Gifted Flows: Making Space for a Brand New Beat

This essay discusses Albert Wendt’s incorporation of elements of hip hop culture in his literary and dramatic writing, and reflects on the relevance and usefulness of Wendt’s work to the author’s research on Samoan involvement in hip hop music, dance, and visual art. The widespread popularity of hip hop among diasporic Samoans is noted, as are the tendencies among some in Samoan communities to simplistically dismiss or criticize hip hop involvement as a sign of culture loss or a cause of disruptive behavior. In light of such critiques, the author credits Wendt for his consistent receptiveness to hip hop and the “space-making” gestures his work offers for a nascent Pacific hip hop arts movement.