FREESTYLE ARTISTS NOT DOING FREESTYLE WHEN THEY SHOULD.
I know something familiar was posted a few weeks back, but I think this topic is so great that it had to be resurrected and brought back in full detail. I remember back when dance music was in it's dying stages and the use of these evil faster beats was no longer a thing of big interest to people, quite a bit of artists were still trying to push back with new freestyle. Now that people are actually once again going in that direction and ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, freestyle artists seem to have moved on to SLOW pop and other stuff, while r&b and pop singers are all over the radio (top 40, rhythmic, AND electronic/dance format) using freestyle and house friendly beats. It's good that people can no longer classify everything fast as being old school or techno, but now we have people calling it HIP HOP! If things continue to go exactly as it's going at this moment, then freestyle will surely have a great chance of dying because once we're all gone, no one will be there to teach the younger generation....
I am so completely not in the mood to write on this topic right now and can't even think about want I want to say, so I may just cut it short. But bottom line is this: Most people today only know about 2, 3, or 4 genres of music at the most, and the mainstream radio, media, and music industry brainwashing and everyone hungry for a quick buck rather than true talent or quality is not helping one bit. I remember there was some time ago, a few years back, when I kept trying to say "if it's done correctly, a dance or freestyle track could be done successfully", but none of the Dj's, radio stations, or people in general...etc. really cared or wanted to listen, and half of them got lost when I started talking about dance music. Then Ne-yo, David Guetta and all these people start doing it and finally in the MIDDLE of 2008, people are beginning to catch on and tell me "I think you're on to something here" "I think dance might come back...". Another thing I was telling people was to take freestyle elements and mix them with r&b elements. Still, I only see this started happening in the r&b and pop community. As far as taking today's style of r&b dance and throwing in an electro sound, I've heard some dj's and remixers do it, but they are just remixes, not actual songs, so I might just save up money, get the right equiptment, and do it myself, and I want it so badly that I hope people do steal my idea before I do it. I'll find another way to make my money, I don't care because I still benefit in the end when I hear what I like.... But don't get me wrong, I like remixes as well. Whatever works, works, and if I have to start doing mixes with nothing but remixes of "hits", I will. By the way, I like how Ultimix and Funkymix were never too scared to do and use certain things.
Anyway, I believe that we could easily be taking advantage of this situation we're in right now, where people are using faster beats, to help "ourselves" out in the freestyle community. I do have to give it up to Stevie B and Gabriel Antonio, who have finally caught on to this idea of using today's style of r&b/dance and mix it with freestyle elements. Go to http://www.myspace.com/steviebmusic and listen to the brand new song "I wanna be the one 2009" (Not to forget, Map Style and Paula B also jumping on this mixture of modern r&b/dance and freestyle elements). This is a PERFECT example of what I've been waiting to hear people do. The only thing left now is for someone to throw in an electro sound, and really I don't care if it doesn't become the next big thing, but if we could get at least one song to make it with that sound in it, or just have those songs out and available to the public, that would be great. What I really want is the Angelina, Jossette, Jocelyn Enriquez, Lina Santiago, Rockell, Lil Suzy..etc sound to come back, but I have to be a bit realistic and say this might not happen again soon. Fortunately, I also loved booty bass and other styles of dance, so if we're coming back with more of a bass sound, I'm willing to work with that. The uptempo radio stuff is fun for radio (or to play when you're getting paid for it), but I think we can do much better than what's happening on radio right now, and what's even more sad is that even some of the new songs I have in my mixes that use today's style of r&b dance with NO actual freestyle songs thrown in are still unrecognizeable!! I guess I am still a bit disappointed, despite the fact we're just about right where I was expecting to be today, about three years back.
