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Dude, that was the first long post that actually kept my attention all =
the way thru to the end!!! It's so ironic that Hip-hop, the epitomy of =
original black expression, has hit its peak in popularity now that it's =
COMPLETELY homogenized and expresses nothing new. Shit, I'll turn it =
off the second I hear any rap-style vocal, cos I now EXPECT to hear the =
same tired old shit being fed to me. I won't even give it a chance =
anymore, cos it just ain't all that original anymore. I realize that I =
may be missing the boat on some exciting dope new artist cos' I've =
closed the door, but if I gotta listen to 200 songs to get to one that =
does something for me, I'd rather just not bother playing those odds. =
The lyrics all sound the same, the voices all sound the same, IT ALL =
SOUNDS THE SAME!!!!!!!! =20
I guess that the good thing about this is that stagnation is very =
often followed by a period of great artistic expression and innovation, =
so I guess I'm waiting for that to drop. 'Till then, I don't need =
Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys or Missy Elliot; Chaka Khan, Betty Davis and =
Aretha did it SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better!! Keep Mystikal, Ja Rule =
and Puff Pastry; I got De La, Ice (T, Cube) and Digable.
Out,
Stimp
----- Original Message -----=20
From: DJQoolMarv@AOL.COM=20
To: jentelligent@yahoo.com ; acid-jazz@ucsd.edu=20
Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2002 3:24 PM
Subject: Re: Negative music.../ Positive Solutions
In a message dated 05/29/2002 5:37:46 AM Eastern Daylight Time, =
jentelligent@yahoo.com writes:
He then looked at me in
disgust like I expected he would. That's a common
reaction I get. He was shocked to see me as black man
listening something besides Mystikal or Camron. It's
frustrating how much mind control radio and TV has on
the masses. Has anyone had a similar experience?
-Chris Jentile
Sparked by my man Chris, this is a rant, by the way, good to see =
dialogue flying again on this list.
That reaction is a result of many layers ranging from the blatant =
payola between the deep pocket major labels and commercial radio to the =
never-ending saga of the low self esteem of the poor and working class =
that is hammered every second of everyday with misguided images of =
success being related to perpetual promiscuous casual sex and drugs with =
many and the ownership of everything that is pointless to really moving =
ahead in life i.e., excessive jewelry and high-end automobiles with car =
notes the size of some people's mortgages.
"Ghetto fabulous" is perhaps one of the most sickening terms that =
could have ever come out of the stagnant Hip Hop & R&B scheme. I mean =
let's break it down. Once upon a time, people who lived in ghettos had =
one main objective...work to get out of the ghetto. You had to try and =
work harder because you weren't making much to save but you had to save =
what you could...if it took you 3 jobs to afford an apartment in a =
better neighborhood, it was worth it. Better schools, quiet clean =
streets, whatever, but the aim was to get there and out of the ghetto. =
Now, the ghetto, as told through people who move out as soon as they are =
platinum, is this great place full of these honorable men called thugs =
and women who have the distinction of shaking their ass the fastest to =
be alluring enough to be one of the thugs many bitches, who then will be =
subjected to countless bouts of infidelity (thus many trips to the =
OB/GYN for STD or pregnancy tests), smackd! owns, and marked with the =
scarlet G...for the goldigger at home taking care of the thug's kids).
Stay with me please.
Hip Hop music was once the most authentic and sometimes painfully =
honest forms of music ever. Hip Hop was truly the voice of the =
voiceless, Chuck D coined it Black America's CNN. I know what your are =
thinking, now I'll go off into a rant about P.E., BPD, Tribe, and =
conscious lyrics. It is not just about that, it was about the diversity =
and the freedom to be exactly who you are. When I mentioned painfully =
honest, I think about how I cringed when I heard what N.W.A stood for, =
but eventually gave them a listen...and no I didn't love them after =
listening to them because their experience wasn't my experience...but it =
was their experience and how they lived life.
