In an undisturbed ecosystem, populations at the edges of species' ranges are less dense and more variable in space and time than at their centre, a vast environment where the sky is covered by a canopy of redwoods blocking the sunshine. Steve Sillett’s decisions while scaling the redwoods are always borderline of dangerous and risky, but that doesn’t stop his inhibitions to voyage up the trees and discover new plant life. He and his group of canopy voyagers get the trill and excitement of scaling the trees and the rush near death and it is essential for them to live: "at the outer limit of biology, on the edge of the possible."
They all share a sense of interest in the passions of individuals pursue a unique personal or professional life path -- in this case, exploring and climbing the world's tallest trees in forgotten canyons and back roads of remote areas of Northern California and Oregon. Leftover Oregon hippies, frustrated academics, lone eccentrics working in convenience stores, all joined in the quest to find and climb some of the world's most incredible living things, and uncover the ecology that survives hundreds of feet up in the forest canopy.
The thick cluster of ancient California redwood was always there and many a thousands observed them daily as they drove through the highway. But Richard Preston saw something special and fascinating in them. He saw the giant whales in them. A mesmerized Preston writes, ``in order to see a giant tree you need a magnifying glass” the biosphere of the redwood kingdom was a wonderland for him. Part of that big appeal is the redwoods, utterly epic giants of trees that are so big they become your environment rather than just part of it. Even though they are ancient in the extreme, the redwood forests are delicate environments, and human presence is the most perilous threat the trees have faced in perhaps twenty centuries of existence. No one had suspected, before people started climbing in the canopy and spending time there, that there was "what amounted to coral reefs in the air". Not just redwoods are up there, but whole ecosystems based upon the trees, consisting of plants and animals that never come down, or that die if they do come down. There are ferns, huckleberries, earthworms, and salamanders up there, and even other trees; hemlocks, laurels, spruces, and Douglas firs have all been found growing with roots hundreds of feet in the air. He's clearly awed by the redwoods, but avoids too much new-age tree-hugging sentiment in favor of letting the facts speak for themselves: "Botanists think that the oldest redwoods may be somewhere between two thousand and three thousand years old. They seem to be roughly the age of the Parthenon." And estimates are that since people began buzzing around, about 95 percent of the coast redwoods are gone.
Sometimes they fall, but the risk of the endeavor does not seem to the attraction. They have a romantic obsession with the big trees; some of them have harnessed the obsession into academic papers and college careers, but others just climb to do so. The tree canopy sounds like an enticing place, as Preston describes it, "a world between the ground and the sky, an intermediary realm, neither fully solid nor purely air, an ever-changing scaffold joining heaven and earth, ruled by the forces of gravity, wind, fire, and time." Understandably, most of us aren't going to visit there, and most of us aren't going to meet the climbers who are smitten by the canopy just because of the dangers and risks of scaling a tree without ropes or harnesses.
1. Preston describes the wild trees as living "at the outer limit of biology, on the edge of the possible." Many of his characters seem to also live by this concept in their lives, near-deaths and through their discoveries. Analyze how this concept manifests itself in different aspects of the story (different aspects might include setting, characters, plot, etc.). The thick cluster of ancient California redwood was always there and many a thousands observed them daily as they drove through the highway. But Richard Preston saw something special and fascinating in them. He saw the giant whales in them. A mesmerized Preston writes, ``in order to see a giant tree you need a magnifying glass” the biosphere of the redwood kingdom was a wonderland for him. Part of that big appeal is the redwoods, utterly epic giants of trees that are so big they become your environment rather than just part of it. He digs into the stories of those spellbound by the redwoods, a handful of dreamers, botanists and adventurers who've been scaling the redwoods. Balancing history, ecological musings and his own growing fascination with redwood country. He puts you right there as his cast scale redwoods with impossible skill – relying on a single rope or two to hold their life dangling 300 feet in the air.
He's clearly awed by the redwoods, but avoids too much new-age tree-hugging sentiment in favor of letting the facts speak for themselves: "Botanists think that the oldest redwoods may be somewhere between two thousand and three thousand years old. They seem to be roughly the age of the Parthenon." And estimates are that since people began buzzing around, about 95 percent of the coast redwoods are gone.
The main antihero of the book, Steve Sillett, who goes from near suicide, dementia, to heroic conqueror and famous professor, asks a student , a fellow tree climber to marry him, up 300 feet in the air, as she slits an avocado for him. " Marie, do you think you could keep doing this for a while," "Sure, I know I could keep doing it " "Will you marry me?"