Out of all the people, I believe Ciara, Rihanna, Flo-Rida, and Pitbull are the ones who are really doing something when it comes to the mainstream radio dance style (and of course I give it up to Missy and Timbaland for jumpstarting it back. Will-I-Am too). Maybe even Ne-yo. Everything else is basically just good for the beats, until something else with an even more exciting beat comes along and tops it. NOW WHAT WE NEED are people to start actually talking and contacting or getting in touch with one another in some way. A freestyle artist sees that a popular artist is showing interest in their style of music, why not hit them up and make something happen? I'm sure that even though some artists may not know freestyle, dance..etc or may not be too fond of it, that doesn't mean they'll hate every single freestyle track created. I bet if things are worked out, something can come up that will work for everyone, and if they like it, I'm sure they wont say "no, I will not rap on this you big dummy!" You see how successful Lil Jon is right now, despite the fact he's been using forbiddden beats! You see how Flo-Rida and Pitbull are trying to be themselves, while also pushing for radio play and the money. You see how many artists are starting up with collaborations and just being "featured" first before actually breaking in the game, or making a come back this way. Hey, you see how MADONNA came back! Look at how old she is!! Still on top 40 radio!!! I thought it was all over when she released that mostly trance and house album at the worst time possible, but she got smart and got with Justin Timberlake and BAM she MADE A COME BACK!!!!! I actually explained this to someone before - Madonna is older, and known with the older crowd. Justin is younger and known with the younger crowd. They are both well known, but these days Justin would have the bigger advantage, so it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize the magic that could happen for Madonna to team up with Justin and do the most Pop sounding song possible! I wont even mention the concert and how great it would be because the concert would be a FAMILY EVENT that both parents AND kids could all go see and relate to - no I wont mention that. Then you can totally tell with her follow up single that she wanted it to be dance, but arranged the beat in such a way to gain more aceptance in "give it to me". Most new artists today are leaving out treble and other instruments when they make faster songs. Listen to Madonna's "give it to me" and it has every element of a true house or trance song, with the only thing being switch up is the drum beat pattern. Think about it. There are slick ways to do things and increase the chances of having success and get around the crap, no matter how much crap may be present at the time. What's happening in music and the industry might not be exactly what you want, but you can work with what is being done now and use it to your advantage (However , this will not work for people who are stuck on a certain sound). I bet if a record like "my boo" from Ghost town Dj's were released today, it would make it. Using today's style and throwing in freestyle elements - I'm glad Stevie B. caught on to this, and he's not waiting around to think about it, he's just doing it and staying as true as possible, while still being open to modernizing his sound. You know me. If I get a studio, I'm just going to get straight to it and what you hear is what you hear and I let nothing, not even a fine woman, get in the way, but I know not everyone is like that. This world today is centered mostly around money and people will put that before what really means something to them, or get themselves into situations where they must give up their dreams and do something they really don't want to do to make money...etc. so I guess it's best to say this: Freestyle artists do see and hear what's going on, so if anything, at the least, make a pop record with a freestyle beat or something. Look how much people in the U.K. support each other when it comes to garage and 2-Step. Everyone's talking, discussing stuff and pushing. They argue, but talk and work it out. Why can't it be done here? WE have to do something. Anything. Whatever you do, just take advantage of where we are in music today, even if it means having Lil Wayne rap on it. It's already evident that hip hop artists are very willing to drop lyrics outside of the hip hop genre these days because everyone is seeing what is happening to hip hop. I'm sitting here writing this stuff, and I should be the first one out there trying to get a hold of Pitbull, Flo-Rida and stuff and talking something up. I have no kids, all I really have to worry about now is myself, so I should be taking advantage of that and using it to MY advantage, and I'd be the perfect one to walk the walk since I'm talking the talk, so I might as well get to work. If you don't know me, I am not materialistic at all (until it comes to dj equiptment and music), so I may have no furniture, start riding the bus, and have a lot of extra money to make freestyle tracks and try to promote it or get something worked out, use it all for that, and not care. When I start aviation classes, maybe I could use the money from that degree to open a real studio and make beats, tracks and stuff. No furniture, just a t.v. and a stereo and some booty bass and electro sounds in my place.... The furniture will come AFTER I'm done with the music stuff... I may write too much and tell everyone what I'm thinking and risk giving all my thoughts away, but I write, hoping someone WILL steal my ideas. Either way, I'll benefit because I'll still get what I want in the end if it all works out.
I probably should warn the girls on my dating profiles about why I may not have furniture. Hopefully they like freestyle and bass.