Young music fans do not the choice or opportunity to make that =
distinction anymore. For to many reasons to write about, in the last 10 =
years, Hip Hop has dulled into an homogenized product for mass =
consumption. Consider this, Hip Hop (commercial) is the music of choice =
for 10 years olds now. The worst forms of it the better. I recently =
DJed a Bar Mitzvah for a friend of my wife's family and I believe that =
that's the 13th birthday celebration. The music of choice as sent to me =
as a playlist...Nelly, Jay-Z, P Diddy, J-Lo, Fabulous, Mystical, Ashanti =
(with her shameless obvious sample of another obvious sample), and so =
on. These artists are regarded, going by the request of these kids, =
with the likes of Shaggy, Little Bow Wow and the Who Let The Dogs Out =
group. Gimmicky and silly enough for children is the underlying theme, =
although these artist would never admit or even realize that that is =
what their music has become.
Flip the scene to a New York City popular buppie (black urban =
professional 25-35 year-old crowd...aka the group that will symbolize =
what black people have come to in this country since the civil rights =
movement - yes, we are (I'm 32) the first generation born into life in =
America without segregation and overt racism to contend with). You =
might imagine a group of sophisticated well learned college graduates, =
might be bored with the playlist of 10 year olds but in reality, it is =
the same playlist. I'm the first of 2 DJs at a pretty nice party with =
an outdoor setting that faces the sunset. My job as per the promoters =
is to play that "cool-out shit like acid-jazz and all that different =
shit" to the corporate ghetto fabulous crowd. I'm into because here is =
a chance to be part of the solution and drop everything on them from 4 =
Hero to Mr. Scruff, from Jurassic 5 to Mos Def, from Jill Scott to =
Spacek...you all know what I mean.
Now imagine people looking up to me with impatient rolling eyes, what =
are you playing and can you pick it up shrugs, and worst of all people =
not even nodding their heads or tapping their feet. For the context, =
I'm black, and I know that my people once upon a time, danced to Jazz =
music, vigorously. I watch my own people sit still to music that is =
truly an extension of our entire musical experience...jazz, soul, blues, =
hip hop, disco, etc. I watch my own people come at me one by one to ask =
me when am I going to play some hip hop as De La Soul is cranking the =
system. I have to plead with aggressive requesters who are so upset =
that they haven't heard Jay-Z's voice for five minutes, that I'm a DJ =
with my own style, I have great records to play for you...please let me =
play them for you because radio or your friendly neighborhood =
regurgitating radio hits DJ will not play them. I ask them to let me =
offer them a different experience, one that feels like ! New York City =
10 year's ago when the crowd hardly had a clue what the DJ was playing, =
and that made the party exciting, different, and worth going to. Please =
let me show you how different music is energizing and you'll leave here =
feeling like you were somewhere special because the music took you to =
unfamiliar but soulful funky places.
Now imagine the blank stare, and then the response of..."but you still =
going to play some Hip Hop right?" I used to get all worked up but now =
I feel like it is my duty to explain what I'm doing and to defend =
difference, diversity, and my own individual approach. As the =
dumbfounded requester walks back to tell their people's how much I suck, =
I'm tempted to say "no, YOU suck, but what's the point of that? I'd =
rather keep smacking them in the head with the best of all the different =
genres I play...I try not to give them any room to blame the music, but =
blame me for not playing what they are used to. I can take that heat =
because some people do come around. I'll even take 2 or 3 out of 200, =
because those 2 or 3 have friends and they will leave that night with =
something special in their heads that they will want to share with their =
friends and family...it happens all the time. It is rocky soil but you =
must still plant seeds. =20
Chris, keep offering up those headphones, people don't like different, =
but that they surely know what's different and that stays in their head.
One of my funniest encounters was with a guy who truly calls himself =
Rugged, a true thugged-out cat that worked Def Jam's Street teams in New =
York. He came to a gig, and folks this does happen, he gave me a Ja =
Rule single, and then stood next to me for a while. I thought that he =
was checking out the party but he was actually waiting for me to play =
his record. So I told him that Ja Rule doesn't really mix well with =
Eddie Kendricks and that I'd be playing more soul classics stuff for the =
remainder of my set (of course the commercial DJ was up next for the =
late crowd...which I also explained to him). Now these are guys that =
strong-armed New York into it's homogenized state by doing just what =
they do, intimidating you into playing their tune by implying that you =
will not get anymore free vinyl if you don't. Much to Rugged's dismay, =
I didn't care if I was dropped from Def Jam's list and I was not going =
to drop the (uncredited) Stevie Wonder rip-off o! f Ja Rule's "Living It =
Up" in the middle of my classics set...but, keeping in mind that this =
shouldn't be a standoff, I gave Rugged a couple of my mixed CDs that had =
stuff like, Roots Manuva, 23 Skidoo, LTJ Bukem, Attica Blues, and the =
Silent Poets on it. =20
People, even Rugged was converted as he know wants every mixed CD that =
I do and has even propositioned me about promoting them.
