Luna's Neverending Rantage On Country Music & Racial Divides in America
Okay, I'm watching the Vh1/MTV/CMT Relief Concert, and they're doing this little montage of celebrity reactions. I'm paraphrasing, but here's an idea of what they're saying:
++ (Black MTV VJ) - How can this be happening in America? What are we paying all these Federal organizations our taxes for?
++ (Black rapper) Xzibit - How is it that we can get relief to the tsunami people on the other side of the world in a snap, but we can't go help our own people in the hood right in this country?
++ (Black rapper) Pras - If this had been happening to some rich white city they woulda got some help a lot quicker.
++ (Black rapper) Ludacris - the government reaction was SLOW and LETHARGIC and I'm pissed.
++ (Black rapper/producer) Pharell - how are we gonna be able to hold these people accountable & make sure this doesn't happen again?
All very valid concerns. But then, there was a dessenter:
++ (White dude in a cowboy hat who's name I didn't catch) - I don't think this is the time to be playing the blame game. I mean, it was a natural disaster and no one could have predicted or prepared for it.
::headdesk:: Of, fucking SPARE ME. Why is Nashville* so insistent upon spewing back Bush administration talking points? Is there some new rule that in order to get a fucking record deal, you have to sign on to endorse Republican PACs?
The problem with mainstream, radio-friendly country music is that it's a very controlled & manipulated business. You have to have a certain look, a certain pre-approved image to get played. Most if not all country acts don't even write their own material. It's very much like the Celine Dion easy listening or boy band pop groups, really. Yeah, there's some rebels that sneak thru every now and then, like Garth Brooks or Keith Urban, but everyone else kinda has to fit the mold. It never used to bother me before, because the music was good... and the puppet masters never tried to push a jingoistic message down my throat. Somehow after 9/11 that all changed.
I think the people setting the tone in the music industry believe they're giving the flag-waving heartland country fanbase what they want - songs about patriotism and going after the enemy etc etc. But I wish they would realize, we don't all want that. In fact, that's what turned me off the music all together. I can't listen to Clint Black or Travis Tritt anymore, and I used to love their music. I've even gone to Clint Black concerts before, but he's lost me forever as a fan.
What's the most troubling thing for me though... notice how virtually all the black celebrities were pissed off, but the white guy's gotta come in with the Bush apologies. Is this how the rest of White America is seeing things, that it was just a super bad storm and FEMA is doing everything possible to help out & how dare anyone suggest race had anything to do with the slow response? If so, WHAT'S WRONG WITH AMERICA OMG?
* The irony, of course, is that Nashville itself is still a blue city. Davidson County voted for Kerry 55%, and Nashville's congressional district hasn't voted for a Republican since 1875.
++ (Black MTV VJ) - How can this be happening in America? What are we paying all these Federal organizations our taxes for?
++ (Black rapper) Xzibit - How is it that we can get relief to the tsunami people on the other side of the world in a snap, but we can't go help our own people in the hood right in this country?
++ (Black rapper) Pras - If this had been happening to some rich white city they woulda got some help a lot quicker.
++ (Black rapper) Ludacris - the government reaction was SLOW and LETHARGIC and I'm pissed.
++ (Black rapper/producer) Pharell - how are we gonna be able to hold these people accountable & make sure this doesn't happen again?
All very valid concerns. But then, there was a dessenter:
++ (White dude in a cowboy hat who's name I didn't catch) - I don't think this is the time to be playing the blame game. I mean, it was a natural disaster and no one could have predicted or prepared for it.
::headdesk:: Of, fucking SPARE ME. Why is Nashville* so insistent upon spewing back Bush administration talking points? Is there some new rule that in order to get a fucking record deal, you have to sign on to endorse Republican PACs?
The problem with mainstream, radio-friendly country music is that it's a very controlled & manipulated business. You have to have a certain look, a certain pre-approved image to get played. Most if not all country acts don't even write their own material. It's very much like the Celine Dion easy listening or boy band pop groups, really. Yeah, there's some rebels that sneak thru every now and then, like Garth Brooks or Keith Urban, but everyone else kinda has to fit the mold. It never used to bother me before, because the music was good... and the puppet masters never tried to push a jingoistic message down my throat. Somehow after 9/11 that all changed.
I think the people setting the tone in the music industry believe they're giving the flag-waving heartland country fanbase what they want - songs about patriotism and going after the enemy etc etc. But I wish they would realize, we don't all want that. In fact, that's what turned me off the music all together. I can't listen to Clint Black or Travis Tritt anymore, and I used to love their music. I've even gone to Clint Black concerts before, but he's lost me forever as a fan.
What's the most troubling thing for me though... notice how virtually all the black celebrities were pissed off, but the white guy's gotta come in with the Bush apologies. Is this how the rest of White America is seeing things, that it was just a super bad storm and FEMA is doing everything possible to help out & how dare anyone suggest race had anything to do with the slow response? If so, WHAT'S WRONG WITH AMERICA OMG?
* The irony, of course, is that Nashville itself is still a blue city. Davidson County voted for Kerry 55%, and Nashville's congressional district hasn't voted for a Republican since 1875.
