Where did the music on Music Television go?

I don’t know about you, but I love music.  I used to love tuning into MTV and seeing all the current videos and sitting down to watch shows like Yo! MTV Raps to see and hear all the new things going on in hip-hop.  Likewise, I remember as a child rushing in from playing outside to watch the world premieres of the newest MC Hammer videos.  I can also remember the time when videos would debut in prime time, as they were spectacles to both the young and old. 

Videos gave music artists the opportunity to present a visual of the sounds that their fans have grown to love.  Even more, videos would provide great exposure for the artists. This platform gave musicians another way to market their music. With video now being a piece of the music it gave those musicians with a video the advantage.  Soon folks were tuning in more to the television for music than the radio.  The video would ultimately play a huge role in popular music marketing and this can all be credited to MTV.

In 1981 the music industry was forever changed when the world was introduced to Music Television.  MTV's effect was immediate in areas where the new music video channel was carried. Within a couple of months, record stores in areas where MTV was available were selling music that local radio stations were not playing. 

Video killed the radio star, but did anyone notice the disappearance of video on television?  What happened to Music Television?  MTV once changed the landscape of the music industry and now seems to focus on teen pregnancy.  Seriously?  That doesn’t even sound right.  I understand that it is all business, but that is like the NAACP now focusing on making sandwiches.  MTV once was a place where I could leave the channel on all day and watch video premieres and see the videos that I didn’t even know existed.  Now with MTV changing its focus and also owning VH1, I can’t find videos anywhere unless I’m online or watching 106 & Park.  I wonder what MTV’s mission statement is nowadays? So where do artists premiere their videos?  We are now forced to go online even if we don’t want to.  The MTV debacle has definitely had its impact on the industry…or did the industry make its impact on MTV?

At times, businesses need to reinvent themselves to stay a float, some companies even have to change to their focus, but as a pioneer in the music video industry it is hard to see them any other way.  Yes, MTV has found ways to retain and even obtain its younger audiences, but what was once a staple in the music industry is now almost irrelevant in music and finding other ways to entertain its audience.

Thanks for the memories Bill Bellamy, Downtown Julie Brown, Kurt Loder, John Norris, Kennedy, Idalis, Duffy, Dan Cortese, Carson Daly, Fab 5 Freddy, Daisy Fuentes, Dr Dre, Ed Lover and the list goes on.

"I Used To Love Her."

The evolution of Hip Hop.

Conceived in the city of New York and born in the 1970s, Hip Hop was brought into this world to share the experiences and culture that the rest of the world was unaware of.  Not only did it provide an outlet, but also Hip Hop gave inspiration and hope to the inner city.  Picture the three wise men, but instead replace them with DJ Kool Herc, Melle Mel, and Grandmaster Flash. Hip Hop’s birth would soon change the world and its story passed on for generations.

Hip Hop was a baby in the early 80s, it was new, it was fresh, and for many it was a way of life.  This culture was represented in many forms.  Whether rapping, DJing, breaking, or tagging Graffiti Art.  Hip Hop was more than music.  As Hip Hop was defining itself in the 80s, many nonbelievers did not expect it to make it.  Many thought that listeners wouldn’t take it seriously or that they were not ready for it, but the only thing premature was that opinion.

As the 90s approached, Hip Hop gained mainstream attention, but at the same time, it seemed to be changing its message.  In the 90s, Hip Hop seemed to be going through its adolescence phase, as it was still learning its way and still learning about itself.   During these years Hip Hop showed many faces, adding to the fact that Hip Hop was versatile and still a voice for the inner cities.  However, like any teenager, Hip Hop became more defensive.  This was a direct result to the criticism it continued to take for its language, censorship, and crime related rap.  While media critics argued these points, again Hip Hop found itself growing and now appealing to a broader demographic.

In the early 2000s, things appeared to be moving too fast for Hip Hop.  Hip Hop was losing its direction and it was losing itself even faster.  Even as it gained a worldwide audience, some thought it was dead.  True, Hip Hop had strayed from what was believed to be the original elements of the culture, but Hip Hop was far from dead. 

Hip Hop has changed so much over the years to cater to the consumer that it has lost the essence for which it was originally created.  By the year 2014, it appears to be a promiscuous middle-aged adulterer willing to be with anyone.  Now artists like Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are hailed as Hip Hop's kings.  They say that’s Hip Hop, but Hip Hop wouldn’t do that. 

I’m a 80s baby, but I grew up in the 90s.  I feel that Hip Hop was at its finest then.  It seemed like there was more comradery in the industry and labels seemed more like families.  Everything just looked to be more authentic and it actually carried over into the music.  This was a time before the Internet and illegal downloading made its impact on the genre.  So yeah, I’m sure many factors had its hand in the slow demise of Hip Hop, but for a brief minute, all was well.  In my opinion, Hip Hop is not dead.  This is evident when you watch movies, television shows and commercials.  Hip Hop vitals also appeared to be loud and clear when Hip Hop mogul Jay Z went platinum last year in just days after releasing an album without any prior promotion. 

Hip Hop has been through a lot in its short life and now it just needs some support.  Someone needs to revive Hip Hop.  Have you seen Hip Hop lately?

They're not ready.

For many artists the struggle is real.  Just when things seem promising, the gift looks more like a curse.  The road less traveled is a journey.  There are many hardships along this road, but there is also a light so bright at the end of the road that you have to wear sunglasses as you approach it.  One of the biggest problems about this road that I am finding is that it becomes even harder to communicate to people where you are.  If you are an artist and reading this blog, have you ever tried to explain to others what is going on in your life and the person or people that you are speaking to are looking at you like you are speaking another language? 

I was born and raised in a small city in western Pennsylvania.  Hip-hop has been here in the community, but the area has yet to embrace it.  The talent is here, but the opened minds are not.  Sometimes I feel like this town is two decades behind the rest of the world, but as aspiring artists, you cannot let your area be the reason for your lack of success.  Twenty years ago, people thought hip-hop wouldn’t last and they were wrong.  It’s now a billion-dollar industry with 80 percent of the fan base being white.  Hip-hop is here and hip-hop is now.  It is more than music, it’s an art form and it is also a culture.

When I speak to aspiring artists and entrepreneurs I have found one common ingredient, belief.  Yes, the road less traveled is a road without a secure paycheck, but it can also be the same road to big dividends, job satisfaction, and overall happiness. 

I can’t speak for the area that you live in, but in my town we have a ton of youth that have a musical talent with no guidance or even a platform to showcase their talent.  What then happens is these kids put their passions on the back burner, because who wants to be discouraged or not taken seriously.  We have to encourage our youth and others who have dreams of being the next big thing.  Why not? 

Question: What is the difference between being ordinary and extraordinary?
Answer: Just a little extra. 

It is great for people to want to be kings and queens of their community, but honestly what is that going to do for you at the end of the day?  Go for it!  Leave the nest. Or…stay and try to be the trendsetter.  Some places just are not ready for change.  Some places don’t want to see the minority rule.  Some places want to get the youth involved, but don’t allow them to become engaged.  Some places are just that; some places.  Not every place is the same and not every mind is closed.  Do you, and I repeat, do not let your area be the reason for your lack of success.  So what is holding you back?  Most of the time it’s you.  They may not be ready, but the important thing is that you are.