Something strange happened this weekend on the Billboard Top 100. The top two singles were “Fly Like a G6” by Far East Movement, “Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars. What’s the big deal? For the first time ever, Asian Americans have taken over the top two spots in the American music stage. Is this a fluke or have Asian Americans finally broken through the “bamboo ceiling” in the entertainment industry?
What is the “Bamboo Ceiling”?
If you work in any professional field long enough, you’ll hear laments about the “bamboo ceiling”: the professional barrier Asians face as they move up the ladder. Ever hear that familiar story about the brilliant Asian associate that just couldn’t make manager, because of lack of “soft-skills?” That’s the bamboo ceiling. They even made a movie about it: Harold and Kumar (a classic, by the way).
Though it is debatable how prevalent the bamboo ceiling is, it does exist. In looking at the entertainment industry, where making it to the top often relies more on who you know rather than just talents, it is not far fetch to say the bamboo ceiling has been at work for many years. Is 2010 the year we’re tearing that ceiling down?
Seven Years in the Making
Far East Movement is a smorgasbord of east asians: Kev Nish (Chinese/Japanese American), Prohgress (Korean American), J-Splif (Korean American), and DJ Virman (Filipino American). Bruno Mars (real name Peter Gene Hernandez), is Filipino and Puerto Rican. For both acts, this is their first time on the Billboards top 10. Though it seems they bursted on to the scene as overnight sensations, both Far East Movement and Bruno Mars have been active since 2003. It took nearly a decade to make it to the top.
Just a Trend or Here to Stay?
Two Asian American acts being on top has never happened before. The industry is in brand new territory and it’s hard to say wether this is a fad or if the new face of entertainment will permanently include Asian faces.
I am hopeful. The fact the Far East Movement and Bruno Mars worked themselves to the top shows that they’ve earned it. They are not on the Billboards top two because America has some exotic fascination with Asians. They are there solely on merit: they offer a unique sound and fresh act that people like. They broke the bamboo ceiling without even minding it. Hopefully because of them, we will all be used to Asian faces on MTV and a few years from now, Asians in media will be so common that articles like this wouldn’t even be written.
Video: Bruno Mars – Just the Way you Are (via Youtube)
Video: Far East Movement – Fly Like a G6 (via Youtube)
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