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Enter The Rodeo 1

Jake Chapman
Enter the Rodeo: An investigation into the Rrap concert environment
Organizational Communication Capstone Project
University of Portland
Spring 2015
Supervised by Professor Alexa Dare, Ph. D.

I understand that in the interest of shared scholarship the University of


Portland and its agents have the non-exclusive license to archive and
make accessible my work in whole or in part in all forms of media in
perpetuity. Further, I understand that my work, in addition to its
bibliographic record and abstract, may be available to a wider
community of scholars and researchers through electronic access.

Enter The Rodeo 2

Abstract
Although the musical concert has been and remains a primary
area of public discourse, little research has been conducted into the
actual concert experience itself. This is a pilot study into the world of
the rap concert and how rap artists interact with the audience. This
study was conducted using semi- structured interviews of two rap
concert attendees, and observational work at two separate rap
concerts held at the Roseland Theatre in Portland, Oregon. This project
revealed that within the rap concert setting there are set norms for
behavior that dictate how people behave depending on location and
distance from the stage, Also audience members share a deeper
connection with musicians when they are able to see the musicians
facial expressions. After this study, further research could be
conducted to investigate how musicians are affected by the energy
and interactions of audience members.
Introduction
Music has been a primary means of communication since before
proliferation of spoken language. It has given rise to social reform and
given voice to those without the power to be heard and for many
continues to be a primary form of self-expression and artistic ability.
Perhaps one of the most invigorating feelings is that of being in an
audience, waiting to see you favorite musical group perform live in

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front of you. Music is also innately social, in a study conducted on brain
trauma patients, it was found that after undergoing music therapy,
they had enhanced social interaction ability (Nayak, Wheeler, Shiflett
and Agostinelli, 2000) Music therapy has also been proven to decrease
depression and reduce anxiety (Hanser and Thompson, 1994) (Thaut,
1989). Musical concerts as well are innately social events the largest
concert hall in the United States is the Elliot Hall of Music which seats
6,005 people in its immense theater Music has immense social
implications and influence, and these aspects need to be further
investigated and analyzed in order to understand the way that people
interact with music and musical artists in particular.
This review will focus mainly on rap music and its proliferation in
the concert world. It will investigate the ways in which audiences
interact with musical artists. Being a fan of rap music as well as rap
culture, I have a vested interest in the results of this study and the
findings that it will yield. Rap music has taken on a more and more
violent undertone in the recent years, in a study conducted between
1994 and 1997; it was found that 60 percent of rap songs mentioned
violence. Although Rap music, gangsta rap in particular, has taken on
a more and more violent undertone rap concerts continue to sell out
and the lyrics are particularly popular with youth with their portrayal of
glamour, wealth and masculinity. Rap music has also been described
as being transformative creativity that is endlessly capable of altering

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the uses of technologies and space(Rose, 1994). In this way Rap
music does not merely promote violence and a glamorous lifestyle but
is continuously changing the environment in which it is created.
Further research is needed into the actual concert experience and how
these violent lyrics and the portrayal of this glamorous lifestyle affect
audiences and their interaction with the music and the artist. Previous
research into rap music has investigated its violent nature, yet has
delved little into the actual rap concert experience.

Problem Statement
This literature review is a preliminary glimpse into the rap
concert scene and how it is that the audience experiences such
concerts. This is a prevalent area of study because the rap concert
setting is a large, under researched public forum with vast economic
importance to music performers and venue owners alike. Rap music
continues to gain popularity and the rap culture is one that more and
more people aspire to. The wide influence of the rap culture and the
draw of this rap lifestyle is something that is covered in a limited way,
however via applying previous research into musical interaction,
interactions of artists on stage, and research into distances associated
with music listening, some insight can be drawn into the rap concert
scene and how audience members experience this large social event.
Through previous research into the cues that performing artists offer to

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their audience, some inferences can be made about what parts of the
concert experience can enhance both the viewing and listening
experience of the audience members.
Currently there is little research into any type of musical concert
experience; most research investigates how minority groups interact
with rap music, how to save face in the rap cipher and what rap music
does for those who listen and the purposes that it helps to serve. Other
research has shown how Rap music is territorial in nature and how
audience members identify with the artist and the rap music spatially
and geographically. Research into social distances and social
interaction is more varied and diverse yet still offers little insight into
the concert experience. This research investigates primarily into the
ways that social distance functions in casual settings as opposed to the
hectic, free-flowing setting of a concert.
Development of Rap Music: Turf and location
Roses work found that rap music most often develops in the
postindustrial city, or places of urban influence that influenced the
creative development of raps earliest innovators (1994). Along with
this setting of a postindustrial city, rap music also developed as a
territorial factor or a tendency toward regionalism. This relationship
illuminates a certain relationship to space that rappers have. According
to Master Flash (considered a pioneer in the proliferation of rap music)
the sound systems of concerts often identified with coinciding turf

