FINAL PROJECT: ENGLISH.
they use grugs, yes, they hace tattoos, yes, they
ANALYSIS: “Rising From the Tokyo
Projects
López Bolaños Paola 1732 6º “A”
“In short, they seem to have found their identity
through hip-hop.” (VICE, 2014)
“Rising from the Tokyo Projects” is a video
where is talking about a group of youngster that
life in Japan and despite to the environment in
which they have developed, a society with
violence, poverty, drug addition, suicides and
especially discrimination, they have managed to
feel proud of who they are and they have created
messages about: who you are, what will you do
and that the comments of others don´t matter if
you don´t harm the other.
A sense of solidaryty, tolerance and identity. All
this through to the hip-hop.
In the video, it is said that even inside a family
nucleus the drugs and the suicides have existed.
It is a fact and apparently it is something that is
difficult to change or avoid. Even if this means
health problems and it seems insecure situations,
lack of commitment to society and it looks
normal to them.
However, this group calls itself different to the
persons and situations around them, they don´t
want to boots everything seens as bad. They said:
“We're proud of who we are.” (VICE, 2014) yes,
dress in their own way and way of feeling
comfortable with gold chains, caps, metal
accessories , etc. (And if someone describe this
way to look maybe this person imagíne that they
are a group of “vagos”, “rappers” or as they have
been called in Mexico “cholos”.)
But through their music they show the reality of
their lifes and through projects they have created
a family. As a matter of fact, it can´t be said that
they scape their reality through tthe hip-hop or
rap, they in the video comments that they live
surrounded by an unhealthy environment and
some of their lyrics mention it.
If you hear their songs and you pay attention
about the situation that thay have lived since they
born, you can note a part that they are and a part
that they have experimented just for look
different or abnormal in society they are in. This
has been carried generation by generation.
Maybe not directly, because they haven´t hur
someone, they haven´t died or they aren´t in the
jail. Basically, they have been pulling with them
that load of drugs.
In fact, in the video they talk about the history of
one of the group where he comments that his
mother was a drug addict, his father died when
he was a child and that the poverty was a problem
for them.
Show us that in spite of living in a developd
country, there is still class separation, lack of
support and social problems. On top of fact the
system doesn´t work for the benefit of all who are
part of it.
On the other hand, they have had to face strong
discrimination, giving as a solution to go ahead,
not to remain silent and the world to say what it
wants.
“In the end, it's all about money.
The rent here depends on the household income.
That's why a lot of foreigners, who can only get
shitty Jobs that don't pay very well end up living
here.” (VICE, 2014)
To talk about of this phrase I put comparison the
case of Guerrero about the
the armed forces and the fight against drug
trafficking. In this place the quality of life is low
and the only thing you can hope for is to be a
military man or a drug trafficker. Another option
is to find a better place.
“In addition, the emergence of 19 self-defense
groups and a community police that control half
of Guerrero have been detected, as well as the
operation of 18 criminal organizations that
dispute the control of drug production and
transfer areas and the profits it generates the
mining industry, recognizes the state
government.” (Contreras, 2019)
Everyday new groups of both case are formed.
And they said: “In the end, it's all about money”.
Nevertheless, something interesting is the
phrase: “"If you can't tell the difference between
good and bad money, you're a moron." Of ones
of their songs making a difference and generatin
distinctions.
You belong to a music group or you belong to a
group of criminals. You belong to the drug
trafficker or to the armed forces.
All this sense comes from a cultural approach of
both acceptance and rejection, it is a way in
which the human being has shown his fear and
aversion to what is not normal for himself. Who
hasn´t heard cases of discrimination in the news?
There are histories of people who have migrated
from their place of origin to seek something
better, because there is not support or because
they have been given a choice between two paths.
And surely, in the process, someone will criticize
them and even hurt their integrity and dignity,
whether it be from facial features to the way of
life.
Also, Who knows about these cases and doesn´t
recognize them as part of the place where they
live? That is, it only stays with the news.
Know about it and tolerate it, but turn your back
and ignore it, what is being done? Because it is
also something they mention in the video at
minute 7:59 "No one knew what black music or
black culture was." They seek a sense of
belonging and be recognized for their actions and
accept that there is a diversity of culture that has
not yet been understood by everyone. Not only
because of the music, but from how the group
was formed, the situation they have lived around
their family nucleus, their economic situation,
the vices to which they are exposed, among
others, that have shaped what they are.
At the same time they have shown the existence
of the relationship and exchange that has been
achieved through time around its cultural aspects.
 “Simply put, it's my home, so I like it here.

Not too far away, in Mexico there are also groups I think everyone takes pride in wherever they're

that are marginalized, discriminated by their way from.” (VICE, 2014)

of being and thinking, by their way of acting,

from ethnic groups to groups with some kind of It would be enough to recognize, accept, involve,
music that identifies them or the so-called “urban understand and take actions as a person.
tribes”.
Finally, the sentence with the conclusion of the
Everything we do and express is nothing more
video is difficult to deal with and little possible
than a reflection of what we live. We can´t
to achieve.
assume that it is good or that it is bad, or it is very
difficult. There is no way. It is and exists. The
human being should try to put into practice the
values and feelings along with the reason to live
peacefully. In Mexico, the groups that exist have
socialized or have become enemies in an
environment full of drugs, drug trafficking,
violence and discrimination. Due to ignorance
and conformity of not knowing beyond them. “If you imagine what you want in life, it'll
happen.
"It's so boring, it pisses me off. So I post
People should just do whatever they want to do.”
comments about him online, to spread lies."
(VICE, 2014)
(VICE, 2014)
Since it can be misinterpreted and there will
Always seeing with the eye of good and evil, of
always be someone who opposes, annoys or
what is for and against so that it only benefits the
dislikes you.
few or it is the most convenient way and never
with a more empathetic perspective and to Also at the cost of who and on whom you can do

achieve harmonic stability with all individuals. what you like and want to do.

" A lot of the older kids are in gangs, stab people The video reflects that this group has grown into

with knives, are drug addicts... a seemingly peaceful community and hoping to

Those guys are all around us. But we chose a one day succeed in the music industry.

different path. We decided to focus on hip hop...”
(VICE, 2014)
Perhaps you haven´t taken an interest in learning
to live with others. Despite this, this group is
aware that they alone can´t achieve massive
change.
However, they are proud of who they are and
where they come from. What is an important fact,
don´t forget where you come from.
Society and its structure have brought them to a
neighborhood that is known only for acts of
violence without recognizing and accepting that
perhaps they haven´t been offered education or
support, because surely if they didn´t hurt their
health with drugs and found themselves in an
environment without suicide from time to time,
something else could be theirs.
References
Contreras, E. F. (October 26, 2019). La
disputa por Guerrero, una bomba
de tiempo. PROCESO. Retrieved
on May 31, 2020,
from:https://www.proceso.com.
mx/604623/la-disputa-por-
guerrero-una-bomba-de-tiempo
VICE. (February 28, 2014). YouTube.
Retrieved on May 30, 2020, form
:https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=Pn36uJvwIvA