This was dope too, heartfelt, about R.A's Dad that died, probably my favourite R.A song, his Dad had cancer too, I showed this to a friend who's father died and could really relate to it.
"The artist who truly suffers, his stuff is the best, cause his heart bleed on his sleeve" - Nas
- Thread starter The Ruler 09
- Start date
man, Lauryn Hill is the biggest disappointment in my time. Her music hasnt gotten better becuz of "SUFFERING". It killed her career. Her music sucks.
You talking about maybe a top 5 black artist at one point just done after one solo album
Animal House
Superstar
Oh and Ransom is the perfect current example of his statement
I don't think it means your music gets better after you suffer, it's more complex than that, it can destroy some people and they can't make music anymore. What I think it means is that you have to have some of that experience/knowledge, Lauryn had that even in her early days. You heard the suffering in her music when she was at her absolute peak, she still has the lyrics and shyt too, all she needs is the production and she's good...
PlainSight
Anon
People are driven to make art for different reasons IMO - and the energy they put in will resonate in the people that share that energy. Like, for me, my struggles were never external - I'm poor but I never went too hungry for long, so that was never a motivator. When I made music, I did it for different reasons over different phases. Because I was good at it; because other people wanted me to so I felt obligated; because I wanted to move people emotionally; catharsis and anger. Struggle is such a necessity in life that music is quite a common way to alleviate and exercise the pain that comes from it, from the person listening to the person channeling all of that into the music.
And struggle affects people in different ways. When I fell out of love with making music, I just stopped. I had no motivation or passion for it for a long time, no amount of struggle or anger could move me to go back. I think the artist who's stuff is the best is the artist who knows his audience. If one uses the musical medium to exercise their struggles and pains, people of similar wont will certainly gravitate for the same reasons, and maybe people with an unconscious propensity for absorbing another's pain. If an artist makes music for aesthetic reasons, i.e. making beautiful music, accompanying visual art, linguistic trickery a la multis, internal multis, rhyme schemes etc - people with a particular slant towards the aesthetic will gravitate towards it.
Arguably, the artist who encompasses all of the above, tends to reign supreme - provided they have the right marketing too
And struggle affects people in different ways. When I fell out of love with making music, I just stopped. I had no motivation or passion for it for a long time, no amount of struggle or anger could move me to go back. I think the artist who's stuff is the best is the artist who knows his audience. If one uses the musical medium to exercise their struggles and pains, people of similar wont will certainly gravitate for the same reasons, and maybe people with an unconscious propensity for absorbing another's pain. If an artist makes music for aesthetic reasons, i.e. making beautiful music, accompanying visual art, linguistic trickery a la multis, internal multis, rhyme schemes etc - people with a particular slant towards the aesthetic will gravitate towards it.
Arguably, the artist who encompasses all of the above, tends to reign supreme - provided they have the right marketing too
People are driven to make art for different reasons IMO - and the energy they put in will resonate in the people that share that energy. Like, for me, my struggles were never external - I'm poor but I never went too hungry for long, so that was never a motivator. When I made music, I did it for different reasons over different phases. Because I was good at it; because other people wanted me to so I felt obligated; because I wanted to move people emotionally; catharsis and anger. Struggle is such a necessity in life that music is quite a common way to alleviate and exercise the pain that comes from it, from the person listening to the person channeling all of that into the music.
And struggle affects people in different ways. When I fell out of love with making music, I just stopped. I had no motivation or passion for it for a long time, no amount of struggle or anger could move me to go back. I think the artist who's stuff is the best is the artist who knows his audience. If one uses the musical medium to exercise their struggles and pains, people of similar wont will certainly gravitate for the same reasons, and maybe people with an unconscious propensity for absorbing another's pain. If an artist makes music for aesthetic reasons, i.e. making beautiful music, accompanying visual art, linguistic trickery a la multis, internal multis, rhyme schemes etc - people with a particular slant towards the aesthetic will gravitate towards it.
Arguably, the artist who encompasses all of the above, tends to reign supreme - provided they have the right marketing too
Course they are, but it's usually an artist who has an understanding of the suffering side of the equation who is the best. When you break down the majority of the best artists it is usually the case, Bob Marley, 2 Pac, Nas, Big Pun even. I said importantly in here too that that isn't the only motivation at all, it's about having the right balance, you need some happy music too in most cases, but Bob, Pac etc all had that, it's about having the right balance, but I think having an understanding of that side is very beneficial cause a lot of people are suffering and you can reach them on a deeper/greater level if you know how to relate that to them and you CAPTURE them as a fan where the artist becomes a part of your life and your heart because they've established a connection with you.
I agree with one caveat
I don't think it's misery that makes the good music.
I think misery creates focus and that focus makes the great music.
PlainSight
Anon
Oh, I agree - as I said, struggle is a constant in the lives of like 99% of people, so having people able to articulate and help to exercise your struggle by reaching you through music you can touch people like no other can. It's almost like a responsibility in some cases once you take that path!
Exactly, particularly in Hip Hop, even in the Hip Hop Declaration Of Peace, but even before that was written in Hip Hop. It's been about justice and easing others suffering, Hip Hop was often a voice OF suffering, to articulate that, to express that. Yeah exactly, struggle is a constant, think either Pac or Face said that too. I agree with the responsibility bit, Hip Hop has codes and shyt, not everyone has to be on that path, but I truly feel THE best Hip Hop artists of all time have that element, my personal top 5 is 2 Pac, KRS-One, K-Rino, Nas, Jay Z, they all got that, yes even Jay before someone @ me lol.
PlainSight
Anon
Especially Jay - his discography is littered with struggle amongst all the odes to his art galleries
This is another great example, big up Mega.
Especially Jay - his discography is littered with struggle amongst all the odes to his art galleries
Lmao. Yeah, Song Cry, I Made It, December 4th, You Must Love Me, Regrets, D'evils are just a few off the top off the head.
Dude really loves Basquiat though lmao.
Was just looking at this on youtube and saw some of the comments...
Elevated Consciousness
5 months ago
K rino is the greatest he gives me the strength to face the world with everything I got
Jerone Farewell
1 year ago
Good shyt my dude. You got a fan right here for life. Just keep pumping out that real music brotha.
And this reiterates what I was saying to @PlutoEighth about creating lasting meaningful bonds with your fan base through touching them through that kind of music and also what he said about giving strength to face the world, that's 1 of the beautys of music and part of what makes it magical. That's an AMAZING gift to be able to do that for someone and positively uplift or impact their lives. It's monumental and priceless.
Elevated Consciousness
5 months ago
K rino is the greatest he gives me the strength to face the world with everything I got
Jerone Farewell
1 year ago
Good shyt my dude. You got a fan right here for life. Just keep pumping out that real music brotha.
And this reiterates what I was saying to @PlutoEighth about creating lasting meaningful bonds with your fan base through touching them through that kind of music and also what he said about giving strength to face the world, that's 1 of the beautys of music and part of what makes it magical. That's an AMAZING gift to be able to do that for someone and positively uplift or impact their lives. It's monumental and priceless.