A common stereotype is that artists are usually very insecure people. I don’t agree. I think artists are the most brave people there are. They have to take a lot of risks and share their thoughts, feelings, and perspectives with the world. That’s not easy. Most wouldn’t dare take that path in place of one that is much more safe. Melody Ehsani is a perfect example of the courageous artist.
Yesterday jazz legend Hank Jones passed away. I don’t know his work in detail, but I’ve heard recordings he was on. He died at 91 years old. Almost 70 of those 91 years were spent having a career as a musician. So few musicians and artists can ever brag to have such a career.
Usually, the artists with the shortest shelf lives are Pop Artists. “Pop” is supposed to be short for “Popular”. Meaning, the artist is extremely well recognized. The Beatles were Pop. Bob Dylan was Pop. Stevie Wonder was Pop. Look at the original We Are The World video. All those legendary artists were considered Pop, as in popular. Their name created an instant sensation when spoken. If they were doing a show, it was going to be packed without question.
Today, Pop has become 2 things- a genre of music, and the definition of a short career. When you hear a “Pop” song, it’s clear. Sounds are distinctly mixed a certain way. It’s a formula dedicated to making the song popular. It has a generic sound that the majority of people like (or at least, they’re supposed to like). Pop also denotes the career span. When something physically “pops”, it’s a small explosion. It’s quick. Just as soon as it happens, it’s gone. The effects of it don’t really last that long. Think of the Spice Girls. Backstreet Boys. NSYNC. Britney Spears. All of those acts had a quick rise to the top, they hit hard, and then cash out. That’s what pop acts were meant to be. These days the “image” is bigger than the actual talent. If they’re really talented (and smart) they lay low for a while, maybe doing shows and concerts, until the BIG EVENT happens and they return for stardom. The media crowds around them for the drop of their album! And when the single hits, oh the rapture! Stores are flooded with fans, people screaming their name. This is the fame that most people want as an artist.
With today’s music market, Pop acts seem to be the new standard. Labels don’t have time or money to dedicate to someone to grow their career. You come out, hit hard, and if you disappear, who cares? Just go out and make that money, hoe…I mean, slave…I mean, artist.
Pop acts are the highest risk stock. You can be a popular one hit wonder. Or you can have adoring fans, a small career…or you can push into legendary status if you can sustain the game. Pop music’s generic sound is easy to recreate, that’s why so many pop acts sound similar. That’s also why it’s very hard to stand out and be remembered.
Let’s not forget the criteria- reputation, skill, fan base, and potential longevity.
-Jackson’s solo album sales in the United States skyrocketed from 10,000 copies in the week before his death to 422,000 in the week ended June 28, according to Nielsen SoundScan…During the same period, U.S. track downloads surged from about 48,000 copies to 2.6 million.
- “On Friday morning, I got out of bed and went straight to my computer to order Jackson product,” says Dedry Jones, owner of indie retailer the Music Experience in Chicago. ” I didn’t care about old price/new price. People aren’t asking price on Jackson. They are just buying it.”
By the end of 2009, 6 months after his death, he sold about 31 million worldwide. Sony and the MJ estate have plans to roll out 10 albums over the next 7 years of unreleased & remixed material. The Estate is guaranteed $200 million. I can bet they’ll get more than that. We’re just talking about albums. If we start on DVDs (movies, music videos) or any other merchandise…Oh and Jackson 5 sales.
You’re talking about a time where music is downloaded and can be gotten pretty much for free, and went 30x platinum. 40 years solid in popular music. At least 4 generations who grew up on his music, and a new generation of kids who even cried when he passed on.
He was crowned the King of Pop, and it’s gonna stay that way for a very long time.
Madonna
Her albums sales have fallen over the past few years, but that’s to be expected since you can get things for free off the net. She’s 51, and still looks good. No she can’t sing all that well, but she has more stage presence and hits than you can quantify. Her fans are NOT going anywhere any time soon. Get some good production on there, and throw her on a tour, and money is getting made. Really when I think of a pop artist as “image”, Madonna is that person. She’s been controversial. It may be time for her to consider moving on, but if she announces a “final tour”, watch all things related to Madonna spike. Get your investment money ready.
