My Kauai trip 2001
I was running errands with PK today when I was stopped by a couple of local up and coming artists who were selling their cd. I’m all about the arts but I declined. One gentleman wrote down his Youtube and Facebook info. I was very impressed with the way the men presented themselves. As I was leaving one said that he hoped I enjoyed his music and poetry. Based on that alone, I expected his music to be something new, inspirational and intelligent.
Let’s pause here for a moment before going into the actual music. Personally I listen to all kinds of music; classical, international pop, alternative, hip hop, rap, etc (to the nth power) aaaaaannnd…5 country songs. As a music lover, I know that some of the most ignorant music in the world is on America’s hip hop stations. Honestly, the only reason I put up with some of it is-to quote Betty Wright’s Tonight is the Night-, ”..I like the music, the melody it’s really nice…” and I can workout to it! But some lyrics? I mean, I know ten-year-olds with more creative talent than some of these micro-phoned morons. Jeez, I’d have to start getting high just to tolerate it!
Back to the story-After meeting these artists I thought maybe someone in this hip hop /rap game has grown tired of the same ol, same ol, and is going to share something new. But of course I was wrong. It was the same old, drugs, drinking, hustling and hoes and if the lyrics were not cliche enough, any hope for the melody was killed off by the recycled lyrics.
That’s real s***?
Yes it is. Another black man pushing along a worn out stereotype. Don’t believe me? Watch The Birth of a Nation (1915). So, the world community thanks you for doing your social duty and further sedating people in a purple haze of propaganda.
Come on! Isn’t there more to you and your life? There has to be. Did you go to school? Do you have a family? Ever been in love? jail, arrested, racially profiled? What do you think of the current politics? What lessons have you learned in life that you can pass on, what is your unique message? What’s nice about being an independent artist is that you have the creative freedom to tell your own story! I’m not one to go searching through Youtube for new artists. I am lazy/busy that way so I prefer to stumble upon them-always hoping for something a bit different.
Most surprising was how mismatched these men were to their merchandise; no sag in their jeans, clean shaven, neatly dressed. Then again, maybe I’m not their target audience…after all they were hustling in front of a liquor store, probably taking advantage of the fact that pot heads and drunks can’t quite tell the difference between art and their own assholes. Oh well.
