I Love to Rock and Roll

I have been very attracted to the punk scene since I was in sixth grade, but many find this odd because I am African American. I feel that this hinders me in a way. People know that most African Americans like to be in the rap or hip- hop scene. I just never grew on to that type of culture. To me, rock is something that gets people up and out, allowing people to really express themselves in a more creative way. I know that I’m a person that always wants to express myself in the most creative way possible. Many see me as something rare or really unusual. I feel that listening to loud music, acting crazy in a free manner and have a widespread mind set on how wonderful yet painful life is.African Americans have slowly have drifted to this culture and are know as Afro Punks. Afro Punks are African Americans that believe in living the Rock and Roll lifestyle, interracial dating, the arts and moving on from the ideas of racism and slavery without being ignorant to the fact of history. I feel that this culture is where I call home. Afro Punks take a very long time embracing the arts and seeing the beauty. This punk subculture is a minority in America but seem like as majority in Columbia. Afro Punks try to also overcome the hardship of living in this punk subculture, issues of loneliness, exile, interracial dating, history, and the double lives led by African Americans in communities that are mostly white. I remember living my life like this along with being of African decent. Being a first generation Nigerian has its ups and downs with me wanting to live the punk lifestyle. Watching other young people wearing the Mohawks, bracelets, earrings and unique clothes. Africans see that this rock culture as a sister to their own but have hard time seeing through the stereotypes about it. More and more Africans or first generation are living in this culture. I feel that the Afro Punk culture is the best culture that I see myself in because, I can keep my beautiful African tradition and live life as someone in the punk subculture know as Afro Punk.