Sometimes it really pains me to comment on matters that are steeped knee deep in minutia. And now an "off the cuff" (and off the record) remark by President Obama, even has our resident Commander-in-Chief weighing in on pop culture pabulum. And unfortunately, I find myself frustrated that a racial subtext enters in this matter as well. Anyone that reads this blog knows that we really try to use precision in our ability to decipher what is and is not racially centered but when a young White (and Blonde) ingenue is wronged in the public center by a Black male-unfettered and feigned White cultural outrage rears its ugly head. Was Kanye wrong? You better believe it.
But should this story exist beyond a 24 hour news cycle? No. This is when I become conscious of racial symbolism. I also grow weary of public meltdowns by high profile men of color that ultimately (and incorrectly) position Black males (Serena Williams, notwithstanding) in a generalized dysfunctional context.....again. So what am I saying? We have seen this crazy "dog and pony show" from Mr. West before and we will probably see it again, hopefully it will not result in a tragic ending....but I'm not taking bets.
And perhaps what is most tragic is the death of true musical talent and brilliance. This truly corporatized musical landscape allows for hacks like Kanye, Swift, Rihanna, T-Pain and Chris Brown (and perhaps the remaining five other artists) to pimp their substandard wares in the first place. This is not a generational complaint as I desire to hear new and different music everyday. Unfortunately, the marketplace is not allowing it. Meanwhile, while we wait for the next faux scandal, check out what young artistry (at another award show) used to sound like when instrumentation was the norm and the corporate takeover wasn't finalized yet....introducing a 20 something Mr. Stevland Hardaway Morris:
You Haven't Done Nothin' (Grammy 1975) stevie wonder
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And now, 30 plus years later, we are subjected to this:
Let's have a moratorium on the death of quality hip hop, soul, funk and our once high Black cultural standard....wow...
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