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interests of the audience (Forman, 2000). This can offer insight into
who it is that are closer to the performing artist, those who are from
the same turf and identify with that artist and the region that they
identify with. In this same vein, those who do not identify with the
music are, in competition waged through hip hops cultural forms of
rap, break dancing and graffiti(Forman, 2000). This could potentially
be seen as a competition to see which audience members identify
more with an artist or rap group. Currently there is little research into
exhibition of contemporary rap music in a concert setting but the work
of Forman offers valuable insight into the ways in which rap denotes a
form of group affiliation.

Group Identification
Attending musical concerts can often be a hectic experience
filled with flying elbows, raucous fans and worse, a terrible view of the
artist. In a concert setting, personal space is limited and there can
often be a prevailing tendency to get to the front of the crowd, closest
to the performing artist. Previous research into the area of social
distance has yielded a number of different theories, such as group
attachment and social identity theory and realistic group conflict
theory, both of which found that the inclination toward shorter social
distances are based in the tendency to identify with that group and to
have a sense of connectedness with that group (Vedlitz & Zahran,

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2007). These researchers monitored the distance of jazz musicians
from each other in a small concert setting and later interviewed about
their location. These distances not only spoke to the roles of each
individual on the stage, but also to the emotional connections that the
musicians have toward each other, be they good or bad. Role distance
develops in connection with someones particular status or identity
(Stebbins, 1969). This inclination toward distance also implies that
there is an audience as well that acts as a third party and makes
judgments on both of the role players. This has often been manifested
as an attitude of dislike or contempt for the other party because they
are seen as a threat to ones self and conception of identity. Social
distance research then yields the insight that distance is innately tied
to emotional connection, and the feelings that we have toward a
particular person or in this case musical artist. The primary effects of
social distance are that they denote feelings of connection to a certain
person, or the opposite, that we wish to disassociate ourselves from
that person and that their may be feelings of animosity toward that
person.

The Visual Experience


The concert experience is far more than simply an auditory
experience, but a visual one as well (Davidson, 1995). Audiences have
rated their experience in a more favorable way when their auditory

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experience is accompanied by the visual experience of witnessing the
behavior of the artist that they are listening to (Antonietti, Cocomazzi,
& Iannello, 2009). Viewing these musical performances as opposed to
just listening to them also changed how the audience members
perceived the music. For example, it was found that performers facial
expressions could initiate changes in the audience members
perception of the emotional valence of the piece (Thompson et al.,
2005).
The actions of the artist also act as cues to the audience as to
when they should join in on the chorus or remain silent for an intimate
moment in the song. One of the primary factors found one of the most
distinct communicative channels in a live performance is the use of
gaze (Kleinke, 1986). This gaze is essential for the artist in the
formation of impressions on the audience and modulates peoples
evaluations of others in terms of likeability and attractiveness (Mason,
Takow, & Macrae, 2005). Kleinke used qualitative research methods,
via personal interviewing and group interviewing to assess what facets
of the concert and musical experience contribute to positive
evaluations of the artist and the concert experience. This gaze is a
facet that the audience intimately interacts with and is aroused by
these gazing actions.
These findings show that audience members do indeed enjoy the
actual performance of music more than simply listening to it. With the

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addition of a performance to a musical piece, artists can better help
audience members connect with their music and enhance their
perception of it as well, making it more than a mere auditory
experience. However the experiment conducted by Antonietti,
Cocomazzi and Iannello, chronicled in their article Looking at The
Audience Improves Music Appreciation, only investigated audience
reaction based off of genres that were not Rap related. One scenario
involved listening to renditions of songs performed by a cover artist
while eye and neurological activity was tracked to find spikes in
excitement. During the performance The songs used were: What a
feeling by Giorgio Moroder, Take Me Home, Country Roads by John
Denver and Just The Way You Are by Billy Joel, none of which are even
close to being in the Rap or Gangsta Rap genre. All of which hardly
embody the same hardcore, violent nature of rap music and therefore
audience members would likely have a different perception of a rap
performance than that of Billy Joel or john Denver.
Musical Experience and Drama
Similar research into musicals has yielded results like those of
Antonietti, Cocomazzi and Iannello. Musical plays have a similar effect
of enhanced enjoyment when music was accompanied by a visual
spectacle in that they have the power to change and enhance the
experience of the viewer, making dramatic scenes even more dramatic
and emotional with the addition of a musical piece as opposed to a

