Have We Scared Artists With The Whole Conspiracy Thing?

Just Clauz

Just Clauz

New member
There used to be a time when rappers would talk openly about critizism towars government and Corprate America, and didn't give a damn about how the media or politicians would take it. Well it seems that they are all hush now. Interviewers ask them about whats going on behind the scene and they always answar somthing like "No comments" or "Im not comfortable about this question", and some even say that are afraid to speak outloud about it. Well, if rappers could do it in the past and still breath til this day, then how come the newer ones don't? How come no big artist ever critisize the faults of our leaders? Have they simply become afraid from all the conspiracy jumbo created by the public?
 
Talking politics in your music can and probably will alienate some of your fans. If you take Side A of an argument in a verse, some of your fans (and potential new fans) who feel strongly towards Side B might judge your whole existence on that verse, and get off your bandwagon. "Oh him? He talked some uber-liberal gay rights crap in that one song, so he clearly isn't on my wavelength. Peace."

There are rappers and singers in other genres that do it plenty, but their fanbases have come to expect and admire their stance, and it's part of that artist's allure.

But it's not for everyone, and the majority of regular-joe music listeners don't wanna hear the news when they're dancing or singing along in the club/party/car/shower/wherever. I don't think rappers are afraid, and I don't think they are without an opinion on social and political issues.. Some just wanna keep that to themselves and entertain us without being divisive or confrontational towards fans, media, and anyone else. We don't want ALL "conscious" music, do we? Maybe some, but like I said, not the average listeners, and that's who's buying.
 
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The only music that gets any love, is the music that keeps you asleep to world events. "Happy" by Pharrell is a perfect example. Feel good music. Club music. Music about sex. Music about glorifying drug use. That's about the only topics that you're going to hear on the radio. If you wanna hear real lyrics, you have to go underground.
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Most in the music game have a very decidedly liberal lean to their politics, to comment negatively on the current situations would be to criticize their own politics...therefore it's not likely to return until a Republican is back in office, then it is game on.
 
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^^^Exactly.


Wasn't Lorde just famous a week ago for songs challenging the social norm and one's attempts at "fitting in" rather than thinking for themselves? She was pretty mainstream with that shyt. I think eople look in the wrong places for music 'they like".
 
I watch documentaries about the government. I just don't buy into the "Conspiracy" propaganda. Those are tactics used by the powers to be to discourage the public from being educated citizens. I think the older artists were better at having messages but being cool and entertaining at the same time. Chuck D was brilliant enough to know that he needed Flav for the entertainment value. KRS ONE, XClan, those were legends. As intelligent as Immortal technique is, his music is boring. I thought Dead Prez was the last group that pulled it off well but even they were forced to switch it up and make an album called Revolutionary but gangsta. Most Americans just want to be entertained by music and escape the harsh realities of life. Some hate being reminded and some just aren't intelligent enough to grasp the concepts. The less concerned and ill informed we are, the better for the Corporations ,politicians and aristocrats. I always loved the song and message here:



As a government official, who's more threatening this guy or Cash Money. They know what's they're doing.
 
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benji2 said:
I watch documentaries about the government. I just don't buy into the "Conspiracy" propaganda. Those are tactics used by the powers to be to discourage the public from being educated citizens. I think the older artists were better at having messages but being cool and entertaining at the same time. Chuck D was brilliant enough to know that he needed Flav for the entertainment value. KRS ONE, XClan, those were legends. As intelligent as Immortal technique is, his music is boring. I thought Dead Prez was the last group that pulled it off well but even they were forced to switch it up and make an album called Revolutionary but gangsta. Most Americans just want to be entertained by music and escape the harsh realities of life. Some hate being reminded and some just aren't intelligent enough to grasp the concepts. The less concerned and ill informed we are, the better for the Corporations ,politicians and aristocrats. I always loved the song and message here:

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Do note that video bashes the hell out of Bush and the whole 9-11/Iraq war situation, which hasn't gotten any better under the current president but not one person is saying a thing about it...for the exact reason I stated previously.

Not one of these "socio-political" commentators is giving anyone "the truth", they are simply playing the game of "my view is the correct view and anyone in line with those views will not be spoken against".