The trees themselves are amazing in that on the tops of trees, a whole forest grows, including Douglas firs, blackberry bushes, hundreds of thousands of insects, and amphibians. The main form that the trees follow at the top is reiteration. The tree, making smaller and smaller copies of itself at the top until it ascends to almost 400 feet in the air, with many bonsai trees and plants of all description in the top.
Friday, December 4, 2009
The Wild Trees
Choose two of the following:
1. How did you react to the idea that even in the 21st century, there are still parts of California (and the world) that are completely undiscovered? What does this make you think & feel?
2. Preston describes the wild trees as living "at the outer limit of biology, on the edge of the possible." Many of his characters seem to also live by this concept in their lives, near-deaths and through their discoveries. Analyze how this concept manifests itself in different aspects of the story, and how it might play out in the future of environmentalism.
3. Before people started exploring the tree canopies, many people assumed it was like a desert up there (barren of life). It turned out to more like a coral reef (teeming with biodiversity). Why were so many people so wrong? Why did they make the wrong assumption? What lessons should we learn from these discoveries?
1. The idea that in the 21st century, some parts of California are still undiscovered and unmapped. It surprised me that after plenty of years that a lot of the land hasn't been discovered yet. I don't think that a lot of people are motivated enough this decade. Since the growth of technology people would rather stay home and chill. Than go outside and enjoy the nature around us. Plus industries and companies cut trees down and pollute the environment that good nature spots are taken over. All those variables hinder the discovery's of new land.
"My camera has taken me crazy places, and introduced me to fantastic subjects. In the summer of 2006, the "Hyphy" movement exploded on the bay area, my camera was fixated, focused on the individuals under the flashing lights of the national spotlight. Since Run DMC and Adidas shell-toes, hip-hop and fashion have gone hand in hand. A distant history from black and white striped sneakers, street fashion was no less pivotal to the hyphy movement's culture of stunner shades and dread locks. I instantly became interested in portraying the complex stories of my subjects: their individuality, and creativity, their struggles and successes. My fist obstacle became abundantly clear. While the rapper as performer can be overwhelming audible, as an image, they are inherently received visualy. The photographic subject is in fact silent."
This photo essay was featured in a photography magazine. The essay tells a story and it all coincides with the photography and brings it all together to make a wonderful masterpiece. He found the perfect subject to take pictures of and that became music. The intro paragraph is very relatable in starting every bodies day and describes in full detail of all the places his camera takes him.
Elements that I can take from this is the story telling aspect and I can describe how all these pictures impact me and the future generations. He was very descriptive in his writing and the photos came in part with the writing.
"In the end, I found myself in my portraits, photography is my music"
1. Who is the narrator? Describe his perspective, biases, character traits, etc. Nick Carroway 2. What do you think F. Scott Fiitzgerald accomplishes by chooses this specific narrator versus another choice, such as a different character or 3rd person?
Choose a classic novel from American history that relates to any time period prior to World War One. Read the novel and answer the following prompt:
(Hint: you are responding to the 1998 AP Literature Question)
In his essay "Walking," Henry David Thoreau offers the following assessment of literature: "In literature it is only the wild that attracts us. Dullness is but another name for tameness. It is the uncivilized free and wild thinking in Hamlet and The Iliad, in all scriptures and mythologies, not learned in schools, that delights us."
Choose a novel that you may initially have thought was conventional and tame but that you value for its "uncivilized free and wild thinking." Write an essay in which you explain what constitutes its "uncivilized free and wild, thinking" and how that thinking is central to the value of the work as a whole. Support your ideas with specific references to the work you choose.
I learned how to write a lede and learned how to write a well structured newspaper article. I plan to take pictures and then use the writing techniques to write my caption.
In a few days we America will be electing our next president, between William McKinley and William Bryan. Vote. McKinley. Bryan just doesn’t have the character and experience to uphold an enormous duty. Bryan’s deep voice can’t help him win this election.
In the 1890, the majority of Americans were familiar with stories from the Old and New Testament, upon which many cartoonists drew. William Jennings Bryan was famous for his use of Christian religious imagery, including the "cross of gold" metaphor used in his famous convention speech. But Biblical images and stories--such as that of Sampson and Delilah--were equally prominent among Republicans.
In 1896, immigration had long been contentious in presidential politics. Before the Civil War, some native-born Americans feared Irish Catholic immigration would undermine democracy and Protestantism, and such fears still lurked (for example, some whites joined the American Protective Association in the 1890s). New anxieties arose about immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, including Italians, Poles, Hungarians, and Russian Jews. Most whites saw Asian immigrants as even more unassimilable, and far more racially different, than Europeans.
