Coming home...from "One Million Miles Away"

I haven’t written on here in a while. I think it’s because I never really had any resolve as to what it is I was actually writing about. But I think I got it now. I know for a fact there are only probably a handful of people that even read this, and I’m good with that…I never meant it to be this big revolutionary thing. But music. That’s what it’s gonna be for me. It took a while for me to figure it (and myself) out, sadly enough, but I got it now. So here goes…

Towards the last few posts I started writing more about music and my disappointment with the direction it’s heading in. Now don’t get me wrong…I like my fair share of unconventional (read: “bad”) music. I won’t lie, I’ll bump some Kesha…when I’m driving by myself…with the windows up…on the highway (she never claimed to be the next Mary J Blige and we were wrong to paint her with that brush…if at all anyone ever did). And my boys might clown me for it. Or maybe not. But not withstanding I will listen to her and perhaps even sing along…yup I said it. And the fact remains that the majority of what we hear – what’s readily available on the radio and on “music” television is tough to stomach. But perhaps only because we’re being force-fed. My aim is not to say that there’s not good music out there. It’s there if you look. Sometimes you don’t even have to, but generally speaking it’s just not accessible enough. I heard one of the slickest beats I’ve ever heard watching a Chrysler commercial the other day. One Million Miles Away by J.Ralph. It’s a simple three-chord melody with enough strings to shake a stick at and some woman singing about being one million miles away from something. I could look up the lyrics and act like I know what the song is about, but the honest fact is that I don’t have to. And for the intents and purposes of this blog, I’m not going to. I don’t want to. If we’re talking straight musical quality, the song is hot, and that’s the end of it. And yes, I’m listening to it right now. You should be too.

So the wonderful thing about music is that, like all forms of art, it’s completely interpretive. No one can tell you that something is bad. Even writing this it’s a difficult concept to grasp and articulate, but it’s the truth. I read somewhere that there’s no such thing as a “wine enthusiast.” I know sommeliers may cringe at that idea, but I’m starting to believe it wholeheartedly. That if you like Chardonnay then that’s you. If you like Moscato then that’s your shit. If you want to settle up with a $3 bottle of Beringer White Zin…fuck with it. And so it is with music. I know why you like Drake. And Wayne. And Kesha and Flo-Rida and everyone else you hear incessantly on a daily basis. But I promise if you step outside of the box to a a Rioja or a J. Ralph…you won’t be disappointed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R06ZRt3lIgE&feature=related

Bag Fries

I try to stay away from fast foods as much as possible. But I'll be damned if I don't get a hankering for some McNuggets every now and then. And what is a trip to your local fast food restaurant (McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's..pick your poison) without fries to compliment your main dish? McDonald's has long been the torch bearer of fry taste, but BK and Wendy's have followed close behind as both have made some changes to their recipe to make the taste more comparable. Alas, I am not here to talk about taste. Reaching a definitive settlement to that debate is just as difficult as determining if Biggie was better than Tupac. Or vice versa. At the end of the day, it's all about what you prefer. But no matter who you choose as your favorite processed food factory, you can always appreciate a phenomenon known as bag fries.

Bag fries (aside from being little miracles) are the by-product of fast food employees' haste in bagging orders. When you have several people in line or in the drive-thru, there is absolutely no time to ensure safe placement of fries in the bag. Often, your entire order is bagged into an inappropriately-sized bag. However, since fries are typically served in a very awkwardly-shaped container, they don't really settle into any bag properly, regardless of size. Consequently, bag fries are especially prominent during the lunch or dinner rush (sad that there is even such a thing for any of these restaurants, but I digress).

Today during lunch I made a trip to Burger King. Against the wishes of my girlfriend, or anyone who cares about my health and well-being for that matter, I decided to indulge. Two bacon cheeseburgers and a "Value Fry." I ate what I thought was all my fries in the car on the trip back, but the burgers made it back up to my desk. But soft, what is this at the bottom of my grease-soaked bag? More fries! Despite being colder and not quite as crispy, these fries tasted better than the hot ones. Because they were unexpected. Money won is twice as sweet as money earned, right? I know I'll pay for it later, but in the dimly-lit environment that is my job, these little bastards definitely brought some sunshine my way. Here's to precariously-placed fries.

