Protect The Foals! Part 1. (Ponyville, Equestria)
Vinyl Scratch sat at a café in Ponyville's marketplace with her marefriend Octavia. She was awed by all the activity around her. In the far distance, these human building machines-"cranes" they called them- we're building Ponyville's new downtown, called Ponyville North. A skyline was forming that she used to have go to Manehattan or Filllydelphia to see. All of the new buildings surrounded the tall obsidian tower called the Great Connector. The Connector, with its spiral shape, apparently was what allowed safe and easy interdimensional travel.
It was because Ponyville was the only place where a safe connection between the two worlds was possible that it became a boomtown. The boom was not built on gold or gems, but on the knowledge humans brought with them, the trade between the two worlds, and the movement of pony and human tourists. Ponyville's population had tripled in the last five years alone since human-pony relations officially opened, and it could possibly join Manehattan and Fillydelphia within a decade. Hence why they were building a whole new city near the Great Connector.
But even in the original Ponyville dowtown, soon to be called "Old Ponyville", stores, restaurants, streets, and parks were growing like crazy. Humans and ponies worked round the clock hammering, digging, and drilling, human and pony traders alike hawked goods like cell phones and apples in the marketplace, and the roads were widened to accommodate human transportation.
The sounds of commerce and construction made Vinyl feel she was in a major city, which exhilarated her. While she considered herself a proud Ponyvillian, the doldrums of living in Ponyville (before Twilight Sparkle moved there) meant that Vinyl would take any chance she got to head to the big city. Now, Ponyville was the at center of the world stage, giving her even more pride in her hometown.
Who knew what hosting a Princess' apprentice would end up bringing?
"So what was...Chicago like," Vinyl asked Octavia. Being one of the leading classical performers in Equestria, Octavia was part of one of these good will trips in Equestria. Octavia got so many connections, she eventually started her own independent tours in the US.
"Like every American city," Octavia said with a small smile. "The buildings are so tall, pegasi can struggle to get to the top." She gestured to the bustling new downtown, not pointing impolitely with her hoof. "You could find buildings like that in a city one-tenth Chicago's size."
Vinyl's eyes widened at that.
"Wooaaah," Vinyl said in awe. "So what do they eat in Chicago?" Vinyl asked. "Did you eat any cows?" Vinyl asked, letting out a smug smile. Octavia snorted in annoyance.
"These humans, despite their brutish appetites, are quite accommodating of pony palettes," Octavia said with a smile. "I tried this meal called deep-dish pizza." Vinyl loved pizza when it first came to Ponyville, and wondered what 'deep dish' meant.
"Deep dish?" Vinyl asked.
"Pizza with the thickness of a pie," Octavia said. Vinyl almost drooled at the idea, since she was just chipping away at the tasteless daisy appetizer, but stopped herself before Octavia would reprimand her.
"I'm asking because our newest DJ is a human man from Chicago," Vinyl asked.
"Is he a classical composer like myself?" Octavia asked. Vinyl let out a small grin.
"He's the opposite actually," Vinyl said. "He calls himself J-Wash. His specialty is something called 'gangsta rap'."
"Gangsters?" Octavia asked in an aghast tone. "How could anything criminal be considered entertainment?" Vinyl shrugged.
"Beats me," Vinyl said, taking a very loud slip of cucumber juice from her cup, much to Octavia's disgust.
"Must you always be so ill-mannered?" Octavia asked with disgust.
"I love you too, sugar buns," Vinyl said.
Vinyl rode the bus to the outskirts of Ponyville, near where the farms met the Everfree Forest to her place of work: KPNY 101.
The building looked plain and ordinary: one of those same steel and concrete constructions found all over Earth, with a large metal tower behind it. Yet, when Vinyl first got a job here, the technology here was almost science fiction to her ears.
The idea of sending music, news, and sports into the air through some kind of special energy amazed her. Years later, Vinyl still didn't understand how it all worked.
Naturally, as a seller of records and a for-hire DJ, Vinyl asked to become the first pony DJ in all of Equestria. Vinyl loved her job, and being a part of pony history excited her even more. She walked into her room, went up to the microphone, and spoke once the clock struck 5:00 PM.
"Yo P-Ville," Vinyl said eagerly. "This is KPNY's Vinyl After Work. Happy to fill your day with my wubs. Today, we're gonna do something a bit different. We've got a new guy today. Even though he's ugly and mean, we love him." Vinyl heard the new DJ chuckle behind him. "So give it up for Chicago's finest, J-Wash." Vinyl got out of her seat and let the huge man sit down in the chair.