Justin Timberlake
Never thought I’d admit it, but this guy has sang with more soul and charisma than half the R&B cats out. He’s made plenty of dance hits. As long as he keeps grade A production, good writing, and doesn’t try to get too trendy, he’s a winner. At this point I think it’s time for him to mature into more emotion filled songs. Otherwise, get some Timbaland/ Neptunes production to back him, it’s gonna make hits. Get that through a whole album with some versatility, he’ll win.
Pink
In one of my earlier posts I poked some fun at Pink cause I really have never understood how she has gotten such a following to the point where just last year she sold out the Staples Center. Luckily the homie Nova put me on and sent me some of her tracks. Now I get it. She can sing. She can weave in and out of just about any style. She has attitude. Her songs have great production and a lot of emotion. Every one of her albums has been multi-platinum. She’s probably the last of the Alanis Morissette types, who sing with the kind of emotion that people believe in. She can engage the audience with an aerial acrobat show, or probably even just sing with an acoustic guitar. Makes sense to me now. Put ya money in on this one.
Medium Risk
Lady Gaga
When I asked who was the hottest pop acts on Twitter, Gaga was named the most. She can sing, play piano. It’s clear she has a base of real talent. She’s released two albums, and has reached over 1 billion views on YouTube. If you invest in the next album it’s going platinum easy. But thereafter, you’ll have to invest on a case by case basis cause her longevity is a real question to me. By her own admission, her styling is done by a team. Well most Pop acts have their images created by some kind of imaging team. If something goes wrong withing that team, or she continues looking crazy, after a while it’s just going to look absurd. Her videos have been crazy, then gotten to the point of just being confusing. She needs to switch it up. Release some heartfelt ballads. Let the audience REALLY be able to identify with you. If she drops something that forces people into a space of emotion, she will never have a fan leave her side. But until then, she only has 2 albums to show for herself and extremely fast ascension to the top of the public sphere. She lost the Album of the Year Grammy to Taylor Swift last year. Maybe that will motivate her to make some undeniable music on all fronts. If she goes away and comes back different, then she’ll be a real long term investment.
Jay-Z
After Glastonbury it’s clear, Jay-Z is now a worldwide artist. His last album had a very tight campaign that had him selling strong out the gate. Now maybe it was just me, but I wasn’t really feeling the last album. Jay has an ebb and flow where one album is great, and another is OK. He clearly has the skill, but by his own admission the albums tend to be made quickly. If he takes some serious time to craft an album, maybe even actually write down his lyrics, he can create at least 2 more masterpieces. Either way, his fan base is dedicated. Don’t let the next album be weak though, or else he’s falling straight to high risk.
Eminem
You usually have two guarantees with Eminem: He’s going to rhyme his ass off, and he’s going to go platinum. Fan base is dedicated, and skill wise no one is really matching him. I do think his psycho, drug crazed rants are going to have to come to an end. After a while the subject matter is predictable which make his albums stagnant. What’s not predictable is what the hell pattern he’ll choose to say it in. I think Em has at least 1 or two good ones left in his bag. Otherwise, he needs to find a way to reinvent himself to remain a long term investment.
Black Eyed Peas
It’s very clear what the agenda was once they reached Interscope: go Pop or die. Fergie was added for the Pop flavor, and boom…platinum plaques. Their albums as the wholesome hippie-ish, positive emcees didn’t reach platinum level…probably not even gold. Now, you’d never even think they were the same guys that did “Fallin Up”. Their last two albums still had a Hip Hop feel..now they are completely electro. Will I Am doesn’t even spin Hip Hop records when he DJs now. But the craziness of the sound and stage performances are pushing that Lady Gaga edge of surrealness, and at some point that’s going to have to come to the E.N.D. (pun intended). They seem to reinvent themselves every album, which makes you wonder what they really stand for. They have worldwide sales and plenty of endorsements thanks to Will’s business savvy. But if their next album gets gimmicky, then it might be time to pull the plug.