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simple acted scene (Purnell-Webb, Speelman, 2008)(Coffman, Gfeller &
Eckert, 1995). Music has the ability to create a dramatic undertone to a
performance that would not have previously been there if there was no
music. This research shows that audience members create an
emotional connection with the music that can arouse different
reactions (Heide, Porter, & Saito, 2012). A key theory in this research is
social-cognitive theory, one that states that audience members will
attempt to replicate the actions of characters in plays, if those
characters are rewarded for their actions (Bandura, 2004; Sood,
Menard, & Witte, 2004). If this same theory is taken out of the context
of musicals and into the realm of concerts, audience members will still
attempt to recreate these rewarded actions. One of the primary draws
of Rap music to its audience is the lifestyle which it portrays, one of
excess, wealth and grandeur. Through the exhibition of these traits by
the artist, be it through flashy clothing or jewelry, the audience will
attempt to replicate the traits of the artist in hopes of being rewarded
in a similar fashion.
The research conducted by Heide and his peers investigated how
audience members perception of deer hunting changed after viewing
a musical as opposed to a normal play. Applying this research to such a
different setting, such as that of a rap concert, presents a number of
different issues. In a musical setting, the audience is seated and
comfortably situated while during a rap concert; there is constant

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movement and action amongst the audience members that can greatly
influence the perception of both the music and the artist themselves.
Also, in a concert setting often times the actions of the artist are not
choreographed, making them even more freelance and unpredictable.
Also, Musicals convey a satisfying optimism; painting the world the
way we wish life would be even if we know that it seldom is (Corrigan,
1979, p. 67). Rap music on the other hand, is often told from the point
of view from those who have spent a large amount of their time in
impoverished inner city areas and rap about the lifestyle that they
grew up in, a stark difference to the idealized lifestyle that many
musicals depict in such an upbeat way. Given the research listed
above, it is clear that rap music is about what life is and has become,
as opposed to what life would be if the world were idealized. This
article did offer value in terms of emotional interaction of the audience.
It revealed that many audience members will feel a strong emotional
connection with the music in particular, and it adds an edge to the
performance that was not previously there.

Critical Evaluation:
Previous literature investigating facets of rap concerts is
generally scarce. The primary focus of most of the literature that
revolves around rap chronicles its use in ethnic groups and amongst
minority groups. Other reach has also touched on its uses for these

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minority groups to speak out against perceived injustices and racism
that often plagues minority groups. Although the research into rap
music is somewhat limited, the detail that it reaches is incredibly
useful. From many of the articles one is able to make applications
about the rap lifestyle and how such a lifestyle is reflected in its
listeners and in its followers. Also, the research into the uses of rap
music geographically offered valuable insight as to how audiences
identify with rap artists as a sort of geographical, even neighborhood
perspective. This shows that these audience members take pride in
their local artists and strongly support them based on location. The
primary focus is to investigate why it is that audience members choose
specific locations to stand on the concert floor during a rap concert and
what this distance says about their experience with the performer
Further investigation is needed to find why it is that people
attend these often-dangerous concerts. Although these audience
members may support these artists and their music, why do they
endanger themselves in these concert contexts and often work their
way into some of the most raucous contexts such as the front right
near the stage. Distance research and the use of symbols has been
valuable in this review as it has offered insight into why it is that these
artists go on stage and risk losing face in these concert settings.
Distance research has also provided valuable peeks into the way that
performers them selves interact on stage and what their distances say

