Kendrick’s opening performance was interesting...

Kendrick was awesome and Dave too...

“I think we should clap”

like why did *that* song blow up?

At least gasolina was hype

Like already biggest song of the year...

really *listened* to it..

It truly does have a beautiful melody. Plus the tempo's relaxed enough that older people can vibe to it without feeling out of touch, but the reggaeton elements modernize it for young people. And that BRIDGE. I get how it resonated with so many people.

Another thing, too, is I think we forget how broadly spoken the spanish language is, globally lol - it's one of the most widely spoken, after Mandarin. There are even more native spanish speakers on the planet than english speakers. And across multiple continents/regions - N. Am, S. Am, Carribean, Parts of Europe, Parts of Africa., etc.

Soo.. mix a catchy, melodic, song that can appeal to different age groups with an audience that large, it's not hard to see how it topped charts in like 50 countries. (12x PLAT in Spain? whoa)

We saw this with 'Macarena' lol

seen as a joke or even novelty song...so it won't become a long lasting classic, which happens to songs that become tooo tooo tooooo big.

everyone else i was with said they love it....i'm like nah.

and it's not about not knowing what they say cause my ass love stromae lol

i don't get it all. seems bubble gum i guess.

>Kendrick’s opening performance was interesting...

LOL

we all know how this ends tho...

very true on both accounts. lol

Lawd have mercy

!

....as usual. And Cardi being Cardi. Those Cross Colours and early 90's style.....hilarious.

Surprised Migos hasn't won anything yet. They had an amazing year.

Like most of the niggas in that audience can't get MeToo'd either.

someone else.

since she said that Dr Luke raped her so she could get out of her contract since he wasn't going to let her drop anymore music.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kesha_v._Dr._Luke

>

the choir opened up beautifully then she came in like a wrecking ball

I don't care, "Finesse" is just a song to me.

Been a lot of "look, the music industry is serious business" performances since then and a lot of awards I just don't care who wins (the only one I can think of in the last hour I cared about was Best New Artist, but even then the two I was invested in had been well-regarded by most people with an interesting opinion for fucking three/four years now so...whatever...)

I'm usually not all that down on the Grammys, but this one is just...man, maybe starting with that Kendrick performance was not the play, because it's becoming pretty clear the rest of the show has zero ambition at all.

~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

see ya on Monday (c) Dave Chappelle

i feel bad but the country and kesha performances were dry af. the emotional impact just wasnt there.

http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=4&topic_id=13230295&mesg_id=13230295&page=

and that shit is his part time job lol.

these vocals been gruesome all show.

My bad. Dude sounded great.

but I want to hear Jay’s speech

this is boring

good nite papi :-)

is this like some okey doke the Grammys does?

like, it should have been nominated and won for Best Pop Song.

i see they stuck Bruno solely in the R&B field, then the song that's nominated for best R&B song is "That's What I Like"

like, i'm side-eyeing the hell outta this.

24K Magic is arguably the biggest song of 2017...it was literally everywhere and in everything.

my bad.

i hopped on twitter and it's a grip of black people tight he won for 24K over hov and kendrick basically accusing him of audio blackface. and here i am like damn i just found out he WASNT black.

also that album hot. good for him.

hear you.

but I also knew he wasn't Black..

he got that hawaii 5-0 look tho..

trying to sound like a black dude, dress like a black dude, hire a bunch of black dudes to be your background dancers but NOT be black? Instant success.

he is the exact opposite of a cultural appropriator..

niggas use that word dont even know what shit means anymore

He stood up there and thanked babyface, Teddy and Jimmy & Terry..

The whole point of appropriation is to take from somewhere else and act like u made the shit up yourself...

or is that master Culture Vulture?

>he is the exact opposite of a cultural appropriator..
>
>niggas use that word dont even know what shit means anymore
>
>He stood up there and thanked babyface, Teddy and Jimmy &
>Terry..
>
>The whole point of appropriation is to take from somewhere
>else and act like u made the shit up yourself...

He's literally a caricature of a black man. If an actual black man that sounded exactly like Bruno dressed and acted like that he wouldn't be taken seriously as an artist.

>If an actual black
>man that sounded exactly like Bruno dressed and acted like
>that he wouldn't be taken seriously as an artist.
>

You mean in today's market? Because we can name more than a few ridiculously dressed, black, successful artists, no? But I don't want to state the obvious because maybe I'm missing your point.

And how exactly is he acting?

>>If an actual black
>>man that sounded exactly like Bruno dressed and acted like
>>that he wouldn't be taken seriously as an artist.
>>
>
>You mean in today's market?

Yes.

Feminine East Coast soft spoken dude who was in to writing poetry and acting assumes the persona of a west coast gangster to sell records.





**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

niggas can't have a softer side?

no wonder they go so hard

Dude was more Leroy from Fame. Check out this early interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPj8l9uFl6k


Not that there is anything wrong with that. Just pointing out that dude switched it up.


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

>Dude was more Leroy from Fame. Check out this early
>interview:
>
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPj8l9uFl6k
>
>
>Not that there is anything wrong with that. Just pointing out
>that dude switched it up.
>

But he use to be a tad sweet like Honest Ice Tea.


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

lol

he went to Death Row and wish he never went that route.

>Feminine East Coast soft spoken dude who was in to writing
>poetry and acting assumes the persona of a west coast gangster
>to sell records.

put in work?

and gives credit to the folks who blatantly borrows from

I enjoy his live performances too.

with everything too. The broadcasted a show of his at the Apollo on Friday night. Looked like a lot of fun to be at.

maybe folks feel he did a crossover due to starting off with a modern crooner/pompadour style IDK

http://www.buzznet.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2012/01/orig-20949329.jpg

>The whole point of appropriation is to take from somewhere
>else and act like u made the shit up yourself...

.

>The whole point of appropriation is to take from somewhere
>else and act like u made the shit up yourself...

^^^ This is what folks aren't bringing to this "appropriation" conversation.

most times when I've seen it, its the media machine making shit up.

it seems like when something crosses over, then the media attribute the popularity to the white artists without giving credit, but I don't generally see the artists saying, yeah I invented funk.

if the artist is silent about how the media is false messaging, that's an issue too.

>most times when I've seen it, its the media machine making
>shit up.
>
>it seems like when something crosses over, then the media
>attribute the popularity to the white artists without giving
>credit, but I don't generally see the artists saying, yeah I
>invented funk.
>
>if the artist is silent about how the media is false
>messaging, that's an issue too.