Not surprisingly, veterans played a major role in the campaign and McKinley's status as a veteran was widely stressed in the Republican press. He was, in fact, the first Republican president since Lincoln who was not a former Union General (being young, he had only attained the rank of Major before the war's end). The ghost of Lincoln appeared in a number of cartoons; Populists and Socialists as well as Republicans often sought to claim his legacy of federal activism.
Rather, 'slavery' served most often as a metaphor for the plight of the white working-class--or in Republican cartoons, for Bryan's proposed 'sale' of the national credit. Republicans also branded the so-called 'anarchy plank' in the Chicago Platform a sign of secession sentiment among Democrats, who counted many white Southern supporters.
http://naturescrusaders.wordpress.com/2009/03/22/green-sea-turtles-of-san-diego-bay/ How does the outside environment affect the endangerment of the green sea turtle?
1. In 1868, Civil leaders founded balboa park. The parks beautiful landscaping earned its nickname of "The mother of balboa park". It's located near downtown San Diego. It holds many museums famous to San Diego such as The National History museums and the art museums.
3. A nonprofit group created by San Diego is helping run balboa park, they made it to help manage the park and creates less work for people. http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2009-10-12/news/environment/city-creates-nonprofit-to-help-run-raise-money-for-balboa-park
4.A nonprofit group will be established to help the city run Balboa Park and raise money to aid in financing what many consider to be the jewel of San Diego’s park system, Mayor Jerry Sanders announced Monday.
Huckleberry was forced to survive on his on knowledge and was usually a loner. He comes up with insane explanations for his problems which often his peers don’t necessarily agree with this. Huckleberry creates an imaginary friend named Tom Sawyer, and Tom is Huckleberry’s main influence. Tom Sawyer is Huckleberry’s best friend and he was raised in a more comfortable atmosphere and wasn’t on the fence to poverty. In the area Huckleberry grew up in has defiantly has shaped the way he percepts things in life. He needed to rely on his on wit to survive the rugged lands of Missouri. His father’s drunken influence surely has impacted his life and sees alcohol in a different way. Tom Sawyer had a privileged middle class life and he grew up an extraordinary imagination.
When Mark Twain wrote the story it took place around the time of the Reconstruction era a lot has been changing in the South, and the racism has been greater than ever. They lived in an environment in which newly freed slaves had come out into the world, and began living regular lives again. The actual story was placed a couple decades before slavery was abolished.
Huckleberry was poor and uneducated, but along the way he developed natural senses and learned to distinguish good from bad. He doesn’t like to follow the society’s rules and he said multiple times that he would rather go to hell, and then go along with what he was taught. When he was on the raft he felt feel and more than away from the society that out casted him.
Huckleberry was the ability to tell elaborate tales to get him out of difficult situations. He is the character with the most human faults making him more relatable. Jim has developed a genuine love and compassion for Huck. Is the best example of humanity of black American slaves. When Miss Watson took him under her wing it really affected his life in a huge way, and it was a big difference from living with his drunken father. Huck is just curious and has a will trying to make sense of society and the world
-Are dog beach's suitable for people to swim in too?
Once in a while I take my dog out to the dog beach, but I have never swam in the ocean with my dog because I thought that dogs pee and defaecate in the waters. I can make a video comparing the regular beaches and the dog beach, and testing the waters to see if wanna dog waste goes into the water.
-What are the amount of narcotics floating around children inhabited beach areas.
I always see little kids play around with dead rats and birds on the beach and what is the chance of a kid touching some narcotics just hanging around the shore.
-How are the inhabiting animals that are surrounding the beach affect the food chain.
