Origins of LowRider style

[Silencioso]

Who originated the lowrider style/concept? Growing up, I always assumed it was Chicanos but I've seen some evidence that it may have been blacks.

Anybody know?

[wcrockets]

There is a huge thread on that already. Just go read the Pachucas and Cholos in Los Angeles thread.



http://streetgangs.com/billboard/viewtopic.php?t=268

[CARDENAS]

I knew Chicanos Invented them.

[WhiteBoy]

basically mexicans in east la started it, by torching the springs to lose the structure in the metal making the springs sag, or sand bags in the trunk, for the lowered effect.

[CARDENAS]

But in a way Blacks made it international by putting them in their videos so 50/50 mexicans invented them and blacks put them out for the world to see.

[PS1979]

blacks may of put them in rap videos later on.....but the intro credits to "chico and the man" with the dropped gypsy rose 64 impala back in 73 really set shit off nationwide same with cheech and chong with the opening scenes to up in smoke in 77.....not to mention popular movies like "walking tall" and boulevard nights.

[TheReal]

blacks may of put them in rap videos later on.....but the intro credits to "chico and the man" with the dropped gypsy rose 64 impala back in 73 really set shit off nationwide same with cheech and chong with the opening scenes to up in smoke in 77.....not to mention popular movies like "walking tall" and boulevard nights.

*I heard that the term "lowrider" was created by black folks in the 60's. Secondly, black folks have been lowriding since, as far as I can remember, the 70's. Thirdly, black folks in L.A. had been lowriding since the late 40's and 50's, longer than mexicans/chicanos been in rap. Fourthly, in that Cheech and Chong movie "Up In Smoke," the opening song was called "lowrider-" a song that was written and performed by a black r&b group: WAR.

Lastly, the first movie ever, to even discuss lowriders, and what they were about, was a movie by the name of "Halls Of Anger." This was a predominantly black movie, insofar as casting is concerned, as well as the lead characters. Additionally, this movie was made in 1969, and was filmed in South Central L.A.

[CARDENAS]

blacks may of put them in rap videos later on.....but the intro credits to "chico and the man" with the dropped gypsy rose 64 impala back in 73 really set shit off nationwide same with cheech and chong with the opening scenes to up in smoke in 77.....not to mention popular movies like "walking tall" and boulevard nights.

*I heard that the term "lowrider" was created by black folks in the 60's. Secondly, black folks have been lowriding since, as far as I can remember, the 70's. Thirdly, black folks in L.A. had been lowriding since the late 40's and 50's, longer than mexicans/chicanos been in rap. Fourthly, in that Cheech and Chong movie "Up In Smoke," the opening song was called "lowrider-" a song that was written and performed by a black r&b group: WAR.

Lastly, the first movie ever, to even discuss lowriders, and what they
were about, was a movie by the name of "Halls Of Anger." This was a predominantly black movie, insofar as casting is concerned, as well as the lead characters. Additionally, this movie was made in 1969, and was filmed in South Central L.A.

How do I kow you telling the truth give me some links about this..cause as far as I know Lowriders were invented By Mexicans.

[PS1979]

"halls of anger" you say? Never heard of it, but i'll look into it.
Hit me off with a Bio on the film or something if you can.

Blacks were lowriding in the 40's and 50's?? maybe so, back then everyone lowered their rides...but the Mexican style of rolling low was quite distinctive from the rest. But yeah Ron aguirre was the first cat in LA to hook his ride up with hydros and this was around 1957 I believe.
To me a ride really aint a low low if it aint juiced up!
And yeah WAR was an all black group....but alot of their songs had Mexican themes and rhythms, obviously because of their close proximity to Barrio culture...they wrote songs about the region they lived in, and yet again obviously chicanos had quite an influence on their song writing and sound, so your argument is basically irrelevant homie.

Peace out

[Lonewolf]

Lowrider Magazine already addressed this topic of LOWRIDER HISTORY

check it out for yourself v v v v

http://www.lowridermagazine.com/history ... _history1/

[TheReal]

blacks may of put them in rap videos later on.....but the intro credits to "chico and the man" with the dropped gypsy rose 64 impala back in 73 really set shit off nationwide same with cheech and chong with the opening scenes to up in smoke in 77.....not to mention popular movies like "walking tall" and boulevard nights.

