SHORT VERSION:
Sadly, Lupe’s mainstream crossover will succeed mainly because anything promoted at a certain level will; e.g. Rebecca Black. On top of that he is actually talented, so the flash-in-the-pan pitfalls should be beyond his team’s concerns. Additionally, he has a legion of fans who essentially have liitle-to-no other choice; not a lot of emcees of his caliber for this generation. So though Atlantic Records is bafflingly horrible at business; Lasers will not usher in a new movement of commercial appeal AND talent. Atlantic’s turn at the helm did not fail. In fact, even if it had tanked, the label would blame Lupe. Fortunately for them, short of complete career suicide, nothing he did on/after this release would have caused its demise. Evident in the fact that he, hereto, has been highly antagonistic of the album and the process through which it came to be, yet Lasers continues to succeed.
The opposition makes sense though, successful corporations don’t take a brand that built itself on quality and spend more money to cheapen that quality. Fail. Unfortunately, Atlantic won’t suffer the capitalist punishment of losing the return on a bad investment because all of Lupe and his team’s work from the previous albums and self-promotion leading up to the album that Lasers was originally intended to be is finally paying off. Nothing that can be done about that now; Lupe already kicked and pushed so now he’s just going to coast.

“If The Cool was a success, I was supposed to get a bump in the budget for my next record,” Fiasco said. “When I went in to cash in on that, I was told The Cool wasn’t a success. I said, ‘Well, how do you gauge that? Even if you leave off the multiple Grammys, the accolades up the ass, the platinum singles, take out the subjective stuff. How many records actually sold?’ They said it wasn’t a success and we’re changing the game, we don’t go by that anymore. So I said, ‘Let’s not have any more meetings until we figure out what rules we’re playing by.”

“I was specifically told” — Fiasco chuckled — “‘Don’t rap too deep on this record.’” He laughed some more. “That was a specific order from the top. ‘You’re rapping too fast or too slow, or it’s too complex.’ … There are consequences and combat that comes from that process and the eventual compromise. With me, though, I’m not writing about someone else. I’m writing about me. This is my life. It’s very personal for me. So for somebody to kind of put their fingers in that and play with that, it becomes more damaging. I am a hostage. I gave them what they wanted. If I didn’t, at the end of the day, the album wasn’t coming out.”

Tell ‘Em Why You Mad

I wish I could say that I was thrilled that Lasers debuted at #1. I am a huge fan of Lupe Fiasco (something I rarely say about other artists). I have always wanted an album of his to achieve this type of success for a long time. In fact, I wanted Lasers to have this success, until I dug a little deeper. I picked it up expecting the same quality Lupe of which I have become a fan over the past two albums, only to find… a distinct difference.

This album was noticeably… underwhelming; seemingly intentionally so. Aside from “All Black Everything” there were no memorable tracks. Seriously, I can’t remember the name of any other track from the album that I would say “you need to hear this” or even “you should check this track out.” These are the things a champion of good music emphatically pressures on to his peers as adolescents would a misdeed. It seemed as if the “I flatly refused, I ain’t dumb down nothing” Lupe of The Cool abandoned his stance. When the emcee previously known as Lupe Fiasco was taking it easy, he still gave you “Paris, Tokyo”. When he phoned it in, you still jammed to “Gold Watch”. So listening (as in, actually paying attention) to Lasers, a fan couldn’t help but ask “what gives?”

The word going around is that Atlantic Records strong-armed Lupe into making Lasers vastly more commercial. Our friends at ICantBeFamous.com asked, “Under what circumstance would Lupe ever do a song with Trey Songz?” Specifically, a song in which Trey could ever utter the disgustingly cookie-cutter “girl, I want you to [blank]” phrase. You may not see a problem with that, but keep mind that Lupe is the cat that built millions of followers on the foundation that he is NOT the mainstream cut-and-paste artist. He is the outsider with major support. He was (and when Atlantic stops meddling will again be) great. We finally had an inside man. A representative that could bring our ideals and culture to the table with the intellect, finesse and wordplay befitting a master emcee. Remember, this guy shot to fame for a song about a skateboarder. Then won a Grammy on the same album for a song about a robot project building. A ROBOT PROJECT BUILDING!! And Atlantic thought it was a good business move to alienate his audience and go commercial.