Modern America I was writing up my blog post for my humanities about the reconstruction. I was listening to music while work and I came across a lyric that ironically happened to relate to the subject I’m researching. ”Does it pay to be deaf, dumb and blind? From a slave we was kept from the mind” .Out of that song these words are engraved on my mind, and thats a hard thing to do! Here the rapper says that as slaves, black people were kept from the mind. So now that they’re so called ‘free’ why not pick up all the knowledge you can. I think this applies to anyone who gets a second chance, or something amazing that ancestors didn’t get to do. Gone are the days of the Enlightenment and Industrial eras. The modern era has come under our noses and has entered our lives impacting the way we live our lives. Today’s modern American came through a long way. It took plenty of trail and error to come to the America we know today. More civil rights organizations came into being, major court battles were won, and a period of peaceful protests as well as civic unrest led to the enactment of historic new civil rights laws. The idea that the civil war is the beginning of “modern” America is worthwhile because there is still the KKK and various hate groups going on. On the other hand America seen plenty of great leaders, technological advances, and more open to cultural diversity. Overall Modern America seems like the best choice for Americans because of the various advancements and that the people are pretty happy with the type of government we have but they can still be improved. The current issues Americas facing is the lack of health care in America. Another issue is the deep recession, racism, job loss, and retirement savings loss; there is still time to improve the countries condition. Modern America started around 1914 and it brought many great changes to America. The leaders of America have accomplished a lot and have contributed various ideas and new laws that shaped America as we all know. The theme of the past thirty years has been change, like change in technology, economy, issues, and women. The modern era has brought a new perspective on the country of America. Many gains in civil rights by African Americans made since 1945 have occurred as a result of efforts by strong civil rights organizations. Numerous cities and towns remained unaffected by the civil rights movement. African American leaders therefore felt the United States needed a clear, strong federal policy that would erase all remaining discrimination in public places. A high point of the March on Washington was a stirring speech by King. King told the crowd that he had a dream that one day all Americans would enjoy equality and justice. America had seen plenty of great leaders such as JFK, Franklin, and Theodore Roosevelt. Those leaders had dealt with immense pressure to protect the interests of their people and the ideals of America, such as war, depression, and the vast threat of growing communism in the country. First, many African Americans had served with honor in the war. Black leaders pointed to the records of these veterans to show the injustice of racial discrimination against patriots. Second, African Americans in the urban North had made economic gains, increased their education, and registered to vote. Communism itself was not seen as a threat to democracy. Communist dictators who promoted a perverted and corrupted form of the ideology were. Communism is not the antithesis of democracy, but it cannot coexist with capitalism. The perceived threat to democracy was that capitalism would fall to communism and that democracies would come under the rule of authoritarian oppression. Leaders such as Vladimir Lenin were very influential when it came to the communist ideas that surfaced to America. Technology went hand in hand with modern America and people made overwhelming technological advancements. When the first radio broadcasted, America then thrived on technology to learn and grow. Modern history is changing decade after decade and the rapid growth of the country seem overwhelming for some because of they need to get used to the present first. Then the technology keeps advancing and people need to get with the current state of the country. The microeconomic picture of the U.S. has changed immensely since 1973, and the trends are proving to be consistently downward for the nation's high school graduates and high school drop-outs.
America’s technology has surpassed other countries in the 1920’s. The other countries tried to surpass America’s power. Countries like Russia, China, and Germany tried to use their power and research to find the latest technologic advances. Advance of technology is a good trend for our society; however, it must be in conjunction with advance in education so that society is able to master and understand technology. The theme of the past thirty years has been change, like change in technology, economy, issues, and women. The modern era has brought a new perspective on the country of America. Many gains in civil rights by African Americans made since 1945 have occurred as a result of efforts by strong civil rights organizations. Numerous cities and towns remained unaffected by the civil rights movement. African American leaders therefore felt the United States needed a clear, strong federal policy that would erase all remaining discrimination in public places. A high point of the March on Washington was a stirring speech by King. King told the crowd that he had a dream that one day all Americans would enjoy equality and justice. Today’s modern American came through a long way. It took plenty of trail and error to come to the America we know today. More civil rights organizations came into being, major court battles were won, and a period of peaceful protests as well as civic unrest led to the enactment of historic new civil rights laws. After listening to such inspiring lyrics, I kind of didn't understand what slaves were going through and the hardship they had overcome. They really needed some uplifting spirts and go out into the world as newly "freed men".
The reconstruction era was a time in the United States in which post civil war the whole country tried to reunite the states. The south was in a social, political, and economic turmoil. Eleven Confederate states had seceded from the Union during the wartime unrest. In response, the Union implemented a controversial reconstruction plan to regain order in the Confederate states. Then came the black codes and it depended on the country but it gave them the rights to own your own property. When Andrew Johnson came into power he ignored Lincoln's reconstruction plan. Not only was he unsupportive of the Freedmen’s Bureau but he supported southern white rule over local governments. Johnson implemented Presidential Reconstruction. Under this plan, Johnson issued pardons to former Confederates and urged Confederate states to form new governments.
Today, as a result of extensive new research and profound changes in American race relations, historians view Reconstruction far more favorably, as a time of genuine progress for former slaves and the South as a whole.