*I heard that the term "lowrider" was created by black folks in the 60's. Secondly, black folks have been lowriding since, as far as I can remember, the 70's. Thirdly, black folks in L.A. had been lowriding since the late 40's and 50's, longer than mexicans/chicanos been in rap. Fourthly, in that Cheech and Chong movie "Up In Smoke," the opening song was called "lowrider-" a song that was written and performed by a black r&b group: WAR.

Lastly, the first movie ever, to even discuss lowriders, and what they
were about, was a movie by the name of "Halls Of Anger." This was a predominantly black movie, insofar as casting is concerned, as well as the lead characters. Additionally, this movie was made in 1969, and was filmed in South Central L.A.

How do I kow you telling the truth give me some links about this..cause as far as I know Lowriders were invented By Mexicans.

*Read over my post carefully, I never said that blacks created lowriders (zoot-suits and other things; but not lowriders), rather, I said that black folks first used the term "lowrider," during the 1960's. I think before then, mexicans/chicanos were referring to their rides as "ramflas," if I'm not mistaken...

What I was saying is, that black folks have a long history in lowrider culture, probably even longer than other racial groups, outside of mexicans/chicanos, like asians, whites, etc.; to a great extent.

Also in my post, I'm intimating the fact that black folks just didn't jump on the lowrider bandwagon in recent years, but black car clubs going back to the early 50's and late 40's (primarily the 50's), use to lower their cars, and that-again-black folks are no strangers to lowriders.

Not only that, well, I can say more on this, but I'll leave it right there...

[TheReal]

-"halls of anger" you say? Never heard of it, but i'll look into it.
Hit me off with a Bio on the film or something if you can.

*http://imdb.com/title/tt0065810/

-Blacks were lowriding in the 40's and 50's?? maybe so, back then everyone lowered their rides...

*Everyone should know that black folks lowered their rides, especially back in the 50's. Again, mexicans/chicanos feel, or they're intentionally, or ignorantly, putting out false information to the rest of the world, the notion that black folks just recently, within the last 15 years or so, jumped on the lowrider bandwagon, when in reality, that's b.s.; and veteranos know this to be true.

Black folks were lowriding nationwide, especially by the 70's, where you had jamaican gangs, lowering mercedes, and other fancy cars at the time. Now mind you, it wasn't the same as it was out west, but for a brief time, you did have it.

-but the Mexican style of rolling low was quite distinctive from the rest.

*How so?

-But yeah Ron aguirre was the first cat in LA to hook his ride up with hydros and this was around 1957 I believe.

*Probably so.

-To me a ride really aint a low low if it aint juiced up!

*So what were folks riding before 1957, and before Ron Aguirre "juiced" his ride "up?"

-And yeah WAR was an all black group....

*It's quite obvious isn't it?

-but alot of their songs had Mexican themes and rhythms, obviously because of their close proximity to Barrio culture...

*Yeah, I will agree, that some of their songs (not a lot) "had Mexican themes and rhythms (Cisco Kid, Lowrider)", but not all of their songs, because I have their whole collection. They also add a lot of blues and funk into their mix as well, probably even more so. And in the song "Lowrider," the only mexican "rhythm" that I could detect was-NONE!

Really listen to that song, and if I'm missing something, please let me know, because I don't hear any mexican rhythms, rather rhythms that are associated with "latin" music, and we all know that just because a sound, or music is "latin" per se, doesn't mean it's mexican. I'm familiar with mexican music, its' sounds, and rhythms, and again, the song "Lowrider," doesn't contain pure mexican rhythms, but those rhythms associated with "latin" rhythms, which is deluged somewhat, with a healthy dose of african flavor.

-they wrote songs about the region they lived in,

*I agree with that.

-and yet again obviously chicanos had quite an influence on their song writing and sound,

*Yeah, but it was still black folks coming up with the music. Man, have you heard WAR's other music? It wasn't all based around chicano themes, not in the least. There music basically falls under the category of standard black r&b, from the 70's and possibly early 80's.

-so your argument is basically irrelevant homie.

*Just because you say it is, doesn't make it so.

-Peace out

*The same to you.

