Music for Personalities
Last Edited: March '07
Introduction
There are some obvious lines we can draw between music and the listener. Well, trying to avoid some judgmental stereotypes, I hope I can capture why we listen to the music we listen to. I'm going to take a stab at it because I have some basic ideas that may develop into something more as they're written down. On that note, I won't be surprised if I come back to this and change 90% of it 30 times before I can believe and accept what I'm saying.
Progressive Rock Music
This may be the most simple and right-on
genre, because that's all me. I like to get
into some new thick rock albums at least twice a
month. I know what rock makes me feel and no,
it's not angry music. It's just not, but I
understand the idea that it is. For people who
don't naturally possess the attitude that rock
so strongly IS, I really understand it sounding
like some angry imbeciles making racket to scare
children and the elderly.
From a general perspective, music is a
motivator. In a nation with rock on the rise,
we can thank an incline of broken homes and
social systems bent from social slavery to a
wide array of worldly byproducts. Weakened by
the world and searching for strength, many turn
to rock.
I could probably draw a clear picture using
anyone I'm close to who draws "power" from
listening to rock, but I'll give the example I
know best, mine:
This may not at all be the truth with other
rock-listeners, but I had experiences that made
me feel like a victim in many different ways to
many different things. Year by year, I saw many
people in my life and things around me as
manipulative masters that kept me down. As a
result, I always thought, and even still, think
that I'm pretty normal. But for a normal adult,
I've been through some cloaked slavery that
needs to be combated.
I don't feel powerless, but in being myself
from day to day, I feel the need to be
encouraged by a sound that's anything but
powerless. This feeling of oppression I don't
ever really understand or realize I feel needs
to be fought, like a war, and rock music is our
culture's battle soundtrack.
I've never heard a weak rock song. Lots of
poor quality or simply awful rock songs, but
never one that didn't sound strong. Rock is the
sound for the broken to be strengthened, which
leads me to the culture aspect I see taking
shape.
More and more, Progressive Rock bands have
become ones to hide messages of a god, or a hope
beyond this world, or a disguised description of
love (which is, by name, The God), or have
joined the Christian Rock industry altogether.
Of course you can motivate to a false sense of
hope or source of strength too, but that seems
to be an area I don't have the experience to
understand much about, thankfully. Everything,
despite appearance, is rooted in either black or
white. Every reaction to a problem, such as
having a life that needs power and choosing a
rock band to enjoy, is motivated by good or
evil.
So to sum up, for those who need to feel
secure and don't (mainly young males), there's a
culture of progressive rock that'll give you an
edge like coffee gives the early riser.
Hip-Hop
I'm excited to write about this
because I think I have it nailed down; but I
want to be careful, for the very reason behind
why Hip-Hop culture exists. In fact, that
pretty much says it, but seeing has how I just
dug myself a hole, I need to explain more.
If I was reading this, I would naturally
feel like the writer (who is me) is either
racist or judgmental. Give me the chance to lay
it out before you pay an eye for an eye
(because, I swear, I didn't touch your eye).
Hip-Hop makes you feel good... maybe a
little too good and that's the motive.
But for someone who's not into that kind
of feeling good, it may look silly. Maybe silly
isn't the word... because actually I'm probably
scared of what I don't understand, especially
because over half of the artists, as a means to
their end goal, are proud to intimidate me with
their weapons and words that hurt my tender
feelings. I usually just stay away.
I'd almost say that hip-hop is on the
other-end of the spectrum from progressive rock,
but music is probably more like a multi-pointed
star; so it's one of the points somewhere on the
other side of the star somewhere. I hope that
makes sense so far.
If it wasn't naturally accepted, I could
research the history of Hip-Hop and I'd be happy
to see the evidence that I know is there. The
point is this: the "Hip" behind "Hip-Hop" has
its roots in the Black Culture. It's a move
that followed a change of social status.
We all know that African Americans were
abused in the history of our country.
Generations of persecuted blacks had to rise
above the judgment and hatred of the foolish and
selfish white folks of the time. If I have
anything to say about the black culture, it's
that I think they deserve a history month, at
least! They've elevated themselves above the
judgment of a perverted oppressive culture.