I've learned to appreciate the little things in life.

Radio-logy

I think it begins and ends with what we subject ourselves to. For example, Baltimore really only has one radio station that caters primarily towards a young “Urban” demographic, 92Q. So what happens when the majority of this radio station’s rotation is music you’d hear on 106th and Park? Taking nothing away from BET and its programming...yet (that's another post for another day), all of their Top 10 isn’t necessarily something I’d want my kids listening to. Think about it: you’re dropping your 7 year old off at school to the soundtrack of “Birthday Sex.” Is that appropriate? Also, what we hear is a very small glimpse of what Black musicians can offer. Maybe there should be more of a focus on different styles of music, or even local talent. The focus should be to build up the “Q-munity,” right? Sure, one may suggest simply turning the radio off, but how would that be saving others who choose not to take that route? Also, what is that saying about our community? There isn’t really any other alternative in Baltimore for young Urban listeners. Sure we could tune into the DC stations, but if you live in the sticks like I do, reception doesn't come too easy. Is this a lot for one radio station to take on? Maybe. So what is the solution? I have nothing definitive, however I’m thinking we should begin to take more accountability for what we listen to – and what we allow to be heard.

From the Sidelines

I know what it's like to be a quarterback watching your defense struggle. I understand how it must feel to sit on the sidelines, and watch your team throw a game away. You've done your part; you've been accurate, called audibles when you see blitz, and executed a masterful drive to eventually hit paydirt. That's kinda what it's like being me (minus, of course, the millions of dollars in salary and endorsements). One of the hardest parts about being a musician is having to listen to what some deem popular these days. I mean, part of being good at anything is knowing what you're up against. Watching tape. Understanding the trends. Knowing how to interpret different factors that play into your area of interest and expertise. It can, at times, even be discouraging...but not withstanding, you're prepared. I'm not naive enough to think that there isn't any good music out there. I know better. It's just sad to think how deep you'd have to dig to find it.

And it's not like it's not out there. There's good music to be heard. So I ask myself what A&Rs and record companies look for when they're recruiting artists and trying to find the next "big thing." It seems like the talent pool (or at least the representation thereof) gets increasingly worse as time progresses. Especially those who appeal primarily to the young urban demographic (read: Black kids). I'd really hate to pick on Jamie Foxx; I've always considered him to be a highly underrated overall entertainer. He's a talented pianist and vocalist and has accomplished himself as a more than credible actor. However only recently has his music taken on more of a mainstream sound, teaming up with the likes of The Dream and T-Pain (oh good Lord). I just think he has a lot to offer, and his talent can be much better used. For someone who has a voice like his (it's a rarity these days), it's a shame to hear him do an entire song in Autotune. It's like Chris Rock said, "and you know they can do it...you mean to tell me they can't make an El Dorado where the bumper don't fall off?" But that's just one example. Jamie's still cool with me. I guess my sister put it best while we were watching the BET Awards (don't ask why), "He knows better."

I guess all I'm saying is, music is one of those things that people will never get tired of. It's not like VCRs or slap bracelets. It'll never go away. Sure it goes through changes and adapts, but I'm afraid it may be changing for the worse. As artists like Soulja Boy become increasingly popular, what we know as music is becoming increasingly more disgusting. The other team is marching down the field. Crank Dat comes out...they just crossed midfield. Ooooh shit, there's a dance to it...these bastards are in field goal range. Did you check the sunglasses? Red Zone. Maybe I'm old fashioned...maybe I'm just not being progressive enough...or maybe I'm just confused about what music should be. I'm just hoping musicians like myself don't lose. We've had the lead the whole game.