Some artists may hear a style from someone small time and then use their status to make it blow up. Then they claim they created it.

Or they act like no prior artists influenced whatever they're doing.

Or they try to erase cultural history from music. I hate people who say that "Hip Hop isn't black music, it's for everyone!"

But you're probably right that the machine has more to do with this than anything.

or name drop influences in their past are those types

although half the time when they do list off names we go "quit lying"

did JT ever give credit?

>did JT ever give credit?

cant get mad when somebody comes along and fills the void.

if the choice is between purple haired junkie niggas adlibbing entire songs over the same 3 beats...or a dude from another ethnicity making the type of music we have loved for decades...im going with door number 2.

if its dope...i dont care where its coming from. aint enough quality music out now to be choosey.

giving away the culture (c)

Funny. Lately I have been thinking about what is our culture. Like. is culture suppose to change?

.

to give a shot and push.

They decided Bruno was going to be the guy and anointed him and here we are.


>cant get mad when somebody comes along and fills the void.
>
>if the choice is between purple haired junkie niggas adlibbing
>entire songs over the same 3 beats...or a dude from another
>ethnicity making the type of music we have loved for
>decades...im going with door number 2.
>
>if its dope...i dont care where its coming from. aint enough
>quality music out now to be choosey.

I wish more were doing it but most are singing over trap beats these days

I truly wish Rhianna or Chris Brown would go back to the NJS type sound for a hit or 2.

he was about to be THAT guy but he wanted to be the bad boy

plus he just seems mad unstable.

I was on his beat for most of my time with PopMatters and, I gotta say, 2010-2014 was a really, really, really bad look for the guy. Whether culturally or musically. He was one of the few artists left who seemed designed to sell a full album off a single song. His album cuts were GAAAAAHBAGE.



~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

No Bruno MADE HIMSELF THE GUY..

He wrote waving flag (k'naan), billionare (travis mccoy), nothing on you (BOB), fuck you (cee-lo) all in the same year.. Then gave himself another hit with "Just The Way You Are"

No one chose shit he put himself into that space with work

>No Bruno MADE HIMSELF THE GUY..
>
>He wrote waving flag (k'naan), billionare (travis mccoy),
>nothing on you (BOB), fuck you (cee-lo) all in the same year..
>Then gave himself another hit with "Just The Way You Are"
>
>No one chose shit he put himself into that space with work

So he's the only person writing hit songs?

>>No Bruno MADE HIMSELF THE GUY..
>>
>>He wrote waving flag (k'naan), billionare (travis mccoy),
>>nothing on you (BOB), fuck you (cee-lo) all in the same
>year..
>>Then gave himself another hit with "Just The Way You Are"
>>
>>No one chose shit he put himself into that space with work
>
>So he's the only person writing hit songs?

Do you have an artist/performer in mind who you feel should be claiming Bruno's spot?

> Do you have an artist/performer in mind who you feel should
>be claiming Bruno's spot?


Not one person in particular but there are thousands of talented artists out there that most of us will never hear. Success in the music business is not about who's the most talented but having the right people behind you.

>Not one person in particular but there are thousands of
>talented artists out there that most of us will never hear.
>Success in the music business is not about who's the most
>talented but having the right people behind you.

and was like, 'Sign this boy, this man is gonna be huge'.

Nigga's been performing since he grew hair on his nuts, he WRITES his own songs, PLAYS the instruments in said songs, PERFORMS his own songs...you niggas act like he just walked on from American Idol. Nigga looks like he's should be on 3 different no fly lists, lets not act like this was a slam dunk for music execs.

Give the man his due

"you, YEAH YOU!! come here.."

as good as what Bruno has been doing the last 10 years.

That has to be demonstrated. Music that good doesn't just grow on trees, especially not in this day and age.

He is the only person who is writing top 10 hits AND can murder the stage...

We talked about this in the Lesson... there are few who can touch where Bruno and the smeezingtons are currently...

Dude has a new jack swing song at number 3 on the charts.. if that was easy it woulda happened at some point in the last 27 years.

People mentioned Miguel and Anderson Paak and both for sure could... as of right. Ow bruno is the top though

“24 Karat Magic” and “That’s What I Like” are?



>He is the only person who is writing top 10 hits AND can
>murder the stage...
>
>We talked about this in the Lesson... there are few who can
>touch where Bruno and the smeezingtons are currently...
>
>Dude has a new jack swing song at number 3 on the charts.. if
>that was easy it woulda happened at some point in the last 27
>years

That song is garbage it’s only popular because he and Cardi are part of the current hype machine.

And for the record I think it’s disrespectful to call it “new jack swing”.



>People mentioned Miguel and Anderson Paak and both for sure
>could... as of right. Ow bruno is the top though

Do we still play Destinys Child songs? Aaliyah songs?

I still rock Ja rule (on the early side) in my DJ Sets....

Good Pop music lasts..

i mean, I kinda get where you are going with it

but Bruno is good at making pop music that comes from black music. Facts is facts.

If anything you get the sense that hes a lifer. Puerto Rican, Jewish and Filipino, born in Brooklyn. Dude has been performing music since the age of 4.

Its not like he woke up one day and suddenly decided to love black music, its practically in his DNA.

Its also not like he is pretending to be something he is not.

If you want then give him a pass but then be mad at the industry then I would say maybe because hes just solid at making hit songs.

I really don't see the reason why hes hated.

>i mean, I kinda get where you are going with it
>
>but Bruno is good at making pop music that comes from black
>music. Facts is facts.

I agree 100%.

>If anything you get the sense that hes a lifer. Puerto Rican,
>Jewish and Filipino, born in Brooklyn. Dude has been
>performing music since the age of 4.
>
>Its not like he woke up one day and suddenly decided to love
>black music, its practically in his DNA.
>
>Its also not like he is pretending to be something he is not.

Actually he is.

He started out like this: https://www.grammy.com/sites/com/files/brunomars-spotlight.png

then all of a sudden they decided to give him some "swag" which basically meant dressing like a black man from the 90's. If an actual black man tried to pull off that style he would've been laughed at.

>If you want then give him a pass but then be mad at the
>industry then I would say maybe because hes just solid at
>making hit songs.
>
>I really don't see the reason why hes hated.

