OPINION: Hey, Who Turned Off The Music?
Did the music die? The recent passing of Michael Jackson made me ask that question.
Recently I started thinking about the songs of my childhood, actually the soundtrack of my youth growing up in Southeast Queens, New York. I have fond memories of listening to LPs with my father on his old but reliable stereo set, with the hand-crafted turntable, and sand-filled wooden speakers that gave an earthy, real-life sound. Here are some of the songs that come to mind from that day:
- “I Stand Accused” by Isaac Hayes
- Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”
- Roberta Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”
- “Harvest For The World” by the Isley Brothers
- “Ooh Child” by the Five Stairsteps
- Stevie Wonder’s “If You Really Love Me”
- “Get The Funk Out Of My Face” by the Brothers Johnson
- “Never Can Say Goodbye” by the Jackson 5
- “Ball Of Confusion” by the Temptations, and
- “Midnight Train To Georgia” by Gladys Knight and the Pips
Now, that was music! And it raises an important question in my mind, and possibly yours as well: Will music ever sound that good, ever again? Twenty or thirty years from now, will we remember the songs that are coming out today?
It seems that something went wrong along the way. Popular music, but specifically Black music, which dominates America’s and the world’s music scene, used to reflect the complexity of the human life experience, our emotions, our troubled times and our hopes and joys. In the music, there were the ever-present echoes of the drum rhythms and the storytelling griots of West Africa, of the Negro spirituals growing out of the experience of slavery in America, and of course the Blues. The cultural history was built into the music, and listening to it, at its best, is a religious and spiritual experience. And yet, the music always refined and redefined itself, through Jazz and Hip-hop and other incarnations. But all the while, the music reflected the aspirations and the full spectrum of what was going on in the community, the good and the bad, whether sitting on the street corner with friends, lamenting a lost love, or decrying injustice.
Then money entered the process. Don’t get me wrong, music has been a commercial venture for years. But it is worth noting that as the industry became more lucrative for its participants, or at least its owners, the music became more cookie-cutter, with more of the same and fewer options. Particularly in the past decade – when society was fed a steady dose of materialism and market growth – much of the music which was promoted reflected the materialism and hedonism of the times. Empty calories with little substance. There was much pain out there, to be sure, because after all the vast majority of people cannot afford a seaside mansion, a Hummer, diamonds, or a thousand-dollar bottle of whatever, and most common folk were slipping further as the moneyed few were getting fatter. But the music doesn’t reflect that reality, or at least the songs that get on the air do not. It seems almost fitting that the music industry is suffering financially, with a product no one is buying, just as the economy itself is suffering from systemic problems and is in need of big changes.
Part of the problem is that many talented musicians do not receive the exposure they deserve and we deserve. There are great artists out there, but they don’t get the air time. But on another level, society does not value musicians. Just look at the slashing of music and art education programs in public schools throughout the nation, as more focus is placed on teaching merely what appears on standardized tests. Music education is important to children’s lives as a part of a well-rounded education. Music develops creativity, self-expression, character and a sense of community. And it builds self-esteem, analytical and language capabilities, and innovation. I say this as someone who benefited from music programs throughout my childhood, and was introduced to the tenor saxophone as a sixth grader. Organizations such as the VH1 Save The Music Foundation and websites such as SupportMusic.com and Keep Music In Public Schools! are dedicated to restoring music programs in the schools.
So did the music die? Well, if it did, we need to make sure that we bring it back. We have the power to do it.
BlackCommentator.com Editorial Board member David A. Love, JD is a journalist and human rights advocate based in Philadelphia, and a contributor to the Progressive Media Project and McClatchy-Tribune News Service, among others. He contributed to the book, States of Confinement: Policing, Detention, and Prisons (St. Martin’s Press, 2000). Love is a former Amnesty International UK spokesperson. His blog is davidalove.com.
Dr. Conrad Murray CHARGED
Comments
5
% %
I saw so many hot pics and video about on -^^lackWhiteLoving-c o m**^^this dating site. And it’s free!
just a few mins, you will find the perfect one!!
