Appreciation: Plugged In
Back in my Asian American student conference attending days, I acquired this compilation CD of Asian American artists, Plugged In 2. Honestly, back when I got this CD, it wasn’t something I was really in to. I think this was mostly because I had horrible taste in music while I was in college. Horrible.
I loaded up the CD this past weekend, and it was funny to listen to each track again, nearly a decade later. I remember that the track I probably listened the most to was 5th Platoon’s “And We Do It Like This.” I remember being shocked to learn that one of the members of 5th Platoon was a woman. I don’t think I knew what turntablism was before I went to college, and I certainly never could have dreamed up 5th Platoon and Kuttin Kandi.
The other track that I can specifically remember listening to was “Letter to Our Unborn Children” by I Was Born With 2 Tongues. This was also probably my first exposure to spoken word, and spoken word performed by people that looked like me. It was almost strange to listen to these voices coming out of my speakers, without seeing the faces of the people performing.I was lucky enough to see both of these groups perform live (again, I owe a debt to all the multitudes of student conferences that I was part of). I think that’s where it all started to come together for me - to be able to experience this live, to think about the people behind the music, to come together over their words, to experience this with other people that I feel connected to. That’s when I started to feel connected to these tracks, these songs, this community.
I think music has the power to transport you. And as I listen to these tracks again, now, I can remember what it felt like to listen for the first time, to process over and over what it means to be plugged in, to be in the middle of searching for that place where you feel at home, where you fit in. And where you don’t.
Here’s the track listing of the cd:
Plugged In 2
- Visions, The Pacifics
- When U Think About Me, One Vo1ce
- Hostile Takeover, The Mountain Brothers
- I Wanna Be Your Man, Kai
- Letter To Our Unborn Children, 2 Tongues
- Comet, Mango Pirates
- Self Sufficient, The Visionaries
- Girl It’s You, Devotion
- X-Games, The Wisemen
- Fender Bender, Kid Koala
- Balcony Beach, Lyrics Born
- When I Get Close To You, Jocelyn Enriques
- Snapshot, Mitsuo Downer Sounds
Does anyone have Plugged In 1?
Last 5 posts by delia
- Rocket 2 U - May 13th, 2008
- Asians Rock: What's your story? - May 11th, 2008
- In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson - May 10th, 2008
- Our Month - May 2nd, 2008
- Ivy League Skills? - April 28th, 2008
Tags: Appreciation, CD, music.
I think my music taste in college evolved. And it continues to evolve. I think I was one of those nerdy kids who liked classical music. Then, I took a liking to New Wave (New Order, Depeche Mode), which then evolved to Alternative (Nirvana, Weezer, Radiohead). I attribute that to living in Seattle.
Most of those genres don’t strike me as particularly political. And indeed, I wasn’t that politically aware. Maybe that’s why I’ve taken a liking to hip hop / rap. Cause I’d like to think I’m more politically aware than I was back then.
Yeah that CD was pretty fresh.
but wait…you were in college when plugged in 2 dropped? aren’t we the same year?
yeah, so truth is, i’m not quite sure when i picked up the cd. but i could have sworn i was listening to the 5th platoon track when we brought them to my school… which was maybe in 2000? or maybe it was 2007. hah. i don’t know. my memory often fails me.
damn, i remember this cd. i played the hell outta the Kid Koala track. and Mango Pirates was cool too.
i don’t remember either. i could have sworn isangmahal had a track on plugged in 2. i have plugged in 1. altho i think a few years ago, i brought both my plugged ins (was there a 3 also…?) plus some other APi CDs to viet-aid for a CAPAY fundraiser and then forgot them there.
never to be seen again.