I am mad at "the industry".

>>i mean, I kinda get where you are going with it
>>
>>but Bruno is good at making pop music that comes from black
>>music. Facts is facts.
>
>I agree 100%.
>
>>If anything you get the sense that hes a lifer. Puerto
>Rican,
>>Jewish and Filipino, born in Brooklyn. Dude has been
>>performing music since the age of 4.
>>
>>Its not like he woke up one day and suddenly decided to love
>>black music, its practically in his DNA.
>>
>>Its also not like he is pretending to be something he is
>not.
>
>Actually he is.
>
>He started out like this:
>https://www.grammy.com/sites/com/files/brunomars-spotlight.png
>

On one hand, maybe. On the other hand, dude has been on a black musical trip since the age of 4. His father performed Little Richard songs and his uncle was an Elvis impersonator.

I also wonder if it was a case where Bruno been Bruno but development said "if you want to be on the radar, you have to do this"

Then again, everything he has done comes off as real.
Why give this dude a hard time but not someone like Kanye who is now using house music and house references. What gives Kanye any right to use house music in his music? He was never a part of that culture.

>then all of a sudden they decided to give him some "swag"
>which basically meant dressing like a black man from the 90's.
>If an actual black man tried to pull off that style he
>would've been laughed at.
>

I mean, off the top of my head...
Miguel with the conk
The Cool Kids with 80s throw back
Andre 3000 and his whole shtick
Janelle Monae being...Janelle Monae.
Prince being Prince
Kanye being Kanye (shutter shades, the horrible fucking shag haircut era)



>>If you want then give him a pass but then be mad at the
>>industry then I would say maybe because hes just solid at
>>making hit songs.
>>
>>I really don't see the reason why hes hated.
>
>I am mad at "the industry".
>

Oh, indeed.

when Andre 3K started wearing crazy shit I was like.. nigga c'mon.. but I think it was just part of the "rock star shit"

if you that dude, you can wear weird shit or throwback shit and not give a fuck cause niggas gonna laugh regardless

thing is, it's hard to hear them laughing when you making hits.

during the commercial break?

my soul winces.

I can’t understand the worlds fascination with her either...

I think its crazy to see she went from love and hip hop to the Grammies in a couple of years though.

to change your whole life.

+1 if she makes white ppl mad.

"...I feel butterflies in my stomach...and vagina.."

I passed out laughing.

I’m for real, lol


I’m trying to understand

Bronx native with marginal talent who:

1- First gets over with hip hop association
2- high profile romantic relationship
3- crosses over with music/movies so that YT "diversity" box is checked

funny thing...

I was watching Rapsody’s interview on the breakfast club
about being compared to other female rappers
She said, she be getting messages from fans talking about “why you giving her credit...you’re better than her?

I froze because I was wondering the same damn thing
then I remembered that’s part of the reason I love her....Rapsody

only then she will be like J-Lo

I've also somehow avoided a full song of hers (I'm washed in my own way, scouring Soundcloud and LiveMixtapes for rappers nobody will care about for another year while ignoring what's already happening) so it's never really washed over me like that.


I will say I keep reading articles pointing to her Jimmy Fallon interview as a moment when the entire country realized she was indisposable, and I find that interview really grating. I'd hate if Pusha T went "yeeeuch" after everything he said in an interview, too, for what it's worth.


Leave your adlibs for the records.


I feel 72% certain even the people who are attempting to praise "audiences" for ignoring the cultural peeping tom-ism that is possible with Cardi B are, in fact, engaging in that same fascination with an "other" getting the green light. But then I also wonder if Nicki Minaj just had slightly better coaching? Or am I too nostalgic for when Left Eye was the wildest on the block, and the Cardi Bs just popped up in Cam'ron behind-the-scenes featurettes for videos?

Hard to say, I guess. Wish her the best.


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

I’m trying to nail down what exactly I don’t like about her without bad mouthing her. She’s just not that fly to me....

I keep going back to Rapsody’s breakfast club interview, in which she said 85% of her fanbase is male. Are women just not feeling her? Then I think about Lauryn, granted she had the Fugees but, how was she able to grab everybody’s attention...

what change?

you can put her in stripper culture, or Bronx culture, or black twitter culture, or white meme culture, or zoo animal, or free spirit, or so on so on so on depending on what world view you bring to her performance.


so some will argue she is so unique, but that's a willful ignorance of Rosie Perez, or even fucking Lil' Mama.


people like that they can project onto her.


so part of what I struggle with w/r/t the culture critic discourse about her (granted, most of these people are white, still) is that all of those things make her unique, rather than just the latest fetish.

and I don't want to write her off, either. I just currently find her entertaining but for no real reason, and I'm tired of an article or headline that argues she's universal. Ain't no universal anymore.

To your point though, "Bodak Yellow" was for women way before men, and IMO that's not necessarily a first but a rarity for women rapping.


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

then this guy at work said, she’s like that on and off camera . I guess that’s the uniqueness and personality y’all speak of.

is authenticity that rare?

that makes her marketable.......until people get tired of it. she's having her 15 minutes without an album. hopefully she's caking/saving, cuz we all know this music biz will forget folks quickly.

It felt like there were about 6 award presentations the whole night.

It's corny and not great New New Jack Swing. Nothing against retro sounds, you just have to update them somehow for them to be worthwhile.

Mack Wildz did it better with

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhDXdwqs9EI


Anyway, still a fan of Bruno Mars, but his best song on that last album was "That's What I like" which was the least retro and most original while Finesses is the most retro and borders on Parody.


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

been used a trillion times this decade...hell, it never truly died. And to be real, Miguel "did it better" with his first single w/ J. COle

The Mack Wildz song borrows heavily from the SWV remix of Right Here By Teddy Riley Himself!!!!@!


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

I thought SZA's performance was dope as well. Back up singers were rocking. I had tickets to see her this Saturday too, had to sell them.

and when you catch her she'll just stares at you

but besides that...she's 'ok'
i don't get the heavy hype around her tbh

that she has really bad anxiety and doesn’t like to leave the house.

now i feel a smidge bad

.

it's hard to face up to. but is what it is. I've had enough opportunities to be proven wrong but she oughta just go recluse and play some LA club shows for 100 people and find her money on ghostwriting and features 'cause she ain't the one to be on stage for people.


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

She killed it! Much better vocalist than her records at that point displayed. She also didn t seem socially awkward or apprehensive at all.