Very disingenuous of them and even more ignorant of the fans to not see it or even worse to look past it and just accept it at face value.
 
I agree with alot of you, especially what James and benji said about music. People don't want to hear rebellious or concious music, but we can't have every rap song be about gangs and girls can we?

It just seems like whenever an artists is asked about secret societies and all that ish, they either back away from the question or try to talk around it. Maybe its not because its real, but maybe we the public have come up with so much rumours that even celebrities think its real, and we've scared them.

Or maybe there's no issues left to rap about?
 
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Just Clauz said:
I agree with alot of you, especially what James and benji said about music. People don't want to hear rebellious or concious music, but we can't have every rap song be about gangs and girls can we?

It just seems like whenever a artists is asked about socret societies and all that ish, they either back away from the question or try to talk around it. Maybe its not because its real, but maybe we the public have come up with so much rumours that even celebrities think its real, and we've scared them.

Or maybe there's no issues left to rap about?
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More likely because it's a trap question. A lose lose for the artist to answer. If he says they don't exist a million people says he's in the Illuminati, mind control blah blah blah. If he says they do exist, then he gets labeled in that same grouping as prof griff
 
Just Clauz said:
I agree with alot of you, especially what James and benji said about music. People don't want to hear rebellious or concious music, but we can't have every rap song be about gangs and girls can we?

It just seems like whenever an artists is asked about secret societies and all that ish, they either back away from the question or try to talk around it. Maybe its not because its real, but maybe we the public have come up with so much rumours that even celebrities think its real, and we've scared them.

Or maybe there's no issues left to rap about?
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lulz

There is a lot to speak on, Behnghazi, government over reach of authority, impeachable offenses occuring on the regular, an IRS that is out of control and has the support of the current presidency, a quagmire of war that shows no signs of ending as promised, "fast and furious" providing weapons to the Mexican cartels and Holder not beingput on trial for his role in it.....but this is happening under the Democrats and liberals in charge so it will not be spoke on. You can bet cash money if the current political climate were under a republican there would be track after track speaking on it.


* I am not a republican, nor am I a democrat so this is no endorsement of either party (just to be clear)
 
Nightshade said:
lulz

There is a lot to speak on, Behnghazi, government over reach of authority, impeachable offenses occuring on the regular, an IRS that is out of control and has the support of the current presidency, a quagmire of war that shows no signs of ending as promised, "fast and furious" providing weapons to the Mexican cartels and Holder not beingput on trial for his role in it.....but this is happening under the Democrats and liberals in charge so it will not be spoke on. You can bet cash money if the current political climate were under a republican there would be track after track speaking on it.


* I am not a republican, nor am I a democrat so this is no endorsement of either party (just to be clear)
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Dude's still rap about stuff like that all the time though. Take Lupe for instance it's just not popular. Most people listen to music to hear for good times, not to hear the news. If I wanted to hear anything about Bengazik the government, Irs, NSA, etc... I would watch CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, CSPAN, BBC, etc...
 
KelevraOne said:
Dude's still rap about stuff like that all the time though. Take Lupe for instance it's just not popular. Most people listen to music to hear for good times, not to hear the news. If I wanted to hear anything about Bengazik the government, Irs, NSA, etc... I would watch CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, CSPAN, BBC, etc...
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but there is a difference, when it was Bush in office everyone spoke on it and the people bought it so more artists spoke on it. Now that it is a democrat in office suddenly nobody speaks on the issues, so of course it is not in vogue at this point to buy it so the few that do or did have tapered off of doing it.

When Reagan was in office it was the same way, but when Clinton got in office everyone got quiet suddenly regardless of what he did.
 
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Nightshade said:
but there is a difference, when it was Bush in office everyone spoke on it and the people bought it so more artists spoke on it. Now that it is a democrat in office suddenly nobody speaks on the issues, so of course it is not in vogue at this point to buy it so the few that do or did have tapered off of doing it.

