As I listened to the radio in Columbus this past weekend, I heard this PSA from a radio personnel commenting on Congressmen, Black ones in particular, should not cosign with the new Performance Rights Act bill that would make radio stations pay the artists every time they play his or her song. I think to myself, "hmmm, let me look this up," and this is what I found:
From opencongress.org:
Official Summary
12/18/2007--Introduced.
Performance Rights Act - Amends federal copyright law to:
(1) grant performers of sound recordings equal rights to compensation from terrestrial broadcasters;
(2) establish a flat annual fee in lieu of payment of royalties for individual terrestrial broadcast stations with gross revenues of less than $1.25 million and for non-commercial, public broadcast stations;
(3) grant an exemption from royalty payments for broadcasts of religious services and for incidental uses of musical sound recordings; and
(4) grant terrestrial broadcast stations that make limited feature uses of sound recordings a per program license option.
Provides that nothing in this Act shall adversely affect the public performance rights or royalties payable to songwriters or copyright owners of musical works.
In short, the bill says it will be a law that every time a song is played on the radio, the radio station has to pay the artist. This bill provides a limit for and ultimately excludes the public broadcast radio stations, stations that broadcast religious services and the stations that hasn't made over $1.25 million in a year. This bill is still heavily debated between the RIAA (who almost everyone wishes they could pull an ACORN so the government does away with them) and radio stations (who almost no one listens to anymore).
Why is the legislation sticking their nose in music's business? The easiest answer off the top of the head would be this: IT'S THE GOVERNMENT, THEY CAN DO/WATCH/SAY WHAT THEY WANT!!!! ASK IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, VIETNAM, ETC. THIS IS ONLY A CAPITALISTIC COUNTRY AS LONG AS THEY SAY IT IS (nevermind). But seriously, the House of Representatives who presented this bill decided it was time to end the suffering of internet piracy for the artist/their songwriters. It is aimed at helping the artist get their compensation for the work he/she put in because the Internet, programs like Kazaa and LimeWire in particular, shows no love. So for the artists to get paid for disc jockeys to play their tunes is music to their ears.
What about the slowly dying radio stations? Of course most radio stations, thanks to this thing we call a recession, will be hit hard if this bill becomes a law. Quite a few stations I have personally categorized will be hit hardest: the station that plays only five songs an hour 15 times, the local non-profit talk station, and the Black station. Well, the station that plays the same five songs about 15 times an hour will be handing these five (well really three) artists a fat, FAT check. A check that they may have, but in result will have to let go some of its employees. And the local non-profit talk radio stations, that usually play songs they dig out of their own crates or even play local artists, will hand more checks than their checkbook holds, and especially since this type of station is not in the best market for ads will have to let go some of its employees. As for the Black station, and this includes the oldies, gospel, and "hiphop/R&B" genres, this station has far less of an advertisement market than most mainstream stations (big city or not), and since they follow the same playing guidelines as the top 40 stations, then they will be making big checks to artists they can't afford. Resulting in them having to let go of some employees.
And yes, there is a pattern here.
My main concern for this bill is that it will drive out the disc jockeys, DJs, personnel, and so on, most of the people that I only listen to the radio for nowadays (because real talk, the music is lame). With all this money they will have to pay these artists, for their so-called "performance fee", they won't be able to pay their employees.
Plus, this makes no sense to pay someone for something they brought to you. Aren't radio stations an outlet for artists to advertise their talent anyway? This is like if a magazine pays its ad clients to put ads in their mag. Should Playboy pay Trojan for every condom ad Trojan puts in their magazine? Of course not. I understand the economy is tough, especially for artists. I just don't like the steps Congress is taking to help fix that. But most of their decisions they have made since Obama made office is not going in my "good job" pile honestly.
A fresh spin on everything music... Ahhh, finally something refreshing!!!
Showing posts with label gospel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gospel. Show all posts
Gospel's New Tune
Every simpleton should know that as time changes, music evolves. For gospel music, there is no exception. As time changes within the Christian society, so will its music. But gospel has taken a huge transformation from the “hand-clappin’, foot-stompin’, hootin’ and hollerin’” persona it boasts. It has become the edgy and liberal type of music that the edgy and liberal society it is trying to reach, and the noise most conservative Christians wouldn’t want to hear.
Growing up in a Baptist-turned-Nondenominational church, I’ve seen how much church music has changed. Organs aren’t the only instruments that harmonize with the choir, tambourines don’t slap on the sides of the singer to keep up the pulse of the song, and drums do not follow the traditional “boom-kat, boom-kat, boom-kat, boom-kat” so many genres have adopted in their style of music anymore. Instead, guitars are most favored to play along with the choir (IF there is a choir), synthesizers and other electric tones enhance the beat, and drums want to bang, and are often replaced with something to add boom to the system. You are lucky to find a chorale or mass choir anymore; if you want to hear the latest gospel be prepared to hear a hot 16 bars, or even auto-tune enhanced singing.
And it’s not only the beats that have changed. The lyrics have become edgy as well. I was listening to a gospel singer by the name of Canton Jones. In his album Kingdom Business, he touches on pimping, thugging, and riding on 24s. One of his choruses says “I know that you’s a pimp and wanna pimp hard / And in your pimping you can never pimp God”. Another hook on his albums says, “I’ma do something good for my hater today”. A new spin on the Ten Commandments, huh? Another singer named Deitrick Haddon isn’t exactly as raw with his lyrics as Jones, but he does have the reputation for his edgy, rock-star like character in his music. In his latest album Revealed, Haddon pushes your ears to the limit with loud drums and synthesized guitars, almost as if he wants you to get crunk for God. The two even collaborate on a song, a vibrant and energetic song at that, that would bring everyone attention to the guys who does this in the name of Jesus.