Kanye West
Say what you want about his character, the dude came out swinging in ’03 and has dominated the scene to the point where he was able to do a world tour in stadiums. The dude has pushed envelopes creatively. He took something as played out as autotune and reinvented it, then went back to Jay Z sayin he should make a song dissing autotune, and then put himself on the chopping block! Since the Taylor Swift fiasco, he was embarrassed terribly, even gettin called a jackass by Obama! But when it comes down to it, people are waiting to see what he’s gonna do next. He’s got a dedicated base that he has connected to emotionally, and they’re going to support him no matter what. He’ll go platinum out the gate. But lately, he’s been very strange…very kooky. Pushing that high fashion, couture, Gaga edge. I want the old Kanye back. He’s been smart, laying low, probably working hard on beats and creating a new style. I think he needs to go back to the roots of the boom bap, throw a lil twist on it, and son all the doubters. As long as he doesn’t talk too much in public he’ll be fine, otherwise, he’s got a serious balancing act to pull.
High Risk
Justin Bieber
Every record labels dream. A teeny bop sensation. A cute, prepubescent boy who can sing and dance..and he’s White!? Cha-ching! Trending topic on Twitter everyday. He’s had one EP, and one full album. Well cash in and cash RIGHT OUT. The EP and album have gone Platinum each. That’s cool. But by the time he makes another album, his demographic will have gotten older, which means half of them will lose interest once he’s no longer cool. Then he’ll have to face the other trials that plague child singers if he wants a career: voice changing and looks changing. Then he’s gonna have to have great production, great promotion, singles that catch fire, and all that from here on out. Just put some money on him now so that his next album will do well, take the money, and run. If there’s one mistake on his next album, he’ll be chopped to bits.
Taylor Swift
Taylor was also named as being hot along with Gaga. Well yes she won a Grammy over Gaga last year, but I don’t think she has the true respect. She’s been around since ’06. Albums have gone platinum. Bob Lefsetz is a guy with great insight on the industry. He wrote frequently how industry insiders said she couldn’t sing. Taylor reached out to Lefsetz and defended her authenticity. He stepped back, talked to her, and even said he really believe in her heart. But it was clear during the Grammys this year, Taylor really can’t sing well. For someone who’s such a sensation (which especially happened after the Kanye incident), she didn’t have all that much concrete talent to prove it. Her next album will have to be blazing or else Gaga fans will have her head. She better be gettin serious vocal lessons and work her fingers to the bone on that guitar, cause she has a lot to prove.
Mariah Carey
There are very few women singers who have captured people like Mariah. She can still sing pretty well, at least on record. Not sure about her live shows. Somehow she keeps making catchy singles that get radio play, but they all sound the same. Her sounds seem to have the same format. She should get back on some ballads, some soulful singing without straining her voice. All that extra high note stuff, forget it. Get to the basics, and sing with soul and emotion. She’s been in the game for about 20 years now though, so it shows she’s had longevity already. Otherwise, her sales seem to drop every year. I think its because she’s trying too hard to stay in step with the young audience. She needs to try something different. Try Jazz like Christina Aguillera did? *shrug*
Janet Jackson
She’s had almost 30 years in the game already. Her longevity may be up now. She’s one of the first to really define going from young good girl, to bad girl, to sexy diva. When that Velvet Rope tour hit the world, she set the new standard for sensuality. You couldn’t deny it. Is she a great singer? No, but she can at least carry a tune. I mean, are you gonna tell me that “Anytime, Anyplace” is bad singing? I doubt it. But as it went along her sales started diminishing. Once she got with Jermain Dupri she was tryin to be hip. Wasn’t working. She doesn’t have the chops to sing ballads. She should maybe focus back on the Dance and Electro scene (without autotune), hit another album with that, do a tour for her fans (she can still put on a show), and maybe start discovering talent. Aside from that, I think people have largely lost interest.
Beyonce
Her singing is great. Yes, she can dance. But the diva thing is starting to wear off. She has a fan-base for sure. But lately it’s like she doesn’t know where to go next. She goes from Beyonce, to Sasha Fierce, to Honey Bee, to BB Homemaker. She needs to pick a lane. Let’s not forget that when B’Day debuted it didn’t receive very good reviews. She tried to take on being the writer (which is Solange’s forte in my opinion) and producer, and it was completed in just 3 weeks. So they went to release a “deluxe” edition. I think if she wants to change things up, she should do a Destiny’s Child reunion. Get to singing some ballads. And not ballads like Halo. I mean instrumental ballads that compete with Susan Boyle, and release them as singles. She’s entertaining, but I don’t see her setting a standard for music. Her next album should be done with care and dedication to connecting to the audience and being musically creative. At this point she seems like she mimics what’s she’s shown. She needs to blaze musical trails.
