“You don’t know nothin bout that right there , that’s grown folk music!” Anybody ever heard that before? I have and I’m sure you have too. It’s always usually your parents or an uncle or someone like that listening to some Bootsy Collins while doing any number of awful dances they did back in the 60’s and 70’s. But that’s the key, our parents and other family members are still able to treasure music they had when they were younger all the way up until now. It’s not because they can’t let go of their youth. Rather, it’s because you can still play those songs now and it still feels timeless. Think I’m playing, get in your auntie’s way when Franky Beverly comes on at the family reunion if you want to…you won’t win.
I bring this up because I for one am not optimistic that I’ll be able to use the opening statement of this article on my son when he’s my age. I feel like my parents era had the upper hand as far as quality of music. Sorry, but it’s not my fault our groups don’t stick together as long as we’d like. It’s not my fault our generations greatest musical talents don’t come out with projects as often as we’d like. Meanwhile we get albums almost twice a year from folks that lack creativity, the voice and lyrics that are capable of delivering that timeless feeling. You might be thinking that it’s unfair of me to compare something that has been out for 5 years with something that has been around for 30. I get it, that’s reasonable. I mean really how do I know? I don’t, I’m just merely speaking on the feeling I get when I hear today’s R&B in particular. Now there are obviously some standouts like Lauryn Hill, Dave Hollister, Jill Scott just off the top of my head and clearly there are more to the list. But as I said earlier either they don’t drop albums regularly or they’re not as popular as they need to be or as they deserve to be. Don’t get me wrong some of these boys/girls got hits no doubt about it. But I think there is a difference between hearing a hit and hearing something that moves you, I need more of that. I don’t think I’m way off with this one folks.
The artists that are chosen right now to be in the forefront representing our generation musically definitely deserve their shine, but do we have the right to hold them to a higher standard? Maybe we do maybe we don’t but I’m not the only one wondering what happend to D’angelo or wondering when Miss Badu is coming back out. I’m just trying to be sure things are left in the most capable hands possible. Maybe I should wake up and get with the times. Or maybe our respected musical leaders will wake up and understand that they are sorely missed. In my humble opinion.
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