It's not all the artists or the businesses (mostly, but not all). The public keeps buying the so-called negative music. When people stop buying, only then will they stop selling. When was the last time someone offered to pay a person $50K, $60K or up to $100K a year salary with pension and benefits just to make positive music?
My people are all races, cultures, and creeds. As a youth in HS-59 to 63-I spoke out against prejudice of any kind. I continue today and the day will come when we are all brothers and sisters. blaine
Quite a few young people attended the Jena Six march..even though Mos Def was disappointed in the number of artists who DID not show up...When I saw young people getting on the bus in Michigan to ride to the march, it gave some hope about the future.
i think we have to look at the demographics of the market in the early '90s and compare it today. It i sthis that you will find your answer on who can govern an audience, and who names are mentioned in hip hop.
when corporate takes over, diversity is limited, and shareholders pull the punches... hence, the msg of music must change, therefore the demographics must change too
Corporate has been involved with music since it first hit a record... For the most part, the artists have more options these days. As a matter of fact, record labels dont even sign artists unless the artist has been able to sell records on his own first. That means that the artists usually have money prior to even signing. They also have already decided on what content goes into that music. It isnt the labels making those decisions for the most part. The artists are making these decisions.
Ok, my thing is this, can we see negative and positive black music with the same degree as we see other kinds of music (although most of it came from us anyway.. but u get what i mean). Then, you tell me if negative sell...
Negative sells because the positive is muted, I disagree with your theory.
Well I respect your opinion, but i think the data would point to the fact that negativity sells NEWSPAPERS, MOVIES, MAGAZINES, DOCUMENTARIES, YOUTUBE CHANNELS, & MUSIC... People of all colors have always gravitated towards negative images rater than positive ones. Hip Hop is no different. When it was more positive rappers rarely went platinum. Now they do it with ease.
I disagree, because if artist had so much choices, then why do we continue to hear lyrics that are "dumbed down", and yet the artists that exhibit these lyrics are mainstream. Corporate has always been around, but once it becomes a case of stifulling diversity, the message that artist exhibit will be limited too... Aol Time Warner - Universal Music (who are owned by another parent company) - Disney - News Corp etc
While i do agree that corporations are a part of the problem, i do not agree that they are the reason that artists are "dumbing down". What you should know about me BusTraveller is this. I was in the business for over 5 years. I was around these artists and still have ties to a few of them. These guys are actually like this. They choose to do these things because people buy more dumb records then they do smart ones...
So if these artist are aware of these odds, its no surprise they "dumb down", but who is setting the bench marks and encouraging exogenous conditions that have an effect market forces?
In most cases, we react to the market, the market does not reat to ppl, and the reaction is to dumb down.
Well i think that groups like NWA & Ice-T set the benchmark many years ago... Again, I dont believe that the record companies forced their hands through the process. These artists made a decision on their own. Just so happens that NWA went multi platinum with very little promotion and absolutely no radio play in a time when rappers were lucky to go gold even with radio spins...
The fact that the major labels were not wanting to get involved back then speaks volumes. NWA's first album was on their own label. They were banned from the radio and even were issued a cease and desist letter from the FBI. They were not welcomed by huge companies.
Only after they started selling in huge quantity did the majors take notice... And that has been the way of the music business for years. See what sells the most and then duplicate the formula many times over... It is indeed a business and not a corporation conspiring to destroy black people.
I will say that choices (the lack of) that these men / women face in the industry face raises even more questions on what damage they must do to themselves in order to make money... I don't see many (or at least i have not been exposed to) non-black artist compromising their integrity and community, and accepting that this is the norm.... Now that even more interesting!!!
Well, I dont know, Some genres of rock & roll are pretty risque. Punk rock music inspired its singers & band members into violence and drug usage. There is a documentary coming out about that genre soon. They were no where near the pop star darlings that we see on American Idol. A lot of genres of music have had a bad boy image prior to hip hop.
Many women in certain genres have also had to compromise themselves. Dressing in skimpy outfits or having to act like overly sexed bimbos, in order to get sales. Sex also sells. Women probably have more pressure than any rap artist ever had. They have to look the part... Many of them are constantly dieting to stay in shape...
Ok ill play devils advocate... think of any form of art (abstract) be it, a book, music etc that has been banned, and see how ppl respond to it.Lady Chatterly is a good example. What you have said is very interesting
In the last 10 - 12 years there has been an aggressive buying up of Corporate, be it in media, insurance, telecommunications, retail banking etc.... Hence diversity is squashed in favor or a uniform globalised product that everyone will like. An example of this is when MTV (viacam) talk about reggae music... its Bob Marley (he been dead for nealy 30 years)... why cant we have more current artist who have a mesg that he promotes.. (no, we get elephant man).