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about the roles that they occupy and how their distance communicates
disdain or liking towards one another. Although there is enough
research to make a few preliminary assumptions about the way that
performers behave, more research is necessary to view how it is that
audiences interact with these artists and what these performances do
for these group members other than being a means of entertainment
and geographical identification. There must be more to the audience
experience than simply liking an artist and liking where they are from.
Such a dynamic experience can be so varied from member to member
and understanding the entertainment factors in a concert setting must
remain a primary focus of subsequent research.
Previous research also showed that the way actual artists behave
influences audience members emotionally. It is not merely the music
that interests the audience, but the performance is what allows them
to create a true emotional connection. These artists offer cues to the
audiences as to when they should have certain reactions and emotions
through their gaze and hand gestures. Yet there is little investigation
into the intensity of these emotions, specifically at different distances.
Perhaps these audience members who have a clear view of the artist
have a stronger connection with the artist and therefore have a
different perception of the music than those who have an obscured
view. The research compiled so far is promising and does lay a solid
base for further development. This arena of public discourse is one that

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is widely participated in and offers a vast amount of information and
data into the actions of groups and the implications of their actions. it
is important to understand how rappers, who are often celebrities and
icons in the public eye, influence audiences and how those audiences
interact with the music, the artist, and other concertgoers. This may
yield insight into the violent nature of the current rap lifestyle and how
it is that this violence may be quelled or otherwise understood. This
research may be of particular use to law enforcement agencies and
even to average concertgoers so that they may understand how rap
concerts function and how their experience can be enhanced.

Research Question 1: Why do people stand at different distances


at concert events?
Research Question 2: Do the emotions and cues of the musician
influence the audiences distance and behavior?

Further research will investigate and observe live rap


performance in a concert setting. Researchers will then describe the
experience using thick description. Adding to this live observation,
participants will be interviewed to learn about their concert experience
and their enjoyment and how this enjoyment relates to distance.

Method (Observation and Semi-structured interviewing)

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This was a qualitative research study that systematically explored the
interactions of audience members in the rap concert setting. Through
using ethnographic examination of audience members and their
physical reactions, facial expressions and verbal descriptions and
accounts, I crafted a thorough explanation of audience behavior within
the rap concert setting.
For this study I attended two different rap concerts of two
different rap artists at the Roseland Theatre. The first observation was
conducted at the Immortal Technique concert and the second
observation was conducted at the Travi$ Scott and Young Thug concert.
During the concert events I wandered the dance floor and observed the
audience in their natural setting as they watched the performing artist.
After the concert ended I recorded my observations and thoughts
about what was happening during the duration of the concert. Other
than attending these two concert events, I also conducted two
interviews with people who have previously attended rap concerts at
the Roseland Theatre. Observations and interviews were then coded
based off of prevalent trends in both the interviews and the
observations of the concert events. Accounts from audience members
were recorded via handheld microphone and saved in an unmarked
audio file on my personal, password-protected computer.
Findings and analyses
1) Systematic emergent coding

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After thoroughly reviewing and extracting commonalities from concert
observations, (conducted at the Roseland Theatre) themes were
derived using qualitative research techniques, adapted from a
grounded theoretical background. Interviews were conducted and then
annotated to extract prevalent themes and occurrences that related to
audience interaction and experience. Being a fan of rap music and the
rap culture as well, this is an investigation that I am personally vested
in. The way that people act in concert settings, and how music effects
emotions is a facet of the musical experience that has yet to be truly
investigated and what better way to begin an investigation then to
attend actual concert events and speak with the audience members
about their experience. Based off the concert observations and off of
interviews with audience members.
1) The Fight Culture: audience members interactions with each
other in a struggle to get to the front
2) Brimming with energy: The actions of the artist, and audience
combined to create a lively environment
Themes for this study emerged through analysis of both the
observational sessions at the Roseland Theatre, as well as from the two
interviews that were conducted with concert attendees. After analyzing
all of the data, the above themes revealed themselves after a lengthy
emergent coding process. The primary researcher was able to derive
these themes using a grounded theory approach, an approach that
finds a core category, which has a higher level of abstraction and is

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grounded in the data that is produced and analyzed. After reviewing
both the interviews conducted and the observations of rap concerts at
the Roseland Theater yielded the above categories of analysis. Each
category arose based on their prevalence in the concert experience
from an audience perspective. Although participants reported having
varied experiences at the concert event, these themes could be
derived from both the semi-structured in depth interviews, as well as
from concert observation and analysis.
2) Thematic Display of findings
The Fight Culture
Since its roots, rap music has taken on a more and more violent
connotation and undertone, which has led to the perception that rap
concerts, and particular artists in general elicit violent responses from
their audience members. Rap music has also become a certain form of
description and an analytical tool of the political, economic, social
factors that have influenced the development and proliferation of rap
music (Dyson, 20041996). Many times these frustrations are voiced in
rap music, especially those of police brutality, drug addiction and
community violence. Talking about such issues cannot be easy. To
reference the loss of friends and family to street violence and
homicides, to refer to family members with life changing substance
abuse issues and on top of all of these issues, to reflect on the
oppression that many black males feel on a daily basis from police and