To reiterate, what really sucks about this album debuting at #1 is that the success it’s achieving is actually the result of Lupe’s (team’s) grind and all the credibility he (with his team) has built up over the last two albums, promotions, interviews and overall artistry.

I mean I COULD argue that he could have put out anything and it would have gone to #1 but unfortunately Atlantic DID just that. Lasers sounds like an amalgamation of “anything Lupe” or, even worse, their idea of what he should be doing. So now the executives there can say “See, we were right. Don’t question us again,” when, in theory, he could have released something more uniquely Lupe (“Shining Down” and “I’m Beamin’” included) for the same result.

Granted, it is likely Atlantic wouldn’t have released the album but a convenient leak would still bless the fans. Who knows? Maybe Lupe is planning on doing what many do; put out the real content on mixtapes and just acquiesce to label demands on the official releases. That’s what all these mixtapes are, right? That’s why so many exist, correct? They aren’t just a hustle to siphon every last dollar from their fans hungry for artistic sustanance, or am I wrong? Else what is the actual meaning?

Alas, the success of Lasers was inevitable. I’m just mad that the two songs I listen to most from the album… didn’t make the album. Atlantic Fail.

Okay, I think we are all familiar with G.O.O.D. Music… now add Mos Def!!
I’ll give you a minute to collect the pieces of your cranium and recompose yourself because, like mine, your head might have just exploded. Take a few seconds to look for gray matter.

If you don’t know why you should be hopeful for the future of music consider the following. The three current stars of G.O.O.D. Music are Common, Kanye West and John Legend.

We would like to thank a YouTube patron fond of reflection for the following phrase that sums up the signing:

“Mos Def just signed to G.O.O.D. Music? They’re starting to be something like Young Money, except the rappers on G.O.O.D. Music can actually rap.” © iceberggrebeci

Source:Mos Def signs to G.O.O.D. Music

Dear Rappers,

1. How am I supposed to believe you are as rich as you say you are when you can’t afford a singer. Do-it-yourself projects never scream affluence. In fact the wealthiest people show off by doing as little for themselves as possible. Think Hakeem in Zamunda from Coming to America.

2. Auto-tune came and went so if u couldn’t do it then, what delusion are you espousing now? Why are you making that $3000 microphone sound like a drive thru order box? Hopefully you have the gift of gab because melody definitely illuded you.

3. There’s nothing gangster about singing. It directly contradicts the machismo rap boasts. Not only that, since you can’t actually hold a note you just sound even more emasculated. You might as well attempt your own back up dancing in your videos. Singing is a talent and a fine art. It requires the same finesse and care that a skilled lover would have but when you attempt to hold a note it seems, as Bruce Leroy would say, you ‘don’t even own a paintbrush.’

4. R&B is already a dying genre. So much so that I can’t even find a proper link to point to helping to define the style i’m talking about. Add on to that the rappers and weaker vocalists autotuning themselves and there is no room for a great voice. Essentially vocalists like Teddy Pendergrass, Luther Vandross, even Tank, Javier and Carl Thomas are regretfully a thing of the past. There are possibly two cats with the capacity to pull off a viable ballad and/or respectable vocal runs still heard in heavy rotation on the radio. (I’m stretching, it seems Trey Songz is the only cat even trying to carry the R&B flag still. Though some of us give him the Prince look at times.) Fortunately the soul singers don’t give much of a care about the spotlight, hence their promotion tactics (or lack thereof), so they’ll continue to mark their little niche. A small oasis for those who get tired of the mainstream to go hang out. As I’ve said before, Nas may have claimed Hip-Hop is dead, but really R&B kicked the bucket.

That said, aside from that lonely island of soul and the ever-increasing gentrification of R&B to manifest as pop music. There aren’t many places left for a R&B singer to do his/her thing. Maybe they should turn to rock music; the results could be interesting. I think I will go listen to some Jimi Hendrix and I feel a blues binge coming on.

