what exactly is rice?

[SDK1028]

i never really got into cars until i got one myself, so i'm not sure what this "rice" term really means...to be considered "Rice", all you have to do is have some mods on your car, is that it?

[Mistrimeat]

http://www.digitaldistortion.com/rice.gif

[mecca]

http://www.kbnet.com/snacks/ricebowl.gif

[Chumpchiggy]

Basicly, it's when you mislabel your car, with stickers or otherwise, stating you have parts that you really don't.

Putting on "tacky" and "cheap" mods that you "think" enhance the cars appearence....

Too many peeps call "show cars" rice because they don't get into performance but, it's a misnomer.

[Blue Batmobile]

I believe it's the San Francisco treat...hehe.

Bat

[FriedRice]

rice can any number of things.... mostly i've seen that people call something rice if they dont like it. altezzas? "thats rice, not my style" hyperwhites? "thats rice, not my style" etc etc.

however, everyone will agree that a GT-R emblem on a corolla is rice. anything other than that.... is open to interpretation. if people hate it or think its a lil too flashy, it's rice. It's an overused term these days though.

[Zorn]

History of the term "Rice-Rockets"
(A brief introduction, researched by the founder of Rice-Rockets.com)

The term "Rice-Rocket" is a coined stereotype phrase used to describe an Asian who has a fixed-up car. The term was mainly phrased to define those specific individuals of Asian or Pacific Islander decent who have added aftermarket products such as performance rims, tires, window tint, lowering springs, and other such add-ons to Honda's and Acura's. Meaning the main type of models used by Asians to "fix-up" have been Acura Integra's, Acura Legend's, Honda Civic's, Honda Accord's, and Honda Prelude's.

Of course the term, "Rice-Rockets" has evolved through-out the years, encompassing other such brands as Toyota's, Mitsubishi's, Nissan's, Datsun's, and BMW's. Today it's definition still holds the Honda and Acura line of cars as its main meaning, but any vehicle that is fixed-up for performance and show, and is owned by someone of Asian or Pacific Islander decent can be defined as a "Rice-Rocket".

In retrospect, there is a difference in its definitive meaning depending on the region of location. In Northern California where there is more culturalistic diversity and where the name was coined in the early 1990's (as defined by various historical sources, with reference to one of our favorite import car magazines, Super Street Magazine), the definition of "Rice-Rockets" implies that of a racial stereotype. In Southern California where there is fewer cultural diversity representation, the term "Rice-Rockets" is split between the definition above and the definition reflecting only to any fixed-up Japanese car, no matter what culture the owner represents. In both cases however, using the term "rice" is or was racial motivated, although many people will argue against this.

You can define what "Rice-Rockets" means to you personally any way you like, but why use the word "rice" as the first word in the coined term to represent the vehicle itself. Rice may be associated as eatable by all walks of life, but it is an integral part of some (not all) Asian groups and Filipino's (many Filipino's do not define themselves as being Asian nor Pacific Islander but a nationality of its own due to historical references). - Many people will get offended when using this term because to some (especially to Asian American activists and educators) it strengthens the acceptance of being restrained, put-down and categorized by others by the color of one's skin. Although, others of which are participants within the performance import car scene, that is familiar with the term, will respect the term as a means of cultural power within society. Now that there is a larger group of Asian Americans and Asians abroad who are into this specific type of interest, participating as a group brings more acceptance. (A theory that should be considered: If there were fewer Asian Americans in a specific location, acting as "individuals" within this scene and not as a group of the same or similar Asian American characteristics and cultural values, then the use of the term "Rice-Rockets" would more likely be an offensive term to the individual.)

Other descriptive names are used in correlation to the "Rice-Rocket" term. A "Rice-Boy" or "Rice-Girl" is an Asian or Pacific Islander of a specific gender who owns and maintains a "Rice-Rocket", "Rice-Cooker", or "Rice-Burner". Most of these "Rice-Rockets" are constructed as a means of self-expression, others are for show, or used for racing.

It is not uncommon for a participant in this scene to purchase a new vehicle valued at $20/$24,000 and then fix it up, spending upwards of $15 to $50,000 on ones car to tweak it to its maximum performance (and it doesn't matter what type of vehicle it is, foreign or domestic, although the creation of an individual exotic performance vehicle can range $300,000 to half a million dollars to produce). On the average (according to several performance shops interviewed) an investment of $30,000 is what it takes to upgrade a vehicle to its maximum performance. Of course, in this scene there is no limit to the amount one can tweak the most amount of performance out of one's vehicle. If in the future, hyper-space "warp" capability was made available, you can probably expect it to be used somehow within this scene.

(Although many industry professionals are unaware of the term "Rice-Rockets") the "Rice-Rocket" or import car industry has curtailed this specific scene from a fad into what is now an Asian American experience, a subculture which is definitely here to stay. It takes on a form much like the Mexican/Chicano/Latino "Low-Rider" scene, in which there are many similarities, some of which are shared, however both remain as separate culural values.



(Use of all or in part of any of the material within this Rice-Rockets history page may be used only if a reference to this web page address is included. The information disclosed here has been and is being constantly researched by EddieTam an Asian American Studies Researcher and student of Business Industrial Sociology of California, USA; currently researching the Asian American performance import car/model subculture scene for historical and thesis publication. Last posting was 28 February 2001.)


Copyright 2000-2001 All Rights Reserved. Rice-Rockets.com
.

[Zorn]

One of my favorites:

http://www.ricerz.com/calculator.htm

[oldster]

Interesting Zorn, we must not have been as racially centered in Colorado in the early 70s. Then the term "Rice Rocket" was predominately used for any motorcycle manufactured in Japan. "Rice Burner" was applied to any automobile since back then there weren't any that really could be considered rockets. The terms did not apply to the owners.

[Blue Batmobile]

Originally posted by FriedRice
rice can any number of things.... mostly i've seen that people call something rice if they dont like it. altezzas? "thats rice, not my style" hyperwhites? "thats rice, not my style" etc etc.

however, everyone will agree that a GT-R emblem on a corolla is rice. anything other than that.... is open to interpretation. if people hate it or think its a lil too flashy, it's rice. It's an overused term these days though.

Those lights are stock items on many of the Lexus models. You consider that Rice?

Bat

[FriedRice]

no.... i've heard them called that. like as a quotation. "altezzas? rice" like i've seen people post how they hate altezzas and altezzaas look ricey. i on the other hand dont mind that much. seeing how its a toyota product how can i hate it?

[2K1BLKCELGTS]

I like rice!

Honda and Yamaha motorcycles in the 60's, they were the first two cycle engines introduced widespread. They sounded funny, not 'American' at all. And they started racing motocross and beating American and Brittish Bikes.

Thats the first I ever heard the term 'rice'.

[djm221]

It's something you tack onto your car to be cool because everyone else has it, yet you are being "unique" by doing so. HID are just plain annoying for every other driver on the road. Just use you hi beams if you want to blind everyone else.

[MihoKiyo]

I always thought that rice rocket refers to fixed up import cars.. i never thought it was used to offend something until i got on this board =T

Even the azns around here would say that they want a "rice rocket" simply because they want a fixed up import car...not a car that other people/races would make fun of

[jotan82]

... the saga continues

[2kgtx]

An unpainted Body kit, I just saw a civic Hatchback driving down the road with a ugly body kit to begin with and it wasn't painted IMO that is rice, Paint the darn thing before you go crusin around in it