Vinyl, during her numerous trips to the US, noticed how Americans had very odd habits even for humans. Among them was giving themselves these labels, despite proclaiming that every person there was equal. "German-Americans", "Hispanic-Americans", "Mexican-Americans", etc. They also put an usual stock in skin-color, despite these labels not-matching the color. People with pinkish-to-ruddy could call themselves "white Americans", while people with darker skins, like J-Wash, called themselves "black-Americans", despite J-Wash's skin being more brownish.
J-Wash was tall and broad around his waist. He wore a blue-cap with a red "C" on it backwards, a red sweatshirt labeled "The University of Chicago" (despite the reasonably warm weather), blue pants, and a pair of red sneakers, sunglasses, and this shiny gold chain with a medallion that even Vinyl thought was ostentatious.
"Yo Ponyville, what's happening," J-Wash said his broad, deep voice. "This is J-Wash on KPNY, introducing you to "Rap Hour'. The first song of the hour is going to be a song I've enjoyed since I heard it when I was 12. It's called "Get Off the Street' by 'Hoodmaster'." J-Wash pushed the button and began playing the beat. A strong sound filled the station and was heard over the radio.
Hey, ho
Hey, ho
The police think they own place,
Those motherfuckers call themselves the Master Race,
They yell and scream 'get off the street!'
They say obey or you'll get beat
I'd say the police are the real hos
The only one I trust are my bros
If police come around here
We take those bastards and kick them in rear
In an exquisite dining room in Ponyville's fanciest house, Spoiled Rich was instructing her youngest and only daughter on fine etiquette. Diamond Tiara reached for a spoon to her right.
"Young mare!" Spoiled Rich bellowed.
"Yes mother," Diamond Tiara said in an seemingly respectful voice.
"That is a cereal spoon! You should know your spoons by now!" Spoiled Rich put a hoof to her head with a sigh. "The business dinner is next week, and your behavior is an utter embarrassment."
"Ever look in a mirror," Diamond Tiara muttered.
"What was that?!"
"I will do better, mother," Diamond Tiara said in a tone that made it sound like she saw her mother as a boss and not as an employer.
After an hour of training in the art of fine dining, Spoiled Rich let out a long sigh.
"I need to relax after a long day's work," Spoiled Rich. She trotted out of the dining room to her equally luxurious den.
"Oh yeah, country clubs and opera is really hard work," Diamond Tiara muttered under her breath.
Spoiled sat in her favorite couch, pulled out a newspaper, and switched the radio on to her favorite classical station.
"Darn it," she said, "I went to the station manned by that reprobate Vinyl-," she paused as she heard the station that played "human" music. She listened to the fast-paced lyrics with utter horror.
I hate those fuckin' cops.
They think of themselves as on top.
But me and my bros,
We're gonna rise up against them ho's
A furious snarl formed on Spoiled Rich's face, before she shut off the radio.
"That...that music is utter filth," Spoiled said in a disgusted tone. "They actually let that music play in...Ponyville. The humans have already challenged our traditions, but now they wish to subvert authority!" She used her snout to ring a bell, and a blue servant mare with a silver platter cutie mark came in .
"Yes Mistress," the mare said robotically.
"Fine Service," Spoiled said to her servant. "Write many letters to our friends. This...filth shall not be permitted to stand in my town!"
Mayor Mare sat in her office, signing forms, when one of her aides burst in.
"Yes Copy," Mayor Mare said civilly.
"Madam Mayor," the young aide, a green unicorn stallion with a blue mane, said. "There is an angry mob protesting."
The Mayor trotted out the door, and to her shock, she saw a mob of dozens of ponies holding up signs and angrily jeering and shouting.
"Protect the foals, protect the foals, KPNY has got to go," the crowed chanted. And the head of the crowd was Spoiled Rich, looking especially angry. They quieted down as the Mayor approached them.
"Madame Rich," Mayor Mare said, using forced courtesy in her voice, "may I ask what this is about?"
"Mayor Mare," Spoiled Rich bellowed. "How do you feel about the corruption of our foals?" Mayor Mare looked confused.
"I...I don't follow," Mayor Mare said.
"That human radio station plays music that teaches foals to disrespect authority," a mare next to Spoiled shrieked. The rest of the crowded began shouting and protesting again. Mayor Mare put a hoof to her forehead and sighed.
"Very well," Mayor Mare said. "Step inside my office and we shall discuss it." Spoiled Rich and two other mares trotted into city hall to "have words" with the Mayor.