I know something familiar was posted a few weeks back, but I think this topic is so great that it had to be resurrected and brought back in full detail. I remember back when dance music was in it's dying stages and the use of these evil faster beats was no longer a thing of big interest to people, quite a bit of artists were still trying to push back with new freestyle. Now that people are actually once again going in that direction and ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, freestyle artists seem to have moved on to SLOW pop and other stuff, while r&b and pop singers are all over the radio (top 40, rhythmic, AND electronic/dance format) using freestyle and house friendly beats. It's good that people can no longer classify everything fast as being old school or techno, but now we have people calling it HIP HOP! If things continue to go exactly as it's going at this moment, then freestyle will surely have a great chance of dying because once we're all gone, no one will be there to teach the younger generation....
I am so completely not in the mood to write on this topic right now and can't even think about want I want to say, so I may just cut it short. But bottom line is this: Most people today only know about 2, 3, or 4 genres of music at the most, and the mainstream radio, media, and music industry brainwashing and everyone hungry for a quick buck rather than true talent or quality is not helping one bit. I remember there was some time ago, a few years back, when I kept trying to say "if it's done correctly, a dance or freestyle track could be done successfully", but none of the Dj's, radio stations, or people in general...etc. really cared or wanted to listen, and half of them got lost when I started talking about dance music. Then Ne-yo, David Guetta and all these people start doing it and finally in the MIDDLE of 2008, people are beginning to catch on and tell me "I think you're on to something here" "I think dance might come back...". Another thing I was telling people was to take freestyle elements and mix them with r&b elements. Still, I only see this started happening in the r&b and pop community. As far as taking today's style of r&b dance and throwing in an electro sound, I've heard some dj's and remixers do it, but they are just remixes, not actual songs, so I might just save up money, get the right equiptment, and do it myself, and I want it so badly that I hope people do steal my idea before I do it. I'll find another way to make my money, I don't care because I still benefit in the end when I hear what I like.... But don't get me wrong, I like remixes as well. Whatever works, works, and if I have to start doing mixes with nothing but remixes of "hits", I will. By the way, I like how Ultimix and Funkymix were never too scared to do and use certain things.
Anyway, I believe that we could easily be taking advantage of this situation we're in right now, where people are using faster beats, to help "ourselves" out in the freestyle community. I do have to give it up to Stevie B and Gabriel Antonio, who have finally caught on to this idea of using today's style of r&b/dance and mix it with freestyle elements. Go to http://www.myspace.com/steviebmusic and listen to the brand new song "I wanna be the one 2009" (Not to forget, Map Style and Paula B also jumping on this mixture of modern r&b/dance and freestyle elements). This is a PERFECT example of what I've been waiting to hear people do. The only thing left now is for someone to throw in an electro sound, and really I don't care if it doesn't become the next big thing, but if we could get at least one song to make it with that sound in it, or just have those songs out and available to the public, that would be great. What I really want is the Angelina, Jossette, Jocelyn Enriquez, Lina Santiago, Rockell, Lil Suzy..etc sound to come back, but I have to be a bit realistic and say this might not happen again soon. Fortunately, I also loved booty bass and other styles of dance, so if we're coming back with more of a bass sound, I'm willing to work with that. The uptempo radio stuff is fun for radio (or to play when you're getting paid for it), but I think we can do much better than what's happening on radio right now, and what's even more sad is that even some of the new songs I have in my mixes that use today's style of r&b dance with NO actual freestyle songs thrown in are still unrecognizeable!! I guess I am still a bit disappointed, despite the fact we're just about right where I was expecting to be today, about three years back.
