Our Music, And Why We Listen To It #2: The Fake Clouds of Urgency

How we doin' party people?,

My bad on not posting in a minute...prom approaches (Wednesday as a matter a fact). I am a high school kid, remember? Ha...

Now, currently bumpin' The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, arguably (and I believe) the best record put out by a female, and one of the best records ever put out by a person of color, I have had these very inquisitive and provocative thoughts. Of course, listening to a record as complete and meaningful as Lauryn's record is, it's hard not to get the juices in your brain flowin'. All of the thoughts and ideas have come together to post this question, the theme for this post:

How do you determine which musical act is 'real' with their music?


I say this with the thought process and understanding of where a lot of artists have their intentions. You have an established act, let's say The Roots (I can't front like they haven't been my favorite group for years, but I promise my views aren't bias, instead fact). Tariq 'Black Thought' Trotter and Ahmir '?uestlove' Thompson have connected with their passion for music and social justice since high school, and if you YouTube or Google early videos of the duo, the emotion and honesty Black Thought has in his words and metaphors..you can tell it's real. The dedication that Thought and ?uestlove have had in their many years together has carried into their latest project Rising Down, which came out April 29th (if you don't have it, get it NOW.)

Another artist that has been consistent with outpouring their music to how they honestly live their life is Dante Smith, commonly known as Mos Def. First known from his youth acting in the late 80s/early 90s with 'The Cosby Mysteries', Mos initially worked with members of his family in the collective group Urban Thermo Dynamics (only one major hit, (video here) ). Mos reached out in '96 with the Native Tongue Possee and Soulquarians (definitely look those two groups up if you don't have a clue who I'm talking about, they're the most under represented, under appreciated music collectives of the 90s, word up.) Gaining his solo status, releasing his solo record along with his Black Star record with Talib Kweli, Mos Def has kept it real from Jump St. It's hard to deny someone that hasn't held anything back, and been open to any and all criticism's he's faced. Arrested on numerous bullshit counts, as well as appearing on many intellectual, mature talk shows and forums (seen here with Dr. Cornel West on Real Talk with Bill Maher). Not even touching on his illustrious and legitimate acting career, Dante Smith has been making moves and keeping it honest, personal, and real since the very beginning.


NOW. On the flip side of this whole positivity story I hyped earlier, their are artists and acts that have made their careers on the aspects of entertainment. Specifically in hip hop, and it happens in other genres plenty of times, but especially in the hip hop game, there are artists that talk the talk, but don't walk the walk. This shit needs to be addressed, right, the fuck, now.

A rapper wakes up in his wonderfully gated-community home, with security out the ass and protection like the Pope. They wake up to their family, their wife and loved ones. Have their kids going to the most lucrative private schools, with the finest expenses at their exposure. This rapper goes to work, and his work consists of creating songs talking about..causing harm to potentially innocent civilians, marketing known illegal drugs, degrading females, the less fortunate, and other rappers in the sense of competition. 'I got kilo's under the bed/Watch your bitch ass if your snitchin' its your head/I'll kill you and your fam and everyone you love/The only way you gettin' out its from the heavens above.' Stuff of that nature..(that wasn't a direct quote from a song, just a typical rap) They do their marketing for their musical product and image, appearing in a video or selling a product. They throw on this uniform for a day, this persona that isn't them at all in their present day. After the work day is done, they go BACK to their gated-community.

I'd say 90% of the rappers out, I can't front, AT ONE TIME, had this actual persona as part of their being. They USED to push drugs, they USED to have gang relation, they USED to be a public menace..for the most part, it's a part of their former life, and now they've grown up as businessmen and entrepreneurs. They present this idea of a lavish lifestyle, of sex, drugs, and money...that they don't truthfully honestly live. These rappers are...fake. They say they live this life, but with corporation and media if they're presented with an issue or criticism..'It's just music, I throw on my business suit and go to work to make this music, I don't promote this lifestyle I just present it...There are musicians that have honestly said this in interviews and press releases, defending their ass for being caught in the act of a fake or dramatically former lifestyles.

..How do you determine a 'real' artist? If your truly down with the struggle, that's one thing. There can be documented proof that you haven't budged about who you are, and been consistent with how you do yours, how you run your productions and programs. If your only promoting a false image of yourself and how you live your life, your fake, your phony, I can't take you serious. I may bump your beat because it's tough, I may have songs on my iTunes of yours because your hook or flow is crazy, but I don't respect you. I don't consider you a true artist. Your lucky I'm a slave to this music thing...I respect the fact that you put something of musical value, but thats about it.