"On Friday, March 10, the town of Ponyville will have a referendum on whether or not allow for the creation of a Musical Safety Board to regulate and control the music that can be broadcasted within city limits," Devon Harris, the human manager of KPNY said tiredly, reading a local newspaper. He, Vinyl, and J-Wash were sitting in the employee lounge. "This referendum was instigated by Spoiled Rich. Ponyville socialite and chairpony of the Protect the Foals League. 'I am not opposed to the arts,' Spoiled Rich said in an interview. 'But I will not allow the corruption of our youth by this wretched 'music'." Devon balled the newspaper up and threw on the ground in a rage.
"Patronizing little bitch," Devon muttered. The looks on the faces of J-Wash and Vinyl said they felt the same way. "Who the hell does she think she is?"
"She's one of these ponies who sees themselves as bigger then Celestia," Vinyl muttered in an ironic tone.
"Spoiled," J-Wash uttered. "Who the hell names their child 'Spoiled'?"
"She took the name on," Vinyl said. "When ponies get their cutie marks, they usually change their names to what their marks mean."
"I've never understood the whole 'cutie mark' thing," J-Wash said. "Do these tattoos only let you do the thing you are meant to do?"
"Sorta," Vinyl said uneasily. "It is a usually a sign that a pony has found their place in the world. How does it work in the human world?"
"Well, we don't have cutie marks," J-Wash said. "A lot of people can spend their whole lives not knowing what they want to be, and what they want to do with their lives. I was studying in law at University of Chicago when I discovered I wanted to be a DJ."
"Anyways," Devon said to change the subject, "the night before, there is going to be a public debate on whether or not to create a Music Safety Board." He turned to J-Wash. "J, since this old bat is complaining about your music, you should be the one to debate."
"Me?"
"Your the one who played the music, so you've got to be the one to defend it," Devon said firmly.
"Yes sir," J-Wash said.
"According to the paper, they are going to send us a list of pre-approved questions," Devon said to J-Wash. "I want you to review and prepare answers that can said in less then one minute."
"Understood," J-Wash said. He felt his fist clench and his jaw set.
"J-Wash," Vinyl asked. "Are you OK?"
"No," he said with quiet anger. "All my life, I've dealt with these bastards who want to tell me how to live and what to listen to. I'm not gonna let this pony fascist stop me." J-Wash stood up with his head held high.
"Me too," Vinyl said, feeling righteous anger boil through her. "That old mare has always complained about my music. I've found my dream job, and I'm not gonna let her spoil it for me."
"We'll beat her, together," Vinyl said proudly, craning her neck up to look at the tall man.
"Agreed," he said with a confident smile on his face. J-Wash and Vinyl bumped their fists and hooves together.
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Ahh yes, rap music. While I'm rarely one for censorship, I've always found an amusing irony in people who sing about how cool it is to do drugs, fuck all the bitches and cap the cops be all upset and offended when other people assume certain stereotypes their music promotes are true about them.
And a monotone yaaay for Ponyville turning into a city. But that's my village born country bumpkin bias talking.
This chapter is about music. When I first saw the title, I thought it would have something to do with guns and school shootings. I was like ‘right to maximum controversy I see’. Glad I was wrong.
I can see valid arguments both for and against censorship here, but I'd have to side with censorship for this one. Equestria has no cultural or historical context for J-Wash's music to make sense, so it just comes across as endorsing crime and disorder. Plus there's the fact that children listen to this station, which needs to be taken into account. Keep it PG-13 at most.
The ponies live in a borderline utopia headed by a benevolent deity-figure. Telling ponies to "Ef da police!" makes no sense.
I don't think the music should be banned per se, but I don't think the pony station should endorse it.
Now actual good rap music is perfectly fine and I'd be more concerned how 'cRAP music' would set up a negative bias towards the entire genre.
....okay.....two points.
Point One: The older rap when it first started actually sounded like music unlike the garbage out now.
Point Two: I direct you to a man with more authority on the subject than me.
It’s the 50th again!
It is always like this when something new and exiting appears: “it hurts our children” is the most common argument against it. You can’t prevent change
9798514 Funny thing about music, it is controversial when the generation before are using the “it hurts our children” argument. Parents wants what best for their children, but sometimes it’s prevent them to think differently.
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9798816
I am genuinely surprised by these comments. I was expecting people to bash Spoiled Rich for being a busybody.
But I am glad that people also see that music censorship is not nearly as black and white as it often is, even if its promoter isn't as "pro-family" as she believes herself to be.
9799342
Every generation of pop music, going all the way basic to pop culture's beginning in the 1920s, has encountered those people who say pop music will destroy society.