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perceived unfair social institutions. To channel all of these qualms (and
some upsides) into lyrical verses can be seen as a non-violent, yet
inciting means of expressing anguish and feelings for these rappers.
The concert setting is an excellent forum for rap artists to express all of
these emotions not only through their rap but their actions as well.

During the first concert experience one of the primary mantras of the
performing artist, his posse and the MC was that of Fuck the Police.
This theme was repeated explicitly throughout the concert experience
both through the artist simply saying this phrase to the audience and
eliciting call and response, and even gesturing to the audience as if
gesturing at the unjust institution he was referring to:

The artist was extremely impassioned by the political and social issues
that he brought up, yelling into the microphone and pointing into the
audience, as if pointing at the very person or institution that he was
referring to in his song or political rant. (Observation) The audience
responded with hollers and fists in the air, as if actually present at
some sort of political rally. Many audience members were able to share
in the emotions of the others, even those who may not have had the
same views as the rapper reacted with the audience, hollering and
acting as part of the group. I too acted this way, even though I have
never suffered oppression form the police. This reaction seemingly was

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a communal behavior of many at the concert, taking part in the
emotions and actions of the other concert members

The rapper also referred to relevant current events that personified the
injustice that he preached to the crowd, referring to the recent
shooting of Michael Brown and the killing of Eric Garner in New york,
these issues truly resonated with the audience as they reacted with
raucous applause and violent hand movements such as pumping fists
in the air, raising the middle finger and jumping in response to these
calls for action from the artist.

The audience also reacted more when the artist began to get into his
own music, bouncing around the stage, showing a lot of energy. He did
this through moving around the stage, bobbing to the music and
occasionally pointing the microphone at the audience for them to fill in
the lyrics. Also he stared powerfully into the audience raising his index
finger in an accusing way, as if pointing at the very person or
institution that he was referring to in his song or political rant. At these
times the audience reacted with raised hands waving to the music, as
well as some who were bobbing aggressively to the beat, most of this
exaggerated action took place in the very dense middle of the
audience where it was difficult to move around.

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At times audience reactions can be overly energetic and affect the
concert experience of other concert members, the rowdy nature of rap
concerts can have a negative effect on those in the audience and even
on the artist themselves, causing them to stop the show and call out
members of the audience for their negative behavior in the audience.
At one point during the first observation the artist actually stopped the
show for a moment to address some audience members who were
making a scene, being more rowdy than all those around them and
being extremely physical with all of their movements. The artist took a
solemn tone, pointed at the audience member and called him out
directly, you need to calm down fella, I know Im saying some things
that get the blood pumping, but reel it in. After the artist called out
this member, he slunk away, like a child shamed by his father in front
of his friends.
- The Uuse of the Venue Sspace
During the concert experience it also appeared that the audience
was stratified by their engagement with the music and the artist.
Those who were more rowdy, and into the fighting nature of the
audience were front and center, often less than 10 feet from the stage,
those who were interested in the music but were there for a more
private experience, stood further, often bobbing their head to the
music yet not engaging with other audience members, it seemed more
difficult for these members to participate in the call and response

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portions of the concert. Then finally there were those on the outskirts,
who seemed to not even be there for the concert but instead to stand
around, have a drink and be with the person that they came with,
almost like a date night. This layering effect is what made the concert
floor easy and predictable to maneuver. The area toward the back was
less dense and audience members stood around each other, yet there
was no crowding effect and tried to chat amongst each other.
In the next layer were those who were more interested in the
music yet could still interact with friends and peers around them. This
layer is characterized by increased physical movement and dancing,
this is where the majority of girls on the floor were located, dancing
amongst each other and with other members of the crowd, then there
is the interior crowd, those who are in for the entire experience and are
bouncing off of each other, swaying from side to side because of the
movement of the crowd and jumping around and being rowdy. This is
also a very hot part of the venue, characterized by, tons of sweaty
dudes with way too much energy as described by D, an audience
member at the Travi$ Scott and Young Thug concert. There were those
at the very front who tended to be the most rowdy and into the music,
than moving outward the next layer of audience members tended to
be less lively, many still bobbing their heads to the music but others
with their hands in their pockets, separating themselves from the
energy of the audience. And those on the outer periphery of the

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audience were hardly listening to the music at all, many were spending
time with their friends and trying to chat over the loud music, I have no
idea why they would try to do that.. After reflection I realized that, of
course there would be people trying to talk to each other the concert
setting is a huge social gathering of friends, strangers and weirdoes all
attempting to make sense of the concert and the masses of people
around them.

