Where are the days of packed shows and small intimate venues? Is there a modern day Cotton Club for African- Americans to be dressed to the tee to show homage to the celebrities of their era? Wow! I can only imagine the sight of being in the same room with a Sammy Davis Jr., Cab Calloway, The Temptations, and etc all on the same bill! Playing for the same fans they lived above, next to, or shared a breakfast, lunch or dinner with.
Those were the days! No I’m not older than Methuselah, but I am nostalgic by nature. In my heart it pains me to see how corrupt the Industry of music has become. From the inception of having a black voice, the pioneers of showmanship, artistry, and loyalty to the game has all been lost. The days of free shows, hard working extras, and those who waited in lines to see all of their favorite stars in one place!
There is no way Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Beyonce, Jay-Z, or any top act can or will play a free concert EVER! It’s not possible in today’s commercializing success. The me first mentality of the Industry has taken away the most vital aspect of what kept the communities of music followers together.
The culmination of knowing your favorite singer was an earshot away, being a breath away from having a conversation with a Stevie Wonder, or being able to have an intellectual conversation with Marvin Gaye. Closest you will get to any one superstar these days is to pay your way into recession, or win a radio/internet contest in which you have a few seconds of their invaluable time!
What happened to being real people? They come from the same environments, cultures, hoods, that we do. How can we relate to someone who won’t give a free show (unless it benefits their brand!) Why do I owe you something for you being who you are? I have seen Oprah on TV but Oprah has never been by my house, never visited the hood unless it was to plug Jay-Z!
Problem today is being old fashioned is that just plain old fashioned. I’m 28 years old and I have yet to meet people who have influenced my life as much as people I haven’t met, but I heard them! Marvin Gaye’s music will touch the soul of many a generation to come. Stevie Wonder will forever influence the way music is listened to forever! Thru his vehicle of melodic vernacular that painted picture with a blind eye to make black and white turn to color! That cannot be replicated!
Jay-Z is no where near the conversation of a legendary musician! If he were to ever read this I would say this to his face! I hold no punches, but there are very few musicians today who will consistently do something for their fans, for FREE! It won’t promote anything and doesn’t earn them dollars and makes no sense!
We all talk of how we need to move forward and learn from the past and make a change. Truth is the pioneers paved the way for today’s star’s to make a u-turn to sample their music, borrow their sound and call it our own! Diddy I call you out to commend you for at least trying to bring Nostalgia back! A nice effort but not tasteful! If you want to hear Curtis Mayfield go get the CD, if you’re that hard go get the record! In today’s listeners we have no concept of what’s new, we just get fed through what that artist knew, which isn’t that much!
The concepts of the early singer’s and groups are the only tried and true way to bring an industry of misogyny, and selfishness back from immanent death. The tasteless concoction of sounds unheard, liner notes emptied, and first day sales have driven this community into the ICU of life support that music brings us. When you sample to much you get full of the same thing, junk music!
If anything we should sample the buffet of how to make music right! Get out to those places that need the music to have a beacon of light, showing that as African-American’s our stars can be heard! Sample the heartbeat of Black America, and watch the Industry of our nostalgic past come alive in the hearts of all fans! Nostalgia is alive and well!
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