For all Americans, Reconstruction was a time of fundamental social, economic, and political change. The overthrow of Reconstruction left to future generations the troublesome problem of racial justice.
“The City of San Diego is a net importer of water and as such continues to rely on MWD for a significant portion of its water supply. Any increase in costs at MWD translates into an increase in water rates for San Diegans,” Sanders wrote.
This is important because it gives information on what is the current state of San Diego counties beaches.
I am very interested in what happens to the pollution and how it actually affects the ocean and the environment around it. Last year we did a project about sewer science and that seemed really interested and I would like to know more about that topic. I am really excited for the water testing portion of this project because we get to go outside and go to the beach! I am also looking forward to making a video or some type of media project.
It all started on April 20, 2008. I was seated in the eighth row in the Sports Arena and the place was packed. I felt like a sardine. I felt the bass pump through my legs. At that moment I had felt the whole arena shake and the intensity heightened. They then played their first song, and I was blown away by their beats. When I scanned around the stage I immediately recognized a likeness of myself on stage playing the keyboard. It was Chad Hugo playing that microkorg synth doing what he loves. The glow in the dark tour sparked my inspiration to make music. If you were to ask anyone that knows me and they’ll tell you that I want to be a rapper. I don’t think that I would be capable of handling that spotlight, so my dream is to be a successful music producer. I’ve always loved music ever since I was two years old. The first I remember hearing was “You are Not Alone” by Michael Jackson. In my household I’ve been exposed to eighties music, from Earth, Wind, and Fire to Air Supply, and somehow ever since the third grade I’ve leaned towards the hip-hop genre. I’m eight years into listening to hip-hop and I’m still looking for that perfect beat. In the past two years I have gotten into producing music and making beats. I have never wanted the spotlight on myself. I wanted to be behind the scenes, and do what I love to do. If I have a passion for something I should stick to it, and that’s what Chad did. He partnered up with his friend and now production partner Pharrell. They started out as a high school band. They started with a small Casio sampler, a drum machine, and they created a certain chemistry that made such innovative beats. Chad never wanted to make money; he just wanted to make people dance. He once stated,” That’s the most important thing. If you want your music to be felt by a lot of people, then you must find out what kind of music was felt before in the history of music. If you study and understand the history, you will find a way to make music for the future.” I was very inspired when I read this quote and it made me think twice about my true purpose to making music. Chad was very inspired by old school hip hop, specifically Marley Marl. Marley Marl pioneered sampling in hip hop. He was the first to sample a break beat and reprogram it. Chad Hugo embodied the meaning of “true music.” He was one half of a driving force and pioneer of alternative hip hop. His accomplishments opened the door to new artists with the same sound like: Kid Cudi, Lupe Fiasco, and The Cool Kids. Without his contributions the state of hip hop would not be the same. I love the way Chad Hugo doesn’t mind taking backset to his partner Pharrell Williams, and he deserves so much credit and his contribution to the hip hop game. His friend stated that “I think that Chad could be as great a front man as anybody else but he’s really focused on being the producer.” It shows that Chad is a humble character and is focused on his producing and the development of music. Chad is committed to being apart of the team. Like me, I really want to do what I love in life. My family always reminded me to stay humble, and use the talents that God gave you. Knowing that the possibility of me hitting the big time is unlikely, doing what I love will ultimately keep me happy in life. I’m going to accomplish similar steps to achieve his greatness. Hoping to inspirer others and the younger generation to appreciate the gift of music. I realize that I might not become famous but I want to use the selfless values and will be an icon to someone in the next generation.
1. What did you discover about your writing during this project? 2. Identify and describe (at least) one specific writing technique that you used. How did you use it? What effect did it have on your writing? 3. If you had time for one more draft, what would you do? 4. Copy one sentence that you believe is well-written and/or important to your overall piece. What makes it stand out to you?
1. What I discovered about my writing is that I tend to be repetitive with my writing. I fixed that in my second draft. I also realized that I write a lot of run-on sentences. I can fix that by making shorter sentences and making my meaning earlier in the paragraph. I should also write an outline for my writing because most of the time. 2. One writing technique that I used was the avoid -ing's. I hit ctrl f and fixed all the highlighted ing's and used more powerful verbs. Another technique I tried to incorporate the concerts, not pancakes! I used that technique occasionally in my writing and I put the strongest words in the beginning and the end, while I put the weaker words in the middle. 3. If I had more time for one more draft I would probably connect myself more to my icon. Because I read over it again I thought to myself that I should probably go deeper into my explanation. But since we were limited to only one page I would have to write less words but still make my meaning clear. 4. I realize that I might not become famous but I want to use the selfless values and will be an icon to someone in the next generation. This sentence basically summarizes the whole writing and it expresses the main points that I'm trying to point out.