Why the huge transformation? As I said before, times are changing. More and more people are unaware of Christianity, and since the true purpose of people of the Christian-faith is to save those who are lost, Christians have to use the tools that the lost use. And often the lost are the young people and those in the streets and clubs, so what better way than by luring them in with the music that got the boom in the system, a hot 16, and some guitars? Well, not all will agree with the new strategy new gospel artists have cooked up as most of them refuse to leave their hand-clapping, foot-stomping ways. Critics of the new sound of gospel music calls the new sound noise – there are no real instruments involved, the content/production is too harsh for the young and old, and hiphop and Christianity will never mix, comingle, or get along in any way, shape or form.
The thing about the torn relationship between hiphop and gospel music is one believes it is the devil’s music (I shouldn’t have to explain who). Most Christians believe hiphop music was made directly from the devil to get people, particularly the youth, running the streets. Who can blame them with such artists as Bone Thugs and Harmony, NWA, and so on. Most people of the Christian faith, and even of other religions or no religions, disapprove the violent and misogynistic lyrics in the music. Not only that, but hiphop has always had a strong tie to the Five Percent Nation of Islam. Most of its artists, like Wu-Tang, were heavily influenced by the teachings within the Five Percent Nation of Islam. There’s no wonder Christians can’t accept hiphop music in its spiritual harmonies.
One thing Christians ignore about hiphop is that it is around to tell the story of people stuck on the streets and want a way out. Emcees rock the mic to speak for the untold, so why not do it in the name of Jesus instead of as a five percenter. It is the story of the streets, the lost, the poor. Gospel music tells how to stay inspired to live the Lord’s way to avoid trouble. Why not mash the two? Why not ignore the few emcees who do not believe in God and take the power of hiphop to add to the power of gospel?
Well, the point of gospel, as I said before, is to use God’s gift of music to tell the lost how good the Lord has been. And quite frankly, the old way won’t cut it anymore. The boys in streets won’t be lured into the Lord’s house with organ pianos. And if it takes a hot 16 and some electric guitars to get people in the right direction then congregations better hit some emcee workshops!
Growing up in a Baptist-turned-Nondenominational church, I’ve seen how much church music has changed. Organs aren’t the only instruments that harmonize with the choir, tambourines don’t slap on the sides of the singer to keep up the pulse of the song, and drums do not follow the traditional “boom-kat, boom-kat, boom-kat, boom-kat” so many genres have adopted in their style of music anymore. Instead, guitars are most favored to play along with the choir (IF there is a choir), synthesizers and other electric tones enhance the beat, and drums want to bang, and are often replaced with something to add boom to the system. You are lucky to find a chorale or mass choir anymore; if you want to hear the latest gospel be prepared to hear a hot 16 bars, or even auto-tune enhanced singing.
And it’s not only the beats that have changed. The lyrics have become edgy as well. I was listening to a gospel singer by the name of Canton Jones. In his album Kingdom Business, he touches on pimping, thugging, and riding on 24s. One of his choruses says “I know that you’s a pimp and wanna pimp hard / And in your pimping you can never pimp God”. Another hook on his albums says, “I’ma do something good for my hater today”. A new spin on the Ten Commandments, huh? Another singer named Deitrick Haddon isn’t exactly as raw with his lyrics as Jones, but he does have the reputation for his edgy, rock-star like character in his music. In his latest album Revealed, Haddon pushes your ears to the limit with loud drums and synthesized guitars, almost as if he wants you to get crunk for God. The two even collaborate on a song, a vibrant and energetic song at that, that would bring everyone attention to the guys who does this in the name of Jesus.
Why the huge transformation? As I said before, times are changing. More and more people are unaware of Christianity, and since the true purpose of people of the Christian-faith is to save those who are lost, Christians have to use the tools that the lost use. And often the lost are the young people and those in the streets and clubs, so what better way than by luring them in with the music that got the boom in the system, a hot 16, and some guitars? Well, not all will agree with the new strategy new gospel artists have cooked up as most of them refuse to leave their hand-clapping, foot-stomping ways. Critics of the new sound of gospel music calls the new sound noise – there are no real instruments involved, the content/production is too harsh for the young and old, and hiphop and Christianity will never mix, comingle, or get along in any way, shape or form.
The thing about the torn relationship between hiphop and gospel music is one believes it is the devil’s music (I shouldn’t have to explain who). Most Christians believe hiphop music was made directly from the devil to get people, particularly the youth, running the streets. Who can blame them with such artists as Bone Thugs and Harmony, NWA, and so on. Most people of the Christian faith, and even of other religions or no religions, disapprove the violent and misogynistic lyrics in the music. Not only that, but hiphop has always had a strong tie to the Five Percent Nation of Islam. Most of its artists, like Wu-Tang, were heavily influenced by the teachings within the Five Percent Nation of Islam. There’s no wonder Christians can’t accept hiphop music in its spiritual harmonies.
One thing Christians ignore about hiphop is that it is around to tell the story of people stuck on the streets and want a way out. Emcees rock the mic to speak for the untold, so why not do it in the name of Jesus instead of as a five percenter. It is the story of the streets, the lost, the poor. Gospel music tells how to stay inspired to live the Lord’s way to avoid trouble. Why not mash the two? Why not ignore the few emcees who do not believe in God and take the power of hiphop to add to the power of gospel?
Well, the point of gospel, as I said before, is to use God’s gift of music to tell the lost how good the Lord has been. And quite frankly, the old way won’t cut it anymore. The boys in streets won’t be lured into the Lord’s house with organ pianos. And if it takes a hot 16 and some electric guitars to get people in the right direction then congregations better hit some emcee workshops!
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