And this was before her killer crossover of 2017 so...

she sounded just as pitchy at the Grammys as she did on SNL. I always give people at SNL the benefit of the doubt - that stage has a long, storied history of making decent and great artists sound like shit - but hearing her at the Grammys let me down.


I should step back though, I haven't got to actually see her live, I just have live TV to go off of. I'm also a little biased since "The Weekend" is a great song but there's about four songs off there I'd rather hear her sing first ("Supermodel" is a perfect Grammy song; "Go Gina" and "Love Galore" are more fun; "Drew Barrymore" and "Doves in the Wind" are just better).


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

and I am just a Rapper...back when he was "corny". YES...I'm playing that card, lol.

I get excited when I see people vamp for that period.

I don't think I'll ever catch the wave but I dig that a dude so obviously talented as he is - and who formerly seemed as weird and misguided as he did - has validated everyone, whether it was me with his acting back in 2010 or you with his music back in 2012. Guy is evidence that you just work, work and work again until it settles just right.

~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

it ever since.

Interesting thing is my wife thought it was from my afro-beat playlist.


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

I think on 4/20, 'cause apparently everything neat we know about from video games to washed post punkers wants to drop on 4/20 for the LOLs and the Gram this year


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

argument for one reason and one reason alone.

The biggest pop star of all time was a black man. His name was Michael Jackson. So I don't understand the argument that a black artist doing the type of music Bruno Mars is doing would never blow up as large as Bruno when in fact a black artist blew up to levels that Bruno has not reached.

You can also point to Prince. Or Lionel Richie in the 80s.

This goes back to my argument in the lesson, there doesn't seem to be black male artists trying to make crossover cross-generational kid and grandma friendly records the way that Bruno Mars is (kind of like the "black people gave up on black music" argument made in here).


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

so most R&B dudes who are Black are either trying to stay current with trap bullshit or just doing slow jams.

There isn't a Keith Sweat out here making banging songs your family wants to dance to like Bruno right now.

Kellz was that dude but... breaking laws and shit

Chris Brown had a shot but... breaking jaws and shit

Usher had a nice run tho... but he is keeping it stripperish right now.

We need another Troop or Full Force who is strictly about making folks dance.

I watched that Bruno Mars special on Friday and dude is having fun.

>I watched that Bruno Mars special on Friday and dude is having
>fun.
>

We also had more Black movies by Black producers and all Black casts with larger push in the 80s. Who's doing "Coming To America" now? Who's your Spike Lee who doesn't have to place a gay character or Black female/white male relationship front and center? It's like that kind of Black production has been shut down. It's not because we aren't still doing it, and I can't call exactly what it is (and Double 0 and BigReg, please spare me the "AIN'T NOBODY DOING IT" bs), but it seems to be a concerted effort to shut us out. This is why the whole Jay-Z and Puffy "do it like I did it" stuff is misguided. Those kinds of Black moguls and millionaires aren't being created anymore. In pop music, the gatekeepers seem to be only allowing a certain type in. With all the Black talent out here, how Sam Smith and Adele the most "soulful" singers on radio? That's not an accident. Bruno Mars is racially ambiguous like they like 'em now. Tori Kelly stay getting placement. Do you know who Curtis Harding is tho? Stacey Barthe? Brandee Younger?


>The biggest pop star of all time was a black man. His name was
>Michael Jackson. So I don't understand the argument that a
>black artist doing the type of music Bruno Mars is doing would
>never blow up as large as Bruno when in fact a black artist
>blew up to levels that Bruno has not reached.
>
>You can also point to Prince. Or Lionel Richie in the 80s.


Prince was also racially ambiguous, Lionel was light skinned, and MJ lightened himself for Thriller and continued to lighten himself. Terence Trent D'arby spoke in the late 80s/early 90s on how he was surprised at Seal's success since he was so dark, and the industry didn't usually get behind that.

>In pop music, the gatekeepers
>seem to be only allowing a certain type in. With all the
>Black talent out here, how Sam Smith and Adele the most
>"soulful" singers on radio? That's not an accident. Bruno
>Mars is racially ambiguous like they like 'em now. Tori Kelly
>stay getting placement. Do you know who Curtis Harding is
>tho? Stacey Barthe? Brandee Younger?

>We also had more Black movies by Black producers and all
>Black casts with larger push in the 80s.

Nope.


Who's doing "Coming
>To America" now?


Written by White Dude, Made by White Producers and Directed By White Dude.

Get Out was Written and Directed By Black Person and is arguably biggest movie of the year.


Who's your Spike Lee who doesn't have to
>place a gay character or Black female/white male relationship
>front and center?

You got a blind spot for black women. What about Ava, Issa, Dee Rees. Then there is Jordan Peele and Ryan Coogler.

There are absolutely more black films and TV then there was in the 80s. I did my thesis on Black Film and Spike Lee in 1999. There are way more opportunities for black filmmakers now then there were then.
You romanticising the 80s.

It's like that kind of Black production has
>been shut down.


It's not because we aren't still doing it,
>and I can't call exactly what it is (and Double 0 and BigReg,
>please spare me the "AIN'T NOBODY DOING IT" bs), but it seems
>to be a concerted effort to shut us out. This is why the
>whole Jay-Z and Puffy "do it like I did it" stuff is
>misguided. Those kinds of Black moguls and millionaires
>aren't being created anymore. In pop music, the gatekeepers
>seem to be only allowing a certain type in. With all the
>Black talent out here, how Sam Smith and Adele the most
>"soulful" singers on radio? That's not an accident. Bruno
>Mars is racially ambiguous like they like 'em now. Tori Kelly
>stay getting placement. Do you know who Curtis Harding is
>tho? Stacey Barthe? Brandee Younger?


Don't know any of those guys. I gave each about 30 seconds and I will give more time but I did hear Pop when I gave them a spin. And by Pop I mean crossover music attempted to appeal to the broadest audience possible.




>
>
>>The biggest pop star of all time was a black man. His name
>was
>>Michael Jackson. So I don't understand the argument that a
>>black artist doing the type of music Bruno Mars is doing
>would
>>never blow up as large as Bruno when in fact a black artist
>>blew up to levels that Bruno has not reached.
>>
>>You can also point to Prince. Or Lionel Richie in the 80s.
>
>
>Prince was also racially ambiguous, Lionel was light skinned,
>and MJ lightened himself for Thriller and continued to lighten
>himself. Terence Trent D'arby spoke in the late 80s/early 90s
>on how he was surprised at Seal's success since he was so
>dark, and the industry didn't usually get behind that.