To reach the front, enter the rowdy area, and for a lot of audience
members, to truly be part of the performance they must elbow and
shove their way to the front. In such a hectic setting there is little room
for politely brushing past people, let alone for courtesy. Yet many go
even further, elbowing those around them in an effort to gain space, as
if it were some form of capital. The audience was not something that
added positively to the experience but instead took away from it.
For this portion of the investigation, audience feedback plays an
essential role. The first person that I interviewed will be referred to as
L for the remainder of this investigation. L could be considered as a
less active audience member, although her testimony comes from the
center of the rap concert, they spent the majority of their time
dealing with the other audience members as opposed to enjoying the
concert experience in its entirety. The second interviewee will be
referred to as D. D is a different audience member who could be
described as active. He enters the concert venue and is not worried

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about the audience members around him, he is simply in the
experience of the concert and is immersed in the audience and the
energy of the audience.
L and D had two very different experiences in the concert at their
respective rap events (they did not attend the same concert). L was
generally annoyed with the behavior of the other audience members
yet was still interested in being a part of the concert experience and
having an intimate experience with the artist, usually she spent her
time toward the back of the concert, or in much larger settings where it
is hard to get close to the artist. D paid little mind to the audience
around him and simply went in and in his words, fucked up the club,
in the sense that he went in, had a blast and left, very simply put.So
you can step back and listen and enjoy the artist, or you can just go in
and deal with it. Youre right there next to the artist but you also have
to deal with everyone else around you. So I think next time if I went I
probably wouldnt care about getting so close. (L). She mentioned this
as a closing statement during her interview, citing a fun yet generally
hectic and rude experience with the other audience members.

Audience members purposely elbowed and fought others in order


to get them to move out of their space. These audience members see
getting to the front as a means of expressing their worth through their
proximity to the artist, You could see it in their eyes, some were
aggressive and just elbow you until you moved or didnt take that

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anymore (L). A number of the audience members at rap concerts also
seemed entitled to their position on the floor L told me, they behaved
as if they were entitled to their position and showed very little regard
for those around them. The front was filled with people who thought
they were entitled and just pushed their way to the front (L). People in
the audience did not consider the needs of others as they made their
way into the more intense portion of the concert, the front. However as
one moved outward from the front of the stage, the fighting for
position, the pushing and the shoving quickly dissipated and it was as
if you stepped into a whole other world. Suddenly to push and to shove
would not be accepted and even frowned upon on the outer edges of
the concert audience. It seems as if there are defined norms by which
people abide depending on what area they are in on the concert floor.
Norms of the mosh pits?
Brimming with energy
Throughout both the observations and the reports from interview
subjects, another of the primary narrative features that played an
essential role in the experience, was that of energy. During observation
it was apparent that this would play a crucial role in the development
of the study. At both observation sessions the artists were able to elicit
more or less energy from the audience based on their own actions.
even some have their hands in the air waving it to the beat of the
music. At this point the musicians are not well known but they are still

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working with the audience. They are waving their arms, making eye
contact with the audience and even eliciting call and response from the
audience.
The artists had nearly complete control of the audience it
seemed, they were able to get them to respond with extreme energy,
revolutionary chants (in the case of Immortal Technique) and even get
them to be quiet for moments of freestyle rap. When the audience
was bathed in light, it was usually at a lowell in the song, either
between songs or at a moment when the artist was free
styling(Observation #1). This was particularly interesting, often the
rapper took attention away from him self by putting the light on the
audience as if to feed off of the energy of them, given that he could
see the faces of the members in the audience. The images below show
the audience during these moments of illumination, where the rapper
could really look out and see the faces of those that he was performing
for:
Figure 1: Images of the Immortal Technique Audience

