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Hip Hop’s Second Life
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In 2003, the virtual world of Second Life was unleashed. It offered a realistic platform for people to interact online through the use of avatars. Seven years later, Second Life is a thriving 3D virtual world with a host of users across the world. Music is streamed throughout Second Life (SL) like a golden thread weaved inside of a virtual tapestry. Everywhere you go you have the opportunity to listen to music: lounges,underwater ocean diving adventures or shopping malls–music is always present. Because Second Life reaches across the world, there is not a day that a DJ is not performing.
I had the privilege to speak with a popular Hip Hop DJ in Second Life; his avatar’s name is Silas Gabardini, but when DJing he goes by DJ Clyde. This professional SL DJ has been spinning Hip Hop in Second Life for 3 years. DJ Clyde is from Chicago, Illinois and has been DJing in real life for over 6 years at small parties, weddings, family reunions and Chicago area clubs . Silas decided to become a DJ in Second Life when he could no longer commit to gigs in real life. Because of his passion for music and mixing Second Life was the perfect venue for his creativity and musical journey.
Although he mixes and spins Hip Hop music in the virtual world, he also spins a mixture of Rock, Neo Soul, R&B, Reggae, Jazz and Euro. But there’s one genre that’s close to his heart. He regularly spins House Music, which is no surprise being that House was born in Chicago and it’s been influenced by soul, funk and disco.
Second Life is a growing world where you can dance, mingle and chill at Hip Hop clubs or lounges. One can find DJ Clyde spinning for Black Soul Rhythms Radio on Sugarhill Island as part of Hip Hop Fundamentals on Saturday Night in-world or you can catch his set on Black Soul Radio internet broadcast as well as his radio show, Clydeville Swing Entertainment. His latest project is his radio show and website that features both Second Life and real life entertainment news and new artists.
DJ Clyde is proving that a Second Life Hip Hop DJ can feature their favorite style of music and simultaneously build a global fan base. However, it takes a professional Second Life DJ who has the knowledge, the drive and resources to make it happen.
A year ago when I became a Second Life resident there were only a handful of Hip Hop clubs and DJ’s. Now, Hip Hop is flourishing throughout the virtual world. As I host at clubs and promote Hip Hop Second Life DJ’s I have to stop and think, perhaps Second Life is the next generation of Hip Hop entertainment. After all companies such as IBM and colleges such as SMU have embrace and created a presence inside of this virtual world. With organizations of this stature adopting this virtual world, Second Life’s reach will only continue expanding–and virtual Hip Hop with it.
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