Back to Basics

Let's back up a bit. I love music. I love Black heritage. I talk about both a lot - every day, for sure - and even throughout this very blog. I make a lot of jokes about various "artists" (I use the term very loosely), and how they reflect upon our culture, but I often jest. Call me optimistic, or call me just plain naive, but I thought it was going to get better. Now I'm realizing that these clowns are serious. So I'm gonna get serious for a while.

My first point, however abundant, can be summed up in as little as one word.

Really???

I'm not going to get as in depth as I would like to because I feel like it's a waste of my time...but I know it's not. I have two main issues here with today's music, and without going into the "this is what music used to be" lecture I'd get from my parents, I'm going to dedicate the next couple posts to articulating them to the best of my abilities...more to come on that.

The Damned Chicken Craze

I hate Oprah for giving away free chicken.

I hate CNN for interviewing a lady from Baltimore.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/05/08/oprah.kfc.coupon/index.html

My favorite part:
"'I'm a big girl,' Shannon Edwards told CNN affiliate WBAL-TV in Baltimore, Maryland, on Thursday after she was turned away from a KFC. 'I like to eat. So I'm kind of disappointed I have to go to McDonald's now.'"

I mean...eat a salad maybe?

One Fell Swoopo

I need to figure out a way to make money doing nothing. I know how to make money doing something, but I'm just about tired of that. Today I was introduced to swoopo.com. I guess it's a fairly new website; at least to me. I just want to talk for a minute about how this works.

Let's use eBay as a point of reference. Everyone knows how it works: You have an item, and a set amount of time to bid on it. If no one else bids, the item is yours. If you do get outbid, enter a higher price or kiss it goodbye. Often times, even with shipping and handling, you can get a pretty good deal on eBay. Sometimes, however, you're better off going to the store. Basically it's an online auction. Pretty simple, right?

Now here comes swoopo. Let me break this down for you before I get to my point. So the basic concept is, you have an item. Before I go on, I just want to be clear that I am not talking about a pair of Chucks or a fitted hat. I'm talking 47" LCD TVs, PlayStation 3s, HD cameras - the good stuff. OK back on track. Let's say the item starts at $0.01. Yes, one penny. In a sense, it works the same way eBay does. You bid and hope no one else bids higher than you. If you're the last bidder when the time runs out for that item, you win that item, and most likely at a deeeeeeeply discounted price. I've seen a 40" Sony Bravia LCD TV go for $3. At this point you're thinking it probably can't be legit, right?

Therein lies the rub. Each bid costs $0.75. So every time you bid, you're spending money. And to make matters worse (or better, depending on what side of Swoopo you're on), every time you bid time is added back to the clock. So let me paint the picture. I'm bidding on that Bravia. The current price in the auction is $60. 2 seconds left. I place my bid (costs me 75 cents), and the price goes up to $60.01. Now there are 17 seconds left. Clock ticks down to 8 seconds, someone else bids. $60.02. 23 seconds left. See where this is going? Now on one hand, you may get a $1,200 TV for 60 bucks. But think about the operators of this website. If this item started at one cent, is now at $60.02 and each 1-cent bid costs 75 cents, you've already made over $4,500 on one item. Profit and then some! It's been described as "a cross between a raffle and a game of chicken."

Still with me? Now assume there's no inventory. Assume the Swoopo people - geniuses as I like to call them - collect all the money from these bids, go to bestbuy.com, order the TV and ship it to the winner's house. They can literally collect money from people trying to get a deal. Capitalism at its finest. Now let's throw some other factors in there. It's an international website. So basically if you plan on going on to Swoopo in the wee hours of the morning to catch it at an "off peak" time, no such luck. It's still lunchtime in Tokyo. Or the day's just starting in Prague. And whatever it costs to run this site, or whatever overhead they have it can't be much, at least not enough to make it unprofitable. Brilliant.

My point is this: As with any great idea, I'm mad I didn't come up with it. And don't think I won't try to come up with something better.

I really just want to be rich. That's all.