Casa Bey!!

The Mighty Mos Def rocks Japan, tours the country, catches a Sumo tournament, rides the Bullet Train, shops the freshest fashion boutiques and stops in at a Tokyo Giants game.

Watch Mos Def aka Flaco Bey aka Black Danté perform hits from his latest album The Ecstatic as well as jams from previous LPs. As well, listen as he issues commentary on Music, Japan, Fashion, Hip-Hop Culture, the Black experience, History, Performance, etc.

The Los Angeles Times was the first to report his hospitalization and passing. Then announced that Jackson was in a coma before confirming that, at age 50, Michael Jackson suffered a fatal cardiac arrest.

Reports state that brother Randy Jackson said Michael collapsed at his home in Los Angeles. Paramedics responded to a call and arrived around 12:30pm. They performed CPR and rushed Jackson to UCLA Medical Center.

At this time no official statement or declaration has been made but several news outlets are starting to report the star as deceased. Fans worldwide have rushed to the internet to comment. Reactions are citing everything from his glory days to his legal troubles and personal eccentricities.

Jackson’s passing ends a vast career decades in length. Jackson was the seventh of nine children and breakout star of what has been deemed the original boy band the Jackson 5. Through his work in the 1980s with Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton, Michael Jackson would go on to earn the title “King of Pop”. His album “Thriller” has long been known as the greatest selling album of all time.

Editorial:
I must admit I had the feeling he wasn’t doing to well. However, you never wish ill on the man, even despite his strengths and weaknesses. With all the confusion about when/where/how Michael Jackson passed away, I’m wondering if there will be all new King sightings? Now that would be a ghost story! Won’t stop me from jamming my Off The Wall cd though!

I Am…

“If I Were A Boy” kicks off Beyoncé’s half of the album with an open-hearted role-play, fitting her in the shoes of a lover. In the verses she explores this vantage point through various scenarios, making choices as a wiser consciousness. Ms Knowles reaffirms her vocal prowess as if battling detractors, effortlessly moving from near whispers to uncompromising belting across the breadth of her range .

“Halo” and “Disappear” take barely innovative approaches to the same tunes you hear on the radio. Whether it be a subtle removal of superfluous synthesizers or the addition of acoustic guitar accompaniment, the focus is on delivering the ‘Beyoncé: singer-songwriter’ persona. Though her stories/songs fall short of compelling, they will still entertain those hungry for anything from Queen B. As well, “Broken-Hearted Girl,” with it’s trudging piano and synthesized drums, will no doubt become the anthem of romantically abandoned adolescents.

The album returns to task with “Ave Maria”. In it the Houston native mixes the contemporary and the classical, weaving the third song of Schubert’s “Ellens dritter Gesang” (better known as “Ave Maria”) with an original ballad. From there Beyoncé channels her indie rock side for “Smash Into You” and “Satellites.” She seems more comfortable on these songs than the previous mid-tempo numbers which sound like Rihanna reject tracks; fitting since people generally feel the same way about Rihanna’s music.

Unfortunately, while I respect Ms Knowles’s sincere attempt to create a substantial album and re-establish herself as a singer/songwriter, the first five songs on the “I Am…” disc blend together a little too much; the rest, however, can grow on listeners. Regardless of the explorations from track to track, Beyoncé consistently asserts her talent so as not to be bumped from anyone’s list of prominent singers.

Sasha Fierce

I’m sure the “Sasha Fierce” disc will please the bulk of Beyoncé’s fanbase. Supposedly “Sasha” has served as Beyoncé’s stage presence since her solo debut if not before. Thus the throngs of those that usually hate it when their favorite artist tries something new will happily chant along with Ms Fierce.

“Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” immediately breaks away from the style of the first disc. Upbeat, club/radio friendly, ‘commanding-not-demanding’ Sasha tells it like it is and how it’s going to be. Her “your loss” attitude is quick to walk out of your life, each step more brazen than the antecedent; in much the same manner the song has strutted its way up and down the charts.