So that is my rant and positive solution. Pointing out the problem is =
practically the ethos of American existence now so I shamelessly admit =
that I'm on the "point out the solution" bandwagon. All of you listers =
out there, please burn those CDs of you favorite joints, songs you feel =
that deserve to be heard and give them to that Hot 97, Z-100, K-Rock 92 =
listening coworker of yours. Chances are they will dig at least some of =
the tunes and start your dialogue with them about what else they may be =
into. It's all great to be part of the exclusive community that reads =
Straight No Chaser religiously, but I feel greater when I can share the =
new music that I've discovered with people who seem disinterested in =
anything that they haven't heard on the radio. Enjoying something new =
is a natural human instinct so you have hone in on that urge for newness =
and provide some nourishment.
If you made it here thanks for reading this and what do you think?
EZ
Qool DJ Marv=20
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Dude, that was the first long post that =
actually=20
kept my attention all the way thru to the end!!! It's so ironic =
that=20
Hip-hop, the epitomy of original black expression, has hit its peak in=20
popularity now that it's COMPLETELY homogenized and expresses nothing =
new. =20
Shit, I'll turn it off the second I hear any rap-style vocal, cos I now =
EXPECT=20
to hear the same tired old shit being fed to me. I won't even give =
it a=20
chance anymore, cos it just ain't all that original anymore. I =
realize=20
that I may be missing the boat on some exciting dope new artist cos' =
I've closed=20
the door, but if I gotta listen to 200 songs to get to one that does=20
something for me, I'd rather just not bother playing those =
odds. The=20
lyrics all sound the same, the voices all sound the same, IT ALL SOUNDS =
THE=20
SAME!!!!!!!! </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> I guess that the =
good thing=20
about this is that stagnation is very often followed by a period of =
great=20
artistic expression and innovation, so I guess I'm waiting for that to=20
drop. 'Till then, I don't need Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys or Missy =
Elliot;=20
Chaka Khan, Betty Davis and Aretha did it SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much =
better!! Keep Mystikal, Ja Rule and Puff Pastry; I got De =
La, Ice=20
(T, Cube) and Digable.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Out,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Stimp</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3DDJQoolMarv@AOL.COM=20
href=3D"mailto:DJQoolMarv@AOL.COM">DJQoolMarv@AOL.COM</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Djentelligent@yahoo.com=20
href=3D"mailto:jentelligent@yahoo.com">jentelligent@yahoo.com</A> ; <A =
title=3Dacid-jazz@ucsd.edu=20
href=3D"mailto:acid-jazz@ucsd.edu">acid-jazz@ucsd.edu</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, May 29, 2002 =
3:24=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Negative music.../ =
Positive=20
Solutions</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=3Darial,helvetica><FONT color=3D#400040 =
size=3D2>In a=20
message dated 05/29/2002 5:37:46 AM Eastern Daylight Time, <A=20
href=3D"mailto:jentelligent@yahoo.com">jentelligent@yahoo.com</A>=20
writes:<BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=3D0 style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: =
#ffffff"=20
face=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"=20
TYPE=3D"CITE">He then looked at me in<BR>disgust like I expected he=20
would. That's a common<BR>reaction I get. He was shocked to =
see me as=20
black man<BR>listening something besides Mystikal or Camron.=20
It's<BR>frustrating how much mind control radio and TV has on<BR>the =
masses.=20
Has anyone had a similar experience?<BR><BR>-Chris=20
Jentile<BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></FONT><FONT lang=3D0=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=3DArial color=3D#400040 =
size=3D2=20
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><BR>Sparked by my man Chris, this is a rant, by =
the way,=20
good to see dialogue flying again on this list.<BR><BR>That reaction =
is a=20
result of many layers ranging from the blatant payola between the deep =
pocket=20
major labels and commercial radio to the never-ending saga of the low =
self=20
esteem of the poor and working class that is hammered every second of =
everyday=20
with misguided images of success being related to perpetual =
promiscuous casual=20
sex and drugs with many and the ownership of everything that is =
