Music Snobs

I despise music snobs. Yes, this is random, however, I was reflecting on the music that I grew up on and how I became more exposed to my genres growing up as an adolescent. When I think about it, I have my share of rap, R&B, gospel, and pop that I enjoy. I'm a 90s kid, and I do believe that when it comes to urban music, that we were the last generation of kids that got to experience the best. We got the left overs of all of the decades before us, plus new jack swing and hip-hop soul. It was also sort of the beginning of the more dance-oriented music. The hip/hop of that time was edgy yet mature enough to appeal to older crowds. I don't know if it's subject matter or what, but there was something about it that anybody could enjoy. It was creative, it was carefree, it was fun. Sure it got graphic at sometimes, however, at least there was some sort of message or point being made. My first two loves are of course R&B and gospel, however, it was about middle school before I began to integrate it into my routine. As a kid I remember sneaking my mom's gospel casette tapes and playing those for my own entertainment. Now what does this have to do w/ the subject at hand? Nothing, so far, but hear me out! It's only recently that I began trying to explore rap again. I mean I grew up with tupac, juvenille, biggie and I listed to much rap through middle school and high school, however, I always had a love for R&B and gospel. Towards the end of my senior of high school, I kind of got away from listening to rap, because much of it just sucked. I'm not saint when it comes to music, and I don't mind an explicit song here and there, but goodness gracious, when one's entire album is devoted to that, I'd what  to say! Anyway, outside of these genres, I have my share of rock (usually the alternative, I don't mind metal, just don't give me the screamo crap) and dance music that I enjoy.

The problem is if you listen to a music snobs opinon, the only music worth listening to is bands that nobody has every heard of or old music.  Rockers in particular, are stuck on a certain kind of rock, and once the artist reaches mainstream success or becomes popular, they toss them to the side. If you mention rap to most music snobs (or at least those that like rock) you'll get the "you listen to rap, your music taste suck man, wtf is wrong with you, all it's about is sex and degrading women and rap and murder".  If not that you will hear "they don't play instrumetns, it's just a beat put together with a machine". Now, I respect that you don't like rap, as most people wont, but to say that none of it is music is relatively close minded becuase if you listen to some of the less mainstream artists or underground artists, you would see that alot of them have much to say and many of them actually do play instruments (the Roots for example). I can accept profanity, given that there is a point being made. Even if gang life and murder are referenced, there are some individuals who do have an actual point to get across. These are issues that some people do face and it's going to be expressed in their art, whatever that is. True, much rap and todays urban music is electronically produced, electronics is not always a bad thing. Sometimes, they can enhance a song in a fun way. Some genres are expected to be bland or watered down, like pop. I don't like all pop singers, but I do have my share that I listen to and it's especially fun to listen to this kind of music when I'm working out. When I'm on the treadmill or eliptical, I like a fast paced playlist. During strength training I like a mix of stuff including christian, pop, soul, and easy listening.

Rockers are not the only music snobs that I have an issue with. I have an issue with the music snobs in my most listened to genres of music as well. It seems that no matter how good an album is or how hard an artists tries, you have those older folks who cannot appreciate their art. "They don't hold a candle to Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, etc". Ummm.....they are not exactly supposed to. God forbid a rap or hip hop artist even be in the song, it's like the end of the world for these individuals. Nevermind the fact that the song had a message and that the rap was fairly minimum. These individuals (urban music snobs) tend to toss it to the side. Don't get me wrong,  I love it when a yonger artist does an ode to the old, be it through similar music style or sampling (which is not new, it's been done since the 40s maybe even earlier). It helps keep the old alive. One can even use the example of Jennifer Hudson. Let's talk about her rendition of "And I Am Telling You" in "Dreamgirls". "Ugh, she can't top Jennifer Holiday", the comments I read on youtube were rather pretentious. I'm just like "what makes you think she was trying to outdo ANYBODY???"  Why can't a good performance just be a good performance. I have my share of singers who have redone old songs that I grew up on, but I try my best not to cut them down and degrade them. There are some renditons that do suck, but there are some that are quite good and I try to appreciate those when I come across them.  Perhaps I have been guilty of this in my past, I'll do some reflection on that and try to analyze that, but when one just shuts out a genre like that, I believe they are missing out on some good gems. That's the problem with the music snob, they are stuck in their ways, and no amount of discusson will convince them otherwise.