1. What is the origin of the phrase "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?" What was the original meaning (before it arrived in the Colonies)? 2. What were the Federalist Papers? Who wrote them & what did they say? 3. Name three philosophers that were icons to the original founders of the US. What ideas were these philosophers famous for?
Answers 1. This famous phrase was based on philosopher John Locke's writings. The original meaning of this phrase was "no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions." 2.The Federalist Papers were a series of 85 articles and it served as a primary source for the Constitution. It was the philosophy of a proposed government system for the United States. Alexander Hamilton wrote the majority of the papers, and it covered six topics. 3. John Locke was the main influence for the founding fathers. His ideas of "tabula rasa" which means a government with the consent of the governed. He also had a major influence on political philosophy and rights of life. Karl Marx wrote the communist manifesto and introduced the idea of having a communist like government. Voltaire contributed the idea of free trade and freedom of religion which these ideas formed American and made it what it is today.
I've gotten lots of beneficial feedback for my statement. Then I also got lots of ideas while reading others statements. Such as ending off with a strong ending sentence and how other people connected their icon to themselves. I learned that critiques are essential for quality writing.
First Draft.
It all started on April 20, 2008. I was seated in the eighth row in the Sports Arena and the place was packed. I felt like a sardine. I felt the bass pumping through my legs. At that moment I had felt the whole arena shake and the intensity heightened. They then played their first song, and I was blown away by their beats. When I scanned around the stage I immediately recognized a likeness of myself on stage playing the keyboard. It was Chad Hugo playing that microkorg synth doing what he loves. The glow in the dark tour sparked my inspiration to make music. If you were to ask anyone that knows me and they’ll tell you that I want to be a rapper. I don’t think that I would be capable of handling that spotlight, so my dream is to be a successful music producer.
I’ve always loved music ever since I was two years old. The first I remember hearing was “You are Not Alone” by Michael Jackson. In my household I’ve been exposed to eighties music, from Earth, Wind, and Fire to Air Supply, and somehow ever since the third grade I’ve leaned towards the hip-hop genre. I’m eight years into listening to hip-hop and I’m still looking for that perfect beat. In the past two years I have gotten into producing music and making beats. I have a passion for hip.I have never wanted the spotlight on myself. I wanted to be behind the scenes , and do what I love to do. If I have a passion for something I should stick to it, and that’s what Chad did. He partnered up with his friend and now production partner Pharrell. They started out as a high school band. They started with a small Casio sampler, a drum machine, and they created a certain chemistry that made such innovative beats.
Chad never wanted to make money, he just wanted to make people dance. He once stated,” That’s the most important thing. If you want your music to be felt by a lot of people, then you must find out what kind of music was felt before in the history of music. If you study and understand the history, you will find a way to make music for the future.” I was very inspired when I read this quote and it made me think twice about my true purpose to making music.
Chad was very inspired by old school hip hop, specifically Marley Marl. Marley Marl pioneered sampling in hip hop. He was the first to sample a break beat and reprogram it.
He was one half of a driving force and pioneer of alternative hip hop. I’m going to accomplish similar steps to achieve his greatness. Hoping to inspirer others and the younger generation to appreciate the gift of music.
Second Draft (Peer Critique)
It all started on April 20, 2008. I was seated in the eighth row in the Sports Arena and the place was packed. I felt like a sardine. I felt the bass pumping through my legs. At that moment I had felt the whole arena shake and the intensity heightened. They then played their first song, and I was blown away by their beats. When I scanned around the stage I immediately recognized a likeness of myself on stage playing the keyboard. It was Chad Hugo playing that microkorg synth doing what he loves. The glow in the dark tour sparked my inspiration to make music. If you were to ask anyone that knows me and they’ll tell you that I want to be a rapper. I don’t think that I would be capable of handling that spotlight, so my dream is to be a successful music producer.
I’ve always loved music ever since I was two years old. The first I remember hearing was “You are Not Alone” by Michael Jackson. In my household I’ve been exposed to eighties music, from Earth, Wind, and Fire to Air Supply, and somehow ever since the third grade I’ve leaned towards the hip-hop genre. I’m eight years into listening to hip-hop and I’m still looking for that perfect beat. In the past two years I have gotten into producing music and making beats. I have a passion for hip
I have never wanted the spotlight on myself. I wanted to be behind the scenes , and do what I love to do. If I have a passion for something I should stick to it, and that’s what Chad did. He partnered up with his friend and now production partner Pharrell. They started out as a high school band. They started with a small Casio sampler, a drum machine, and they created a certain chemistry that made such innovative beats.