pointless to=20
really moving ahead in life i.e., excessive jewelry and high-end =
automobiles=20
with car notes the size of some people's mortgages.<BR><BR>"Ghetto =
fabulous"=20
is perhaps one of the most sickening terms that could have ever come =
out of=20
the stagnant Hip Hop & R&B scheme. I mean let's break it =
down. Once upon a time, people who lived in ghettos had one main =
objective...work to get out of the ghetto. You had to try and =
work=20
harder because you weren't making much to save but you had to save =
what you=20
could...if it took you 3 jobs to afford an apartment in a better =
neighborhood,=20
it was worth it. Better schools, quiet clean streets, whatever, =
but the=20
aim was to get there and out of the ghetto. Now, the ghetto, as =
told=20
through people who move out as soon as they are platinum, is this =
great place=20
full of these honorable men called thugs and women who have the =
distinction of=20
shaking their ass the fastest to be alluring enough to be one of the =
thugs=20
many bitches, who then will be subjected to countless bouts of =
infidelity=20
(thus many trips to the OB/GYN for STD or pregnancy tests), smackd! =
owns, and=20
marked with the scarlet G...for the goldigger at home taking care of =
the=20
thug's kids).<BR><BR>Stay with me please.<BR><BR>Hip Hop music was =
once the=20
most authentic and sometimes painfully honest forms of music =
ever. Hip=20
Hop was truly the voice of the voiceless, Chuck D coined it Black =
America's=20
CNN. I know what your are thinking, now I'll go off into a rant =
about=20
P.E., BPD, Tribe, and conscious lyrics. It is not just about =
that, it=20
was about the diversity and the freedom to be exactly who you =
are. When=20
I mentioned painfully honest, I think about how I cringed when I heard =
what=20
N.W.A stood for, but eventually gave them a listen...and no I didn't =
love them=20
after listening to them because their experience wasn't my =
experience...but it=20
was their experience and how they lived life.<BR><BR>Young music fans =
do not=20
the choice or opportunity to make that distinction anymore. For =
to many=20
reasons to write about, in the last 10 years, Hip Hop has dulled into =
an=20
homogenized product for mass consumption. Consider this, Hip Hop =
(commercial) is the music of choice for 10 years olds now. The =
worst=20
forms of it the better. I recently DJed a Bar Mitzvah for a =
friend of my=20
wife's family and I believe that that's the 13th birthday =
celebration. =20
The music of choice as sent to me as a playlist...Nelly, Jay-Z, P =
Diddy, J-Lo,=20
Fabulous, Mystical, Ashanti (with her shameless obvious sample of =
another=20
obvious sample), and so on. These artists are regarded, going by =
the=20
request of these kids, with the likes of Shaggy, Little Bow Wow and =
the Who=20
Let The Dogs Out group. Gimmicky and silly enough for children is the=20
underlying theme, although these artist would never admit or even =
realize that=20
that is what their music has become.<BR><BR>Flip the scene to a New =
York City=20
popular buppie (black urban professional 25-35 year-old crowd...aka =
the group=20
that will symbolize what black people have come to in this country =
since the=20
civil rights movement - yes, we are (I'm 32) the first generation born =
into=20
life in America without segregation and overt racism to contend =
with). =20
You might imagine a group of sophisticated well learned college =
graduates,=20
might be bored with the playlist of 10 year olds but in reality, it is =
the=20
same playlist. I'm the first of 2 DJs at a pretty nice party =
with an=20
outdoor setting that faces the sunset. My job as per the =
promoters is to=20
play that "cool-out shit like acid-jazz and all that different shit" =
to the=20
corporate ghetto fabulous crowd. I'm into because here is a =
chance to be=20
part of the solution and drop everything on them from 4 Hero to Mr. =
Scruff,=20
from Jurassic 5 to Mos Def, from Jill Scott to Spacek...you all know =
what I=20
mean.<BR><BR>Now imagine people looking up to me with impatient =
rolling eyes,=20
what are you playing and can you pick it up shrugs, and worst of all =
people=20
not even nodding their heads or tapping their feet. For the =
context, I'm=20
black, and I know that my people once upon a time, danced to Jazz =
music,=20
vigorously. I watch my own people sit still to music that is =
truly an=20
extension of our entire musical experience...jazz, soul, blues, hip =
hop,=20
disco, etc. I watch my own people come at me one by one to ask =
me when=20
am I going to play some hip hop as De La Soul is cranking the =