Well know you talking colorism. That's a different issue. If you are arguing you got to be certain types of light skin to be a crossover success I would have less to disagree with you about.

But that's moving the fieldgoal from the argument that black artist can't succeed.



**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

Do you think there's no such thing as an industry plant?

Lol. You know better than this, man.

Now
HELL no lol


most 'new' artists these days aren't industry plants


i don't have G Easy being an industry plant
i don't have Cardi B being an industry plant
21 Savage? yep...he was created by some white man sittin behind a curtain

The whole "created by a white man sitting
behind a curtain" stuff is something you
made up. If you have to pretend I'm talking
AI rappers to discredit me, your whole
position might be worth re-evaluating, fam lol.

I'm not really up on TV producers in the 80's and 90's because we didn't care about producers back then.

I think it's because we had Different World, Cosby, Living Single, Martin, Living Color, etc that it felt like we had more presence and that might be so.

Now we have more shows on cable produced by us because we finally got a chance behind the camera. That's due to those who put in work in the 80's and 90's.

Fun fact: I saw Jordan Peele in the Pit on A Different World as an extra. Wish I could find the episode.

I will say this though, Get Out was cool but Spike Lee had a much more impressive run. Also can't forget about John Singleton.

>Get Out was Written and Directed By Black Person and is
>arguably biggest movie of the year.


And it was an anomaly. Let's not act like
that wasn't rare and unexpected. This is
like saying Black people are doing great in
Hollywood b/c Will Smith.


>You got a blind spot for black women. What about Ava, Issa,
>Dee Rees. Then there is Jordan Peele and Ryan Coogler.
>


Ava and Issa are why I gave some specifics. Aside from
13th, you see some recurring tropes in their work, some
of which I mentioned above. Might as well throw Shonda
Rimes and Scandal in there too. Or Being Mary Jane
perhaps.
We had a big convo about Issa that I won't rehash here.
Peele has done one really successful movie. Coogler's
got some good work with Creed, but it's really Stallone's
movie. Fruitvale Station was cool, but it was in select
theaters if I remember correctly, and Black Panther gives
him 0 creative control... that's a Marvel movie as we all
know. I'm not seeing what's groundbreaking about him
being brought in solely to say "we got a black person."
Panther is part of the Infinity War story arc.




>There are absolutely more black films and TV then there was in
>the 80s.


Well yeah, there's more of everything, b/c it's easier
to make something independently, and there are way more
avenues to view content. The marketing push, what's
featured, etc is still very much controlled tho. Keep
in mind the base of this convo is pop stardom, not
just stuff being out there... somewhere... in space...
or wherever.


>I did my thesis on Black Film and Spike Lee in 1999.
> There are way more opportunities for black filmmakers now
>then there were then.



I'm not understanding how those sentences connect, but
again, that's just b/c there are more avenues for
everything. "Opportunities" is an interesting word
here tho. So is Hidden Colors on Netflix? Is it
mentioned at ANY Black award shows despite being the
biggest selling Black documentary ever? Why do you
think that is?



> You romanticising the 80s.


If you say so. Many of the movies we love in the
80s and 90s go straight to DVD if they're made now.
Not because we wouldn't see them, but b/c gatekeepers
ain't allowing intelligent heterosexual Black males
to be depicted caring about each other and loving
Black women long-term, etc.


>Well know you talking colorism. That's a different issue. If
>you are arguing you got to be certain types of light skin to
>be a crossover success I would have less to disagree with you
>about.


Are you not also arguing this?
If I recall correctly, you think there's no
difference in Black and black. In that case,
Bruno is as black as you are.

>>Get Out was Written and Directed By Black Person and is
>>arguably biggest movie of the year.
>
>
>And it was an anomaly. Let's not act like
>that wasn't rare and unexpected. This is
>like saying Black people are doing great in
>Hollywood b/c Will Smith.


Spike Lee was an anomaly then. You asked where is the Spike Lee of today and I pointed out who arguably is it.

The fact remains more black movies are being made now then in the 80s. Full Stop. You began by trying to argue otherwise ("We also had more Black movies by Black producers and all Black casts with larger push in the 80s.")
>
>
>>You got a blind spot for black women. What about Ava, Issa,
>>Dee Rees. Then there is Jordan Peele and Ryan Coogler.
>>
>
>
>Ava and Issa are why I gave some specifics. Aside from
>13th, you see some recurring tropes in their work, some
>of which I mentioned above. Might as well throw Shonda
>Rimes and Scandal in there too. Or Being Mary Jane
>perhaps.
>We had a big convo about Issa that I won't rehash here.
>Peele has done one really successful movie. Coogler's
>got some good work with Creed, but it's really Stallone's
>movie. Fruitvale Station was cool, but it was in select
>theaters if I remember correctly, and Black Panther gives
>him 0 creative control... that's a Marvel movie as we all
>know. I'm not seeing what's groundbreaking about him
>being brought in solely to say "we got a black person."
>Panther is part of the Infinity War story arc.


It's easier to just say I prefer 80s black movies than to try and discount all the black films & TV shows that are being made today because they don't align with your politics. I mean you used Coming To America as your example when that was a movie made by white filmmakers but chauvinistically dismiss the works of Issa and Ava? SMH.


>
>
>
>
>>There are absolutely more black films and TV then there was
>in
>>the 80s.
>
>
>Well yeah, there's more of everything, b/c it's easier
>to make something independently, and there are way more
>avenues to view content.

Way to concede my main point without saying you are right I was wrong. Again, you started this convo by saying "We also had more Black movies by Black producers and all Black casts with larger push in the 80s..." which right here you are admitting is not true.

This argument started with you arguing that the 80s were different and I like to hear an argument how (now that we established that it wasn't because there was more content).

The marketing push, what's
>featured, etc is still very much controlled tho.

Of course.

Keep
>in mind the base of this convo is pop stardom, not
>just stuff being out there... somewhere... in space...
>or wherever.


OK but recognize you are shifting your argument from not as much black content is made today to not as much black content is pushed into the mainstream.

That may be true but how much do we give a shit that black content is not being pushed on White Audiences? That always felt like looking for white approval to me.