“Radio” idolizes the hit song mentality and falls right in line with the current post-modern movement in production. A sort of revitalized electronica experiment one might associate with Euro-pop or strobe lights. Stateside though, prominent producers TImbaland, Danjahandz, Kanye West, and Ryan Leslie have been toying with the triplet sixteenth-note pattern in padded synthesizer strings for the better half of the recession.

We learn the new definition of “Diva” on the track of the same title. Sasha lays out the female equivalent of a hustler and the her activities. Garnering comparisons to Lil’ Wayne’s “A Milli,” her diva feels perfectly at home over the track’s southern-style booming bass and kick. While “Sweet Dream” merely flirts with the electronica sound a bit more, “Video Phone” furthers the division in personas as Fierce seduces a suitor with sultry suggestions involving a cellphone–a side of Beyoncé I’m sure few behold. Overall this disc of the pair is as playful, rebllious and naughty as Sasha Fierce is reported to be.

Even if the entire release were on one disc with the same song order, the contrast between the two would be evident. If Beyoncé is Jekyll, then Sasha Fierce is her Hyde in both music and lyric. Understandably, there are things you do on stage that express inner creativity/lunacy and resonate with various audiences but don’t necessarily align with how you define yourself. Trust me. Complexity keeps an artist interesting and while I don’t know how Sasha Fierce feels, I’m definitely curious about the future of Beyoncé’s sound.

John Legend: Evolver

May I throw an ‘R’ before that album title, sir?

John Legend’s new album Evolver is what I like to refer to as mainstream soul.  In fact, John Legend in general defines mainstream soul.  He draws upon all that greatness that could make an artist iconic, but for some reason it never quite manifests into new greatness. Thus every time I hear about a new John Legend album coming out I get excited, but then when I go to listen to said album I lower my expectations as not to over-hype myself.  Somewhat like an M. Night Shyamalan film, there are things to appreciate if you skew your expectations, but don’t expect to be blown away.

Most notable already from the album is “Green Light” which you may have heard over the last few months on the radio or other such outlets.  A commendable effort to get out “from behind the piano” for which Legend has expressed a desire.  Another critic would go into something about an artist having to grow and reflect where they are through their music, but really… John is bored.  It’s understandable, remember when Alicia Keys went through the same thing.  “Green Light” is definitely a new side of Legend.  A side which everyone (listeners and critics alike) seems cool with, especially since Andre 3000 is in tow sprucing up the attempt.  So with a grandiose title like “Evolver” and lead off single vastly straying from the Legend we all know and … tolerate (hoping to love one day), I let my curiosity run through the new tunes to see what’s new with I Am Legend.

Though the intro got my hopes up, halfway through the album I’d say it is hard to even describe the growth of this album.  With his last album I could say “Oh, John Legend is doing this Black Tony Bennett thing…” and back it up with tracks like “Save Room”, “Where Did My Baby Go”, and “Slow Dance”.  Once Again brilliantly drew in the lucrative Norah Jones crowd while not alienating the young bucks.  Evolver would be an attempt at the reverse.  However, I don’t know that this album will succeed in retaining the baby-boomers (unless they start midway) and, as a younger member of the next generation, the last thing I want to hear is John Legend taking production cues from T-Pain (“Cross The Line”).  The sing-song chorus “Everybody Knows” while best suited for the audience participation part of a live show is otherwise forgettable. As well, the artist features on the album are pretty superfluous in the scheme of the album as a whole.  Essentially, John Legend exemplifies the rule about only featuring someone more famous than yourself (though, Estelle holds her own on “No Other Love” but I still stand by the comment – let that marinate).

