Music Industry, By Gunnar Swanson
Storified by · Mon, Jan 14 2013 19:30:33
I chose to write about the music industry. In class we analyzed the true meanings of what the popular songs on the radio were talking about. In particular we looked at We Are Young by FUN, and Bad Romance by Lady Gaga. We found that FUN's hit single explored dark topics such as drug abuse and abusive relationships, while Bad Romance music video was full of satanic imagery. "Why are these songs popular?" Mr.Kurtz asked the class. We decided that people only took things for face value and were only looking for a catchy hook and loud beats. Us as a society were not analyzing things for what they really were. We also explored homophobia, sexism, and violence in the hip-hop genre. In the film we watched in class we found that many people wanting to get into the rap game feel that the only way in is to act crazy and violate.
However on a more personal level, I chose this topic because I love music. When i'm not hanging out with friends I am often on my computer searching for new music. My favorite genre is hip-hop/rap however Its not the only thing I listen to I love classic rock, and singer songwriters. I like to know whats going on in the music industry and I frequently watch interviews of musicians I like. I find their back story fascinating as well as were they get their inspiration. My favorite musicians include Macklemore, Beastie Boys, and Billy Joel, just to name few.
Violence is a common occurrence in the Hip-hop/ Rap genre. Young up and coming rapper Johnny Boy Da Prince (Presumably not his birth name) was shot and killed in an alley and left for dead. Sadly killings like these are not an uncommon coinsurance in the hip hop industry. It is all part of the game, killing and violence is a common topic in the genre. Every rapper is tougher, harder, and has killed more people than the last, and this is a major reason why killings like this happen. There is a false illusion in the genre that every one needs to one up the last rapper and to do this people will go to crazy lengths just to get recognized such as killing another rapper.
People don't realize the real message behind the hit songs on the radio. The article mentions a few popular classics such as Brown sugar by the rolling stones and Fight for your right by the beastie boys. People don't like to pay attention all that much. This is the vibe i'm getting based on what we play on the radio and conciser "classics". We glorify songs based around sex, violence, and drinking. And why? Because they have a nice beat and catchy lyrics. This happens in the present as well, with the previously mentioned "We are Young" by FUN. We need to take the time to pay attention to what were listening to as opposed to just singing the chorus.
Hip-Hop is dead has become a common slogan for those who are considered classic rappers as well as those who appreciated rap in the earlier days. In the interview Nas (one of these classic rappers) speaks his mind on the state of hip-hop. What is meant by "hip-hop is dead" is not that there is no more hip-hop, but that the reason the genre was created is slowly being forgotten. It began as a way for inner-city kids to vent their anger and tell story of hardship they faced growing up in a harsh urban internment. However now it seems all we hear on the radio in this genre is how much money, women, and drugs this individual has, lacking any substance for the listener to think about. While there are a few out there willing to talk about real issues, most of what is out there is mindless garbage.
As I stated earlier in the stroify article (or whatever i'm supposed to call this) I love music and I love Hip-Hop. I even love much of the mindless garbage mentioned earlier in the article, but I also agree with much of what is said. There is not a lot of substance out there, this also relates back to the fact that people are not paying attention to what they are listening to. All people want is a "hot beat" and something they can dance too. It is a sad reality, but its true. In the future i hope to see a change in the industry, I feel as a generation we need to come off as less ignorant so that we are not remembered as a mindless generation of degenerates and thugs, and we can reflect how we want to be seen.
