Love?

As a musician, I find my most powerful songs and my best delivery to come from subjects I feel strongly about. The topics that musicians currently seem to find the hardest to write about recently are the ones that used to flow so easily. I grew up listening to the likes of Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Sade in my father cars on those long journeys to visit relatives. Needless to say love was a familiar topic. Growing up watching Disney films, it seems Walt Disney believed that love conquered all. So what has changed?

Rappers have not always been the easiest human beings to show their true feelings. Maybe it is believed that it could show weakness which is hardly something an alleged ‘Gang Banger’  would want to show. However the canadian rapper Drake  has seemed to take the stereo type and flip it on its head. Despite the light skin jokes that seem to be on a rise with every release of a Drake studio album, he is a very large commodity particularly within the hip-hop community. So what is the correct way to demonstrate how you feel in a song?

No man wants to be seen as soft to anyone besides his girl and even then she can not see him as only that. It is claimed that fear is a motivator. It can be the difference between the levels of respect you have for two different people i.e. a adult and a child. This may be the reason why many artist rarely show that side of themselves to their fans. Maybe record labels have decided it is not lucrative enough. Beyonce however seemed to dwell in it particularly in her recent smash hit entitled ‘drunk in love’. 

One thing is for sure. Despite the half naked models and all the ass shaking and twerking going on, most of these singers and rappers are in very fulfilling relationships. I watch Charlemagne tha God hit on women (albeit playfully) on the breakfast club online videos of their radio show and wonder how do their partners react to this? Do they understand that it is part of the job? Do they occasionally wonder?

I want to end by saying that I feel love is a good thing. Not to disrespect any artist and the music they are currently producing but music from the 70’s and 80’s seem to live forever as they are being covered and sampled by today’s artists. I’m not sure how often songs that we listen to today will be replayed. Today’s artists that do sing or rap about love seem to be ahead of their peers. Drake, Justin Bieber, One Direction, Adele. Hard to argue with the numbers they push through in terms of album sales. So maybe we need to bring love back. We need to bring back rnb….?!?

Mahatma Gandhi said ‘where there is love, there is life’

Peace and love

C.O. the artist

Adrenaline Junkie

Each of us feel adrenaline, whether or not we actively seek it. Some of us see theme parks as the height of our adrenaline rushing through our veins. Other may feel it when being confronted my another or a dangerous situation. Either way it numbs us and our feelings into two modes. FIGHT or FLIGHT. Some individuals are what I like to refer to as everyday junkies. These are people who always have a crisis, a packed schedule or unnecessary drama in their lives. I find that a lot of students also aim to feel a small rush by handing in their assessments last minute.

The music industry is one full of tiny shocks and scares. Beyonce released a surprise album december 2013 which could have worked both positively and negatively. Fortunately her fan base is very loyal and she was successful. PSY released the song Gangnam style in 2012 and became the websites youtube’s biggest sensation with over a billion views. None of these successes can be foreseen.

As a musician, I find that adrenaline is needed in many aspects of my life. None more so than the rush I feel every single time I perform. There are no guarantees in this life. Every time I stepped on stage I am reminded that the crowd I am performing to does not necessarily know my music/genre and they are not always loving fans. Every time I step on the stage, I feel the need to prove myself. Every time I look out into the audience, in the back of my mind i wonder, am i good enough?

With every word, phrase or sentence I aim at being the best I can be. Whether its metaphors, similes or double entendres i try to think outside of the box. I am a adrenaline junkie. Music is my adrenaline rush. With every microphone i touch. With every studio i visit. With every person who blesses me with their presence at my show. I feel a rush. A sudden increase in strength. I love what I do and I love those who do it with me and appreciate it.

Charles Lindbergh said ‘it is the greatest shot of adrenaline to be doing what you have wanted to do so badly. You almost feel like you could fly without a plane.’ 

Peace & Love

C.O. the Artist

 

Are Musicians Overpaid?

I recently discovered whilst reading article on the Forbes website that the LA unsigned rapper Nipsey Hustle recently made $100,000 by selling 1000 copies of his new Mixtape entitled ‘Crenshaw’ for $100 each (Jay-Z bought 100 copies alone). This started a heated debate between my peers and I about the value we as a society put on entertainers. Now I am not a sportsman/sportswoman, nor comedian or even an Actor/Actress so I cannot comment on the difficulty of their jobs and whether the amount they receive is worth the job they do. I am however a musician so here is my argument.

As an artist and entertainer, in every song and every show, I reveal the deepest and most intimate side to myself every time. In the profession of painting it is unfortunately common that pieces of art increase in value after the painter in question is dead. However paintings are sold of in galleries and  auctions for millions upon millions at a time. Every detail is appreciated. As a musician I look at at every Mixtape, E.P. or Album I make as a work of art. Let me be clear. I am not claiming that the Mona Lisa should be put in the same category as Ludacris’ song ‘Area Codes’ as those who are familiar with the lyrics would surely agree. However at what point do we draw the line?

On average Musicians (signed to a label) get paid more than Doctors, Teachers, Politicians, Nurses, Firefighters, Police officers and Lawyers. We can all agree that all these professions contribute hugely to society and deserve a pay rise. With that being said, musicians can spend months at a time being away from their families on tour. They constantly face the reality that a pay check is not guaranteed so if their fans do not like them or the music they make anymore they may face bankruptcy. They constantly are judged by people who do not understand their profession. They are needed by these same people in order to relax. I believe we can all safely agree that Mozart and Beethoven were borderline genius’ who composed master pieces. In retrospect why is it that a Vincent Van Gogh painting go for more money than a live recording of a Beethoven symphony?

In conclusion I would like to remind you that we musicians have bills to pay just as everyone else does. We may have found the perfect combination by being able to get paid for what we love doing. I can not speak for all musicians but on behalf on myself, i will continue to make music with or without the monetary value of it because i love making music.

Please find the enclosed link to the Nipsey Hustle Story Below should you want to understand his reasoning behind it:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/natalierobehmed/2013/11/06/rapper-nipsey-hussle-and-the-100-mixtape/

Duke Ellington wrote ‘their is hardly any money interest in art, and the music will be there when the money is gone.’ 

Peace and Love

C.O. the Artist