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Enter The Rodeo 27

Also the energy of the artist themselves can improve the


experience for the audience as well not just merely the artist, improve
it so much in fact that it can surpass the expectations of the audience
members, I mean he definitely had a lot of energy which was
awesome and he was a great performer, a lot better than what I
expected (L). There was a previous expectation that was surpassed
by the rapper in this instance, the subject alluded to the fact that a lot
of the previous artists that she had seen, had given poor performances
because of their intoxication.
Again in the case of Ds testimony he noted that his expectations
had been far surpassed as well, it appears as if audience members
enter the rap concert setting with low expectations, maybe because of
the type of music they know they are about to hear or because of what
they are expecting from the audience, regardless both participants
reported having their expectations surpassed at their respective
concert event. However it does seem like the audience members enter
with a very rudimentary expectation, hardly relating to the music, but
primarily relating to the experience of the concert, Both of them sing
and I wasnt expecting that side of the show but I was expecting a turn
up. I had researched kind of what their concerts were like, and what I
saw was wild, crazy mosh pits, constant energy and every one having

Enter The Rodeo 28


was having a good time, and thats what it was the whole time holy
shit(D).
During the second observation, at the Young Thug Travi$ Scott
concert the presence of this energy was almost dripping out of the
concert hall, and off of all its attendees. On your way into the center of
the action it was necessary to shield yourself from all of the flailing
arms, flying elbows and generally wavy audience members who were
in the energy and rocking so hard with the artist on stage. For many
this could be seen as a hectic place to be. The images below sum up
the experience of being in The Rodeo of the Travi$ Scott and Young
Thug concert:

Figure 2: Images from the Young Thug & Travi$ Scott Concert

Enter The Rodeo 29


In the case of L it was one that caused her to have a more
negative experience, but for D, it was almost the opposite, Lots and
lots of sweaty dudes with way too much energy jumping around,
flailing their arms, it felt like a punk show honestly. It was a rap punk
show, with that kind of youth energy, it had the fuck shit up, lets go
mentality(D). There is a mindset that one must have in order to cope
with entering this area of high energy, if you dont have the proper
mindset, which in Ls case was lacking, then you will likely have a
worse time trying to deal with the energy of those in the audience.
Although the energy of the artist was something that made the
concert far more enjoyable, the excessive energy and animosity of
the other audience members acted as a negative agent that in some
cases cancelled out the enjoyment of the audience members, we just
stood our ground just to have that experience even though it almost
wasnt worth it because of the people around us (L).
After speaking with both L and D about their experiences in the
concert setting, it is apparent that they are two very different concert
goers, one enjoying the intense energy in the center an active part in
it, while the other could not handle the energy and due to it actually
had a worse experience. For L the choice to not be in the high intensity
area would likely lead to a more pleasurable experience and a chance
to spend more time with the friend that she attended the concert with,

Enter The Rodeo 30


considering them going together was part of what made the concert
experience special, as a social thing to do together.

Discussion and conclusion


This investigation has revealed two defining characteristics of the rap
concert forum. First, that the fight culture is alive and well in rap
concerts and that one must often fight for position in order to get the
viewing experience. Many times this fighting manifests itself in the
audience as a mosh pit, or an area where audience members will go
and jump and flail their arms and bounce off of each other. At one
concert, although this occurrence did not find its way into the
observation itself, an audience member was knocked unconscious by
another who was wearing brass knuckles, another example that this
rowdy culture in the rap audience is alive and well in the concert
setting. Along with this violent, lively atmosphere comes the use of
drugs and other substances to enhance the viewing experience. For
those truly engaged with the music often times they lose track of the
limitations of their own body, flailing and being generally rowdy and
violent in the case of the audience member in Ls testimony. This
behavior is tolerable but only in certain instances in the concert venue.
Much like the larger society there are norms and expectations for
behavior in the concert setting. Those on the interior of the crowd, in

Enter The Rodeo 31


The Rodeo as it was referred to during the Travi$ Scott concert, enter
knowing the physical costs: elbows to the face, constant shoving, and
yes even sweaty men constantly rubbing against you. L, may have
been surprised by the physical nature of this area, because she
deemed herself further from the action, out of The Rodeo. L entered
the rodeo expecting the normative behavior of the more tame layers of
the audience, possibly due to inexperience with the interior, rowdy
crowd members. Norms differ as one gets further and further from the
stage. As one reaches the outer layers of the concert event the
audience is much more calm and collected, generally more casual in
behavior.
Second, there is a clear presence of energy in the rap concert
that defines the crowd and where people stand in relation to their
energy level. Rap music is said to be transformative in nature in that it
can alter the uses of technologies and space, and both of these
concerts show how the performance of rap music can shape the way
that a group uses space (Rose, 1994). The audience members in this
setting utilized the space in order to stratify themselves, to separate
themselves by energy level, physical engagement and to a certain
degree, even by inebriation, as it appeared that most of those people
who were extremely drunk or on drugs were more toward the centerfront of the performance.

