Guest post by Langston Collin Wilkins (@LangstonVillain), a Ph.D. Candidate in ethnomusicology, who blogs all things music, tech, and culture at Soul 4 Sale.
Whenever I re
ad about the state of Black music on the internet, one of the main complaints I hear is that it no longer has meaning or that it's not "saying something." These "critics" recall a yesterday where all black music consisted of impactful lyrics that fell deeply on the ears of listeners, stimulating their brain muscles while penetrating into the deepest regions of their soul. I'm not certain that this magical period ever existed, but I won't quarrel with that here.
I will say that music consumers of today are no different those of any other period in terms of the motivations behind their listening choices. Most people seek aesthetically pleasing music that provides various functions. While I recognize that robotic-like radio stations and the ever-consolidating recording industry must be taken into account, I feel that part of the reason for the lack of mainstream politically-oriented music is that a lot of it isn't good and the content no longer resonates with audiences.
I go to music primarily for entertainment, not for intellectual stimulation. This is not to say that I don't like or even sometimes desire a more scholastic mode, but it comes secondary to the need to bob my head, or in the most rare occasions, execute a two-step. For me, my music choice is mostly motivated by emotion. If I'm feeling moody or angry, I'll listen to Z-Ro or Atmosphere. When in a more amorous state, maybe its Anita Baker or Beyoncé. If I want to break something, its Flockaveli. These musics, like all, all vehicles for emotional release. For me, music is the process of internalizing others creativity in order to expel my own emotions, whatever they may be.
I am by no means suggesting that I do not enjoy more politically-oriented music. I definitely have and do. It's just that such musics\ must be aesthetically rich or I won't pay attention to the messages. Public Enemy is one of the greatest hip hop groups of all time not because of their nationalist messages, but because the Bomb Squad were incredible beatsmiths and Chuck D was a great lyricist with a dope voice. The reason why Curtis Mayfield's message-music was so impactful is because he was an immensely talented singer/songwriter/producer. Over the last few years I've witnessed some mediocre artists get props solely because of their political content and I couldn't help but wonder why? Why would I listen to this artist's underwhelming music just because of his/her content? I could go read an article about the same topic and get more insight. I'm all for "intellectually enriching" content, but if they musical package is not tight, you gets no play in my ride (iPod).
In short, all music has meaning. Out most popular artists make aesthetically relevant music that provides particular functions for a large amount of people. Before you get up in arms about why MC Politics isn't on WorldStar, really think about whether his/her music is actually quality. This may shock some, but most people want to be entertained by music, not lectured to.
