25 Things That Killed (and are Still Killing) Urban Music

[TopDawg14]

I read this blog article and thought I'd share it with others. What do you think about it?

25 Things That Killed(And Are Still Killing) Urban Music

[VIsqo]

10. Ringtones: "Real Music Ringtones" were created as a way to distinguish your ringing cellular from someone else's while also bringing you closer to your favorite artist. Unfortunately, the labels realized this was the only way to generate revenue and started making music for the sole purpose of selling ringtones. Now, we have stripped-down keyboard beats and grunts and "yaahhs" instead of lyrics. Is that my cellphone ringing or yours? We'll never know, because we both downloaded Soulja Boy.

lol, thats soooo right!

12. BET (and by extension its corporate owner) is on a mission to not only destroy urban music, but poison the perception of Black people in the process. If we were to use this network as a guide (and people unfortunately do), we would believe that "drug dealer > rapper > pimp" is a logical career path, alcoholic beverages can be used as bodysplash, women of exotic or indeterminate race are the standard of beauty, darker-skinned women are only valuable if they have a big ass and a tiny waist, a person's worth can only be determined by what they drive and what they wear, you ain't sh*t if you're over 30, and a week's worth of debauchery and decadence can be undone with a Sunday marathon of religious programming. It's funny because it's true.

that was harsh!

13. The Radio: Used to be, you would turn on the radio and hear a variety of artists with a variety of sounds. But due to the "Clear Channeling" of Urban Radio, you'll hear a T-Pain song followed by 15 minutes of commercials, followed by a song featuring T-Pain, some shucking and jiving by unbearable radio personalities for five minutes, then something that resembles a T-Pain song, but isn't because just about everyone sounds like T-Pain now. And it's probably a commercial.

Jesus Christ thats right! lol, snoop and wayne and everybody else that sounds like Cher in BELIEVE!

[VIsqo]

Grrreat article!, some of them things are true, some of them are not really that important, but in general is such a great article! thx for bringing it to us!

[Turntable]

Urban Music is a wide subject, to wide to wrap it up like this. I dont see what Biggie and Pac have to do with Amy Winehouses type of music for example.

[TopDawg14]

12. BET (and by extension its corporate owner) is on a mission to not only destroy urban music, but poison the perception of Black people in the process. If we were to use this network as a guide (and people unfortunately do), we would believe that "drug dealer > rapper > pimp" is a logical career path, alcoholic beverages can be used as bodysplash, women of exotic or indeterminate race are the standard of beauty, darker-skinned women are only valuable if they have a big ass and a tiny waist, a person's worth can only be determined by what they drive and what they wear, you ain't sh*t if you're over 30, and a week's worth of debauchery and decadence can be undone with a Sunday marathon of religious programming. It's funny because it's true.

BET may be the single worst thing that could have happened to the hip-hop culture.

13. The Radio: Used to be, you would turn on the radio and hear a variety of artists with a variety of sounds. But due to the "Clear Channeling" of Urban Radio, you'll hear a T-Pain song followed by 15 minutes of commercials, followed by a song featuring T-Pain, some shucking and jiving by unbearable radio personalities for five minutes, then something that resembles a T-Pain song, but isn't because just about everyone sounds like T-Pain now. And it's probably a commercial.

I don't listen to FM radio. It's irrelevant. It's a dinosaur that needs to die. The only thing radio is good for is if we captured terrorists and we needed information then let them listen to the radio.

15. Mainstream Hip Hop Publications: Back in the '90s, holding one of these rags in your hands was like holding a monthly Bible to all things Hip Hop and R&B. Now, they've all been relegated to chasing blogs and reiterating things we already knew weeks ahead instead of properly utilizing the print medium to do something unique. Changes in personnel and ownership aside, they were already marching towards irrelevance. Even the covers suck now, but you probably won't get the damn thing delivered on time in order to find out.

I used to buy The Source & Vibe a lot. They're just advertising rags to me now. No real meat in these mags anymore.

18. Singing Rappers, Acting Rappers & Rapping Athletes: We'll keep this short. Every now and then you'll happen upon someone that has been able to organically transition from one career to another. Will and Latifah come to mind. To everyone else (coughCurtiscough), stay in your lane. Again, we don't begrudge anyone the chance to make some extra ends; it just shouldn't be at the expense of the audience.

Just beacuse Will is Hollywood's #1 son doesn't mean that everyone can do it.

25. Teenagers: Young people have always had the power to determine trends in all genres of music, which is why corporations defer to them. However, today's teenagers seem to be slightly more insipid than they were in previous generations and definitely have a shorter attention span. Whether it's the teens themselves driving the garbage labels are releasing, or the labels that are leading teens down a path of ignorance, is totally up for debate. It's the chicken/egg question in its purest form.

I think the big part of the problem is due to the parents of these teenagers. The first generation of hip-hop has the responsibility of showing these teens how to act & carry themselves. Kids are going to be drawn in to what's hot. It's the parents' responsibility to show them that this stuff is garbage. Unfortunately, a lot of their parents think this garbage is hot, too.

Edited June 27, 2008 by TopDawg14

[VIsqo]

This article should be posted in every rap lovers page around the web..

[JumpinJack AJ]

Everything on that list is 100% true. Number 1 is my biggest concern. But sloppy, unfocused albums, overrated and overused producers, fake thugs, one-sided radio, commercialization are my biggest dislikes. 90% of all Rap and 40% of R-N-B is straight trash and the artists are laughable, untalented fools.