Send us Fan Mail Oliver Wang is a professor of sociology at California State University, Long Beach, who specializes in the study of popular culture. He is the author of Legions of Boom: Filipino American Mobile DJ Crews of the San Francisco Bay Area and Cruising J-Town: Japanese American Car Culture In Los Angeles. In 2025, he served as the project curator for the exhibition Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community, which was produced by the Japanese American National Museum and hosted at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. Additionally, he has co-hosted the podcasts Pop Rocket and Heat Rocks, created the audioblog Soul-Sides.com, and works as a regular culture writer for National Public Radio's All Things Considered, the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and KCET's Artbound. This episode covers Oliver's extensive research into ethnic subcultures and the social impact of music and car ownership. The conversation explores the history of Japanese American car scenes, detailing how vehicles evolved into literal and figurative tools for community self-expression, identity, and social mobility throughout greater Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. The discussion also touches upon his work documenting the Northern California mobile DJ movement, his decades of experience as a music journalist, and his current development of a new podcast project focused on the songs of Asian America. For viewers in the San Gabriel Valley, this conversation highlights a regional history that directly touches local communities, including historic car scenes spanning out to Pasadena. Oliver's audience will appreciate the deeper context behind his curated exhibitions, books, and long-standing multimedia journalism projects. Furthermore, individuals searching for insights into ethnic studies, popular culture sociology, Southern California automotive subcultures, or music history will find clear, academic examples of how diverse communities shape and preserve their own distinct cultural narratives. Subscribe to the MySGV Podcast to stay connected with the cultural histories, thinkers, and innovators of our community. If you found this discussion on subcultures and community identity insightful, please share this episode with a friend or a fellow history enthusiast. _______________ Music Credits Intro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG Stinger Scarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio Library Outro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG __________________ My SGV Podcast: Website: www.mysgv.net Newsletter: Beyond the Mic Patreon: MySGV Podcast info@sgvmasterkey.com