system. I=20
have to plead with aggressive requesters who are so upset that they =
haven't=20
heard Jay-Z's voice for five minutes, that I'm a DJ with my own style, =
I have=20
great records to play for you...please let me play them for you =
because radio=20
or your friendly neighborhood regurgitating radio hits DJ will not =
play=20
them. I ask them to let me offer them a different experience, =
one that=20
feels like ! New York City 10 year's ago when the crowd hardly had a =
clue what=20
the DJ was playing, and that made the party exciting, different, and =
worth=20
going to. Please let me show you how different music is =
energizing and=20
you'll leave here feeling like you were somewhere special because the =
music=20
took you to unfamiliar but soulful funky places.<BR><BR>Now imagine =
the blank=20
stare, and then the response of..."but you still going to play some =
Hip Hop=20
right?" I used to get all worked up but now I feel like it is my =
duty to=20
explain what I'm doing and to defend difference, diversity, and my own =
individual approach. As the dumbfounded requester walks back to =
tell=20
their people's how much I suck, I'm tempted to say "no, YOU suck, but =
what's=20
the point of that? I'd rather keep smacking them in the head =
with the=20
best of all the different genres I play...I try not to give them any =
room to=20
blame the music, but blame me for not playing what they are used =
to. I=20
can take that heat because some people do come around. I'll even take =
2 or 3=20
out of 200, because those 2 or 3 have friends and they will leave that =
night=20
with something special in their heads that they will want to share =
with their=20
friends and family...it happens all the time. It is rocky soil =
but you=20
must still plant seeds. <BR><BR>Chris, keep offering up those=20
headphones, people don't like different, but that they surely know =
what's=20
different and that stays in their head.<BR><BR>One of my funniest =
encounters=20
was with a guy who truly calls himself Rugged, a true thugged-out cat =
that=20
worked Def Jam's Street teams in New York. He came to a gig, and =
folks=20
this does happen, he gave me a Ja Rule single, and then stood next to =
me for a=20
while. I thought that he was checking out the party but he was =
actually=20
waiting for me to play his record. So I told him that Ja Rule =
doesn't=20
really mix well with Eddie Kendricks and that I'd be playing more soul =
classics stuff for the remainder of my set (of course the commercial =
DJ was up=20
next for the late crowd...which I also explained to him). Now =
these are=20
guys that strong-armed New York into it's homogenized state by doing =
just what=20
they do, intimidating you into playing their tune by implying that you =
will=20
not get anymore free vinyl if you don't. Much to Rugged's =
dismay, I=20
didn't care if I was dropped from Def Jam's list and I was not going =
to drop=20
the (uncredited) Stevie Wonder rip-off o! f Ja Rule's "Living It Up" =
in the=20
middle of my classics set...but, keeping in mind that this shouldn't =
be a=20
standoff, I gave Rugged a couple of my mixed CDs that had stuff like, =
Roots=20
Manuva, 23 Skidoo, LTJ Bukem, Attica Blues, and the Silent Poets on =
it. =20
<BR><BR>People, even Rugged was converted as he know wants every mixed =
CD that=20
I do and has even propositioned me about promoting them.<BR><BR>So =
that is my=20
rant and positive solution. Pointing out the problem is =
practically the=20
ethos of American existence now so I shamelessly admit that I'm on the =
"point=20
out the solution" bandwagon. All of you listers out there, =
please burn=20
those CDs of you favorite joints, songs you feel that deserve to be =
heard and=20
give them to that Hot 97, Z-100, K-Rock 92 listening coworker of =
yours. =20
Chances are they will dig at least some of the tunes and start your =
dialogue=20
with them about what else they may be into. It's all great to be =
part of=20
the exclusive community that reads Straight No Chaser religiously, but =
I feel=20
greater when I can share the new music that I've discovered with =
people who=20
seem disinterested in anything that they haven't heard on the =
radio. =20
Enjoying something new is a natural human instinct so you have hone in =
on that=20
urge for newness and provide some nourishment.<BR><BR>If you made it =
here=20
thanks for reading this and what do you think?<BR><BR>EZ<BR><BR>Qool =
DJ Marv=20
</FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
------=_NextPart_000_001C_01C2072C.53CFADB0--
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Wed May 29 2002 - 22:56:38 CEST