[WhiteBoy]

if you really want to get technical, the white dudes were the first to start the whole lowrider thing,
they started it with hot rods, and with racing and all,
comprehend this, the lower your ride is the lower your center of gravity, thus when handeling through corners you have less body roll, which in turn makes you able to grip the road and handle the corners alot faster,
rat rodders from the 40s and 50s were buying cars from the 20's and making choping them, lowering them and suping them up before hydrolics were even though of being put on cars,
and car clubs became popular because they were a safe alternative to gangs,

[TheReal]

if you really want to get technical, the white dudes were the first to start the whole lowrider thing,
they started it with hot rods, and with racing and all,
comprehend this, the lower your ride is the lower your center of gravity, thus when handeling through corners you have less body roll, which in turn makes you able to grip the road and handle the corners alot faster,
rat rodders from the 40s and 50s were buying cars from the 20's and making choping them, lowering them and suping them up before hydrolics were even though of being put on cars,
and car clubs became popular because they were a safe alternative to gangs,

*You know what, a year and a half ago, on the history channel, they were talking about folks in the south, who would run moonshine (these cats were primarily white, with some black participation like my grandfather for instance, or Wendell Scott), and in watching this program, I vaguely remember them discussing how they would lower their rides, so that they could be more effective in escaping the law.

Has anyone else heard about this, or watched this program dealing with moonshiners?

[Baby-Girl16]

I have seen it real... i know what u are talkin about..my grandpa was in the same moonshine buisness

[WhiteBoy]

yeah, thats true, and in the early years of dirt track racing and nascar, the best drivers were smugglers from the south,
they say its somthing in the water, but obviously its somthing in the shine, and i don't me the glare on your windshield!

[PS1979]

theres no doubt in my mind that other people in the 20's,30's and 40's were lowering their rides, but its how they did it that matters.
Most whites dropped their rides in the front and called it the "california rake"....while Mexicans dropped their rides in the back and called it the "east LA rake". Dont know what blacks were doing or what they contributed to the southern california car lifestyle in those days, your guess is as good as mine!
But Pachucos in particular did this to their rides, and primarily their first choice were chevys, actually nothing but chevys, a tradition that is still prevalent in chicano lowrider culture to today.
They used sandbags in their trunks, cut the coils etc...I've seen old pictures of pachucos rides from 1936, with pre columbian murals on the trunk and sides, long before art customizing blew up in southern california.


And as far as war's music goes, your using semantics way to much homie LMAO.
"lowrider" sounds straight Mexican to me, hell their singing about lowriders a mexican invention, and the rhythm section sounds like something off a Elchicano record....you call it "latin" or whatever the hell you want, its nothing but semantics on your part bro. Miss me with all that

[TheReal]

To PS1979:

-theres no doubt in my mind that other people in the 20's,30's and 40's were lowering their rides, but its how they did it that matters.
Most whites dropped their rides in the front and called it the "california rake"....while Mexicans dropped their rides in the back and called it the "east LA rake". Dont know what blacks were doing or what they contributed to the southern california car lifestyle in those days, your guess is as good as mine!
But Pachucos in particular did this to their rides, and primarily their first choice were chevys, actually nothing but chevys, a tradition that is still prevalent in chicano lowrider culture to today.
They used sandbags in their trunks, cut the coils etc...I've seen old pictures of pachucos rides from 1936, with pre columbian murals on the trunk and sides, long before art customizing blew up in southern california.

*Maybe so...

-And as far as war's music goes, your using semantics way to much homie LMAO.

*How so?

-"lowrider" sounds straight Mexican to me,

*It's interesting how you call it "straight Mexican," when it was a black group that came out with the song. What happened to "straight Mexican(s)", playing "straight Mexican" music? And why didn't they come out with the cut "Lowrider." And no, it doesn't sound "straight Mexican" to me, and secondly, NOT ALL OF WAR'S MUSIC, CONTAIN MEXICAN/CHICANO INFLUENCES!

-hell their singing about lowriders a mexican invention,

*Just like Pachucos wearing zoot-suits, which is, contrary to what haters want to postulate, a black creation...

-and the rhythm section sounds like something off a Elchicano record....

*But again, whether that's true or not, it still took a black group, to give your people an anthem, when it comes to lowriders, amongst other things.

-you call it "latin" or whatever the hell you want, its nothing but semantics on your part bro.

*I'd be glad to educate you on latin music, if you'd like...

-Miss me with all that

*I guess you have a right to your opinion, and things not apprehended.

[TheReal]

Most whites dropped their rides in the front and called it the "california rake"....while Mexicans dropped their rides in the back and called it the "east LA rake".

*Oh, and by the way, this has nothing to do with southern moonshiners, this regional difference of yours, between whites and mexicans/chicanos, when it comes to their rides. I'm talking about moonshiners in the SOUTH, lowering their rides, not some low in the front, and high in the back, style of automobile.

Remember, there is a world outside of the southwest...