concious sounds in roots music - is it a thing of the past?

[leggo rocker]

I love to listen to Reggae. And also Blues and Soul music.

I've been listening to this music for maybe 40 years now.

Of course I love the riddim but I've also always been attracted to the 'soul' of this music that has African origins.

There's a uniting theme in this music. It's a theme that covers the struggle against opression (rebel music), and a spritual message and one of love for our brothers and sisters.

But this morning I caught some TV show with videos of modern black music, the Rap and so-called R&B sound.

I was saddened to find that the original concious messages of black music seem gone. Replaced by a love of material things, like jewels, money and cars. The lyrics were merely boasts about how rich and cool the singers were (and how many 'bitches they had). There was no message, other than this worship of material things.

Am I the only one who mourns the passing of concious sounds in music?

Or have I missed something, is there still a strong musical movement that celebrates the concious and spiritual side, and urges us to love, and into action to resist opression and hatred?

[TheExpanders]

Check the conscious reggae music coming out of the virgin islands, especially St. Croix. You can listen to many albums on vireggae.com. Respect.

[leggo rocker]

Thanks!

It's good to hear some recent rootical sounds in this troubled time.

[mattp]

TV being an advertising tool for the mass market, it's bound to show lowest common denominator rubbish. I'd rather eat my own eyeballs than watch mtv! However, i have to point out there is conscious (& quality) hip-hop: mos def, talib kweli, the roots, sage francis, afu-ra (wicked recent tune with Gentleman) etc etc.
I still gotta love heavy 70's roots the most though!!
Peace.

[Rootsman]

Hi,

Good thread Leggo, I`ve been thinking the same thing for a very long time. The problem is these singers who sing about material things etc have money and don`t know what it is to go without.

Roots / Cultural reggae and Blues etc is music that comes from the heart and has always by definition been sung by people that are ghetto sufferers and oppressed. These people, no matter how good their music, rarely made more than just enough money to live and evryday was a stuggle.

How can the singers / rappers today genuinely sing about oppression, African origins etc when they have the money to buy whatever they want.
They are too successful, greedy and too self indulgent to worry about their roots.

You need to live the life to sing the life.

Just be thankful for the vast abundance of great music that has been made in the past and leave todays rubbish to like minded people.

Resect

Dave

[Snow Leopard]

I think Mutabaruka said something along the lines of 'Red Green & Gold' being replaced by songs about Gold jewellery.

[Babylon Battlefield]

Good topic.

I live in Houston Texas home of the
"dirty south" hip hop/rap culture
it's a normal thing here
so we get desensitized to hearing it everyday
which is in essence some other form of suffering
I see so many youths who idealize these materialistic
artists with little to no message in the lyrics
alot of the artists really did suffer a different, harder, thing than all can understand and alot of it is just a front.
very misleading...
although I also look at it as another part of electronic music culture
and have a hard time detesting it
it's really detrimental to the youth who idealize materialism
and especially the poorer youth who strive to win life in that fashion.
I love most forms of music and listen to roots reggae everyday
for sounds, uplifting messages, soul, etc.

thanks for everyones input on this

A

[leggo rocker]

There was one rapper boasting about how he paid 10,000 dollars for a shirt!

Many of these 'urban music' stars do come from difficult backgrounds, and yet they seem to forget the struggle (and their less fortunate bredren and sistren) the moment the first royalty cheque gets banked.

I also listen to uplifting rootical sounds everyday, praising jah with voices and instruments.

Youth of today is not getting the concious message from anyone. Not from the Government man who is teaching them by example that corruption pays. Not getting it from their parents who are many times absent, or just zoned in front of the TV. Not getting it from the musicians who are infatuated with greed and gain. Not getting it from the so-called holy man who is too often just a wolf inna sheep clothing.

I can't see society improving at all...

[bullit]

This is a very interesting post.

I always feel its a shame to watch people who are so obsessed by material wealth and 'bling' and it seems that more and more people are getting drawn to this type of music.

However, i myself am 20 years old and play as a dj and in a reggae band in the uk, I play a large selection of reggae, some real rootsy tunes right through to digital 80s era dancehall, all kinds really.

While playing out and spreading the love of these tunes, there are youth out there that love what they hear, they miss that sound and style.
So although i fear for what may come to these angry youth i know there are out there, a group of people who love these tunes that we know and love.

As long as we spread these words of love there is always hope, at least for some.

[leggo rocker]

I am aware that not all people, even youths, are following this money move. I've also been to gigs where several people under the age of 30 have been enjoying the concious groove.

And of course many youths are into the loved up house sound (although too many are only loved up by chemicals and not in thier hearts).

But generally, the move is in the wrong direction.

I can remember when I lived in Glastonbury int he early 80s, so many people were talking about the 'Age of Aquarius' and how the world was gonna change and love would take over. At the time I was dubious as I saw all the signs that the reverse was true.

Now, almost everything I see just confirms that the Hindu's are actually correct because they say we are in the age of quarrel, where everyone is only interested in material gain and where love is in short supply.

It may even be Armegeddon time...

I'll continue to listen to the reggae sounds that expound the love of Jah. And the Blues sound that makes your heart glad even in struggle. And the rebel music of the likes of Bob Marley that instructs us to reject the worship of the material things and to fight the downpressor.