When Reagan was in office it was the same way, but when Clinton got in office everyone got quiet suddenly regardless of what he did.
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Bush had more shit hurting him and the music industry as far as rap goes only really went in hard once Kanye said " Bush doesn't care about black people". Other than that the popular music has stayed the same. Top artists ten years ago and top artists today still don't really get political
 
KelevraOne said:
Bush had more shit hurting him and the music industry as far as rap goes only really went in hard once Kanye said " Bush doesn't care about black people". Other than that the popular music has stayed the same. Top artists ten years ago and top artists today still don't really get political
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You are wrong, very wrong.

Look back on the last 40 years of music and look at the themes, then take a look at years released and what party was in office at the time.

You may be surprised at what you see. Music has and always will be a solid look at the socio-political climate of the country in which it comes from.
 
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Let's be real, artists are scared because so many are caught in the corporate matrix and the last thing they would want in the pursuit of money is to be dropped by the powers that be so they remain silent. How many remember what Interscope did to Young Buck about



and about music and artists being conscious, not everyone wants to be aware of how the world around them really operates but for those who wish to do so it makes for a better understanding of society and behavior and what person wants to live in a world that he or she does not understand?
 
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Nightshade said:
You are wrong, very wrong.

Look back on the last 40 years of music and look at the themes, then take a look at years released and what party was in office at the time.

You may be surprised at what you see. Music has and always will be a solid look at the socio-political climate of the country in which it comes from.
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You just stated in the past few posts that music hasn't been a solid look at the socio-political climate of the country. The popular music for the most part has always been pretty vapid and lacking of politics. Every once in a while a song will crack through like Mosh, 99 red luftballoons. the 60's was the period of time when music and politics most synced up. Since then there's kinda been a big disconnect between the world happenings and the popular music in the US. The 80's were a hard time, you couldn't tell that if you listened to the most popular music. 2007-2011 was a hard time. You couldn't tell that from the popular music at the time
 
boombapdame said:
Let's be real, artists are scared because so many are caught in the corporate matrix and the last thing they would want in the pursuit of money is to be dropped by the powers that be so they remain silent. How many remember what Interscope did to Young Buck about



and about music and artists being conscious, not everyone wants to be aware of how the world around them really operates but for those who wish to do so it makes for a better understanding of society and behavior and what person wants to live in a world that he or she does not understand?
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Buck got dropped, because he couldn't sell like he used too. And that's truth
 
KelevraOne said:
You just stated in the past few posts that music hasn't been a solid look at the socio-political climate of the country. The popular music for the most part has always been pretty vapid and lacking of politics. Every once in a while a song will crack through like Mosh, 99 red luftballoons. the 60's was the period of time when music and politics most synced up. Since then there's kinda been a big disconnect between the world happenings and the popular music in the US. The 80's were a hard time, you couldn't tell that if you listened to the most popular music. 2007-2011 was a hard time. You couldn't tell that from the popular music at the time
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I think you misunderstand what I was saying to a degree.

Historically music has been the indicator of social and political unrest dating back further than my life goes. The correlation in more modern times (last 40 years or so) has aligned itself more with the current political party sitting in the WH or in control of congress.

The entertainment industry is notably filled with people who align themselves with liberal politics.

During the 80's you had punk rock which spoke solidly as a whole against the Reagan policies of the time and quite vocally (Dead Kennedys, Reagan Youth etc.). The number of conservative bands were far fewer (Black Flag, Agnostic Front etc). You also had hip hop which was coming up strong and spoke openly about the same types of views from a black perspective, even soul and funk music did this leading up to it (look at James Brown as one who was very openly speaking on social issues regularly).

You didn't see this nearly as often when Carter was in office, you didn't see this when Clinton was in office because their political views and social views were in line with what the artists agreed with. Regardless of all the faults seen during those presidencies (and there were many) it was nearly unheard of to speak against your alignment even if you know it is the same crap the other party did or does...it is extremely disingenuous in nature to do this.

Reagan, Bush Sr, Bush Jr all took the brunt of the discussions and nobody held back in interviews, songs, movies or any area of entertainment like they do at now.

You want news you can't flip on CNN, MSNBC, Fox or any other single source because they all filter according to their agenda so that even if you pick from multiple sources to try and get a complete picture it is muddied and never the truth. The same goes for entertainers, they present what they believe whether it is genuine or not and they will not change their message or stance to call out their man in office...that is my point.
 
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