“Can I kick?…Yes you can! Can I kick?…Yes you can!” – A Tribe Called Quest
There never was a thing I loved more. Sometimes I don’t like the silence or the many bright or dark thoughts in my mind. I have talent but none of worth. Nothing that I can contribute to it. I am merely but a spectator on the sidelines, a fan. I truly enjoy watching others do it. It doesn’t matter if I’m at church or in a whole in the wall bar surrounded by small lit candles and black tables. I can be walking aimlessly down the street or sitting on the train running late to my destination. I can be extremely busy or sitting doing nothing and everytime I hear it, no matter where I am or who I am with.
“I am Overjoyed, over loved, over you, over you” – Stevie Wonder
By who or what you may ask. Oh, that’s music. There’s nothing in the world quite like it. There are so many different kinds. There’s jazz, Neo-Soul, Country, Classical, Hip-Hop, R&B, Rap, and Pop just to name a few. But over the last few years there has been this new type of nonsensical repetitive style of music. It just doesn’t make you feel the same way real music does. I feel that most of this music lacks soul or a message sometimes both.
“It don’t mean a thing If it ain’t got that swing (doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah)” –Ella Fitzgerald
When I grew up I can remember Saturday mornings smelling breakfast cooking and hearing Earth, Wind, and Fire in the background. I just knew it was going to be a good day. It’s that same music that I heard growing up that I can hear right now and still feel like I’m dancing on my daddy’s feet. Real music can be soul shattering or raise hair on the back of your neck with just the first chords. This type of music is something that I will hold onto and cherish forever. Then there’s the music that you would only rather hear at the club. But I will say that music definitely has its purposes.
Hear me out for a second. I’m not saying that ALL new music is bad, but the majority of it sounds the same or monotonous. Like everyone is biting another artist’s style. This can be seen the most in today’s rap music. Artists like Lil Yachty, Famous Dex, Desiigner, Lil Uzi and Kodak black have all came out with this music they call “Bubble Gum Trap” and have distanced themselves from the word rapper. I along with most hip hop heads feel as if they have no respect for those who came before them and paved the way.
“Cause I’m Kurtis Blow and I want you to know that these are the breaks” – Kurtis Blow
This isn’t just an issue with Hip Hop or Rap but it’s even in R&B. Just because someone can stay on key doesn’t mean they can sing and just because someone is singing a slow song doesn’t make it R&B. It seems as if the times are changing but the genres aren’t evolving. But I guess that’s what happens.
“What the world needs now is love sweet love, it’s the only thing that there’s just too little of” – Dionne Warwick
Regardless of how inclined I am to not like today’s music I am able to say that it is universal and that it has the ability to reach various people. Ever-changing always evolving…..but still coming back to the beat.