The radio is one of the most influential mediums in the journalism and entertainment industries, and the power of the radio is something that over time, many hip-hop and R&B artists have taken advantage of. With an initiative to learn how to be successful in the business, the connection with artists and radio stems back from over five decades ago with legendary artists like Jack The Rapper, and looms with today’s innovators such as rapper Ludacris. Artists have always used the airways hoping to be heard. By building relationships with local DJ’s and radio personalities, (the ones who practically decide who and what is hot), many in the music business do understand the importance of creating these associations more than others.
However, there are some who feel that radio is to blame for the beginning of a declining industry in the realm of R&B, hip-hop and rap music. Although music is evolving and trends are ever-changing, artists are turning to others mediums- placing the blame not on the music, but on radio’s tight programming schedules and the same 10 or so tracks that are put in constant rotation. Ultimately, the power of the radio is falling off.
“With the radio now, if you’re not being talked about, catching the crowds in the club with a new dance, making Maxim’s hottest body list, you’re not making radio,” says entertainment publicist Warren Thomas. Thomas, 26 of West Philadelphia, has worked in top music markets and with several artists such as D. Woods, Benita Farmer and more (that will remain un-named for confidentiality purposes). He says a major part of his job is to make sure the client completely conforms to the standards of today’s pop culture, which directly effects the decision of being played on radio. “It’s about staying power. Even if you are heard in the club, if you don’t meet the industry's ‘presentation’ standards, there are zero dollars behind you and you will not make the radio. You can be signed to a label for years, but it’s all about money. So now we have these songs with the bubble gum lyrics, zero emotion, and the lack of musicality for sure. It’s completely bogus.”
Artists, both new and old in the game, feel that getting play on the radio has become a lot harder to accomplish. You’ve heard it in songs from Jay Z’s “99 problems” to Yezzy’s “Jesus Walks”- songs that are more ‘commercial’ will ultimately get you play, and the relationships you have with radio stations can be a reckoning force in an artist's career.
“There is so much good music I hear by such talented artists you have no idea. But there is such a void that is filled with commercialism and it’s so sad. Have you heard some of the music that hasn’t been released, like Jill Scotts “Comes To The Light” or Floetry, “If I Was A Bird”? No. And we won’t hear it, because it lacks marketability in the commercial world. Music is there, it will always be there, but it’s just became overly commercialized,” Thomas explains. “Prime example: ‘Pass the Courvoisier’. When that song was released, what drink did every black man and woman drink? Courvoisier. Now what’s the hottest drink? Nuvo. It’s not just radio. Radio doesn’t work alone, but everything is advertising.”
So is this forcing artists to change in order to stay in the game? The answer is definitely yes! If you’re not talking about how you’re making it rain, what bottle your poppin’ in the club, what model chicks you’re pulling, what clothes you’re rockin’, what bling you’re flossin’ and the hottest new whip you wheelin’, then you’re not “hot” by today’s industry standards. Change is inevitable, but what has changed, (which is mainly the quality), in music is not for the better. Songs like 2006’s “Lean wit it, rock wit it” by Dem Franchise Boyz and now the introduction of club themed dance anthems like Soulja Boy’s “Bird Walk” and “Stanky Legg” by the GS. Boyz are taking over the airways. What happened to the songs that meant something?
Recently, I sat in Starbucks on a Sunday afternoon and the manager was playing Mariah Carey: Greatest Hits (Columbia). Hearing songs like “Hero”, “I Still Believe”, “Whenever You Call” and “One Sweet Day”- I instantaneously felt emotion and was able to listen to the entire album. Then, after the CD reached the end, the owner put on her latest album E=MC2 (Island) , and I immediately shook my head. After hearing “Touch My Body” and then later hearing now her new song "Obsessed", I could not help but to question what happened to the old Mariah as one by one I shoved my earplugs in my ears and blasted my 1990’s R&B playlist on my iPod.
R&B, Rap and Hip-Hop music used to be enable feelings and were packed with meaning. The emotion they captured, the stories they used to tell, the pictures they used to paint and the thoughts they used to provoke have for the most part, reached a demise. One can’t help but to feel the old school tactics of artists like Jack the Rapper and Ludacris, who could stay in the game with their own style and originality, is because they built relationships in the radio industry. Ludacris still has meaning in his music. He’s not limited to four-word hooks and tasteless lyrics. Coincidentally, Thomas says that in his experience of dealing with radio stations, it is indeed old school methods that are used, but it may be surprising that they are not the ones that we may presume.
“I’ve been at radio stations that have said point black period, ‘give me $10,000 and we will ‘consider’ playing your artist with no shame. And that is CLEALRY payola, and clearly illegal. But it’s real and that’s how radio works. And if it’s people out here that think radio stations don’t make money off of artists when they play and break artists, or break a new song, they are sadly mistaken. Not to say that radio stations are secret millionaires, or Bank of America’s, but they make money. They have to survive too.”
