i've said it before.
but not anymore.

because it's sorta ridiculous.
even if you don't like what a particular artist is doing (anymore),
it's way extra to say they should stop makin music.

i don't dig prince as much as i used to (although, as we all know,
he's done a lot worse than he is doing now)

but even if prince did nothing but tracks on the level of jarhead
for the rest of his life...
i wouldn't type "he should stop making music."

it is, in all likelihood, physically and psychologically impossible
for prince to stop making music.
if you locked him in a room with no musical instruments and tape recorder,
he would still write and record music.

and as long as there is an audience for whatever he's doing,
he's gonna release it.




i am not an artist anywhere in the league of prince,
but as long as pianos and guitars are around,
i will still play and write and record stuff as long as i exist.

it's not really something you can turn off.



i sometimes wonder if this sentiment comes from a place of...
resentment? jealousy?

i dunno. that's why I made this post.


this may be elitist, but sometimes i think artists
have a unique gift in the sense that if they are bored
with everything in their music collection, they can sit
down and play some music that they want to hear.

maybe not a masterpiece.
maybe not anything good when compared to the greats.
but they can create something that didn't exist before
that is pleasing enough to them to hold their attention.


i wonder if the statement "just stop creating" (instead of saying, "your music blows") comes from resenting ppl that create things that don't suit their taste.

or maybe ppl don't mean the phrase litterally.


thoughts?

..in an inarticulate-person kind of way.

Ultimately people will always throw words around.
And sometimes it will be a landside loss of supporters.
But the joke is on anyone who actually do stopped because of it.

------------------
reflect.

I don't think it's always just about not liking it and it definitely is not jealousy.

Sometimes it's about actual concern.... about how the artist's supposedly previously impeccable batting average is being lowered by mediocre releases.

It's like Quentin Tarantino always says... he wants in the future for kids to be able to look at his filmography, blindly select any movie on the list and it's gonna be a classic. He doesn't want them to think they have to avoid the later stuff because it's likely to be wack.... he doesn't want weak links.

This business is all about "what have you done lately"... you're as good as your last record, so when your last record(s) is some wack shit and the wackness doesn't seem to be a temporary faux pas.... it's understandable that your fans may worry the wackness will eventually bury the legacy of brilliance.

_____________________

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2010/287/6/c/the_wire_lineup__huge_download_by_dennisculver-d30s7vl.jpg
The man who thinks at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life - Muhammed Ali

The results aren't as tangibly measurable as other industries.
You can say in education, a teacher needs needs x enrollment, y amount of passing students, z holding an internship/job.
You can say in health, a worker needs to reach a type people, we need to implement b type care & policies, etc.
But in measuring an artist's growth, it's less finite.
Yes, we can go off of sales and analyze the business side of it, but I'm assuming we're talking about artistic integrity & growth.

The debate I notice always boil down to two preferences, or two crowds;
Ones who like an artist for their signature sound and what they're known for,
and ones who like an artist because they always try to outdo themselves, challenge themselves, hone their skills, and the like.

I
honestly
believe
both
are
fine.

But crowd A type folks would be concerned if Sade started embracing bluegrass in a new album, or Stevie started finding ways to sing to trap beats.

And crowd B type folks would be concerned, or more so bored, if every single album by John Legend or Alicia Keys, or whoever sounds too similar to each other.

The complaints from people who say "stop creating" seem to be crowd A-type folks; who know they love the artist and know why the love the artist and that love is instilled all up in em,
but refuse to let the beloved artist recreate themselves.
And that's why, as much shyt as I may talk about an artist I no longer like, or sold out,
I really don't dwell long on it if they want to change their sound.

Ex1: Musiq. I haven't listened to Musiq in years but I rode hard for him w/ his last two albums.
But his most recent ish? I know he's going for wider audience.
Wack to me, but you do you. I just won't buy your albums.
But I'm not going to tell him stop making music.

Ex2: Ledisi. Same issue as Musiq. I truly adore her when she performs, but her songs? No not at all. Don't like the modern ill-produced Ledisi.
But I'm not going to tell her to stop making music.

The ultimate thing about this?

Intention.

Are these artists, legends or not, putting the same energy they put as in the work that we fell in love with?
Are they really making sure a song is written so that you *really* are being honest in what your saying?
Are you really stucturing a song so that people can get *really* lose themselves to dance/crying/joy/rage?
Are you messing w/ that chord progession enough to see it morphed into something else, or are you settling for some A than B than A than B with no variation?

If you aren't lazy,
and your supporters are *honest with themselves* about not liking it,
and not just clinging on to your old music,
don't stop making music: someone will feel it.

If you have become lazy,
and your supporters are honest with themselves in that analysis,
don't stop making music: just come harder


That honestly is exactly how I view it.
Don't stop making music if your heart is still there.
If the energy and intention behind the music is heartfelt,
your ass WILL doing some kind of work to show for that.
And someone or something, maybe not even in this generation, will feel you.

------------------
reflect.

Nobody thought Marvin would bring it back with "Sexual Healing"

Never count a great artist out.

Peace,

Spirit (Alan)
http://wutangbook.com

after years spent meandering.

It was a commercial smash, and it was great to see Marvin back in the game. But at the time of its release, barely anybody thought that song was on the level of his peak shit. It was corny 80s shit from a past legend (and I don't mean that to be disparaging, though I recognize that it's impossible for it to be interpreted any other way).

_____________________

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2010/287/6/c/the_wire_lineup__huge_download_by_dennisculver-d30s7vl.jpg
The man who thinks at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life - Muhammed Ali

se than he is doing now)
>
>but even if prince did nothing but tracks on the level of
>jarhead
>for the rest of his life...
>i wouldn't type "he should stop making music."

...and dear God, please don't. lol

____________________________

FUCK DONALD TRUMP

~
~
~
~
~
Days like this I miss Sha Mecca

Let's start with Bobby Shmurda.

His lyrical content feels like it's another nail in the coffin of collective black uplift. I wince when I see kids singing along to 'Hot Nigga'.

Or maybe I'm just getting old.