>
>
>>I did my thesis on Black Film and Spike Lee in 1999.
>> There are way more opportunities for black filmmakers now
>>then there were then.
>
>
>
>I'm not understanding how those sentences connect,

The first sentence is to show this is a topic I've been following and covering for some time which gives me some authority to make the next statement.

but
>again, that's just b/c there are more avenues for
>everything. "Opportunities" is an interesting word
>here tho. So is Hidden Colors on Netflix? Is it
>mentioned at ANY Black award shows despite being the
>biggest selling Black documentary ever? Why do you
>think that is?

I don't know. It might be because of the shitty production value. It might be because the filmmaker doesn't want it on netflix. It might not get awards because they didn't submit it for awards.
I'm sure you got a theory as to why. Happy to hear.


>
>
>
>> You romanticising the 80s.
>
>
>If you say so. Many of the movies we love in the
>80s and 90s go straight to DVD if they're made now.
>Not because we wouldn't see them, but b/c gatekeepers
>ain't allowing intelligent heterosexual Black males
>to be depicted caring about each other and loving
>Black women long-term, etc.


Straight to DVD? They still making DVDs?

>
>>Well know you talking colorism. That's a different issue.
>If
>>you are arguing you got to be certain types of light skin to
>>be a crossover success I would have less to disagree with
>you
>>about.
>
>
>Are you not also arguing this?
>If I recall correctly, you think there's no
>difference in Black and black. In that case,
>Bruno is as black as you are.

I think you are mixing up colorism and ethnicity/nationality.

>


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

>The fact remains more black movies are being made now then in
>the 80s. Full Stop. You began by trying to argue otherwise
>("We also had more Black movies by Black producers and all
>Black casts with larger push in the 80s.")


The full stop is the context of the convo.
It's about pop stardom, so everything said
is within the context of mainstream. The
post is about the grammys.


>It's easier to just say I prefer 80s black movies than to try
>and discount all the black films & TV shows that are being
>made today because they don't align with your politics. I
>mean you used Coming To America as your example when that was
>a movie made by white filmmakers but chauvinistically dismiss
>the works of Issa and Ava? SMH.


What mainstream film has Issa made? You pointed
out that I started talking about movies, but you're
talking about cable TV shows. If I meant I
preferred 80s movies, that's what I would've said.
Ava did Selma... Spike did Malcolm X...
No further comment, unless you want to outline exactly
what my politics are w/o baseless accusations of
chauvinism since my view is the same regardless
of their gender. You also have the guy who wrote
that "Dear White People" tripe. Perhaps you'd like
to compare that to School Daze.


> The marketing push, what's
>>featured, etc is still very much controlled tho.
>
>Of course.


Well at least we agree on that.


> Keep
>>in mind the base of this convo is pop stardom, not
>>just stuff being out there... somewhere... in space...
>>or wherever.
>
>
>OK but recognize you are shifting your argument from not as
>much black content is made today to not as much black content
>is pushed into the mainstream.




Again, that's not a shift, it's the context of
the argument in the first place. Curtis Harding
is a Black artist with a shot, but we're talking
about Bruno Mars, because that's who white folks
put on the stage.



>That may be true but how much do we give a shit that black
>content is not being pushed on White Audiences?




Not sure about "we", but it's obvious yall do,
because look what we're talking about. Look
how many comments the GoT season 7 post got.




>That always felt like looking for white approval to me.




That's exactly what I'm always calling it (looking
for white approval) but yall say I'm crazy for it.
Yet, this convo is about pop (mainstream) stardom,
pop stardom IS white approval. The thing is you
and others never seem to realize that. Funny that
you can see it now that tho. I'll hold you to this.
But let's clear something up right here. Mainstream
isn't only dictated by white people... it's also an
avenue for more people to become aware of your
product, period. That's why it's important. Just
look at how you didn't know who Curtis Harding is.
That's because white folks haven't given him a
platform. The ideal is that we don't need white folks
at all. The problem is that it takes white approval
for one to even HAVE a larger platform for the most part.
Again, the guy white folks put on their stage is what
pops on here, so I'm discussing it in the same way
that I always do, and that is to say that this is
all determined by white folks. Are you claiming that
you now don't care about what's given the white folks
stamp? Because everyone you've mentioned has gotten
a major cosign by major white corporations. Hmmm
I'd love for that not to be the case... or for The Chi
to get 1000 comments instead of Game of Thrones on a
site started by a Black band, but alas...
The Chi is even executive produced by one of that
band's affiliates but hey...
I'd love for us to talk about 1804 or something/someone
who doesn't have a major white cosign but this would
be the wrong place to make a post about it at this point.
White approval... man that's so funny coming from you,
b/c I've never seen you champion anything that doesn't
have white approval. Hip me to some stuff tho if you
got it. You know I'm down to check it out.




>>>I did my thesis on Black Film and Spike Lee in 1999.
>>> There are way more opportunities for black filmmakers now
>>>then there were then.
>>
>>
>>
>>I'm not understanding how those sentences connect,
>
>The first sentence is to show this is a topic I've been
>following and covering for some time which gives me some
>authority to make the next statement.



None of that supposed authority is apparent in
the statement or elsewhere tho. That's why I
didn't understand why you even mentioned it.



> but
>>again, that's just b/c there are more avenues for
>>everything. "Opportunities" is an interesting word
>>here tho. So is Hidden Colors on Netflix? Is it
>>mentioned at ANY Black award shows despite being the
>>biggest selling Black documentary ever? Why do you
>>think that is?
>
>I don't know. It might be because of the shitty production
>value. It might be because the filmmaker doesn't want it on
>netflix. It might not get awards because they didn't submit
>it for awards.



It's definitely not the production value.
The rest if most likely not the case either.


>I'm sure you got a theory as to why. Happy to hear.



Simple. White folks don't want it there.
You already knew that tho.



>>> You romanticising the 80s.
>>
>>
>>If you say so. Many of the movies we love in the
>>80s and 90s go straight to DVD if they're made now.
>>Not because we wouldn't see them, but b/c gatekeepers
>>ain't allowing intelligent heterosexual Black males
>>to be depicted caring about each other and loving
>>Black women long-term, etc.
>
>
>Straight to DVD? They still making DVDs?



Yes.