Mary J Blige
Mary has come a long way. At this point, she is a pop artist. Almost 20 years in. That’s serious. But her albums have fallen in sales each year. Her last album didnt do very well because the lead singles sounded generic. Autotune? Mary needs to stop trying to be hip. And, I’m sure she meant well, but she stepped way out of her lane by trying to cover Whole Lotta Love and Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. Very bad idea. Let’s get back to some soulful, emotional Mary. Otherwise, she only has one more chance to get it right.
Chris Brown
If there were ever an heir to the Michael Jackson throne, it coulda been him. His dancing and performing skills were impeccable. Good looking guy, wholesome persona in public. Great songs. Very good singing voice. And then…well, we all know what happened. Many have forgiven him, and many have turned him into a joke. His last album had dismal sales and even worse reviews. And someone out there made a terrible PR decision to have him sing at boxing match. Right at the height of his fame it all shattered to pieces. He’s going to have to do amazing musical and image work too shed that off of him. Until then…
Rihanna
Rihanna may have a better chance than Chris because she was the victim in the domestic incident, so that works in her image favor. The image of her battered face shocked the nation and immediately people wanted to hope that she would transcend the incident. But when her singles leaked, they were lackluster. She had 2 songs from her last album that struck big, with Rude Boy getting a lot of spins. Aside from that , what else does she have? The pop appeal is wearing off. She’s now doing the extra sexy, rebellious thing. She doesn’t really have much else to fall back on besides her sex appeal, and after a while it seems like she’s trying too hard. Let’s not forget the nude pics that ruined any image left of her “innocence”. If she does actually care about the music, she may fair better focusing on that than anything else. Otherwise, even she is still stained by the night between her and Chris Brown.
Whitney Houston
Her moniker was “The Voice”.
Please watch.
To be fair, this is an excerpt of her 7min performance of the song, the rest of which wasn’t as bad; but, for her to be that bad like a below average amateur!? I’m not going to get into any drug jokes. It’s actually sad and embarrassing to see how hard she’s trying to fight through that part of the song. She needs to call it quits. Any further investment in her career is a waste of money. It’s terrible to see such talent fall from grace without a redeeming comeback. This is a dedicated artist’s worst nightmare. Granted, it was self induced through her use of drugs, but a similar fall like this can happen to anyone. A freak accident. Straining your voice. Wear and tear on your faculties over time. A disease. It can be taken away from you and then you are a completely different person. This isn’t comedy, it’s tragedy at its worst.
When people think of being a star, they want to really be a pop star. Get on the couch with Oprah. Get to the point where their name is a recognized brand. At that point you aren’t just an artist, you’re a corporation. Everything you do reflects you as a person and everything under you. But being a pop star as a career is very hard to manage. Someone like Justin Beiber can have his entire career come to an end before he even hits college. Depending on how well his contracts, sales, and shows are, he could make some millions; but, he still has years and years ahead of him to make that money stretch. Chris Brown is barely 22, and before his third album came out his career was staring at completion. This is a high stakes game, where if stardom is your aim, you may not be able to enjoy it much longer than it started. You may have a few million to last you if you’re lucky, but you’ll have to do all you can to make it work. When talking about his career as a comedian, Steve Harvey asked a question to an audience: Would you rather have a great hot meal every Christmas, or a good warm meal everyday? Hank Jones’ name may not be recognized all over the earth, but he didn’t have to stop playing music for over 70 years. He probably could have if he wanted to, I’m sure he was living ok. But he had an entire career he could be dedicated to. Those in the low risk category here have an undeniable quality of talent and presence that keeps their longevity. Many acts now are aiming at pop stardom. As I said earlier, “pop” already speaks of how your career may go.