I think there will be more coming from this discussion, I will more then likely touch on this topic again.

Provide for me your thoughts on the situation, s'il vous plait.

Peace and love, you guys will here from me soon.

- Dana J.

Our Music, And Why We Listen To It: This one's for the ladies...

Hello World,

SO, as it may or may not be understood by my page, those that know me know I am a big, big, BIG music head. I embody what a lot of people would consider an appreciator for music...I listen to music made before I was born, as well as music made before my parents were born. Along with knowing what I'm talking about, I've done the research about my musical ancestors and understand the theory and musical interpretation behind a lot of what I listen to. Basically...I know my shit; my knowledge of music and the game is undeniable. Lol.

Now when it comes to what the music world has going on today, in terms of opportunity and broad range of genre-crossing success, there are many players in the field. Females are gaining their voice on the sense of an alternative revival, as well as an R&B/Soul singers that are making their way into the scene working with big names. Artists such as Chrisette Michele, who did work on Jay-Z's "Lost One" and Nas' "Can't Forget About You", as well as Nikki Jean, who contributed to Lupe Fiasco's "Hip Hop Saved My Life", have both begun to make names for themselves. Both are young, 25 and 24 respectively, and will be making big moves in the near future.

Also, artists like the Sri-Lanken native M.I.A., the East Coast based Santogold, and the Chicago born Kid Sister are changing the landscape of female MCs, with their brash bold style of attacking the airwave. Their outlandish music patterns, along with their blunt delivery of emotion, bring an unavoidable car-crash effect: you initially are turned off, but can't help but gaze for a few more moments.


I suggest giving them all a download ASAP. I'll be back on here soon with my opinion of the rest of the game. HINT: I will more then likely have to address the inevitable fan-favorite and dreaded giant who's name sounds like Wil 'Layne (ha!)

Peace and love,

dana J.
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My Friday Night: Heart of the City

SO, at Madison Square Garden, I went to Heart of the City Tour: Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige last night. Fucking...ridiculous. Up there in Top 10 moments of my life, no contest. The-Dream opened up, which came pretty far out of left field. He did his thing though, his 15-20 mins. of fame. Mary J. Blige...I have a new found respect for that woman. I've always known her to bring emotional, passion-filled music to whatever she did throughout her career, but I have to say that her beats we're CRAZY. Even without the gimme that live performance enhances any track, the professionals in that band we're excellent (I know I'm no pro critic, but as a musician and an appreciator of music altogether, I can put in my honest opinion.)

They opened with 'Cant Knock The Hustle', together. The song that started the bond between them, it was amazing. Mary J. did her thing, but when Jay came out, the show shut down. Shut, the fuck, down. He had all the hits to do an album all by his damn self, he brought out the joints. It was a classic night. The live band, the NY atmosphere...damn. It's inspiration for music-loving kids like me to continue through the struggles of learning and updating, practicing and exposing yourself to new things, cause you never know where it will take you. Maybe the Garden?

I've got an open mic tonight at the Energy Bar I've got to prepare for. I'm pretty sure I'm DJing, and I'll be showing photos from my event last Friday (TruSound Festival). If your in the Montclair area, Energy Bar's in South End..307 Orange Road in Montclair. 8:30 sharp..if you want to hear positive rhymes and words, you know where to go.

Peace,

- dana J

So how do you start fresh without sounding new?

Hey there,

My name is Dana J. I'm a senior in high school now, headed to West Virginia University in the fall. Just checkin' this blog thing out for a while, expressing my feelings and concerns. I'm a super-duper music head, music is the only reason I wake up, my day-to-day grinds with all the bullshit in the world, it all goes back to a great groove, a serious beat, that mean bump that has your neck hurtin' for a while..it's what I live for.

I hope to incorporate music into my life and financially-fruitful career down the line. Possibly as a musician, as I play a couple of different instruments. I've been playing drums for about 11 years now, my main instrument by far. Marching band bass/snare/quads, African djembe/doun doun, orchestra timpani/auxiliary percussion, just in general...drumming is my thing.

I've also looked into promotion, starting my own company. We tryin' to do some big things, baby steps one-at-a-time..I'm planning for people to know about 8th Light Entertainment across the country within 5 years.

That's basically, I do have other facets of my life like political views, social justice leadership, design theory, etc. etc., but music is my get-down. You got a good track or something I should put my ear to, holla at me. Or if you wanna find out what Dana J.'s about, let me know.

Peace,

- dana J