>>>Well know you talking colorism. That's a different issue.
>>If
>>>you are arguing you got to be certain types of light skin
>to
>>>be a crossover success I would have less to disagree with
>>you
>>>about.
>>
>>
>>Are you not also arguing this?
>>If I recall correctly, you think there's no
>>difference in Black and black. In that case,
>>Bruno is as black as you are.
>
>I think you are mixing up colorism and ethnicity/nationality.


Nah, I think you are.

using the example of a film made by white people starting eddie murphy and tried to argue black people made more black films in the 80s.

But you've admitted now that's not correct. And you've also admit that there are less gatekeepers because of the various means of distribution.

So I guess I am back to the questions what's so different about the 80s? Why do you think what was done in the 80s can't be done today?

Let's settle that one before you try to divert to some argument about me and white approval.


>>The fact remains more black movies are being made now then
>in
>>the 80s. Full Stop. You began by trying to argue
>otherwise
>>("We also had more Black movies by Black producers and all
>>Black casts with larger push in the 80s.")
>
>
>The full stop is the context of the convo.
>It's about pop stardom, so everything said
>is within the context of mainstream. The
>post is about the grammys.
>
>
>>It's easier to just say I prefer 80s black movies than to
>try
>>and discount all the black films & TV shows that are being
>>made today because they don't align with your politics. I
>>mean you used Coming To America as your example when that
>was
>>a movie made by white filmmakers but chauvinistically
>dismiss
>>the works of Issa and Ava? SMH.
>
>
>What mainstream film has Issa made? You pointed
>out that I started talking about movies, but you're
>talking about cable TV shows. If I meant I
>preferred 80s movies, that's what I would've said.
>Ava did Selma... Spike did Malcolm X...
>No further comment, unless you want to outline exactly
>what my politics are w/o baseless accusations of
>chauvinism since my view is the same regardless
>of their gender. You also have the guy who wrote
>that "Dear White People" tripe. Perhaps you'd like
>to compare that to School Daze.
>
>
>> The marketing push, what's
>>>featured, etc is still very much controlled tho.
>>
>>Of course.
>
>
>Well at least we agree on that.
>
>
>> Keep
>>>in mind the base of this convo is pop stardom, not
>>>just stuff being out there... somewhere... in space...
>>>or wherever.
>>
>>
>>OK but recognize you are shifting your argument from not as
>>much black content is made today to not as much black
>content
>>is pushed into the mainstream.
>
>
>
>
>Again, that's not a shift, it's the context of
>the argument in the first place. Curtis Harding
>is a Black artist with a shot, but we're talking
>about Bruno Mars, because that's who white folks
>put on the stage.
>
>
>
>>That may be true but how much do we give a shit that black
>>content is not being pushed on White Audiences?
>
>
>
>
>Not sure about "we", but it's obvious yall do,
>because look what we're talking about. Look
>how many comments the GoT season 7 post got.
>
>
>
>
>>That always felt like looking for white approval to me.
>
>
>
>
>That's exactly what I'm always calling it (looking
>for white approval) but yall say I'm crazy for it.
>Yet, this convo is about pop (mainstream) stardom,
>pop stardom IS white approval. The thing is you
>and others never seem to realize that. Funny that
>you can see it now that tho. I'll hold you to this.
>But let's clear something up right here. Mainstream
>isn't only dictated by white people... it's also an
>avenue for more people to become aware of your
>product, period. That's why it's important. Just
>look at how you didn't know who Curtis Harding is.
>That's because white folks haven't given him a
>platform. The ideal is that we don't need white folks
>at all. The problem is that it takes white approval
>for one to even HAVE a larger platform for the most part.
>Again, the guy white folks put on their stage is what
>pops on here, so I'm discussing it in the same way
>that I always do, and that is to say that this is
>all determined by white folks. Are you claiming that
>you now don't care about what's given the white folks
>stamp? Because everyone you've mentioned has gotten
>a major cosign by major white corporations. Hmmm
>I'd love for that not to be the case... or for The Chi
>to get 1000 comments instead of Game of Thrones on a
>site started by a Black band, but alas...
>The Chi is even executive produced by one of that
>band's affiliates but hey...
>I'd love for us to talk about 1804 or something/someone
>who doesn't have a major white cosign but this would
>be the wrong place to make a post about it at this point.
>White approval... man that's so funny coming from you,
>b/c I've never seen you champion anything that doesn't
>have white approval. Hip me to some stuff tho if you
>got it. You know I'm down to check it out.
>
>
>
>
>>>>I did my thesis on Black Film and Spike Lee in 1999.
>>>> There are way more opportunities for black filmmakers now
>>>>then there were then.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>I'm not understanding how those sentences connect,
>>
>>The first sentence is to show this is a topic I've been
>>following and covering for some time which gives me some
>>authority to make the next statement.
>
>
>
>None of that supposed authority is apparent in
>the statement or elsewhere tho. That's why I
>didn't understand why you even mentioned it.
>
>
>
>> but
>>>again, that's just b/c there are more avenues for
>>>everything. "Opportunities" is an interesting word
>>>here tho. So is Hidden Colors on Netflix? Is it
>>>mentioned at ANY Black award shows despite being the
>>>biggest selling Black documentary ever? Why do you
>>>think that is?
>>
>>I don't know. It might be because of the shitty production
>>value. It might be because the filmmaker doesn't want it on
>>netflix. It might not get awards because they didn't submit
>>it for awards.
>
>
>
>It's definitely not the production value.
>The rest if most likely not the case either.
>
>
>>I'm sure you got a theory as to why. Happy to hear.
>
>
>
>Simple. White folks don't want it there.
>You already knew that tho.
>
>
>
>>>> You romanticising the 80s.
>>>
>>>
>>>If you say so. Many of the movies we love in the
>>>80s and 90s go straight to DVD if they're made now.
>>>Not because we wouldn't see them, but b/c gatekeepers
>>>ain't allowing intelligent heterosexual Black males
>>>to be depicted caring about each other and loving
>>>Black women long-term, etc.
>>
>>
>>Straight to DVD? They still making DVDs?
>
>
>
>Yes.
>
>
>>>>Well know you talking colorism. That's a different issue.
>
>>>If
>>>>you are arguing you got to be certain types of light skin
>>to
>>>>be a crossover success I would have less to disagree with
>>>you
>>>>about.
>>>
>>>
>>>Are you not also arguing this?
>>>If I recall correctly, you think there's no
>>>difference in Black and black. In that case,
>>>Bruno is as black as you are.
>>
>>I think you are mixing up colorism and
>ethnicity/nationality.
>
>
>Nah, I think you are.
>
>
>
>
>
>


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

this doesn't work by you ignoring what I say and insisting that I respond to what you say.