The last stock post got interesting feedback. Not everyone agreed with the assessments when it came to rappers, but that’s fine. As I said, a lot of this is based on only my perspective anyway.
When it came to R&B artists I asked folks on Twitter who they thought are the hottest R&B acts now. Within less than a minute, I had two people say the exact same thing:
No one. R&B is dead.
The term “Hip Hop is dead” has been dominating the scene since Nas released his album by the same name. And ever since then the average consumer and artist goes back and forth on that sentiment. But the immediacy that people said “R&B is dead” kinda caught me off guard. I know some friends have said that around me, but I’ve only heard it within my circle of friends, not outside of that.
But with the idea of R&B being “dead” in a way this presents a great opportunity for artists (if they are great of course) to sweep up fans and those who are missing out on what great R&B music is. Afterall, auto-tune can’t compare to the emotion that comes out of the natural voice of a great singer.
Contrary to some belief, there’s really a lot of R&B acts to talk about. But before we do, let’s remember the criteria I’m using: reputation, skill, fan base, and potential longevity.
LOW RISK
Erykah Badu- She’s been in the game for a while now. Her latest video did stir controversy, but the album overall was phenomenal. She has respect as a great writer, singer, and performer. Shes’ pretty much the total package. Invest in her, you’re guaranteed sales.
Maxwell- A lot of people went back and forth on how much they liked his last album, but bottom line, he’s sold out shows all over the place and still has the ability to create quality music. I think in comparison to his other works and the amount of time it took for him to come out, people we’re expecting a complete paradigm shift. But in a way, I think he did bring back real romance from the male perspective. And he has dedicated fans, and about to team up with Jill Scott on a tour. Money is going to be made. Trust.
Jill Scott- Again, longevity, great albums, skill, great performances, great voice. Teaming with Maxwell is going to remind folks wasup, get her some more sales, then I’m sure a new album will be soon to follow.
Sade- She went platinum, almost just because of who she is. Many weren’t as fond of her last album, but probably because they were comparing it to her previous works. She’s 51 and her looks put many girls half her age to shame. Her songs are heartfelt, great production, great writing. She may cater more to an older crowd, but I’ve seen quite a few young people dig into her music because they’ve been craving something with heart and soul. She’s been in the game for years, and even if she releases an album another 8 years from now, people will buy it.
Keyshia Cole- She is the new Mary J Blige. She speaks from the perspective of the regular woman. She’s not extra diva-ish. Her previous 3 albums (3 albums already?!) have each gone platinum. If her next album is made with care and quality, she will go platinum again. She may not be the best singer, but she gets the job done.
Miguel Jontel- I’ve met this guy and chopped it up with him on a few small occasions. He has the true heart of an artist. He has a great voice, and has been writing for lots of other people (some of whom are on this list…hope he doesn’t get mad). He currently has a song with UNI and J Cole that have been getting radio spins out here. Give this guy a good team of producers and good promo, he’s sure to catch fire. He also has a dedicated fan base of people and can sell out some shows. Great content, great singing, and he’s been doin his thing for a while. You better get his rookie card.
J Davey- Technically they aren’t R&B but being that they are Black and Miss Jack sings, that’s how they will probably be most often listed. But that’s the thing, they have a different identity from your standard R&B act. Think of a futuristic Groove Theory with a slightly retro sound, and punk rock edge. Stir in a little sensuality and, voila! At least that’s how I think, but there’s lot of ways to define them. Great fresh sound. They have an extremely dedicated fan base all over the U.S. They got this.
Eric Roberson- He seems to cater more toward the older crowd, but seriously…this guy can freestyle a great R&B tune. This is what he does. He does have a dedicated base too. Give him some more shine, he could be considered one of the greatest.
Dwele- Very dedicated base. Plays just about every instrument. Great melodies. Great show. It’s in the bag. Definitely one of the greatest of our time. I thought Flashing Lights with Kanye was going to push him more into the mainstream, but he needs some more promo backing.
Prince- Don’t forget, this guy can still pull a girl half his age while wearing high heels. Dedicated fan base since the early 80′s. Sells out 3 shows in half an hour. Plays all the instruments. He’s such an investment that he doesn’t need you to invest in him. He’ll do it on his own, and probably make more money than any artist on any label today. Are his current albums Purple Rain? No. But that doesn’t mean that he isn’t still making good stuff. We want him to be what he was, but he’s gonna be who he wants to be. Trust me. People are going to look back on his catalog and wish they had invested more time in him.
