I love this new random-geeky music video by the Random Ninjas ^_^

It will be part of the 24th Annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (May 1 to 8, 2008). Everyone should go watch some films at this event!

I’m not a musician. I’m a writer. But I love music.

I’m a huge fan of classic Asian instruments and music.

I’ve also enjoyed and supported the music of tons of Asian American musicians over the past decade, and one thing I’ve noticed is that Asian American music doesn’t exist.

Don’t get me wrong. A lot of the Asian American musicians I’ve supported are very talented and good at what they do, and there is nothing wrong with Asians loving hip hop, jazz, rock, etc. But aside from putting an Asian face and name on the music and the occasional reference to rice cookers in their lyrics or use of Asian language in their singing, there’s nothing really Asian American about the music itself. Just close your eyes and listen and you’ll find that there’s nothing in what you hear that screams Asian American.

I’ve always sought out fusion music. Even when I was romping around Asia immersed in their pop music culture, I was especially drawn to any song that used traditional Asian instruments in them. Sadly, those types of music were always the exception and not the rule.

In the mainstream, the only Asian American that I’ve heard actually integrating some Asian styles into music is Mike Shinoda. Again, though, it’s only an occasionally added flavor instead of the core of the music. The only place that I can get Asian fusion of some sort on a regular basis is from the world music genre, but much of it is just slightly altered traditional music. Sometimes they just add a dance beat to it and call it fusion.

Given this particular taste for Asian fusion music that I have, my reaction to hearing the songs from the band Random Ninjas was:

“I’ve been waiting to hear this music all my life.”

What I love about their music is that it shoves Asian American down your throat.

I’ve often been ridiculed by non-Asians for listening to the twingy twangy traditional Asian music that I developed a taste for as a little girl who learned cultural dances and watched kung fu movies, but that’s expected, right? In my experience, caucasian men were especially rude and cruel in their jeers.

What’s surprising is I’ve also been criticized by Asian Americans for it.

“Don’t you think you’re promoting a stereotype of us?” one Asian American peer had said to me after I performed a sword dance to some classic Chinese music in college. As you can imagine, I felt really upset that I wasn’t allowed to love and be a avid fan of my own cultural heritage.

My current favorite Random Ninjas song right now happens to be “Go” on their newly released E.P. It starts out with some unassuming, minimalistic shamisen which picks up a little momentum and then surprisingly bursts out into full on heavy in-your-face metal. I just imagine all those people who make fun of traditional Asian music being taken off guard by the sudden attack of Asian American rock guitars, and it makes me smile with a vengence. This music gives me hope for the evolution of Asian American music.

Currently the band just finished shooting a new music video that should be out within the next month. They’ve got a show coming up at the legendary Whisky A Go Go on Sunset.

Lots of band bios claim that they have a “fresh” new sound. This band actually delivers.

If you know of any other fusion music, send it my way. I’m always looking for new music.