If you want to zero in on whatever point you think you have, that's cool, but we both can do that and just ignore each other forever. For instance, what is this about white approval when you're asking if Black male artists are gonna let Bruno Mars have all that "Pop Crossover Success" aka white approval? lol.
http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=5&topic_id=3000043&mesg_id=3000043&page=2
How much do you value whiteness OVER blackness when you just went into a post about Logan and The Chi and only talked about Logan?
http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=4&topic_id=13230755&mesg_id=13230755&page=
Both of those examples look like you value as much mainstream aka "white approval" as possible in your entertainment... but you're above that tho right? You make this way too easy if you wanna play games.


But hey, I'm not interested in yet another one-sided conversation with you, so we'll end here.

He created it and allowed some white folks to fill roles that he didn't. This ain't like Black Panther where the story belongs to white folks, and it's pretty obvious in the movie that Eddie had control over the presentation.
Despite the ridiculous direction the convo took, that needed to be noted.

>We also had more Black movies by Black producers and all
>Black casts with larger push in the 80s. Who's doing "Coming
>To America" now? Who's your Spike Lee who doesn't have to
>place a gay character or Black female/white male relationship
>front and center? It's like that kind of Black production has
>been shut down. It's not because we aren't still doing it,
>and I can't call exactly what it is (and Double 0 and BigReg,
>please spare me the "AIN'T NOBODY DOING IT" bs), but it seems
>to be a concerted effort to shut us out. This is why the
>whole Jay-Z and Puffy "do it like I did it" stuff is
>misguided. Those kinds of Black moguls and millionaires
>aren't being created anymore. In pop music, the gatekeepers
>seem to be only allowing a certain type in. With all the
>Black talent out here, how Sam Smith and Adele the most
>"soulful" singers on radio? That's not an accident. Bruno
>Mars is racially ambiguous like they like 'em now. Tori Kelly
>stay getting placement. Do you know who Curtis Harding is
>tho? Stacey Barthe? Brandee Younger?
>
>
>>The biggest pop star of all time was a black man. His name
>was
>>Michael Jackson. So I don't understand the argument that a
>>black artist doing the type of music Bruno Mars is doing
>would
>>never blow up as large as Bruno when in fact a black artist
>>blew up to levels that Bruno has not reached.
>>
>>You can also point to Prince. Or Lionel Richie in the 80s.
>
>
>Prince was also racially ambiguous, Lionel was light skinned,
>and MJ lightened himself for Thriller and continued to lighten
>himself. Terence Trent D'arby spoke in the late 80s/early 90s
>on how he was surprised at Seal's success since he was so
>dark, and the industry didn't usually get behind that.

Speak on it, bruh. GOTDAMMIT I SAID SPEAK ON IT!!!

It's not because we aren't still doing it,
>and I can't call exactly what it is (and Double 0 and BigReg,
>please spare me the "AIN'T NOBODY DOING IT" bs),

I never said that.. I said the ones who can make it are literally making it (well)
are with Bruno (Phillips Lawrence, James Fauntleroy, Brody Brown).

People FUCKED with Omarion Entourage, The-Dream - Walking on the Moon ..
but thats 10 years ago now...

Lets be ALL the way real. 24kt Magic was accepted cuz it rode off Uptown Funk wave... but his biggest hit on the album is "Thats What I like" which is extremely contemporary in tempo & drums

>to be a concerted effort to shut us out. This is why the
>whole Jay-Z and Puffy "do it like I did it" stuff is
>misguided. Those kinds of Black moguls and millionaires
>aren't being created anymore. In pop music, the gatekeepers
>seem to be only allowing a certain type in.

You dont think Nicki, Kendrick, Kanye, Drake & Chance are on their way there? They are all literally one liquor sponsorship or cash out of an investment away from being right up there.

With all the
>Black talent out here, how Sam Smith and Adele the most
>"soulful" singers on radio? That's not an accident.

The UK is not the US... Adele wasnt supposed to pop like she did. Her first album didn't change the game like that and if you peep the initial roll out of 21 it wasnt the roll out of a "We Forcing This".

She caught a wave it connected .. and she WROTE her shit. That doesnt happen often AT ALL which is why her shit is legendary (esp last decade)

>Tori Kelly stay getting placement.

So does Andra Day, Esperanza Spalding, John Legend, Alicia Keys

Do you know who Curtis Harding is
>tho? Yes.. learned about him in a TV commercial. He is the kind or artist the grammys loves actually

Stacey Barthe?

Firstly her name is Stacy... She had the same look Bruno did and hasnt (yet) capitalized. She had the Rihanna alley-oop and was the talk of the industry right after she wrote Cheers. It didnt convert when she dropped her single and TBH Motown wasn't yet in the position to blow anyone up. They didnt have the right team.. that shit happens WAY more than Bruno style wins.

Capital couldnt even get Emile Sande to convert and she sold 2 MILLI in UK before coming here... had Kendrick on the remix of the single and STILL was opening for John Legend and only sold a bit over 200k here.

I think there are obstacles.. but you may also need to realize the AUDIENCE (including black people) is complicit in the under representation...

Same reason you dont have any women with careers similar to Chance or Russ is why Non-Black Artists that can smash the stage still peak interest to black and non black audiences alike.

this year

and I never watch that shit

I'm seeing this from a few sources now, and it's ridiculous that so many (B)lack folks let her get away with that. SLAVERY built this country down to the banking and insurance system from when they could insure slaves or use them as credit to purchase more. Man, we really have to know our history better, because the backlash should've been immediate to the point that she got booed for even saying that.
Camila Cabello is her name.

https://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/109362091.html


Camila called former black groupmate Normani a "nig**r"

On January 2016, new shocking messages (including facebook messages where Camila calls Normani the n-word with “er”) surface after hackers leak Camila facebook/twitter/instagram messages and much more.
Some media even reported some of the leak messages

Never trust those marco rubios

>Never trust those marco rubios

They be trying to out conservative white conservatives while looking like they actually season their food.

People seem to be digging that album of hers too. Curious to see if the spin zone picks up on this or not.