MEDIUM RISK
Janelle Monae- It kinda stings to put her in medium risk because I’m a fan of hers. She also has a dedicated fan base. But from a financial perspective, is she a guaranteed return on investment? Hard to say. And it’s only hard to say because it seems like someone (not naming names) has been messing up her promotion. I haven’t seen any of her vids on BET or MTV. I don’t hear her on regular radio. I don’t hear her getting played at any parties. I was at a club over a year ago, and the DJ played one her tracks. A few people went to the DJ and asked “Who’s this?”. There’s no denying her power, but why haven’t we seen more of her? She needs to be performing on SNL or Jimmy Fallon, post haste! She has beauty, song writing ability, and her live show is bananas. Unique style. She has it all. Her album comes out next week and I’m definitely going to purchase. I’m rooting for her.
(*A lot of people don’t agree with Janelle being lower than Keyshia. Yes, Janelle has more singing skills than Keyshia. But who has the bigger fan base? Who’s name is more known? Trust me I’m all about skills, but if a person were running a label, Keyshia would get the bigger budget starting off. Like I said, I’m a Monae fan, but right now Janelle is a bigger risk in comparison. I hope her forthcoming album turns that around, but she’s gonna need more promo to do that. Janelle may have 20K hardcore fans, but Keyshia probably has about 200K.)
The Dream- I haven’t gotten into his music really but there’s no doubt that this guy can write a catchy tune. His voice sounds as though he may use auto-tune though. I have never really heard of anyone going to his live show. I don’t know how dedicated his base is, because if he were to stop gettin radio play, would people still buy his album or go seem him live? Not sure. There is also a certain quality about him that gives him a “super producer” type feel, meaning that he can produce and work with anyone. But at the same time, a super producer doesn’t mean they transcend getting played out. If he can find more versatility, then he’s got it packed.
Trey Songz- I really liked his tracks Gotta Go and Gotta Make It. He has a great voice, and the ladies love him. At this point with Say Aah and Invented Sex, he’s kinda gotten on the less mature side. Not to say that R&B has to have certain content, but bragging about how well you can sex a girl or popping bottles makes you sound like the singing version of every Hip Hop song. He also has been sounding more like R. Kelly lately. But, his debut on Unplugged definitely shows that he can thrive with a band, which I think he should use more of.
HIGH RISK
T-Pain- This guy has turned into a caricature of himself. If he doesn’t stop using auto-tune, his days are severely numbered. Granted, he used it better than most, but it’s gotten ridiculous at this point. His songwriting is also catchy but fairly juvenile and easy to imitate. He needs to try something else.
Usher- When Confessions came out it was as if he could do no wrong. At this point with stuff like OMG, it has some people saying “WTF?”. He was one artist that really pushed the envelope and now he’s trying to fit in with a “younger” sound. It’s time for him to pick a lane and stick with it.
D’Angelo- Easily one of the greatest R&B male acts of my generation, and he fell way into the hole of addiction. It’s very clear that there is something troubling him, and it doesn’t seem like anyone can quite put their finger on it. He’s the troubled artist. But people still love him and his music. Get him back on his feet and he could rule the world. But with all the controversy and trouble, it’s gonna take some work. It also took him quite a while to come with an album between Brown Sugar to Voodoo because he’s a perfectionist. You have to invest a lot of money on studio time and give him lots of breathing room. I hope he makes it, but until he gets steady on his feet, he’s a high risk.
Alicia Keys- Yep. At this point she’s become predictable. Her voice has always divided people as to whether she has the chops. It’s made painfully clear that she plays the piano since they always have her on a damn piano in every video! But with each album the quality seems to drop. The song writing is generic. Me and some friends sat and listened to her last album, and literally every track had the melody of another song we knew. Empire State of Mind was a saving grace, but on her own she really needs to step it up. At this point, her image seems to over-shadow her actual talent. She was sold to us as a virtuoso, and I’m having a hard time believing that. Her next album is the test, and if it fails, she needs to move along.