Out of all the people, I believe Ciara, Rihanna, Flo-Rida, and Pitbull are the ones who are really doing something when it comes to the mainstream radio dance style (and of course I give it up to Missy and Timbaland for jumpstarting it back. Will-I-Am too). Maybe even Ne-yo. Everything else is basically just good for the beats, until something else with an even more exciting beat comes along and tops it. NOW WHAT WE NEED are people to start actually talking and contacting or getting in touch with one another in some way. A freestyle artist sees that a popular artist is showing interest in their style of music, why not hit them up and make something happen? I'm sure that even though some artists may not know freestyle, dance..etc or may not be too fond of it, that doesn't mean they'll hate every single freestyle track created. I bet if things are worked out, something can come up that will work for everyone, and if they like it, I'm sure they wont say "no, I will not rap on this you big dummy!" You see how successful Lil Jon is right now, despite the fact he's been using forbiddden beats! You see how Flo-Rida and Pitbull are trying to be themselves, while also pushing for radio play and the money. You see how many artists are starting up with collaborations and just being "featured" first before actually breaking in the game, or making a come back this way. Hey, you see how MADONNA came back! Look at how old she is!! Still on top 40 radio!!! I thought it was all over when she released that mostly trance and house album at the worst time possible, but she got smart and got with Justin Timberlake and BAM she MADE A COME BACK!!!!! I actually explained this to someone before - Madonna is older, and known with the older crowd. Justin is younger and known with the younger crowd. They are both well known, but these days Justin would have the bigger advantage, so it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize the magic that could happen for Madonna to team up with Justin and do the most Pop sounding song possible! I wont even mention the concert and how great it would be because the concert would be a FAMILY EVENT that both parents AND kids could all go see and relate to - no I wont mention that. Then you can totally tell with her follow up single that she wanted it to be dance, but arranged the beat in such a way to gain more aceptance in "give it to me". Most new artists today are leaving out treble and other instruments when they make faster songs. Listen to Madonna's "give it to me" and it has every element of a true house or trance song, with the only thing being switch up is the drum beat pattern. Think about it. There are slick ways to do things and increase the chances of having success and get around the crap, no matter how much crap may be present at the time. What's happening in music and the industry might not be exactly what you want, but you can work with what is being done now and use it to your advantage (However , this will not work for people who are stuck on a certain sound). I bet if a record like "my boo" from Ghost town Dj's were released today, it would make it. Using today's style and throwing in freestyle elements - I'm glad Stevie B. caught on to this, and he's not waiting around to think about it, he's just doing it and staying as true as possible, while still being open to modernizing his sound. You know me. If I get a studio, I'm just going to get straight to it and what you hear is what you hear and I let nothing, not even a fine woman, get in the way, but I know not everyone is like that. This world today is centered mostly around money and people will put that before what really means something to them, or get themselves into situations where they must give up their dreams and do something they really don't want to do to make money...etc. so I guess it's best to say this: Freestyle artists do see and hear what's going on, so if anything, at the least, make a pop record with a freestyle beat or something. Look how much people in the U.K. support each other when it comes to garage and 2-Step. Everyone's talking, discussing stuff and pushing. They argue, but talk and work it out. Why can't it be done here? WE have to do something. Anything. Whatever you do, just take advantage of where we are in music today, even if it means having Lil Wayne rap on it. It's already evident that hip hop artists are very willing to drop lyrics outside of the hip hop genre these days because everyone is seeing what is happening to hip hop. I'm sitting here writing this stuff, and I should be the first one out there trying to get a hold of Pitbull, Flo-Rida and stuff and talking something up. I have no kids, all I really have to worry about now is myself, so I should be taking advantage of that and using it to MY advantage, and I'd be the perfect one to walk the walk since I'm talking the talk, so I might as well get to work. If you don't know me, I am not materialistic at all (until it comes to dj equiptment and music), so I may have no furniture, start riding the bus, and have a lot of extra money to make freestyle tracks and try to promote it or get something worked out, use it all for that, and not care. When I start aviation classes, maybe I could use the money from that degree to open a real studio and make beats, tracks and stuff. No furniture, just a t.v. and a stereo and some booty bass and electro sounds in my place.... The furniture will come AFTER I'm done with the music stuff... I may write too much and tell everyone what I'm thinking and risk giving all my thoughts away, but I write, hoping someone WILL steal my ideas. Either way, I'll benefit because I'll still get what I want in the end if it all works out.
I probably should warn the girls on my dating profiles about why I may not have furniture. Hopefully they like freestyle and bass.