MOG - Jfree's Posts

Wake Up Call: "J*Davey's manifesto to the music industry (swipe)"

Jfree — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 08:24:59 GMT

couldn't have said it better myself...

taken from Jack Davey's blog (http://reinventingjackdavey.blogspot.com/)

"lights out !" : an open letter to the record industry & the idiots who work for the fascist regime .
read this out loud!

this is intended for all of you lowly puppets who sit in your big offices in big buildings that will soon be out of business & thus, forced to hold vacant memories of an industry that once was. this is for all of the big wigs in suits & ties who sit at the head of the conference room table with creative opinions as empty as the "music" they force down the throats of the now bored & uninspired creative consumers. this is for all the idle assistants who only work hard enough to get their names on the grammy party lists, or whose only existence remains obsolete if he/she can't get into the hot new band's hollywood show debut. this is for the borderline retarded a&r guy who should in fact abandon his dreams of changing the failing record industry to become a highly paid talent scout at a modeling agency. this is definitely for all the marketing low lives who fail to avidly push great talent because the world's fave reality slut randomly decided one day while botoxing her armpits that she wants to be a rockstar.

yes.
this open letter is for all of you.
come feast your eyes upon the truth behind your insolence for 5 minutes, if you even have your job for that much longer.

your blatant lack of respect & worship for the oldest & dearest artform has brought a once thriving & artistic industry to a grinding halt. your willingness to believe that the world wide web has killed the consumers' thirst for new & exciting talent is wildly ignorant & safe. you would like to feed into this stupidity because you are too lazy to stand behind substance; you'd rather take the low & easy road than take the time to nurture true talent. you'd rather tirelessly feed us the same carbon copied, lip synching, sex dripping, faux punk "i got my entire outfit from hot topic" rocker, buffoonishly ghetto "are they even speaking english?" hip hop, "same old same" sound from song to song type image & force us to believe that this is all the world's artists have to offer. you'd rather watch your company stocks & yearly record sales severely plummet than take strong initiative to fix the current problem. you'd rather see hundreds of employees laid off & out of work during the holidays because you're too afraid to stand up for something new & different. you're content with creating a 1-hit wonder society, where any idiot with anything shockingly catchy can enjoy a sorry 15 minutes of fame & a future segment on vh1's "biggest 1-hit wonders of 08" extravaganza.

where is the new generation of legends?

beyonce & alicia keys are old shoe ins. r kelly, sure, but his personal dramas easily overshadow his genius. radiohead & outkast comes to mind, & then i draw a big blank.

the latest thrill in music has been an over abundance of great dancers with mediocre voices, albums, singles, concert ticket sales, etc. thank god the internet allows every joe blow in the universe a free forum to overexpose every little thing , especially mediocre celebrities. thank god for online music forums, such as myspace. artists are able to directly connect with the people & expose themselves & their art to everyone everywhere at the click of a button. myspace proves that music can no longer fit into a box. long gone are the days of urban vs pop vs alternative radio. gwen stefani had hit songs for years on the pop & alt charts, but she records a song written by pharrell & she's instantly on top of the urban charts as well. this new r&b dance pop music crosses over to white kids & that kelly clarkson "since you've been gone" song was smeared across the lips of many a young black girl last year. m i a is all over the indie alternative stations, & lets not even get started on gnarls barkeley.

all signs point to the obvious: true music consumers right now are a ) young, & b) smart. young kids are able to point & click their way to every new trend. they arguably have short attention spans & they want to be in on what's cool & personable to them. when madonna emerged in the '80s you had tons of girls around the world imitating her every move & style down to the mole. kurt cobain turned grunge commercial when he was exposed to millions of kids who felt like society's outsiders looking in. hip-hop has been a huge influence on mainstream culture since the early '80s because of it's relativity. kids have not changed. young people are not mindless robots who like what you tell them to like with no opinions. the youth are always looking to be enthralled.