Ray J./ Brandy- These two have a lot of eyes on them because of the reality show(s) but without some real vocal coaching, great writing, great producers, great videos, and ample time to get their overall skill together, they’re not getting taken seriously. And if Brandy really moves to rapping as Brand Nu? Nah son. Somehow Ray J has maintained his one hit wonder ability. He’s dodged a lot of bullets, but he’s not bullet proof. Not sure how dedicated their fan-base is, but with the amount of time it would take for them each to make a great album, there’s no telling if they will keep people’s attention. Their albums both better be flawless.
R. Kelly- He should stick to producing and writing. The man is very crazy. His publicity has gone to dirt. Don’t try putting him back on the mainstream.
Jerimih- What’s that song he came out with after Birthday Sex?…Exactly.
Overall, I think R&B is missing more voices from a younger generation, and many of the current R&B songs in heavy rotation are lust filled, and are using auto-tune. R&B is falling in line with Hip Hop because not many people feel they have to take the genre seriously. What the game also needs are solid male and female groups. Providing a range of vocals and sound, adding textures and layers to the music. People seem to forget that having a team can produce great results. The R&B game is pretty wide open for new blood though.
Next week, the highest risk of them all… POP ARTISTS!
By now you’ve all seen or heard about Erykah Badu’s video for Window Seat. If not, please have at it.
In What’s The Point, I talked about Estelle’s & Lady Gaga/Beyonce’s latest videos. Now, it’s a free country, but after a while you begin to ask “What’s the point?”; meaning, is there ever a purpose behind what the artists are doing and the decisions they’re making?
Well here comes Erykah with Window Seat.
At the beginning of the video she says “Inspired by Matt and Kim” which is referring to this video.
Let’s look at all the things Erykah chose to do: The route of the Kennedy assassination. Taking off clothes in public. The “character” having “evolving” on her back. The character being assassinated. “Groupthink” spilling out of the head. Her monologue.
As Erykah says, the concept was to discuss the idea of “Groupthink“, an idea that states how the masses will follow an idea without critically analyzing their own individual decisions. After I read her explanation, I got the point. Many feel that a piece of art should explain itself without having to be explained. I don’t think that’s being fair, and asking for an easy way out.
Then I thought, what does “groupthink” have to do with the song?
“Can I get a window seat? Don’t want nobody next to me.”
Anytime I ask for a window seat, it’s because I want the option to not talk to people and to be to myself. In this instance, she could be saying she doesn’t want to be infected by other people’s thoughts.
Why the taking off of clothes? What’s the most common form of groupthink we engage in? Clothes. We all put on our clothes because it’s not “appropriate” to be naked in public. We can be naked in our own homes, sometimes around family, but never around strangers. Many people were concerned with kids being around. Don’t we usually find it cute when kids are naked, even in public? So would a kid really care? Not until he or she is told “You can’t do that.”
I’m not making a case for all nudists here, I’m just saying, the entire message seems consistent. I don’t have to stray far to put parts together.
But what I find most interesting is the discussion of nudity and the female body.
Let’s get this out the way: Erykah Badu got ass. It was definitely talked about, especially amongst men. I even told a few of my homies “Yo, you gotta see the Erykah video. She got ASS.”
I had a friend tell me a few weeks ago he was going to stop watching (at least as much) pornography as before because he started to realize how it was keeping him from looking at women as equally human. He would look at women sexually and think of what he would do to them like in the films. Media and representation create a type of “groupthink” of it’s own.
Erykah is not being sexual in the video. The nudity is censored. But men (and plenty of women) looked at her in a sexual way because she was getting nude. We equate nudity with sex. An act that should be done in private. How mature is that really?
I’m all for having some things in private places of course, but is this really an act of desperation to sell more albums? Have we really gotten that cynical?
If a man were to walk naked down the street in the same video, would we be saying the same thing? I doubt it. I’m willing to bet that if a man were to disrobe in public, people would ask for his motives. If a woman does it, people say, “She’s desperate.”
Let’s not start about it being a black woman, with a black woman shape. We don’t have time to get that deep.
