Where’s the creativity? Where’s the creativity? That’s all you hear from the older generation. Wasn’t it just a few decades ago that their music (rock, disco, funk, etc) was seen as uncreative, by their elders?
Remember the movies from back in the day? Remember how it seemed like all the parents hated what their children was listening to. So why would it change now? Coming from an older generation, of course the newer music is going to sound different, but to say uncreative, is crazy. With Hip-Hop, in particular, with all the samples and remakes, I can sympathize with the cry for more creativity, but I wouldn’t say it’stotally bull.
One reason why I say Hip-Hop is creative is the range of styles. In Hip-Hop, though lately there’s been a “cookie cutter” mentality, there are sub divisions within. From the Roots, a Hip Hop Band that conveys a neo soul vibe, to T.I, with his hustler street tales; you can’t box the whole genre in. There are so many subgenres spawned from Hip-Hop, like Trip-Hop or the modern RockFusion, this in itself should show the creativity in it, shouldn’t it? What gets the older generation babbling is what they see on television, though.
Let’s be honest, what good has come from the television lately? As everybody knows, the TV/Radio industry is nothing but a business. So of course, you are going to see and hear the most uncreative stuff on air.
Music companies are only going to invest in an artist(s), they feel is marketable, across the board. Thus back to stuff already done before, but with a little twist, so they say. Thinking as the music industry, an artist who is really creative, is seen as unconventional therefore hit or miss in the company’s eyes. So why would they take a risk?
I think that’s what the older generation needs to understand first. Plus, doesn’t radio have a format. How can you truly be creative, with a format? Usually creativity is defined as “out side the box” right?