The second half of the album takes a dramatic turn for the better.  If each of his albums has an “Ordinary People” on it, then “This Time” is Evolver‘s reincarnation just as “Again” was Once Again‘s.  I figure the titles of these ballads progress predictably so we can more quickly point them out.  “This Time” fails to debunk the fact that lightening never strikes the same place thrice.  Even still, it stands among the stronger cuts from Legend’s third EP with GOOD Music/Columbia.  “Satisfaction” harbors a more modern swagger in its production and almost does all of the work necessary to liven up Legend.  It should definitely be in the running to be a single.  Meanwhile, “Take Me Away” and “Good Morning” revisit that niche sound in which Legend excels and that divides him from the mainstream R&B personalities while leaving him slightly more noticed than his soul contemporaries (though I’m sure his association with Kanye West does not dim the spotlight).

In summation, Evolver probably works best if you see John Legend in concert.  He really must be tired of sitting at the piano and the tunes here can at least let him stand behind a microphone (even walk around – which he does do if you see his full concert. Fun times).  However, the album overall may be slightly underwhelming if not merely the John Legend you’ve heard before.  Though why shouldn’t it be?  Same artist, different day… er album.  As previously affirmed, John Legend is mainstream soul soon aspiring to R&B.  While lacking those few undeniable hit songs you can’t help hearing on repeat, Evolver at least holds you over until that next John Legend album for which I’m already getting excited, thinking about its potential.

I know you be asking yourself who Jazmine Sullivan is right now, but let’s just say you should get familiar with her.  Finally releasing her debut album “Fearless” on J Records, Jazmine stands up and reminds us what mainstream R&B could be right now.

I first noticed Jazmine online a while back singing jazz standards like “‘Round Midnight”.  Her voice is easily among the cream of the crop among the artists currently out in the spotlight.  One wouldn’t expect any less from a former child prodigy on the gospel scene.  What one would find surprising is Jazmine’s writing ability, penning tales with pinpoint introspection and observation. However, most referenced is the hit “Say I” which went public under Christina Milian.  Regardless, Sullivan’s debut album has been long awaited.  Not since Teedra Moses have I been this hopeful about an artist changing the game.

From the very first orchestral flutter on “Bust Your Windows” you notice her music is familiar but harboring a twist.  Whether it be replacing the usual synthesized rhythm section with a string section worthy of the Rhode Island Philharmonic or actually acknowledging the childishness of the otherwise cliché broken-hearted vandalism, Jazmine holds it all together with skillful melody.  The beauty of the minimalism behind her is that it allows you to acquaint yourself with the subtleties of her delivery for which you are richly rewarded if listening.

Radio hit “Need U Bad” twists the norm with a smooth reggae groove under Jazmine’s soulful ballad.  Missy Elliot appears sporadically throughout the track, understandable since she co-produced the album, but mostly leaves room for Jazmine to shine.  And shine Miss Sullivan does.  The following track “My Foolish Heart” throws a retro soul turnaround on a bass line fitting the mighty Mos Def.  But, comes together less obtrusively than the nouveau British invasion.  Other tunes explore the retro sound more specifically but again play out into a fun romp (“One Night Stand” and “Switch!”) or funky realization (“Live A Lie”) rather than a heavy-handed effort at a trend.

Standout tracks like “Lions, Tigers & Bears” and “In Love With Another Man” showcase Jazmine’s ability to entertain with her vocals alone, also known as talent.  Though I doubt either will be released as a single, the last time I liked a song with no drums (on a mainstream album), everyone was left singing “ordinary people”.  With either a few pizzicato plucks from the string section or Donny Hathaway worthy piano accompaniment, Jazmine evokes emotion and the kinds of honest queries with which we seldom confront ourselves.

Overall, Jazmine Sullivan’s debut exceeds all the expectations you didn’t even know you had of someone whom you hadn’t heard.  In a time when most of us are scared of drop bills on another album of three mediocre singles and a plethora filler, Jazmine raises the bar for the mainstream artists with exposing lyrics and masterful vocal control that one would expect more from an academy award winning Dreamgirl. I mean, this young lioness has garnered comparisons to Mary J. Blige and others but if she remains so fearless in her singing/songwriting, we may be dropping more legendary names along with Jazmine Sullivan.

“F#@k what you heard!”