Most of the comments I’ve seen do seem to be positive. A lot of women commend how she looks after having three kids, her bravery, and many women began to evaluate their own bodies. But there’s lots who are still throwing in ideas of negativity, even after her explanations. It’s the assassination off film into real life.
I’ve seen plenty snark, like: “Yeah. Real creative.”
Or , “Ok, so what’s the SOLUTION to groupthink? You pose the question but don’t give an answer.”
…So her getting us to discuss it isn’t enough huh?
It seems like a lot of people are talking more about everything except the point.
As an artist myself, I’m pretty liberal when it comes to artistic expression. I like when things get shaken up. Art to me isn’t just entertaining your senses. It can be rebellious.
But there have been a few videos recently that make me really ask: What’s the point!?
Estelle for example. I had heard about her new video for Freak, people saying she was in blackface. I was wondering if folks were exaggerating, but you tell me…
I had to ask one of my friends who’s a stylist and highly into fashion, what is it about putting people in black make up these days? She didn’t even know…I mean just look…
I don’t know about the girl in the American Apparel ad on the left, but Lara Stone on the right is definitely a white woman. I guess I could dismiss the Black make-up if it seemed like there was a point to all this. Why put a white person in black make-up? Furthermore, why put a Black, dark skinned person like Estelle in Black make up and red lipstick, which are clearly reminiscent of minstrel images? Does Estelle represent the “Blackness” of space in the video? I guess…but her hair is lighter than her face and looks fairly nappy. Then a few seconds later, her hair is straighter, like she’s in a short cut wig. So…it doesn’t seem consistent…I don’t get it. What’s the point!?
I find it hard to believe that no one asked anyone working on that video, “Um…is Estelle in blackface?”
And then Beyonce and Lady Gaga…Just watch the video first.
Ok so….what was that?
She goes to a high fashion, weird jail…gets naked…kisses a girl…gets bailed out by Beyonce…they kill people…and then they’re Thelma & Louise.
So does the jail mean something? What does a Telephone have to do with all that? Did you see the random product placement?! What?! What the hell!? WHAT’S THE POINT!?
Please don’t tell me this is “female empowerment”. That’s like me saying I’m wearing blackface and cooning in my next video to dismiss stereotypes.
News flash: Ladies, if you want to bring more female empowerment, then being overtly sexual and exaggerating the objectification of women won’t work in your favor. If anything, you should go in the other direction. You can’t always fight fire with fire, you fight fire with water.
At first, I kinda dug Lady Gaga. I wouldn’t buy her music, but I liked that she was shaking things up and she (or her camp at least) was taking risks. She could sing, I dug her story as paying dues (that is, if her story is actually real). But since she’s come on the scene, it seems like being outlandish is trendy. It’s more of a way to be seen than to actually make a statement. As my girl Vashluv said about Lady Gaga, “What’s your message? What are you saying?…That’s cute, it’s creative, but what are you preaching?”. And Beyonce…It seems like she just mimics whoever she’s with. I’m actually surprised she decided to do a video like this. I’d figure she’d worry about it ruining her “brand”.
When we view a piece of “art” we’re not just looking at it for how it entertains us, but we are also reacting to a set of decisions. Why was the story told that way? Furthermore, what are you saying? What is your point?
And if you don’t have a point…
…then what’s the point?
UPDATE: The director of the video provides an explanation of the video here juxtaposed to someone’s reading of the “symbolism”. The director sums it up in the following:
“For us it was a little action movie with a made-up, crazy story,” Akerlund said. “You don’t have to be so deep about things. For me music videos are about entertaining and bringing out the music and the artist. The form itself allows you to be creatively free. I am a little weird and a little untraditional in how and why I tell stories in music videos. But I enjoy the fact that people go deep and see things in my work because it means the music got out there and got some attention.”
So basically, the video isn’t meant to have any special meaning, just quirky. *shrugs*
A common stereotype is that artists are usually very insecure people. I don’t agree. I think artists are the most brave people there are. They have to take a lot of risks and share their thoughts, feelings, and perspectives with the world. That’s not easy. Most wouldn’t dare take that path in place of one that is much more safe. Melody Ehsani is a perfect example of the courageous artist.