Chad never wanted to make money, he just wanted to make people dance. He once stated,” That’s the most important thing. If you want your music to be felt by a lot of people, then you must find out what kind of music was felt before in the history of music. If you study and understand the history, you will find a way to make music for the future.” I was very inspired when I read this quote and it made me think twice about my true purpose to making music. Chad was very inspired by old school hip hop, specifically Marley Marl. Marley Marl pioneered sampling in hip hop. He was the first to sample a break beat and reprogram it.
Chad Hugo embodied the meaning of “true music.” He was one half of a driving force and pioneer of alternative hip hop. His accomplishments opened the door to new artists with the same sound like: Kid Cudi, Lupe Fiasco, and The Cool Kids. Without his contributions the state of hip hop would not be the same. I love the way Chad Hugo doesn’t mind taking backset to his partner Pharrell Williams, and he deserves so much credit and his contribution to the hip hop game. I’m going to accomplish similar steps to achieve his greatness. Hoping to inspirer others and the younger generation to appreciate the gift of music.
Third Draft (Corrected by a Teacher)
It all started on April 20, 2008. I was seated in the eighth row in the Sports Arena and the place was packed. I felt like a sardine. I felt the bass pumping through my legs. At that moment I had felt the whole arena shake and the intensity heightened. They then played their first song, and I was blown away by their beats. When I scanned around the stage I immediately recognized a likeness of myself on stage playing the keyboard. It was Chad Hugo playing that microkorg synth doing what he loves. The glow in the dark tour sparked my inspiration to make music. If you were to ask anyone that knows me and they’ll tell you that I want to be a rapper. I don’t think that I would be capable of handling that spotlight, so my dream is to be a successful music producer.
I’ve always loved music ever since I was two years old. The first I remember hearing was “You are Not Alone” by Michael Jackson. In my household I’ve been exposed to eighties music, from Earth, Wind, and Fire to Air Supply, and somehow ever since the third grade I’ve leaned towards the hip-hop genre. I’m eight years into listening to hip-hop and I’m still looking for that perfect beat. In the past two years I have gotten into producing music and making beats. I have a passion for hip
I have never wanted the spotlight on myself. I wanted to be behind the scenes , and do what I love to do. If I have a passion for something I should stick to it, and that’s what Chad did. He partnered up with his friend and now production partner Pharrell. They started out as a high school band. They started with a small Casio sampler, a drum machine, and they created a certain chemistry that made such innovative beats.
Chad never wanted to make money, he just wanted to make people dance. He once stated,” That’s the most important thing. If you want your music to be felt by a lot of people, then you must find out what kind of music was felt before in the history of music. If you study and understand the history, you will find a way to make music for the future.” I was very inspired when I read this quote and it made me think twice about my true purpose to making music. Chad was very inspired by old school hip hop, specifically Marley Marl. Marley Marl pioneered sampling in hip hop. He was the first to sample a break beat and reprogram it. Chad Hugo embodied the meaning of “true music.” He was one half of a driving force and pioneer of alternative hip hop. His accomplishments opened the door to new artists with the same sound like: Kid Cudi, Lupe Fiasco, and The Cool Kids. Without his contributions the state of hip hop would not be the same.
I love the way Chad Hugo doesn’t mind taking backset to his partner Pharrell Williams, and he deserves so much credit and his contribution to the hip hop game. His friend stated that “I think that Chad could be as great a front man as anybody else but he’s really focused on being the producer.” It shows that Chad is a humble character and is focused on his producing and the development of music. Chad is committed to being apart of the team.
Like me, I really want to do what I love in life. My family always reminded me to stay humble, and use the talents that God gave you. Knowing that the possibility of me hitting the big time is unlikely, doing what I love will ultimately keep me happy in life. I’m going to accomplish similar steps to achieve his greatness. Hoping to inspirer others and the younger generation to appreciate the gift of music. I realize that I might not become famous but I want to use the selfless values and will be an icon to someone in the next generation
Rule Of Thirds I can use this technique in my self portrait because I can make the picture focus on me and have a white background to provide a backdrop.
Foreground & background In my picture I would need to work on my background since that is going to be behind me
Posed portraits I would need this because I would need to posing for a picture I would like to do it properly.
