These two stories appeared on hip-hop wired within the last week:
http://hiphopwired.com/2011/01/03/jazmine-sullivan-announces-retirement-from-music/
http://hiphopwired.com/2011/01/02/kim-kardashian-debuts-braids-new-track-with-the-dream-in-vegas-video/
Seriously, what the hell kinda world are we living in when a bonafide deserving talent like Jazmine Sullivan feels like the music world doesn't have a place for her, but Fame-whoring wannabes like Porn Star Kim Kardashian feels are made to feel right at home? This is total bullshit; would people actually prefer to listen to autotuned club crap that anyone could've sang than listen to someone with an actual musical identity?
Ok I figured out a long time ago that people look for different things in their entertainment choices than they used to. The way I figure, back in the day, you looked at a Frank Sinatra, you looked at a Lena Horne, you WANTED to look up (figuratively, not literally). You wanted to see something iconic, that made you think about important ideas, and dream about bigger things. this was true of most all kinds of entertainment, Music greats like Nat King Cole and Billie Holiday sang about love and life and made you think about why the things they sang and wrote about were important, Comedians like Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor spoke real truth to power and inspired their fans to be aware and enlightened...but they didn't to it in a smarmy, self-important "irreverent just because" way, like Seth McFarlane. And they certainly didn't just do a bunch of random sputtering like Dane Cook.
These days, when people look at entertainers and make the entertainment choices they make, I'm inclined to believe that their attitude is more...."What most reminds me of ME?" What entertainer can I find that makes me feel the most like I'm ok exactly where I am. What can I find that will make me bob my head, or giggle, but won't shake me out of my complacency? Oh, look, Jersey Shore's on! Those Douchebags like to party just like I do! Awesome!"
Not so awesome. Not much more than an indictment of the fact that se're actually responding to the spoon-feeding. It makes me wonder, could a Marvin Gaye or a Bob Marley even get a record deal? I don't think they could....not vapid enough.
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