Truthfully Speaking: Let’s Keep It Real, Some Music is Terrible

Anger, frustration, irritation… those are just a few terms to describe being mad or pissed off (in extreme measures). It happens to us all usually on a daily basis whether it's that idiot cutting you off in traffic on your way to work, finding out you have to retake that Sociology class again for the third time, or that your favorite artist's album has been pushed back for the (insert ridiculous number here) time. Some people choose silence as a way of dealing with their anger while others rant their issues via Twitter. Personally I prefer the latter but 140 characters aren't enough to speak my mind. Here's where issues meet article, "Truthfully Speaking" to be exact. Every week at about this time find out what's fcuking up SBK's patience or needs some attention. Welcome to the world of The Madd Writer.

Aside from contributing the"Truthfully Speaking" column for RefinedHype, I also share writing duties for Hip Hop/Rap website nappyafro in the form of album reviews. At the end of every year like most Hip Hop/Rap websites we present awards for the genre’s biggest and most deserving artists for their work over said year in the usual categories of Album Of The Year, Mixtape Of The Year, Artist/Man Of The Year, etc. The winners of these awards are usually comprised of the same names and titles across the board regardless of your preference of blogs and websites.

In most situations the selected categories for these awards are usually kept in a positive light to highlight and acknowledge the accomplishments of artists who have worked hard to deservingly claim the award(s) bestowed on them as a result of voting or other method of decision-making. During the nomination period of the awards a fellow staff member made the comment that categories should be kept positive and shouldn’t include any worst of any kind out of the risk of damaging any artist relationships for future collaboration in the form of interviews and features. This comment was something that stuck in my mind for a while after reading it, as I felt unnerved by the motive of the statement.

Excluding worst and negative awards/lists out of the fear of “damaging relationships” doesn’t display you as being cautious but as being contrived. In all reality if an artist released an album or song that was worthy of the trashcan then they should be called out on it. The job of websites and blogs specifically those that are music and/or genre based should be to inform readers and visitors at its basic foundation. Beyond the music provided, the basis should be about conveying information and making the public aware. This is done with features like album reviews and articles like album sales reports, so why shouldn’t it done with year-end awards as well.

If an artist is deserving of a worst tag associated with their music based on the quality and value then why would maintaining a relationship be so important if the music’s not good enough to even be featured. The basis of the statement that held my attention steamed from the concept of standards. There are too many Hip Hop/Rap blogs and websites on the net catering to the same artists just because others are doing so afraid to speak against with the fear of tarnishing relationships, while not enough taking the risks to be different and creative in their content. In a sense these blogs and websites are becoming akin to terrestrial radio in being afraid to go against the grain and veer from the norm.

To describe it in a music analogy, there’s too much "The DeAndre Way" and not enough 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'. There are too many using the same tried-and-true formulas afraid to expand from the known protocol. The term “keeping it real” was a clichéd 90’s statement but in reality it stands as the foundation of who you are and what you stand for because before you keep it real with others you have to keep it real with yourself.

Along with RefinedHype, SBK is a columnist and writer for nappyafro.com. You can read his most recent articles and reviews here.