For some, music is medicine to the soul. Everyone has personal favorites, but R&B and rap music seem to be taking the brunt of disapproving criticism today.
Back in the day, our parents jammed into nightclubs and cafes to groove to artists such as Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Teddy Pendergrass and other greats. With melodious harmonies placed on top of soothing beats, old school music covered all aspects of life from innocent dating to late night creeps.
One of Marvin Gaye’s most famous hits, “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing” reassures his woman that he is “so glad (they) got the real thing.(because) ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby.” With rap artists and singers producing music with the same message, one might ask why our generation is targeted so often.
It is the approach that popular new artists use when using lyrics such as “she sliding up and down that pole. got me mesmerized” (T-pain-“N Luv Wit a Stripper”) that makes it hard to listen to the radio with your parents in the car.
Despite critics’ constant finger pointing, T-pain topped the charts for number one record sales after the release of his recent album, Epiphany. However, the times have contributed greatly to the lyrics and aggressive traits in the music we listen to.
Nowadays, people are a lot more outspoken and sex is talked about more openly, so it is natural that attitude would be conveyed in artists’ expressions. When it comes down to it, no one is to blame when society picks what music goes in the CD player. Someone great once said, “great art in any form is to be created, not imitated. ” It is a choice of mere preference and it is a guarantee that the rap artists and singers will do whatever sells the most to their fans.