Most definitely. I agree that corporations are a problem. But only because they are greedy. But the same could be said for the artists... They too are greedy... Bob Marley was out during a time when everyone was into peace and love and smoking pot... LOL... Times sure have changed...
Thats just business, I wish that we all had the oppotunity to study economics... so many of our problems stem from a lack of knowledge in these areas.
There is no way Farrakhan could get 1000 brothers to march today. 1,000,000 is a mark long forgotten. As you said, the music carried the message back then and today it's not doing that. If the American government passed a law today to enslave black people, that still wouldn't be enough to get 1,000,000 brothers or sisters to march against it.
Well I probably agree that Farrakhan could not get people to march the same way that he did in 1995. But I wouldnt go as far as to say that people wouldnt march if their freedom was at stake. That might be pushing it. LOL... But i get your point.
Dream, I feel your frustration but that only pushes me more to try harder to open the eyes of my black people. Don't give up. We need brothers like you.
watch?v=qdiK1jcuo4E&feature=channel_page
blacktownnation 3 years ago
It's not all the artists or the businesses (mostly, but not all). The public keeps buying the so-called negative music. When people stop buying, only then will they stop selling. When was the last time someone offered to pay a person $50K, $60K or up to $100K a year salary with pension and benefits just to make positive music?
creativebrother 4 years ago
My people are all races, cultures, and creeds. As a youth in HS-59 to 63-I spoke out against prejudice of any kind. I continue today and the day will come when we are all brothers and sisters. blaine
sloopy312 4 years ago
Quite a few young people attended the Jena Six march..even though Mos Def was disappointed in the number of artists who DID not show up...When I saw young people getting on the bus in Michigan to ride to the march, it gave some hope about the future.
mzsuzuki 4 years ago
good message vid,good editing skills to bro....
bringthemalive 4 years ago
Actually my editing skills could use some work. LOL.. I appreciate the compliment though. Just know that i have a long way to go...
ForChangeMovement 4 years ago
i think we have to look at the demographics of the market in the early '90s and compare it today. It i sthis that you will find your answer on who can govern an audience, and who names are mentioned in hip hop.
forwardunity 4 years ago
Well have you yourself looked at these demographics? What did you get from the comparison of today versus then?
ForChangeMovement 4 years ago
when corporate takes over, diversity is limited, and shareholders pull the punches... hence, the msg of music must change, therefore the demographics must change too
forwardunity 4 years ago
Corporate has been involved with music since it first hit a record... For the most part, the artists have more options these days. As a matter of fact, record labels dont even sign artists unless the artist has been able to sell records on his own first. That means that the artists usually have money prior to even signing. They also have already decided on what content goes into that music. It isnt the labels making those decisions for the most part. The artists are making these decisions.
ForChangeMovement 4 years ago
I also know that the audience likes negative better than positive. look at the news and the film industry. Negativity sells.
ForChangeMovement 4 years ago
Ok, my thing is this, can we see negative and positive black music with the same degree as we see other kinds of music (although most of it came from us anyway.. but u get what i mean). Then, you tell me if negative sell...
Negative sells because the positive is muted, I disagree with your theory.
BusTraveller 4 years ago
Well I respect your opinion, but i think the data would point to the fact that negativity sells NEWSPAPERS, MOVIES, MAGAZINES, DOCUMENTARIES, YOUTUBE CHANNELS, & MUSIC... People of all colors have always gravitated towards negative images rater than positive ones. Hip Hop is no different. When it was more positive rappers rarely went platinum. Now they do it with ease.
ForChangeMovement 4 years ago
I disagree, because if artist had so much choices, then why do we continue to hear lyrics that are "dumbed down", and yet the artists that exhibit these lyrics are mainstream. Corporate has always been around, but once it becomes a case of stifulling diversity, the message that artist exhibit will be limited too... Aol Time Warner - Universal Music (who are owned by another parent company) - Disney - News Corp etc
BusTraveller 4 years ago
While i do agree that corporations are a part of the problem, i do not agree that they are the reason that artists are "dumbing down". What you should know about me BusTraveller is this. I was in the business for over 5 years. I was around these artists and still have ties to a few of them. These guys are actually like this. They choose to do these things because people buy more dumb records then they do smart ones...