In 2005, Davey D wrote an article titled “Payola-The Dirty Industry Practice-That's Ruining Hip Hop” and says that for many, payola has completely ruined the music business and he emphasized the impact it particularly has on Hip Hop. He furthermore states that before anyone can seriously talk about how to tone down the amount of sex, violence and misogyny heard on the public airwaves, or how get more conscious music on rotation on your favorite radio station, you have to first deal with payola. “ Payola is as old as radio…For decades decision makers were individuals in each marketplace,” Davey D claims. “Payola comes in the way of cash, trips, appliances, drugs, sex and anything of value for today's marketplace. Payola is as American as prostitution. Radio programmers and Dj's hands are shaped like cups. Everyone expects something since it is not coming in your paycheck.”
As a result, artists are turning to other mediums, primarily the Internet to promote themselves. With the evolution of YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites, artists no longer need the radio and have reached an age where album sales no longer determines your success. Being heard and promotion is now left to the self. It’s about who is twittering every two minutes and changing their status boasting about their grind, their upcoming album, their appearances and even where you can get their music (sometimes for free). “Before all you had was a cassette player and a walk man,” Thomas says. “Now you have MP3 players and iPods. You now have the ability to have thousands of songs in your hands. You don’t have to wait on the radio to listen to what you want to hear, or for your song to come on. It has been a decline in the power of the radio because of these things. So it’s like why listen to the radio? The key word here is choice, and there are so many outlets out there to give consumers the immediate choice to hear what you want to hear at the drop of a dime.”
The sad factor is that real music no longer exists (as far as we can hear it on the radio). Although there are an exceptional few like Jill Scott, India Arie, Jasmine Sullivan, Jennifer Hudson, Neyo, Common, Nas , Lupe, Jay Z, and Kanye, music should not be left to minimal few. Artists, especially rappers, conflict with if they have become too “commercial” all time, such as Cassidy’s The Problem vs. The Hustla (J Records) and T.I.’s T.I. vs. T.I.P. (Atlantic/WEA). They battle with themselves and their fans, proving that they have not become too “radio”. Even Weezy’s best tracks are on his mixtapes- unheard to the ears of those depending on radio.
Our current generation may know something about what music used to be like, but what about the generation coming up? Will they be limited to only knowing music as it as?
The bottom line is that nowadays, if you’re not into neo-soul, mix tapes and the underground scene, depending solely on the radio unfortunately will having you missing out on good, quality music and some of the hottest talent. Even the broadening to XM satellite radio, the Internet and iTunes, has not helped radio, but has enabled people to no longer depend on the radio as their primary source of hearing music. In magazines, we review some of the hottest talent, but I still have yet to hear Janelle Monae, Scar, Melanie Fiona, or Michelle N'Dechello on the radio. Who am I to determine what music or real talent is? But as of now, the radio surely isn’t doing their job!
-BRITTANY “MO’CHA” SNYDER
However, there are some who feel that radio is to blame for the beginning of a declining industry in the realm of R&B, hip-hop and rap music. Although music is evolving and trends are ever-changing, artists are turning to others mediums- placing the blame not on the music, but on radio’s tight programming schedules and the same 10 or so tracks that are put in constant rotation. Ultimately, the power of the radio is falling off.
“With the radio now, if you’re not being talked about, catching the crowds in the club with a new dance, making Maxim’s hottest body list, you’re not making radio,” says entertainment publicist Warren Thomas. Thomas, 26 of West Philadelphia, has worked in top music markets and with several artists such as D. Woods, Benita Farmer and more (that will remain un-named for confidentiality purposes). He says a major part of his job is to make sure the client completely conforms to the standards of today’s pop culture, which directly effects the decision of being played on radio. “It’s about staying power. Even if you are heard in the club, if you don’t meet the industry's ‘presentation’ standards, there are zero dollars behind you and you will not make the radio. You can be signed to a label for years, but it’s all about money. So now we have these songs with the bubble gum lyrics, zero emotion, and the lack of musicality for sure. It’s completely bogus.”
Artists, both new and old in the game, feel that getting play on the radio has become a lot harder to accomplish. You’ve heard it in songs from Jay Z’s “99 problems” to Yezzy’s “Jesus Walks”- songs that are more ‘commercial’ will ultimately get you play, and the relationships you have with radio stations can be a reckoning force in an artist's career.
“There is so much good music I hear by such talented artists you have no idea. But there is such a void that is filled with commercialism and it’s so sad. Have you heard some of the music that hasn’t been released, like Jill Scotts “Comes To The Light” or Floetry, “If I Was A Bird”? No. And we won’t hear it, because it lacks marketability in the commercial world. Music is there, it will always be there, but it’s just became overly commercialized,” Thomas explains. “Prime example: ‘Pass the Courvoisier’. When that song was released, what drink did every black man and woman drink? Courvoisier. Now what’s the hottest drink? Nuvo. It’s not just radio. Radio doesn’t work alone, but everything is advertising.”