Often asked what i’m listening to when not performing or all too eager to share when listening, I, The Gentleman, have compiled a list of tracks that I hope you (all) have heard or will go find.

The purpose is not to highlight the best song from each artist or particular album (besides that’s usually the ‘Interlude’ – in fact a number of these will be interludes). More so, the aim is to bring to light a song that may be more obscure but still is a good representation of (or notable point of diversity in) the talent of an artist. Or maybe showcase the foundational sample carrying some contemporary “hit”, lest you give undue credit to today’s entertainers.

The list will grow as I come across songs that I want you to hear. In fact it will be updated as often as I remember a good song (meaning i will take it back – old school) or come across a new one (so let’s hope us musicians get on it). Just a few songs that, if you aren’t already familiar with, I sincerely hope you’ll put yourself up on…

Current Highlight(s) :

Earth Wind & Fire – “Can’t Hide Love” [website][video]

Artist – Song

Ab & The Souljourners – “Come Around My Way (Part I)” [website ][video ]

Ab & The Souljourners – Jevon’s Theme Interlude [website ][video ]

Bilal – Sometimes [myspace ][video ]

Cody ChestnuTT – Serve This Royalty[myspace ][video ]

Earth Wind & Fire – “Devotion (Live)” [website ][wikibio ][calm video]

Eric Benét – “When You Think of Me” (feat. Roy Ayers) [wikibio ][site][video ]

Jaguar Wright – Self Love [website ][video ]

Jill Scott – “Cross My Mind” [website][video]

Marvin Gaye – “Soon I’ll Be Loving You” [wikibio ][video ]

Mos Def – Umi Says[myspace ][video ]

Outkast (Andre 3000) – Love Hater[website ][video ]

P & The Yessirs ft. Pusha T – “Stay With Me” [link ][video ]

Parliament Funkadelic – “P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)” [biodoc ][wikibio ][video ]

Robert Glasper – “Rise and Shine” [website ][myspace][video ]

The Whispers – Olivia (Lost and Turned Out)[website ][video ]

“Don’t front. You know you loooove it.” Not quite, homey.

As if soul wasn’t already an underground genre, now Musiq is trying “Radio”. I expected this one day, but thought there would be a few more singles signaling the inevitable end between then and now. Nope, Musiq dove head first into the mainstream. Can he swim though?

Now, I’d like to excuse this faux pas as a one off error but “Radio” is like strike three for this cat. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to put his sound in a box. Quite the contrary, I’m all for artistic freedom. Besides no one wants to hear reworkings of the same song for three albums (unless it’s a really smooth song, e.g., Kem). On the other hand, people will accept multiple artists doing the same song repeatedly and even accept listening to hours of these Goldberg variations on the radio. As long as it’s meant to be a “new joint” then folks don’t care. I could rework a Rick Ross or Usher tune tomorrow and no one would really mind. All I have to do is stay inside the “formula” and I’m set. [I'm not going to define the "formula" here. Eventually I will. You've heard it, though. You may even love it. Why should I ruin that for you?] Unfortunately for those artists compromising their substance to pursue said formula, the range of things acceptable in the formula is becoming more and more narrow. Even the time limit has dropped from 4mins to 3mins-and-change (go ahead, time your latest radio hits).

But I digress, if a Jill Scott or Erykah Badu wants to switch it up to keep themselves (and maybe their fans) entertained then do ya thang, booboo. But, you have to stay authentic to yourself. If you don’t do that then that track better be the jam, because everyone will know your faking it and it’ll be a while before they forget/forgive. Happens all the time in pop music because they are already at the mercy of the public. It’s a scenario similar to a jester that has to guess what best entertains the king/queen or lose his spot in their castle or worse, face execution. Not like he could get up there and speak his mind, no matter how funny. That acquiesce to chase the mold (rather than sculpt it) is what makes you mainstream, ironically for Musiq the mainstream is the most defined/confining box. You hopped in the stream, now you have to follow the bends/trends or be washed out.

