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Has a song, movie, tv program, etc. ever sparked your interest or inspired you to visit a city in the U.S.? For example the movie"the summer of sam" sparked my interest in the NYC neighborhoods outside of Manhattan, the band Nirvana sparked my interest in Seattle, also the show "the Wire" made me want to check out Baltimore as weird as that may sound LOL, but you get my drift.
I've never felt that way personally, but I know a lot of people who do. The media glamorizes certain places for good and bad reasons. I live here in Maryland but I'm from California. Baltimore really isn't that interesting if you live right outside the city. The Wire is pretty accurate in describing large swaths of Baltimore, particularly the dilapidated East and West sides of the city.
However, Baltimore often borrows the cultural movements from other regions of the country. I hate to say it but Baltimore never has been a tastemaker when it comes to producing an original cultural movement that the rest of Urban America has followed in suit. New York created Hip Hop which influenced all of America as well as the world. In the early 90's, California gangsta rap was ruling the airwaves and people from Georgia to the Bronx were listening to Snoop, Dr. Dre and Ice Cube wearing flannels, Chucks and Dickies. When I first moved to Maryland in the late 90's, Black kids in Baltimore listened to strictly New York Hip Hop, which was very popular at the time, and tried to walk, talk and dress like New Yorkers wearing Timberland boots and Avirex leathers and such. When the South became the driving force in Urban/Hip Hop culture in the early 2000's, those same kids starting taking cultural cues in music, slang and fashion from southern cities like New Orleans and Atlanta. Today, with California again re-budding as an urban cultural force with new music artists that the kids in Baltimore love like Tyler the Creator and Odd Future Wolf Gang making waves, kids out here now are trying to dress like they are from L.A. wearing Vans and cut-off jean shorts with tank tops and wearing Levi's and Chucks. One of my friends, who has lived in Maryland his whole life, wants to move to L.A. or California, in general, just to see what the bug fuss is about culturally.
I've never felt that way personally, but I know a lot of people who do. The media glamorizes certain places for good and bad reasons. I live here in Maryland but I'm from California. Baltimore really isn't that interesting if you live right outside the city. The Wire is pretty accurate in describing large swaths of Baltimore, particularly the dilapidated East and West sides of the city.
However, Baltimore often borrows the cultural movements from other regions of the country. I hate to say it but Baltimore never has been a tastemaker when it comes to producing an original cultural movement that the rest of Urban America has followed in suit. New York created Hip Hop which influenced all of America as well as the world. In the early 90's, California gangsta rap was ruling the airwaves and people from Georgia to the Bronx were listening to Snoop, Dr. Dre and Ice Cube wearing flannels, Chucks and Dickies. When I first moved to Maryland in the late 90's, Black kids in Baltimore listened to strictly New York Hip Hop, which was very popular at the time, and tried to walk, talk and dress like New Yorkers wearing Timberland boots and Avirex leathers and such. When the South became the driving force in Urban/Hip Hop culture in the early 2000's, those same kids starting taking cultural cues in music, slang and fashion from southern cities like New Orleans and Atlanta. Today, with California again re-budding as an urban cultural force with new music artists that the kids in Baltimore love like Tyler the Creator and Odd Future Wolf Gang making waves, kids out here now are trying to dress like they are from L.A. wearing Vans and cut-off jean shorts with tank tops and wearing Levi's and Chucks. One of my friends, who has lived in Maryland his whole life, wants to move to L.A. or California, in general, just to see what the bug fuss is about culturally.
Hey thanks for posting and giving an outsiders perception on Baltimore's influence, I would also like to add that I believe there aren't too many places in the world and even less in the U.S. that are trend setters, so what you described to me about Baltimore is what the majority of American cities do anyways, I remember when I moved to Tulsa back in early 2000's after finishing high school out in LA the kids out there were wearing what the CA kids were wearing 3-5 yrs ago, now with the grand majority of kids having access to the internet kids already know what the new trends are almost immediately, nowadays it doesn't take years for kids in one region of the country to catch on what the NY kids style is.
Hey thanks for posting and giving an outsiders perception on Baltimore's influence, I would also like to add that I believe there aren't too many places in the world and even less in the U.S. that are trend setters, so what you described to me about Baltimore is what the majority of American cities do anyways, I remember when I moved to Tulsa back in early 2000's after finishing high school out in LA the kids out there were wearing what the CA kids were wearing 3-5 yrs ago, now with the grand majority of kids having access to the internet kids already know what the new trends are almost immediately, nowadays it doesn't take years for kids in one region of the country to catch on what the NY kids style is.
I'm from Baltimore and I pretty much agree with what the man said. I think now with internet and social media, that everyone is pretty much on the dame level. However, different places pick and choose what trends stand out as oppose to other city or regions. I will admit: Baltimore is a "Monkey see monkey do" city. Almost everybody dresses alike; even drive the same cars: Crown Vic, Grand Marquis, some old cadillac from the 90's....etc. I wish Baltimore dared to be different, but oh well, I do my own thing.
No, I can't say the "media" has ever inspired me to visit a city in the U.S. All the information I've gotten on cities I was inspired to visit were from non-media sources.
Same here. I had never had a real desire to visit Michigan until I started seeing those commercials. I had no idea it's so beautiful!
Same here. Looks like a perfect vacation, other than the usual beach or big city. And no cars is a plus.
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