It’s Official: Ghost Riding Kills
A few days ago the SF Gate featured an article on the dangers of “ghost riding the whip”. The article discusses several people who have recently died from this phenomenon of dancing on your car while no one is driving it, and goes on to further discuss the implications of hip hop movements and their connection to ghost riding and side shows.
Here are links to 2 different side show videos, one is graffic and shows how dangerous the side show can be: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3uL83DTVZw
The other is looking for solutions to the side show:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-ccXcwuE64
There has been on going debate about these hip hop inspired activities since their conception. Opponents say that side shows and ghost riding are illegal and dangerous and have no place on public streets. On the other side of the coin participants and proponents feel that the kids in the inner cities have nothing to do so they simply have fun by doing these types of activities, some claiming that they aren’t causing any trouble and no one gets hurt. The latter argument holds little water with most people. There are statistics proving that the events are dangerous, and they are most definitely illegal. But they also frequently occur in the wee hours of the night. If you can’t find anything to do at 4am how about trying to go to sleep.
Many have called for an official forum to host such events. Bay Area rapper Mr. F.A.B., who has played a major role in the west coast “Hyphy” movement, admitted that the side shows have gotten out of control and suggested moving them into an arena, “it would be like ghetto NASCAR”.
Indeed it would be like ghetto NASCAR, BUSH league at its best complete with accidents and fights. I really like the sentiment of trying to organize an official side show, but that would be like trying to make Punk Rock music into mainstream pop, it simply defeats the purpose of why it exists. Sideshows came from kids rebelling against rules to have their own brand of fun. Trying to bottle that up and sell it may work temporarily but it certainly won’t satisfy the people who created it. Give them a little time and they’ll come up with something else to go against the rules.
Read the complete story here: http://www.sfgate.com
-Bill Mertz
ghost ride the whip, side show, Oakland, Mr. F.A.B., Bay Area, hip hop
