Written by Michael Thervil
Jann Wenner
Well, it appears so according to the co-founder of the world-famous Rolling Stone magazine Jann Wenner. And you know what we at VEDA Magazine can agree with this statement. However, there is more to the story and statement made by Rolling Stone co-founder Jenn Wenner. What we are about to highlight here can be a complex subject matter in the sense that there are a variety of moving parts that may have not only played into his decision to make this statement but there are variables at play that served as “blowback” or unintended consequences to his statement.
Starting with the obvious, considering two things; first the caliber of American Black Music “Artist” (and we use that term loosely) that are put on the market for consumer consumption. Secondly then there is the fact that most American Black People don’t even read the Rolling Stone magazine. Which begs the question: “why all the fake outrage?”. Seriously, how does someone get mad at a product that they don’t even consume or utilize?
Sexy Red
When you take the time out to really look at the caliber of American Black mainstream “Music Artist” that the music industry puts out nowadays – especially when it comes to Black American female “artist”. Not only does the music industry reach from the bottom of the barrel, but these “artist” tend to come from or at the very least project the notion that they come from some sort of impoverished background in which they were raised in disfunction. However true, as it may or may not seem – it’s the perception that they are perpetuating which leads the followers of these “artists” to believe that they come from such.
The one thing that is well known to come from people that come from socio-economic impoverished situations is the fact that they tend to be illiterate, if not outright stupid, unable to control their emotions and they tend to appear as a social blight on the world stage. So, who could really get upset with Jann Wenner for possibly falling into the trap of the stereotype of Black American “music artist” exhibiting such? Or could it be that he has some sort of industry insight into these so called “artist” and chooses not to “entertain” them on that level? Again, it doesn’t matter if the stereotype is true or not in this case – it’s the fact that it's being displayed. And like anything in the world, perception is reality unfortunately.
Cardi B
When it comes to black American female “music artists”, the industry doesn’t really put out or at least highlight the most educated among of them. The music industry tends to put out some stripper (Megan Thee Stallion), prostitute (Cardi B), or outright whore (Sexy Red) to be not only the face of American Black Women in the music industry but the face of American Black Women on an international scale. This does nothing more than add fuel to the fire when it comes to the stereotypes surrounding American Black Music Artist and female black music artist in particular.
Going back to Jann Wenner, he’s right in the aspect of questioning. Why should we highlight some inarticulate person who is incapable of engaging in a thoughtful and theoretically based conversation on the industry in which they are a part of? This is something to think about – especially if you’re considering someone to be a “Thought Leader” within the confines of a specific industry. Going back to the question if Black American “Music Artist” are articulate enough, there are a lot that are such as: Mos Def, Eminem, Missy Eliot, Canibus, LL Cool J, Dr. Dre, Talib Kweli, 50 Cent, RZA, and especially everyone’s favorite whether you like him or not JAY-Z and many others.
However, the ones that aren’t amongst the highest caliber such as the music artist previously mentioned are the ones who unfortunately stand in the limelight. When you listen to people like Cardi B and especially Sexy Red, they sound like the bottom half of their third-grade class. Thus, since they have the audacity to come out like that for the public to see and hear, it’s no wonder why Jann Wenner may view American Black “Music Artists” the way he does when it comes to “artist” like them and others who match the description. This is in addition to what he may possibly know about them as an industry insider.
Megan Thee Stallion
Even more than that, we must ask ourselves, who are we to tell or even “cancel” someone from exercising their right to speak openly and freely in a society whose very laws protect and encourage an American citizen's right to speak openly and freely – especially when they are either being asked questions and or writing their own books based on their own thoughts. The fact that Jann Wenner was removed from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame board speaks volumes to which direction the music industry is headed – and that’s sliding down hill on a razor blade into a pool of alcohol.
There are American Black People out there saying the name rolling stone comes from muddy waters who was signed to chess records before Rock & Roll was known as Rock & Roll. But if you ask those same American Black People when was the last time, they listened to Muddy Waters and to name three Muddy Waters songs they couldn’t. Again, this is nothing more than fake outrage and an assault on a person’s freedom of speech in America. With that being said, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as an organization should be sued.
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