Enter The Rodeo 32


Observational data confirms that there is indeed a presence of a
fight culture at rap events, however they do manifest themselves
differently depending on the concert and the type or rap being
performed. In the first observation, at the Immortal Technique concert,
his style could be considered as more revolutionary his music seeks to
inspire change in his listeners and to bring attention to social inequality
and injustice. His music inspires deep emotional connection within his
listeners and a lot of them are better able to identify with him based
upon the resources he uses such as current events to help express the
emotional content of his music (Thompson, 2005). These emotions and
connections with the musician manifest themselves in violent body
movement, such as erratic arm waving, raucous head banging, and a
general loss of personal physical limits, meaning that people use their
physical bodies as a way of mirroring the passion and energy of the
artist.
Musicians also express their emotions using facial expressions
(Di Carlo and Guaitella 2004). According to interview responses,
audience members experience the emotions of the artist through their
facial expressions and bodily movements, often times these are violent
manifestations of grimaces and screams.
This was one of the primary means for Travi$s Scott that helped
him inspire the energy in his concert during observation #2, theyre
doing these crazy performances and getting all hyphy and stoked on

Enter The Rodeo 33


the show, when you can see their face its easier to connect with
someone, and when youre further away its harder to do that (D).
Since D was able to see his face and identify with the emotions that
the artist was feeling based on his facial expressions, D was able to
connect with the performer on a deeper level then those at a further
distance who could not make out the minor details of the performers
facial expressions. Since the performer was showing extreme
excitement during his performance via jumping around, staring into the
audience and pointing to members of the audience he was able to
inspire the same emotions he was feeling in those at the concert hall.
This is similarly how Immortal Technique behaved during his songs and
political arants about the actions of police and the injustice in the
world, staring into the audience as if trying to make eye contact with
each person at the same time.
Previous research has also shown that visual cues can offer a
nave listener insight into the meaning of the music and to the
affectivenesseffectiveness of the music as well (Davidson and Correia
2002). I am not a huge fan of Immortal Techniques music, I know very
little about him other than having heard a few of his songs that I like,
yet after attending the concert and seeing him perform, his actions
truly moved me to care for his cause, to be into the music that he
makes and to show my emotions in the concert setting via aggressive
hand movements, yelling, jumping and being engaged with the

Enter The Rodeo 34


audience. D shared a similar sentiment, the artist (Travi$ Scott)
attempted to create an energetic atmosphere, yet through the use of
another technique, direct solicitation. He pointed at the crowd,
demanding their energy telling them that if they werent standing up
and expressing themselves that they should get out of the concert.
This was not simply a means of getting the people out of their seats,
but also a way for the artist to express the auditory importance of his
music and to highlight the importance of the collaboration between the
artist and the audience. In this way, rap artists create a common
ground with the audience members, attempting to connect with those
that will indulge, and for the passive listeners, there is always the
lobby.
The rap concert venue is the site of a mass combination of
energy and fighting. The Artists actions, facial expressions and direct
solicitations throw the audience into a frenzy, particularly in the middle
of the concert setting. In this area the common ground between the
artist and the audience is the strongest, the audience members
behave like the artist feels, that which the artist emits is mirrored in
this rodeo. As one moves out from this center of physical action, the
connection with the artist diminishes, as does the physical interaction
from member to member. These different levels of interaction show
that there do exist norms within the concert setting at different level,
not only does each level correspond to physical interaction, but with

Enter The Rodeo 35


emotional connection with the artist as well. Based off of this study it is
reasonable to think that the closer one gets to the artist, the more
connected one will feel, as well more physical interaction one will
experience. In other words, enter The Rodeo at your own risk, but
there you will have the most connected concert experience, with both
the audience and the artist alike.

Appendix A: Footage from Young Thug and Travi$ Scott Concert


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYAUIWW688I

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