Music for many is an escape. When people listen to music, they choose that music because there’s something within it that resonates with them. The poetry of another person’s soul leaked onto paper and into our ears. There has been a question thrown around in the music industry a lot lately, and that question is if music these days is based more on the popularity of and artist than actual talent. It seems like everyone wants to become a rapper. Rapping about things they have never experienced. I’ve herd the common mentality if you become a rapper, you get the girls, money, and the fame. This seems crazy to the people that create music to vent or have a deep-seated passion for it.
“Once full melodic rap was introduced, it allowed less lyrical acts to thrive. If you really look at it, these kids don’t have a true R&B genre like we did in the 90’s. They are filling in for it.”
“Rap has always been a popularity contest. It just looks different now because you see the outcome every day on social media.”
Da Inphamus Amadeuz
New York, NY
But what happens to music if anyone can create chaos and make record sales because of it. We aren’t too far from the beginning in the days of the Boogie Down Bronx. The only difference now is that technology has brought us to a point to reach our audience on a global scale. Every day is full sensationalism. Did the artist do something completely crazy to get attention or does this artist really have talent? It seems these days to some of the bigger record labels that artists are expendable. They insure the artist that way no matter what happens they get their money. It seems most could care less. They don’t care if artists are destroying their life with drugs or behavior. This behavior only draws more attention to the artist which makes the record label more money! It seems like it’s now normal to start some chaos or create some drama when an album is about to be dropped.
It’s a little bit of both, but more on the popularity side. Now labels are looking at social media numbers that can easily be falsified. If you have more followers than the next person, you are considered a popular person first before your talent is discovered. Talent has really taken a back seat to popularity.
Khujo Goodie – Goodie Mob
Atlanta, GA
It seems like there are a lot more artists going independent. Stepping away from record companies. Being independent can make for a slow start. But you control the narrative. You decide what you do. With record labels you have to read the fine prints, fine print. Even a person with knowledge of legalities can get lost in the verbiage. This takes months or even years. The record labels are buying your followers and your 15 minutes of fame by dangling a check over your head. Unfortunately for many young artists that is the most money they have ever seen. They lack advisors and mentors that are not in their pocket. In this game it’s all about the investment in yourself. Some of the most successful artists got their because they have hustle. Even artists doing ridiculous things have made a hustle of it.
Hustle beats talent when talent doesn’t hustle
100% of the time!
Tana 10 Birdz
Denver, CO
Talent only gets you so far. Some of the most successful artists paid their way into rooms with closed doors. They knew one way, hustle and grind. Social media has brought us to a place of a worldwide popularity contest. People are addicted to likes, follows and the attention. For this, social media platforms are rewarding artists with pennies. People will humiliate others and themselves for five minutes of fame. As people who love and appreciate music, we should all make strides to keeping its authenticity. To not allow the circus or the violence. We need to get back to music with a message. Keeping it from becoming controlled by the wrong people. To guide the younger generations through stubbornness and bad decisions. Let them know we have not arrived gently and help mentor them to a longer destiny. You cannot call yourself truly call yourself a master of your craft if you’re guiding the youth the wrong way.
Article By Angie Kirsch