they want to be entertained. they want to feel as though they are a part of something that will be written about, studied, & revered 20 years later. they, like all of us old & young alike, want to be inspired. when i was a kid i saw prince prance around on stage & dazzle people with his art & i felt inspired to do the same thing. why are you music industry idiots attempting to tell us that we don't want to be touched? why are you trying to rob us of new musical experiences? will there ever be another motown 25/michael jackson moonwalk experience? will we never again hear a single like queen's "bohemian rhapsody" on the radio because the hook isn't catchy enough? will we never see another band like the talking heads & joy division or parliament? will there never be another artist to rival frank zappa? will we be forced to hear different versions of the same dumb song on every single radio station every 5 minutes simply because the record label had enough money to pay off the station manager? are we still supposed to care about mtv when there are hardly any videos in rotation? do i even need to mention b e t or v h 1? are any of the classic record industry outlets working these days? as of late it seems that artists are independently breaking ground with their own efforts. songs are being licensed for national commercials from artists' myspace pages & personal websites. ellen degeneres has been known to book musical guests from videos seen on youtube, & as i aforementioned, gnarls barkeley not only created a new genre, but they also won grammy awards for an album that was recorded in home studios & released through an indie label.

why should artists even seek major label deals? they are completely outdated & obsolete. artists are sold the dream that talent can secure superstardom, but it becomes evident that labels only sign bands nowdays because of the band's existing fanbase & record sales , or because they dig the artist's look & want to cash in. they don't want to develop the art . they don't want the artist to express his/herself entirely . they just want the artist to comply with what will get the company a big monetary return . they sign you for millions , pimp you for pennies , then drop you a year later when the music they made you record & release is no longer relevant . you're left on the streets unsigned & irrelevant & ready to infect the world with the music you've always wanted to make , but no one will take a chance on you due to your previous material . meanwhile , the label has already put white out over your signature on the slave deal & replaced it with a younger version of you . cold game , ain't it?

the age old model is failing . as an industry based on faithful consumers you have lost your connection with the people who matter most : the PEOPLE . you have yet to show them that you are with the changing times & able to adapt to something new . you are proving that you are too afraid to promote good music . you would rather let the monotonous drone of what is today's music remain unbalanced by substance . you would rather watch more legendary artists abandon you for direct deals with itunes & touring companies . you would rather allow the internet to defeat what should be your life's work . maybe you should excuse yourself from the next a&r meeting to go take a look in the bathroom mirror . stand there & ask yourself why you took this job , & when you realize it's simply because you wanted to be cool & "in the mix" then return to the conference room , take that gun out of your pocket , & shoot yourself in the head in front of your coworkers so that you are made an example of . if you can in fact leave that conference room & look in the bathroom mirror with pride & hunger to break the monotony then head back into that conference room , jump on top of the table & read this manifesto .

this is a challenge .
we're calling your bluff .
record labels are nothing but banks that give artists hi price loans in exchange for artistic control . put your money where your cocks are . go out on a limb & support real music for a change . find the line where the internet & the real world meet & infect more people with something magical . start building more legends . it's almost too late . interscope is dead . def jam is next . motown who ? mca what ? warner , you're not too far behind . the war sirens are ringing & you're content with playing deaf & dumb .
we're calling your bluff !
we're here to reprogram how you & the rest of the world listen to music .
we can do this together , or you can stick to your own devices & peril in the process .
we are the people . we are the future . we are the present.
who are you ?

copy this , paste this , & repost it wherever you see fit . email it to those who you believe can benefit from somethin like this . this is from the heart in jerry maguire "who's comin with me?" fashion . lets open our eyes , our ears , & our hearts . lets stop standin for the bullshit & start demandin these idiots to take charge & make change . substance has the right to be heard . support real shit & start takin it to the streets !

c'mon people.
it's 2008 . diddy killed music in 94 . it's time for some better shit.

pass it on . . .

second PPP album coming this spring,
stay tuned to http://www.bling47.com for exclusive sneak previews & info.

http://www.myspace.com/waajeedandthebling47group

Just found out 'bout Hip Hop Thursdays

Jfree — Fri, 11 May 2007 05:31:11 GMT

...so here's my 1st post for the topic.

Many emcees have employed the metaphor of a woman to represent many different things. From the culture of Hip Hop itself (Common: I Used to Love H.E.R.) to the act/feeling of smoking a blunt (One Be Lo: Dro), the image of a woman has always seemed to be a natural analogy for many artists to speak on those things they feel most passionate about. I feel them though...nothing else is quite as moving/inspiring like the love of a good woman!