These old white ppl who hated rap music, protested against it and now found a way 2 get their foot in the back door and found a way to dumb domn young african americans and make money off of an genre they don’t know anything about it, young african americans, radio and tv stations, mags, the a&r’s @ these labels and the fcc turned off the music. Its a damn shame how ppl like Lil Wayne, Lil Boosie, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, etc. are the 1s all over the airwaves promoting and glorifing sex, drugs, alcohol, materialism to young black american and especially young girls who listens to and buy this kinda music the most and wonder why all of them are pregnant before they hit 14. Parents are not involved in their childrens lives like they used to be and now young ppl as young as 12 thinks underaged drinking, drug use, drug distribution, killing, materialism, etc. is ok because these idiots glorify it and its usually the 1s who glorify it has never lived that lifestyle and these kids listen to it and think these artists either have actually lived that life or is still living that live where all these so called “artists” I have just name or more hasn’t been through none of this. But its easy to fool kids because they have no experience and doesn’t know any better. The parents can’t allow their kids to act like adults because they are not and the parents need to be more involved in their kids life, moniter what they do and lay down the lay but parents have become soft and give up on being good parents. Monitor what your kids listen to. I remember whenu could hear music like Bone Thugs, DMX, B.I.G., Pac, The L.O.X.. Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Nas, and more all over the airwaves but now since the FCC done kicked into full gear on Black Entertainment, they have outlawed everything with a message but yet ppl like Plise are allowed to talk about eating p***y on the radio….wow….its sad….but movies and music in White America are allowed to produce movies like Saw and songs like Something in her Mouth and its no censoring. But if Bone, Lupe or Nas try to speak on issues that’s affecting our community and how the government are trying to brainwash us and exterminate us…its gets blocked that’s because these white devils wants us 2 destroy ourselves and what is a great way 2 get to a large african american community and destroy them by filling their heads up with materialism, gluttony, violence, alcohol, drugs and ect. infiltrate their music and culture and produce songs about it and make up dance songs to keep them distracted while we sneak guns and drugs into the music and neighborhoods and the make songs about going 2 da club and killing ppl while we do things to their women while flossin our ill gotten gains…..its sad how artists who are truely talented with a strong message behind their songs like Bone Thugs, Lupe Fiasco, Xzibit, Nas, State Property, Wale, Boot Camp Clik, K-Rino, Immortal Technique, Eminem, The L.O.X., Obie Trice, State Quo, Bobby Creekwater, Verbal Threat, Blu, Slaughterhouse, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Z-Ro, MF Doom, MED aka Medaphor, Jedi Mind Tricks and etc. have been shunned while these idiots like the New Boys, Lil Wayne, Plies, Kanye West, Rick Ross, Lil Boosie, Birdman, Young Jeezy, Dipset, MIMS, Soulja Fag Tell Em etc. Its hard to name a lot of artists in the mainstream because its no1 will u remember 10 yrs from now and offer no talent, substance, depth, creativity and etc. its sad because nowadays u r defined as a good artists by record sales, money, popularity, how good u look, etc. and the only group of ppl of define these sorry rappers n that manner is the youngns 10 to 19, 20 yrs old and if u ever debate with them about this topic these are the only reponse u will get from them because they can’t articulate themselves intelligently and can’t break down not an artists lyrics and don’t know s**t about real rap and can’t understand real lyrics: “stop hating, they making money, they got swag, u not rich, they got money, u mad cause they on tv and radio, they selling”, not realizing none of that crap makes u a good artist,,,,luv this article its perfect and I feel exactly tha same way
These old white ppl who hated rap music, protested against it and now found a way 2 get their foot in the back door and found a way to dumb domn young african americans and make money off of an genre they don’t know anything about it, young african americans, radio and tv stations, mags, the a&r’s @ these labels and the fcc turned off the music. Its a damn shame how ppl like Lil Wayne, Lil Boosie, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, etc. are the 1s all over the airwaves promoting and glorifing sex, drugs, alcohol, materialism to young black american and especially young girls who listens to and buy this kinda music the most and wonder why all of them are pregnant before they hit 14. Parents are not involved in their childrens lives like they used to be and now young ppl as young as 12 thinks underaged drinking, drug use, drug distribution, killing, materialism, etc. is ok because these idiots glorify it and its usually the 1s who glorify it has never lived that lifestyle and these kids listen to it and think these artists either have actually lived that life or is still living that live where all these so called “artists” I have just name or more hasn’t been through none of this. But its easy to fool kids because they have no experience and doesn’t know any better. The parents can’t allow their kids to act like adults because they are not and the parents need to be more involved in their kids life, moniter what they do and lay down the lay but parents have become soft and give up on being good parents. Monitor what your kids listen to. I remember whenu could hear music like Bone Thugs, DMX, B.I.G., Pac, The L.O.X.. Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Nas, and more all over the airwaves but now since the FCC done kicked into full gear on Black Entertainment, they have outlawed everything with a message but yet ppl like Plise are allowed to talk about eating p***y on the radio….wow….its sad….but movies and music in White America are allowed to produce movies like Saw and songs like Something in her Mouth and its no censoring. But if Bone, Lupe or Nas try to speak on issues that’s affecting our community and how the government are trying to brainwash us and exterminate us…its gets blocked that’s because these white devils wants us 2 destroy ourselves and what is a great way 2 get to a large african american community and destroy them by filling their heads up with materialism, gluttony, violence, alcohol, drugs and ect. infiltrate their music and culture and produce songs about it and make up dance songs to keep them distracted while we sneak guns and drugs into the music and neighborhoods and the make songs about going 2 da club and killing ppl while we do things to their women while flossin our ill gotten gains…..its sad how artists who are truely talented with a strong message behind their songs like Bone Thugs, Lupe Fiasco, Xzibit, Nas, State Property, Wale, Boot Camp Clik, K-Rino, Immortal Technique, Eminem, The L.O.X., Obie Trice, State Quo, Bobby Creekwater, Verbal Threat, Blu, Slaughterhouse, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Z-Ro, MF Doom, MED aka Medaphor, Jedi Mind Tricks and etc. have been shunned while these idiots like the New Boys, Lil Wayne, Plies, Kanye West, Rick Ross, Lil Boosie, Birdman, Young Jeezy, Dipset, MIMS, Soulja Fag Tell Em etc. Its hard to name a lot of artists in the mainstream because its no1 will u remember 10 yrs from now and offer no talent, substance, depth, creativity and etc. its sad because nowadays u r defined as a good artists by record sales, money, popularity, how good u look, etc. and the only group of ppl of define these sorry rappers n that manner is the youngns 10 to 19, 20 yrs old and if u ever debate with them about this topic these are the only reponse u will get from them because they can’t articulate themselves intelligently and can’t break down not a artists lyrics and don’t know s**t about real rap and can’t understand real lyrics: “stop hating, they making money, they got swag, u not rich, they got money, u mad cause they on tv and radio, they selling”, not realizing none of that crap makes u a good artist,,,,luv this article its perfect and I feel exactly tha same way
These old white ppl who hated rap music, protested against it and now found a way 2 get their foot in the back door and found a way to dumb domn young african americans and make money off of an genre they don’t know anything about it, young african americans, radio and tv stations, mags, the a&r’s @ these labels and the fcc turned off the music. Its a damn shame how ppl like Lil Wayne, Lil Boosie, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, etc. are the 1s all over the airwaves promoting and glorifing sex, drugs, alcohol, materialism to young black american and especially young girls who listens to and buy this kinda music the most and wonder why all of them are pregnant before they hit 14. Parents are not involved in their childrens lives like they used to be and now young ppl as young as 12 thinks underaged drinking, drug use, drug distribution, killing, materialism, etc. is ok because these idiots glorify it and its usually the 1s who glorify it has never lived that lifestyle and these kids listen to it and think these artists either have actually lived that life or is still living that live where all these so called “artists” I have just name or more hasn’t been through none of this. But its easy to fool kids because they have no experience and doesn’t know any better. The parents can’t allow their kids to act like adults because they are not and the parents need to be more involved in their kids life, moniter what they do and lay down the lay but parents have become soft and give up on being good parents. Monitor what your kids listen to. I remember whenu could hear music like Bone Thugs, DMX, B.I.G., Pac, The L.O.X.. Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Nas, and more all over the airwaves but now since the FCC done kicked into full gear on Black Entertainment, they have outlawed everything with a message but yet ppl like Plise are allowed to talk about eating p***y on the radio….wow….its sad….but movies and music in White America are allowed to produce movies like Saw and songs like Something in her Mouth and its no censoring. But if Bone, Lupe or Nas try to speak on issues that’s affecting our community and how the government are trying to brainwash us and exterminate us…its gets blocked that’s because these white devils wants us 2 destroy ourselves and what is a great way 2 get to a large african american community and destroy them by filling their heads up with materialism, gluttony, violence, alcohol, drugs and ect. infiltrate their music and culture and produce songs about it and make up dance songs to keep them distracted while we sneak guns and drugs into the music and neighborhoods and the make songs about going 2 da club and killing ppl while we do things to their women while flossin our ill gotten gains…..its sad how artists who are truely talented with a strong message behind their songs like Bone Thugs, Lupe Fiasco, Xzibit, Nas, State Property, Wale, Boot Camp Clik, K-Rino, Immortal Technique, Eminem, The L.O.X., Obie Trice, State Quo, Bobby Creekwater, Verbal Threat, Blu, Slaughterhouse, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Z-Ro, MF Doom, MED aka Medaphor, Jedi Mind Tricks and etc. have been shunned while these idiots like the New Boys, Lil Wayne, Plies, Kanye West, Rick Ross, Lil Boosie, Birdman, Young Jeezy, Dipset, MIMS, Soulja Fag Tell Em etc. Its hard to name a lot of artists in the mainstream because its no1 will u remember 10 yrs from now and offer no talent, substance, depth, creativity and etc. its sad because nowadays u r defined as a good artists by record sales, money, popularity, how good u look, etc. and the only group of ppl of define these sorry rappers n that manner is the youngns 10 to 19, 20 yrs old and if u ever debate with them about this topic these are the only reponse u will get from them because they can’t articulate themselves intelligently and can’t break down not a artists lyrics and don’t know s**t about real rap and can’t understand real lyrics: “stop hating, they making money, they got swag, u not rich, they got money, u mad cause they on tv and radio, they selling”, not realizing not of that crap makes u a good artist,,,,luv this article its perfect and I feel exactly tha same way
You are so right. Anytime people with no talent can make millions by producing garbage while our people with real talent aren’t being heard, that’s a sad day. I listen to the “newer” music and I can’t understand why people listen to it. Especially in the south, music artist have no message. It’s all about the cars, money, and women. Nine times out of ten, you can grab any CD and give a summary of the album just by looking at the cover. We need to bring true, heartfelt music back into the game.