(side note: I'm ashamed to be associated with a
color that was pure evil, but while we're not
judging by color anymore, let's not judge me
because the above is true. There, moving on.)
Through this reversal of a race's social
status, they've created an appropriate sound
that many other races have since tapped-into. I
believe that Hip-Hop is set with the personality
of one who is rejoicing in their status. If you
don't believe me, take a listen to some of the
commentary that artists put between written
lyrics. Hip Hop is the only style of music
where you have a chance of hearing some good
'ole trash talking right on the track. That
would be weird to, say... me, but not to someone
who is cultured to what's really going on. The
Hip Hop culture has artists saying a lot about
themselves because it's in opposition with the
false impression that our history has put on its
source: the African Americans.
Strong personalities tap into Hip-Hop.
That's a clear opposite I see between
progressive rock and Hip-Hop. While listeners
of rock can become quite passionate and
forceful, those belonging to the Hip-Hop genre
never had to. They know they're strong (even if
it's not always true), and speak it out with
force. Some of their lives have been or are
very hard, but that gives them more passion for
living in the Hip-Hop culture. Why go through a
struggle and refuse the consolation prize?
Hip-hop holds its optimism in survival.
I know there's another side to Hip-Hop that
I can't quite explain, but I'll try. While I
believe that, in general, lots of listeners
enjoy Hip-Hop to feel they can see themselves as
highly regarded (by means of a culture also
renown for thugs and gang wars), I see a
different element behind a lot of Hip-Hop
artists' reasons to write songs , especially in
the past 5 years.
The artists that don't celebrate in style or
with a big mouth are expressions of a culture
that grew up with hip-hop and are set on that
taste in music, but can't tap into the base
attitude of self-celebration. I'll call these
pioneers: the ones who started crossing
multi-genre boundaries in order to write music.
This may include artists that lean more towards
something more poetic or melodic at times,
artists that work with rock bands, artists that
have brought rap to the Christian industry and
others that have probably hundreds of
other pioneer methods. Self-idolization can't
go on forever. The party's on the way out, but
the sound is more in than ever.
I see the branch of Hip-Hop as one that's
spreading out , which we'll see that more
clearly in years to come. I know this was a
side-track, but I wanted to explain why my
understanding and explanation of the personality
behind Hip-Hop doesn't match the personality of
the industry anymore. So now I'll get back to
it.
To sum up, Hip-Hop comes form a race that
had achieved a great victory, and with it,
created a sound that those looking to pleasure
in might could enjoy. Currently, however, the
personality of Hip-Hop is changing with a
changing culture that's doesn't feel
selfish-hype. My guess is that "gangster rap"
and what I'd label "mighty rap" will remain big
as long there are those (of any race) who pride
in their status and need a song to vocalize the
sound of it. Meanwhile, hip-hop will continue
growing in all directions like weeds.
Pop/ Folk
Either this genre is as far away from
Progressive Rock as it is from Hip-Hop, or it's
outside of the "star-shape" altogether. My
simple prediction is that pop will be around as
long as people turn to music to get away from
everything else. Where the passion behind Rock
and Hip-Hop are created by circumstances, I
believe pop is created because circumstances
exist. (Read it 8 times, it'll make sense
eventually. If not, read on.)
It's almost like Pop/Folk is inspired by
pure intentions, but since so many are searching
for that peace of mind, it's often marketed with
a sleazy package. As long as pop music still
has the right to be called pop music, it's
called that for the reason that it's popular
(duh). This has the world's economical geniuses
hovering the genre like a hawk.
While there's lots of good pop that's not
sold with sensual images, the problem is that
it's, on a social scale, over-sighted by the pop
that's naughty. How are artists like Natasha
Bedingfield supposed to be what go to for
relaxation when we see groups like "The Pussy
Cat Dolls" and artists that girls are supposed
to idolize like "good 'ole" Brittany and
friends?
I'd like to segue into pop and it's... dominance of the Christian culture as well as talking about secular pop lots more, but I need to take a break... check back sometime, yo.