ForChangeMovement 4 years ago
ok... but i still think that the scales are serverly unbalanced in regards to wht type of music is made available to us and what is not.
But disagreeing is ok, because it encourages debate.
BusTraveller 4 years ago
Most definitely. I will always respect your opinion, even if i disagree. I have learned a lot from debates. Even in losing, i win, because i learn.
ForChangeMovement 4 years ago
Also, when Hip Hop was able to florish there were many voices, positive and negative, e.g. for every 10 positive artist we have 1 neagtive..
10 / 1
Surely there is gonna be more exposure of positive lyrics etc but evidence suggests that this ratio is heavly skewed, more 10 / 1.
BusTraveller 4 years ago
So if these artist are aware of these odds, its no surprise they "dumb down", but who is setting the bench marks and encouraging exogenous conditions that have an effect market forces?
In most cases, we react to the market, the market does not reat to ppl, and the reaction is to dumb down.
BusTraveller 4 years ago
Well i think that groups like NWA & Ice-T set the benchmark many years ago... Again, I dont believe that the record companies forced their hands through the process. These artists made a decision on their own. Just so happens that NWA went multi platinum with very little promotion and absolutely no radio play in a time when rappers were lucky to go gold even with radio spins...
ForChangeMovement 4 years ago
The fact that the major labels were not wanting to get involved back then speaks volumes. NWA's first album was on their own label. They were banned from the radio and even were issued a cease and desist letter from the FBI. They were not welcomed by huge companies.
ForChangeMovement 4 years ago
Only after they started selling in huge quantity did the majors take notice... And that has been the way of the music business for years. See what sells the most and then duplicate the formula many times over... It is indeed a business and not a corporation conspiring to destroy black people.
ForChangeMovement 4 years ago
An interesting debate
BusTraveller 4 years ago
I will say that choices (the lack of) that these men / women face in the industry face raises even more questions on what damage they must do to themselves in order to make money... I don't see many (or at least i have not been exposed to) non-black artist compromising their integrity and community, and accepting that this is the norm.... Now that even more interesting!!!
BusTraveller 4 years ago
Well, I dont know, Some genres of rock & roll are pretty risque. Punk rock music inspired its singers & band members into violence and drug usage. There is a documentary coming out about that genre soon. They were no where near the pop star darlings that we see on American Idol. A lot of genres of music have had a bad boy image prior to hip hop.
ForChangeMovement 4 years ago
Many women in certain genres have also had to compromise themselves. Dressing in skimpy outfits or having to act like overly sexed bimbos, in order to get sales. Sex also sells. Women probably have more pressure than any rap artist ever had. They have to look the part... Many of them are constantly dieting to stay in shape...
ForChangeMovement 4 years ago
ill make a video and upload it later tonight
BusTraveller 4 years ago
Ok ill play devils advocate... think of any form of art (abstract) be it, a book, music etc that has been banned, and see how ppl respond to it.Lady Chatterly is a good example. What you have said is very interesting
BusTraveller 4 years ago
In the last 10 - 12 years there has been an aggressive buying up of Corporate, be it in media, insurance, telecommunications, retail banking etc.... Hence diversity is squashed in favor or a uniform globalised product that everyone will like. An example of this is when MTV (viacam) talk about reggae music... its Bob Marley (he been dead for nealy 30 years)... why cant we have more current artist who have a mesg that he promotes.. (no, we get elephant man).
BusTraveller 4 years ago
Most definitely. I agree that corporations are a problem. But only because they are greedy. But the same could be said for the artists... They too are greedy... Bob Marley was out during a time when everyone was into peace and love and smoking pot... LOL... Times sure have changed...
ForChangeMovement 4 years ago
Thats just business, I wish that we all had the oppotunity to study economics... so many of our problems stem from a lack of knowledge in these areas.
forwardunity 4 years ago
There is no way Farrakhan could get 1000 brothers to march today. 1,000,000 is a mark long forgotten. As you said, the music carried the message back then and today it's not doing that. If the American government passed a law today to enslave black people, that still wouldn't be enough to get 1,000,000 brothers or sisters to march against it.
TheDreamReborn 4 years ago
Well I probably agree that Farrakhan could not get people to march the same way that he did in 1995. But I wouldnt go as far as to say that people wouldnt march if their freedom was at stake. That might be pushing it. LOL... But i get your point.
ForChangeMovement 4 years ago
Dream, I feel your frustration but that only pushes me more to try harder to open the eyes of my black people. Don't give up. We need brothers like you.
msblak21 4 years ago