Henry Ford himself thought jazz music was the worst thing ever.
So much so, he blamed the Jews for it.
9799485
She is a busybody, but... she kinda has a point? Young children have minds that are still being shaped by what they see, experience and hear from their surroundings. We put age restrictions on movies and video games for these kinds of things for exactly this reason (heck, America even goes the questionably extra mile and censors every swear on TV), but music somehow always gets a free pass.
And that's before we get into the culture clash issues. Kids of a nation with next to no crime or racism have no cultural background to rationalize the music with. They're much more likely to just take the songs at face value.
9799492
Again, I'm glad the people who read this AREN'T just looking at it as a black and white issue. These are the comments I enjoy reading.
9799485
It's a solid case of 'Jerk has a point'. Just because I dislike someone on a personal level doesn't mean I can't agree with them on an issue.
Also to be honest the humans Devon and J-Wash haven't done much to endear themselves either. Their first reaction when they hear they've offended someone is to call them a 'patronizing little bitch' paints a rather negative picture to me. Even if the reaction is valid.
Frankly I'm eager to hear this debate. I just hope the ponies can muster a better advocate then Spoiled, she's not who I'd want representing....any issue really.
9799636
Calling her a Pony Fascist as well really doesn't endear him to me as well.
In particular the music stylings of gangster rap are pretty contentious nowadays.
9799636
Yeah, I'd chuck Spoiled to the farthest back of the crowd as far as possible. You just know she's going to screw up everything by attacking the music for "being human" instead of addressing more logical concerns and solutions such as "are you aware that you are calling out to young children everywhere to riot against the police? Should we not air this music during a timeslot when children are less likely to listen to radios?"
9799488
Reminds me of when I did a presentation on the criticism of violent video games, Which turned into will look back at all of the “force is corrupting the youth”. It’s kind of hilarious to see the kind of things that the adults thought were “Made by the devil“, even ragtime music of all things.
9798816
Yea I really don’t enjoy the direction rap (and a lot of other genres really) has taken. I’ve never really enjoyed it, but I used to at least be able to see why other did and respect it as an art that takes time practice and skill to produce. Look up “the record effect” if you want some interesting theories on the deteriorating compositional integrity and artistic virtuosity of modern music often in relation to the advancement of audio technology.
9799485
Honestly I’m of two minds with this. On one hand certain freedoms and liberties should be enforced and you should be allowed to both produce and consume content as per your personal prerogative, and others shouldn’t be able to do more than argue otherwise.
On the other hand however I really hate this kind of music. I have a lot of family in various police forces. These are dangerous jobs interacting with dangerous people. So when I hear music that essentially advocates and glorifies the violent death of my family I take issue.
Edit: point being I’m seriously glad people are looking at this from different angles instead of polarizing the issue.
>all these people who don't actually listen to modern rap music complaining about modern rap music
Oh screw off. Great modern rap music is being made all the time, but you can't be bothered to look for it.
https://open.spotify.com/album/6Cun8XaplQbI9DtM1zPvFr
https://open.spotify.com/album/36ey87oef5xj4essoJksDx
https://open.spotify.com/album/74dDupoB1ObBJheVTEvYwD
https://open.spotify.com/album/5ilsl5R2lGACTnPZMKIp7o
https://open.spotify.com/album/6pwuKxMUkNg673KETsXPUV
https://open.spotify.com/album/1tJxMO9l5YQEOsqfk7PlTd
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And yeah the major problem is that you don't just f***ing START someone with Gangster rap. That's stupid, they have no cultural context, and also no musical context. They have no idea what good or bad rap sounds like, so it's all going to sound like nonsense. A taste needs to be developed. The Pharcyde is a great introduction to rap. I, personally, finally got on the rap train with Jellyfish Brigade because that was the first time I'd ever heard rap music that had lyrics that actually was poetry.
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I mean she is promoting suppression of the freedom of speech.
9834325
While yes, that is true regarding the old gangsata rap, I have to disagree when it comes to rap in general - especially modern rap (such as Scream Rap)
Example: (skip to 0:30)
requires no cultural understanding
It just has the same appeal as death metal and other such edgy forms of music.
This site is full of white boomers lmao
What I don't understand here is why in seven hells would Spoiled want to publicly debate with them? That's, like, one of very few things where they can actually compete with her on equal terms (or even have slight advantage, since the guy is, not a political speaker, sure, but still professional public speaker).
LMAO. What did humans expected when the human DJ started out playing Rap music with the combative lyrics like this? Black people hate the police especially in the recent few months.