I like taking MARTA to work. Why? I can relax, read and chill before I go to that uncontrolled chaos called work each day.
But one recent morning train ride got my gears to grinding. A guy was sitting there, with his headphones on, listening to music. Actually we all were because this fool wants to go deaf one day and has his music up way too loud and really hopes we all will be witnesses to this internal assault.
Anyway, he's listening to this rap song. So, me being a TRUE rap/hip-hop fan, I'm listening(anybody born after 1985 has to convince me they REALLY understand the music because after being subjected to horrible music all of their lives, I don't think they have a clue).
What the song was, I have no idea. But I know this: it wasn't a song. It was a track consisting of a beat some idiot came up with, fell in love with and called it a song. Probably thought it was a hit. It was a bunch of shit.
The lyrics, well, they were typical of today's rap and a majority of so-called contemporary R&B. Apparently there is a rule where each "song" has to have these elements: at least one reference to a club; the word swag or swagger; something about either champagne or whatever drink is in vogue at that particular moment; the term shawty and a reference to some money, either legally or illegally gained.
I left out a few, but that's it. That's the song. Or so-called song. Put it all together, work entirely too long on a hook or chant and you too can be part of the train wreck called the black music industry.
And they think illegal downloading is sinking the music industry.
Here is the problem. I love rap and hip/hop and I love technology. But the marriage of the two has made it waay too easy for those who lack proper training, the patience to learn just what music is and, hell, talent, to get into an industry they have NO business being in. And that includes those who call themselves songwriters, producers and musicians.
For those small-minded idiots who think I'm bashing everyone in black music, I say, stop reading this because you are absolutely stupid. I'm a HUGE Jay-Z fan; the person who created Mary Mary's song "God In Me" is a freakin genius and the Ledisis and Mary J. Bliges of the world bring hope to R&B. There are lots of examples of great talent in the business. But the black music industry is dominated by no talent bums with names like Waka Flocka and others who are telling you to make a million dollars by having my baby. What the hell is that?
(and if I hear one more nursery rhyme sounding keyboarded song that sounds like something from a Casio keyboard from 1986, I am going to scream)
Note to the black music industry: If you want people to buy CDs again -- and I mean actually buy the real deal, entire CD -- stop playing to the lowest common denominator and start finding quality artists who put out quality songs, no matter the genre. Think its already happening now? Well, just go to the Billboard top 50 Hip-Hop/R&B song charts and Google the lyrics for each song. The majority of what you'll see is ignorant madness, along with the sour soup of the essential song elements that I mentioned earlier.
There has to be a change. My ears can't take anymore as I head to work.
Until then, I will agree with Jeff "Tain" Watts' character in "Mo Betta Blues" when his band mate was talking about a new artist he was listening to on HIS headphones:
"That shit is sad."