Tell ‘em why you mad…

The atmosphere has almost reached the point that trying to make actual music is officially like putting a contract out on yourself. Not the literal definition of music which is the purposeful organization of sound, but rather the artistic definition including a theorized form with A,B,C even D sections, an inspired melody, and meaningful lyrics hopefully expressing some observation – easier than it sounds. Sure, that uncompromising artist may get a Grammy nod, and if the people who blindly buy whatever the Grammy’s nominate notice them then he/she might survive long enough to build a lasting legacy, but more-likely-than-not they either fade away or bend over for that rape-over.

Now it’s not like we didn’t see this coming. Musiq Soulchild has been walking that thin line for a while now. Remember when he dropped the “Soulchild”. Remember “Buddy”. But it’s been a while since a video made me shake my head as much as MC Hammer’s “Pumps and a Bump”. First thought, was “haha, that’s hilarious… right?” As I realized Musiq wasn’t joking, I started to hope no one else saw/heard “Radio” but then I simply began to mourn the loss. Musiq defected. I mean he’s had all this time that Maxwell and D’Angelo were MIA to helm the movement and really cement his standing, but he left that to Dwele and Raheem DeVaughn (both of whom followed his line more than D’s or Maxwell’s – hence why folks know them… as opposed to Bilal, Van Hunt or Esperanza).

If you are puzzled then you might not have realized there is somewhat of a war going on between the mainstream and the underground (more so those who use the formula and those gifted souls rebelling against it). Clearly the mainstream is winning but that’s because the industry is the foremost sponsor of the formula (and soon the 80s baby anti-formula). Sporadically, the Rebel Alliance has a star rise up and steal some spotlight, but then the minions of the Empire clamor to work with that artists until a string of underwhelming collaborations mar the respect we had for them. Understandably though, mainstream acts crave that “new & creative” credibility and the result is best described using terms like vampires and new blood. Maybe that’s why we hear so much about cats biting. Following the seduction to the dark side, that “best new artist” is merely forgotten collateral damage of the stream, most likely to be immortalized on a late night infomercial compilation.

Soulution…

For my fellow musicians out there struggling between the fame/fortune and creativity/integrity, realize that they aren’t mutually exclusive. I mean it’s perfectly possible to be a respected mainstream artist. About a good third of folks will assume you are overrated but you can live with that. I mean, you wanted some attention, right? Best case scenario, you capture that Norah Jones audience (essentially the Grammy audience) who are great because they really don’t care what you do so long as they can wrap their head around it. Also, you don’t have to do half the work a Chris Brown does to keep your audience entertained. Look at John Legend. He was quick to don that Black Tony Bennett vibe on his second album and capture a whole new crop of jitterbuggers. We’ll call them the “mutually-funded”. And they buy albums (not too keen on computers/downloading yet). So why not have ‘the man’ patron your Black-owned business with all that disposable income? Sounds smart to me. Makes almost too much sense, maybe that’s why folks don’t do it. Of course, this is in the case that you don’t need to stay true to some self-defined idea of yourself and your art. Point is… J Am Legend, Corinne Bailey Rae, hell even Queen Latifah are banking right now while the rest of the field is wondering how they can best emulate T-Wayne.

Now, provided you don’t want to show up to the VMAs on an elephant wearing a chain with your moniker on it, nor want to stare into a sea of faces that don’t really understand your message whilst crooning on The Today Show, then you could pull a Batman. Meaning, up front be the artist you want to be but on the side cop a pseudonym and crank out all the “heaters/fire/hotness/blazing tracks” with which you never wanted to be associated. For instance, Musiq easily could have passed “Radio” on to someone who needs it’s small bump (e.g. Trey Songz) and sat back and let them do all the work for the attention/money then bring him his cut. “Ho’ hard and bring it home to us, f#cka!” Maybe he’s pulling a Tweet and has this one mainstream joint on an otherwise very soulful album. We’ll see. Granted, for that trick, you would have to put out a home-run to bait the typical listeners into your album. Alas, the Soulchild didn’t do that. Instead, Musiq stepped up to the plate and tried with all his might for a smash hit.

Swing and a miss.