Counterculture
Lyrics
sexual
Expression
in
an era of
ultra-pC
conformity
(Just
Dropped In)
Please
note that the below music referencesare unsuited for under 16's – -
but are ''the buzz'' for the BLACK youth culture generation of
america TODAY(!)
[
I wrote this blog just before Christmas but with other things
intervening, it sort of got left on the back burner.
He
it finally is - the edited (censored) version at least (!) ]
After
the 'heavy' politics of 'fatboy' Johnson (see my last blog!) I am now
turning to the Black Music counterculture movement in America today.
Black
music has been a seminal influence on all that we listen to in
popular music today – from blues and soul to rock, hip-hop and rap
- the impact is everywhere.
But
where is music going? Who is influencing the Black music underground
scene today? You may be surprised to learn what genre is 'exciting'
Black youth today.
In
an era when artists can ditch the 'fatboy' labels and express
themselves independently – selling digital takes and out-takes
direct to their fans worldwide – without, as the artist formerly known as Prince might have said, being
a 'Slave' to the record company, who or what is influencing the Black music youth of today?
Knowing this may give us an
indication of the direction of underground (sadly to become, at a
later time, 'mainstream') music of tomorrow.
I
have drawn on my own (enduring) amateur interest in music and
counterculture to try to identify just some of the more unique
artists who are setting the music world ablaze with both their lyrics
and visuals.
I
can't say that I understand them but they are certainly interesting
and xciting!;maybe not visually appealing to 'traditional' music
lovers – but they are an expression of a generation tired as it is
with politically correct Justin Bieber, Beyonce etc. 'soap' and
'bubble gum' music and want something more stimulating, more
different and more erotic.
Is
this the direction of future trends? Maybe not – but it's
certainly the expression of an underground movement which has an
amazingly large acolyte base not just in the States but in other parts
of the world, such as Trans-Asia and South East Asia which are more
open to this type of disco-dance clubbing music than, say, Western
Europe which has, musically, in my opinion, entered
'The Dark Ages' (of non-creativity.)
[Some
might say, perhaps as a result of those corrupt fatboy politicians
pandering to extreme Islam and extremist 'voters' with their calls for bans on
pork, alcohol drinking in public, 'Sharia' districts (in Europe) free of the 'contamination' of Western night entertainment and clubs, no nudity on beaches, bans on certain
types of heavy metal, erotic music, etc. etc. etc etc. etc - the lists are endless.)
Perhaps, as one argument goes, this is just one peaceful counterculture
Christian 'protest' reaction, in another sphere, to all those corrupt fatboy
politicians who would seek to restrict all of our liberties with X
and parental guidance labels on everything - on the basis that 'Mother' (the 'Nanny
State') always knows what's best for the 'children' (me and you) – and will
legislate into law to enforce this compliance – by brute force
where necessary. Hence
the rise of countercultures - some less peaceful and more (direct-action) militant than the one discussed here.]
If
you do not know what a counterculture movement is, perhaps you might
take a moment or two to find out?
The
last counterculture artist I blogged ('Brother Ali') was likewise
setting the underground scene in America ablaze with his lyrics and energy. He just happened
to be a 'White' artist but his themes as it happens, were
discrimination and poverty – against working class Whites, Latinos
and Blacks.
At
a time when it was 'unfashionable he covered in his lyrics themes
such as discrimination against Muslims, rendition, suicide bombers,
the destruction of the American middle class and the outsourcing of
jobs which have torn apart, devastated and made wastelands of local communities of all ethnic groups,
across America.
I
identified 'Brother Ali' as vibrant because I set myself the task to
find the an artist whose politics and views were 'alternative' and
someone who was echoing the despair of those dispossessed, those
cast-offs by multinationals through self interest and avarice, by rich society blind
as it is (in the main) to suffering and poverty - like they discard an empty tin can, and
no empathy with those who are downtrodden, with little or no hope of redemption, living
like caged animals in despair and darkness with no hope for the
future, even though they are barely 20 years of age.
If you treat
people like animals for long enough, they will start to act like wild
animals, likewise showing no mercy as they fight (kill or die) to
survive in a jungle they have not created but are forced by birth to
live in - and to respond to.
As
with artists from my own generation, such as Bob Dylan (the early
years!) through Brother Ali's lyrics, their pain and suffering is
evident.
It
is rare to find an artist with the courage to articulate what society
fears most – radical change through social grass roots electorate
(Town Hall) mobilization and action.
This
Black music counterculture movement is very different. It is, as I
perceive it, a reaction against the conformity and puritanical values
being 'imposed' on the youth of today by corrupt politicians, corrupt
and hypocritical clergy, by other extremists - such as Muslims living
in Christendom who want to change our ways of living and interacting
and who use the ballot box to vote into office (mainly) Christian
politicians who will, by stealth, impose 'Muslim values' – using
our own democratic and open societies to create mirror images of the
tyrannies in Muslim lands - in countries such as Turkey, the Middle
East and in Africa - from whence they (or their parents or grand
parents) once fled to Christendom searching for a better life and
opportunities unavialable in their ancestral lands.
Our own corrupt politicians lack the backbone to stand up for Christendom - hence, for better or worse, the rise of alternative politicians who will defend Christendom and its values.
Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are the only the tip of generational icebergs which will all become more apparent in the next 5-10 years - if existing policies on a wide range of issues - social, political, military and economic - are not reversed.
I
am only looking at one aspect of Black music counterculture here –
but it certainly has just as vibrant a political stream as it does an
overtly sexual dimension. I will not cover the political dimensions
here but they are equally vibrant, dynamic and challenging to
mainstream society and are influencing a sector of tomorrow's
generation with their creative energy.
As
with Jazz and Blues, it takes time for such 'expressions' to find
themselves into mainstream culture but I am pretty sure the days of
'bubble-gum' music is nearing an end (at least for the present!) to
make way for more explicit, more community-orientated, more social,
more political and more militant expressions of frustration with the
status quo.
Check
out the references below for yourself ...….and find more
alternative counterultural expressions where these came
from............... with your own research!
©Patrick
Emek, April 2016
Before you pass judgement and classify me as 'anti-' this or 'anti-' that read my earlier blog about 'Brother Ali' (and listen to his lyrics as in the accompanying references)
Confused? You shouldn't be (!)
If
you want to re-visit the 'brother ali ' blog: you will find it at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLk4nSiW5zw&ebc=ANyPxKrW8EwrPLQ0FigHdegpGERGc4kUp2HlF
(Willie Nelson)
I
could not resist throwing in one or two of my own generational
favorites:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYQW0NOyZpc
(Mickey Newbury)
they
say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLk4nSiW5zw&ebc=ANyPxKrW8EwrPLQ0FigHdegpGERGc4kUp2HlFELBjS
(Willie Nelson)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI2p4QE52XE
(Kenny Rogers, circa 1968)
One
particular comment at this website:
(Steve
Gutfeld1 year ago)
''How
did we go from 'this' to Justin Bieber in 40 short years. How sad.''
