstream or is it attempting to establish a different music universe? <
I came to the site originally as the place to find like-minded Roots fans. It is their site. I don't view The Roots as being "alternative hip-hop" although I notice their names popping up in the same quarters. Is the site "alternative?" I think there is an equal passion for both the underground and the mainstream, with an equal distate for both. It commands a lot of heavy traffic simply because of the people who make up the community in the forums. There are a number of forums on the boards, and each forum has its own so-called community standards.
I think it will always look at rap music as the core, but at times it also looks into other avenues of hip-hop, and therefore other forms of music. I've always believed that you can't live by one form of music alone, and I would say that is the standard that is held on OkayPlayer.com. The fact that people are allowed to speak their minds on whatever music possible is great, because the powers that be could say "please, only talk about us" or "please, only bands that are labelmates".
If anything, it shows that Roots fans are some of the most well "spoken", most opinionated, and well-informed people out there. It's a great gathering place, which is what makes a lot of members want to meet each other in person. There are many fake personas, but the boards give a chance for people to interact in anyway possible.
>2. How important are the issues of race & ethnicity to the construction of your virtual community?<
It is very important. One can't help but discuss the diversity and quirks of the people involved, towards coming to some kind of understanding. All of us (well, most of us) are human, but we all come from very different backgrounds. The fact that we can communicate in some fashion, whether it's music, technology, politics, sex, barbeques, or simply complaining, is something that can't be done elsewhere without compromise.
>3. What is the attitude of the site's producers to mainstream produced hip hop and the politics of hip hop ? *Does the politics of the US, especially as regard to race impact on okayplayer.com and, if so, how?<
>4. Who-what other sites-would you consider your rivals?<
I don't look at another site as a rival, but I do frequent and post on other boards. They have their own communities and set of written and unwritten rules. Then again, Okay Player has a number of different boards in the forum, while other sites may have one or two. What I also like about OkayPlayer is that you have a wide age-span. You have young fans who are either in high school or just starting college, then you have people in their mid/late-20's, 30's, even a few in their 40's. Okay Player stands out on its own, and I think the only time one needs to mention a rival is when someone brings it up. That's very much a high school mentality of "your board is better than mine". I've been on the internet for almost 10 years and that mentality was popular when the Usenet was one of the few ways of talking to each. The internet has grown, it is definitely worldwide, and for the most part the discussions show this as well. Okay Player welcomes any and all.
>5. What would you say are the most common topics on okayplayer.com boards and why?<
It depends on what board. When The Roots come out with a new project, the Artist section will be anything and everything Roots. Tours, TV and radio appearances, and now a new DVD. There are other groups who are consisted part of the OkayPlayer family, and they are equally talked about. In General Discussion, it can be anything from partying and having fun, current trends, the popularity of a television show, or a place to gather and meet everyone. In The Lesson, which is about music, anything goes. Sometimes it can be about how great Outkast are, othertimes it may be anxiety over Radiohead tour dates. Maybe someone listened to A Tribe Called Quest and wants to open up to the world of jazz. Someone might have turned on the radio and heard some old Anthrax songs, and they'll want some recommendations. The primary focus is always hip-hop, because it is a hip-hop site, but the other discussions show how diverse the musical tastes of its members are. In Reviews, it can be anything from a concert review, favorite cartoons to DVD box sets, foreign films, or a comic book series. It's very different all around, so there's something for everyone. If not, create a topic and see where it goes.
>6. Is cyberactivism a mechanism that marginalized communities can seriously consider employing in their sociopolitical struggles?<
Definitely. If an issue touches someone, they can state their opinion and make an immediate impact. I did so a few times away from OkayPlayer, and they worked. Being an "activist" of any kind carries a stigma, and it has one on OkayPlayer as well. In other words, if someone says something that may be considered a statement, they are often told to go to the Activist section. Yet the Activist section is one of the most opinionated and lively sections on the board. A lot of people came to OKP because of the Activist section. If you want to say something, you can be heard.
>7. What impact do musically based cyber communities have on individuals and society as a whole? (impacts: both real and ideal)<
On individuals, it makes a big impact because instead of waiting for someone in your city to have the same interests, you can meet someone 200, 500, 1000, 3000, 10000 miles away and literally "shoot the shit". I am part of a music community, a group of people I have "known" for about seven years. We are like family, and that's eerie because we know each other's business. We are most likely going to grow old together. In my real life, I have always seeked a sense of community because where I'm from, community is everything. Being anonymous on the internet is something that is attractive to many, but being part of a family in digital form is unique because it's the discovery of music, ideas, philosophies, concerns, politics, and fears through words. We as humans still have a sense of trust, and we have to build our trust on people through what we read. One of the members of the community I'm with is making a name for himself in music, and I hear he often gives us shoutouts at each performance. It is very much like that here on OKP as well. I look forward to meeting some OKP's too.
>8. Does limited / skewed access to the internet make it a medium that only reaches /speaks to a certain social strata? Is that problematic or an issue for okayplayer.com, and how do you rationalise/respond to it?<
Well yes, it does have its limitations. While OkayPlayer is a public site, not everyone has access to the site, or know how to access the site. Anyone can walk into a library and use the computer to jump onto the internet.
But we are in the computer age, and I hope if more schools are open to bringing in more technology, that technology will be avaliable to all. Away form OkayPlayer, that is mandatory. You can't function without a computer, the whole millennium/illuminati scare was proof.
However, I also think that OkayPlayer can extend its reach by working in and within the real communities of each city, state, and country. To have OkayPlayer not be just an online entity, but one that could possibly make some change if it seeked it.
Is it a problem? Not if something can be done, and OkayPlayer has proved time and time again that it can be done.
We're all here in a sense to salute one of our favorite bands, and in many ways we come together for the love of music. But music isn't our only interest, and I think the site proves that even with many variations and differences, good people can find each other.
p.e.a.c.e.
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