So I've been thinking a lot about love. No no not another one of those "when will I find love" blogs. But about LOVE. Love of family, community, music. Especially music.
I'm really struggling to decide if music influences our culture, or does our culture influence the music. I suppose it's a bit of both. Which is sad news for our generation.
Our generation (80's babies) grew up in some of the HARSHEST musical times in history.
But our souls were a little softened by the fact that our parents were still spreading that good ole love peace and happiness leftover from the 70's and the frivolous, carefree attitude of the early 80's.
The 90's and beyond have taken us through "gangsta" rap, grunge, soft porn like lyrics in our R&B, and a general lack of actual "love" in all other genres.
We were raised in an era where it was a daily occurrence to have women be referred to as bitches and hoes on the radio. Drugs, violence and money were the prevalent themes.
As they've always been...just not as blatantly.
Gone were the days of "cleverly" disguising those themes with metaphors and poems that "the man" couldn't decipher. From the Beatles, to Bob Dylan, to the O'Jays...all the music of the 70's talked about the same things they do today. Even the early hip-hop of the 80's and 90's have basically the same themes as they do now.
The difference is the BLATANT obvious and unapologetic tone that the songs today have.
The illusion is gone. The mystery. The poetry of the music.
Now you literally just say and do what you want. And the world just accepts that.
I remember when I was 12 my boyfriend broke up with me after 2 weeks because I was scared to french kiss him.
Now girls at 12 are AT LEAST giving blow jobs in the bathrooms at schools. And are proud of it.
It seems this generation has lost its roots with the past. They learn about sex, before learning about the feelings that make you WANT to have sex.
They learn about drug dealers, murders, yachts, diamonds, cars and money, before they learn about who they even are as a person...and their own neighborhood. Their own family.
I remember when I first heard Biggie and LOVING him. And then I remember years later going back and listening again. And really FEELING him. Actually UNDERSTANDING what he was talking about.
There is so much information going into these kids heads, that they aren't ready for. And it makes me nervous that they will never really FEEL any of this.
All this shallow, egotistical, heartless music.
Inventing sex. Going hard. Getting wasted.
No wonder the ideals of marriage, commitment, patience, love and forgiveness are lost.
Boys feel the need to have the most money, the most expensive liquor and the baddest bitches.
Girls feel the need to fuck for all that. And make sure their body stays tight in order to get to the top.
Nothing about education. Nothing about romance.
Throw it in the bag.
I urge everyone to take responsibility in helping kids today understand what's real. And what's fake.
Especially those with children.
Just like our parents forced us to sit down and watch them as they danced like fools to Earth Wind and Fire. We must force those same ideals of fun, happiness, love, life and living on them.
Everything doesnt need to be so gritty and hardcore.
Am I getting old or have things gotten so far gone that I am disgusted by what I see, hear and live on a daily basis. As a society our morals have corroded and I believe that is reflected and accepted in our music not the opposite. So I guess that the love has been lost.
ReplyDeleteI remember being in college in the 90's and loving te golden era of Hip Hop. I remeber the music having "meaning". I remember listening to the lyrics in the music and recognizing the talents of the "artists". I also remember when my parents and elders used to refer to the music of my generation as "that noise". I remember thinking that they were crazy and they would see it's a movement just like the music of their generation. I remember how PE, NWA and other groups fought against the establishment to express themselves and change the soceity.
I remember when the pioneers of the game changed the lanscape of our culture through expression. They changed the the way we dressed, walked and talked... Yes children and young adults emmulate what they see and hear. They aspire to be like their role models. In the past TV & Radio would sensor and regulate certain subject matters, obscenaties and deem what items were decent.
I don't consider myself to be a prude or condone sensorship, but it is evident that the erosian of morals in our culture are a direct reflection of what we as a society decided was acceptable over the past 10 years. Cable TV shows allow content during day and prime time hours which never would have made it on air in the 80's or early 90's when we were growing up.
I believe that this transformation has dictated the lack of true love in our society.
A&R's and Label exec's do not challenge artist to be talentend individuals. They prefer a homoginized act that they can manipulate as they see fit. These cookie cutter music acts can be balled up and thrown away at any time. So it is no surprise to me that there is a lack of love coming out of their music.
So where is the love? I think that it has faded away like footprints in the sand over time...