So is this forcing artists to change in order to stay in the game? The answer is definitely yes! If you’re not talking about how you’re making it rain, what bottle your poppin’ in the club, what model chicks you’re pulling, what clothes you’re rockin’, what bling you’re flossin’ and the hottest new whip you wheelin’, then you’re not “hot” by today’s industry standards. Change is inevitable, but what has changed, (which is mainly the quality), in music is not for the better. Songs like 2006’s “Lean wit it, rock wit it” by Dem Franchise Boyz and now the introduction of club themed dance anthems like Soulja Boy’s “Bird Walk” and “Stanky Legg” by the GS. Boyz are taking over the airways. What happened to the songs that meant something?
Recently, I sat in Starbucks on a Sunday afternoon and the manager was playing Mariah Carey: Greatest Hits (Columbia). Hearing songs like “Hero”, “I Still Believe”, “Whenever You Call” and “One Sweet Day”- I instantaneously felt emotion and was able to listen to the entire album. Then, after the CD reached the end, the owner put on her latest album E=MC2 (Island) , and I immediately shook my head. After hearing “Touch My Body” and then later hearing now her new song "Obsessed", I could not help but to question what happened to the old Mariah as one by one I shoved my earplugs in my ears and blasted my 1990’s R&B playlist on my iPod.
R&B, Rap and Hip-Hop music used to be enable feelings and were packed with meaning. The emotion they captured, the stories they used to tell, the pictures they used to paint and the thoughts they used to provoke have for the most part, reached a demise. One can’t help but to feel the old school tactics of artists like Jack the Rapper and Ludacris, who could stay in the game with their own style and originality, is because they built relationships in the radio industry. Ludacris still has meaning in his music. He’s not limited to four-word hooks and tasteless lyrics. Coincidentally, Thomas says that in his experience of dealing with radio stations, it is indeed old school methods that are used, but it may be surprising that they are not the ones that we may presume.
“I’ve been at radio stations that have said point black period, ‘give me $10,000 and we will ‘consider’ playing your artist with no shame. And that is CLEALRY payola, and clearly illegal. But it’s real and that’s how radio works. And if it’s people out here that think radio stations don’t make money off of artists when they play and break artists, or break a new song, they are sadly mistaken. Not to say that radio stations are secret millionaires, or Bank of America’s, but they make money. They have to survive too.”
In 2005, Davey D wrote an article titled “Payola-The Dirty Industry Practice-That's Ruining Hip Hop” and says that for many, payola has completely ruined the music business and he emphasized the impact it particularly has on Hip Hop. He furthermore states that before anyone can seriously talk about how to tone down the amount of sex, violence and misogyny heard on the public airwaves, or how get more conscious music on rotation on your favorite radio station, you have to first deal with payola. “ Payola is as old as radio…For decades decision makers were individuals in each marketplace,” Davey D claims. “Payola comes in the way of cash, trips, appliances, drugs, sex and anything of value for today's marketplace. Payola is as American as prostitution. Radio programmers and Dj's hands are shaped like cups. Everyone expects something since it is not coming in your paycheck.”
As a result, artists are turning to other mediums, primarily the Internet to promote themselves. With the evolution of YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites, artists no longer need the radio and have reached an age where album sales no longer determines your success. Being heard and promotion is now left to the self. It’s about who is twittering every two minutes and changing their status boasting about their grind, their upcoming album, their appearances and even where you can get their music (sometimes for free). “Before all you had was a cassette player and a walk man,” Thomas says. “Now you have MP3 players and iPods. You now have the ability to have thousands of songs in your hands. You don’t have to wait on the radio to listen to what you want to hear, or for your song to come on. It has been a decline in the power of the radio because of these things. So it’s like why listen to the radio? The key word here is choice, and there are so many outlets out there to give consumers the immediate choice to hear what you want to hear at the drop of a dime.”
The sad factor is that real music no longer exists (as far as we can hear it on the radio). Although there are an exceptional few like Jill Scott, India Arie, Jasmine Sullivan, Jennifer Hudson, Neyo, Common, Nas , Lupe, Jay Z, and Kanye, music should not be left to minimal few. Artists, especially rappers, conflict with if they have become too “commercial” all time, such as Cassidy’s The Problem vs. The Hustla (J Records) and T.I.’s T.I. vs. T.I.P. (Atlantic/WEA). They battle with themselves and their fans, proving that they have not become too “radio”. Even Weezy’s best tracks are on his mixtapes- unheard to the ears of those depending on radio.
Our current generation may know something about what music used to be like, but what about the generation coming up? Will they be limited to only knowing music as it as?
The bottom line is that nowadays, if you’re not into neo-soul, mix tapes and the underground scene, depending solely on the radio unfortunately will having you missing out on good, quality music and some of the hottest talent. Even the broadening to XM satellite radio, the Internet and iTunes, has not helped radio, but has enabled people to no longer depend on the radio as their primary source of hearing music. In magazines, we review some of the hottest talent, but I still have yet to hear Janelle Monae, Scar, Melanie Fiona, or Michelle N'Dechello on the radio. Who am I to determine what music or real talent is? But as of now, the radio surely isn’t doing their job!
-BRITTANY “MO’CHA” SNYDER