The following song by the Native Guns, however, takes this metaphor to new heights. Anyone familiar with the crew knows that their music is grounded in the Filipina/o American experience and thus, much of their art is based upon the personal, local, and global issues of the Philippines and Filipina/os worlwide. Listen closely and you will become enlightened as to how eloquently these emcees paint the Philippines as a woman scourned by a difficult and painful history of colonization, immigration, and national torment. Not to be left to struggle, however, Kiwi and Bambu both 'promise' to continue fighting for the upliftment and eventual freedom of their beloved Motherland.

Simply put, this is a beautiful example of passionate love for not only one's art, but their roots and culture as well.

Peace Ya'll!

Another Bataan Gem

Jfree — Wed, 09 May 2007 18:56:04 GMT

I just heard this song for the 1st time recently and realized that it is in the background of a very funny skit from a classic and popular Hip Hop album released in the mid-late 90s. Anyone recognize it? Blast this post and put up the track if you got it!!!

Flippin' through the crates of History

Jfree — Wed, 09 May 2007 18:46:22 GMT

So I have recently been preparing and researching material for a lesson plan I will teach at City College of San Francisco entitled, "Flippin the Skript: Hip Hop and the Filipina/o American Experience." Along with providing my students with a general overview on the History of Hip Hop and its birth in the South Bronx, I aim to present them also with an understanding of how Filipina/o Americans have been and continue to be active and progressive participants in this beautiful culture.

As I 'flipped' through the net for pertinent material, I came across an artist named Joe Bataan. Apparently, Joe Bataan is one of the earliest documented Filipin@ Americans to participate and contribute to the culture of Hip Hop. Under the given name Bataan Nitollano, he was born in 1942 to an African-American mother and Filipino father and raised in Spanish Harlem. Self taught on the piano, he organized his first band in 1965 and scored his first recording success in 1967 with "Gypsy Woman" on Fania Records. Later, Bataan originated a new and unique musical sound by combining Latin music with Rhythm and Blues. Thus, Bataan is credited as the founder of "Latin Soul" and is known around the world as the "King of Latin Funk". In 1979, Bataan released a song named, "Rap-O, Clap-O" on Salsoul Records (a label which he cofounded). While it didn't chart domestically, "Rap-O" went top 10 throughout Europe and was accredited as the first Rap song in Europe.

As if I had just found that one classic gem of a record in the clearance bin, I was definitely amazed and excited to have come across this special bit of Hip Hop and Filipin@ American History. More than just music, Hip Hop is a culture, a spritual movement, and a journey towards self expression and self determination that transcends yet validates one's ethnic background. Thus, I truly appreciate the forbears who have expressed themselves and their identities so that those that follow can discover and be proud of who we are.

Worship

Jfree — Sun, 06 May 2007 20:49:06 GMT

"On the Sabbath (or seventh) day God rests from the task of completing the heavens and the earth: 'So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation.'"

Saturday nights for me usually involve getting together with friends and trekking out to the city known as The City to find the perfect dancefloor. Fueled solely by adrenaline and Jack Daniels, these evenings almost always develop into a whirlwind of good people, tasty drinks, great beats, and HEAVY grinding.

After the barage of controlled chaos passes, however, I think the thing I love most about these evenings is how they melt into the calmness of the morning after. Sundays Mornings (which should officially be extended way past noon) somehow invite a quiet, relaxing time for which you can look back, process, and reflect on the previous evening's adventures.

This is my own re-articulation of the Sabbath. Music is spriritual and for me, I choose to worship my allowing it to envelop my entire being to the point where it moves and controls me. In this way, the weight and stress of the week's hustle and bustle is lifted and I am healed.

Soulful Inspiration

Jfree — Sat, 05 May 2007 19:11:08 GMT

I caught this video on my cousin's myspace recently and it blew my mind. I had never heard any of Midon's music prior to seeing this, but to witness him completely rip it on the singing/guitar-playing/beatboxing tip was truly moving. So much so, in fact, that I went to pick up his album the second the song was over.

His website bio states it best, "...in his music, Midon is an extraordinary original whose passion is expressed in his indelible songs. 'I like to celebrate the possible, the highest, the best of possibilities for human beings,' says Midon, who has been blind since birth and is the son of an African American mother and an Argentinean father. 'It's easy to be pessimistic given the state of the world. But I'm inspired by people like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi who had the ability to transform. Collectively we create an enormously powerful force that can change the world and overcome any obstacle.'"

...Well said. Music is definitely one of my main sources of inspiration and it's always dope to find new artists that share themselves for the straght-foward, simplistic love of it all. Enjoy!