Song, Provider: Chad Hugo produced this song and played the guitar in the beat. This song was the third single from their first album"In Search Of...". This was the big jump into the mainstream, since the past years they've been producing other famous artists music.
Website: http://theneptunes.org/ The website is Chad Hugo's production duo "The Neptunes" fan website. It contains information on what is going on with The Neptunes and latest news on Chad Hugo. http://chadhugo.com/blog/ This website is Chad's blog and I could use this in my written piece to discuss what he does on a daily basis.
Video:
Chad Hugo produced the song in the video without his partner Pharrell, he actually does a lot of projects without Pharrell and the song "Lock It Up" and the video was featured in the MLB All- Star Game.
Movie: "Two Turntables and a Microphone"
This documentary was about the life and death of the legendary Run D.M.C. It contains interviews with his family and friends. It just shows how his DJ-ing impacted the world of music, and the highlights of his life. I could use this to get an inside look in his life and just how legendary he actually he is.
Book: Jam Master Jay: The Heart of Hip-Hop This book is a detailed account of one of the best Dj's ever. It also provides information on why he's one of the most influential people in Hip-Hop and has pictures, magazine cover, and memorabilia. I could use this to provide evidence for my artist statement.
Music: Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) This was the album that put RZA and the Wu-tang clan on the map. The raw, gritty beats and hardcore lyrics helped put the east coast back on the map. The album, which only cost $36K to produce, eventually went platinum, and was heralded by hip-hop fans as a classic. Among these contributions have been RZA's sampling style, certain Clan members' mafioso rap personas, usage of slang terms, and the tendency of artists to run in tightly-knit groups. I could use this in my writing by using the quotes and lyrics in the music to see what they rap about and how they wanna address certain issues.
Black and White Photo For my black and white photo portion of the project, I would like to use a likeness of this picture. I would also like to add a sampler synth in the background because that is his main instrument.
American Icons 1. Chad Hugo was an icon that represented me because he is a successful music producer, and I am an aspiring hip hop producer. One song that Chad produced which stood out to me the most was the song "Lap dance" when I heard that first guitar riff I knew that this was one of the best beats I've heard. When I saw him perform with his band N.E.R.D. and Kanye West in the Glow in The Dark tour, I immediately recognized a likeness of myself on stage playing the keyboard. Chad Hugo inspires me and gives me reason that I can achieve my dreams and goals in life. He also established his own record company "Star track Entertainment". Chad is pretty much just like me, he likes to take the backseat to Pharrell and is more interested in the joy of making the music, instead of all the money and fame. Along with his partner Pharrell, he produced numerous number one hits. In a span of 15yrs Chad has shown his longevity and his composure by not being affected with his fame and fortune.
2. Jason Mizell a.k.a Jam Master Jay was an icon to me because he was a pioneer in the late 80's and he still has an impact on DJ's today. He was a part of a successful hip hop group called Run D.M.C. He played the keyboard, bass, and live drums on all of Run D.M.C.'s albums, in addition to his turntable work. Their album "Kings of Rock" has influenced me in my taste of music, and it made me appreciate other genres of music. His group was credited in breaking hip hop into the mainstream industry. Even If I didn't see him live in concert before he passed away, I feel that listening and watching his work has inspired me to be a successful disc jockey.
3. Robert Fitzgerald Diggs better known as RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan. The first album I've ever bought was "Enter The Wu-Tang(36 chambers)" when I was just 5yrs. RZA's beats has influenced me so much that I started beat-boxing at such a young age. He was an inspiration to me because in my household I've always been exposed to lots of 80's music and when I first heard his style of music it was really different to me but the sound just appealed to immediately. I've bought wu-tang shirts, most of their albums, and I've supported the individual artist when they branched out of wu-tang. He has been praised as one of the best hip hop producers in the game. He also wrote two books about his enlightenment. His main interest was always watching martial arts films. He also written, produced, directed, and stared in his own martial arts film.
I'm entering my junior year. My goals this year is to ask more questions because last year that was something i needed to work on and I definitely need to ask my teacher for help more often. I anticipate plenty of homework and projects this year and I am putting school as my first priority so I want to get all my work done first. This year I have even more motivation to give my all into my work because of college. I also want to improve my writing skills, writing is something that I enjoy and it's a way for me to get creative and let all my ideas out. I want to develop better reading and writing skills that will help me in the future. As all the teachers has been saying "Don't care to much about your grades just do your best and good grades will follow"even if I had been hearing that, this is the year that I really need to apply that into my work ethic. So hopefully this school year isn't too stressful and everything goes smoothly.
