Gimmicks with Bling - Chris 'Preach' Smith

Seriously though...Waka Flocka Flame.

There's always going to be benefits and drawbacks to being involved
with popular culture. And the major drawback is, you'll find yourself
becoming a part-time cynic because what popular culture ultimately
does is reinforce mediocrity if it makes a few bucks and enough folks
like it to guarantee more money coming in. If it works for artists you
happen to like, then it will be double for artists you can't stand. Even
though I know the ledge, I'll be damned if I'm going to jump off of it
and co-sign some of the garbage out there. And yes, I know there's
going to be a few out there who'll utter probably the most run-into-
the-ground line since Bart Simpson's 'Ay Caramba' which is, 'Chris,
stop hating.' I got a six word phrase for you...'Read a book, get
another verb.'

The point of all this is, there's too much over-reliance on smoke and
mirrors especially in music. And ESPECIALLY hip hop right now. You
mean to tell me people are going to co-sign someone named WAKA
FLOCKA FLAME?!! Dude, he sounds like Fozzie Bear's drunk cousin
off of 'The Muppets' or like he came up with that name after too
many rounds of StreetFighter with Dhalsim and a bottle of Georgi
Vodka. You've got cats out there comparing him to(and I hope that
you're sitting down for this)2PAC. There was an article released
recently entitled, 'Everyone Hates Waka Flocka'. Can you blame
them? This dude is mediocre at best lyrically but that's about all.
He's the 'Laffy Taffy' of 2010 in my book. Then you've got DJ Khaled,
or someone I like to call 'Mumbles', the penguin from 'Happy Feet'.
Anyone who's seen that video of him showing off dance moves
for Kanye West knows what I'm talking about. Dude, you're a DJ with
a catchphrase. And every time I've heard you say it, I keep waiting to
hear that cough caused by a hundred Newport 100 cigarettes. But he
winds up as president of Def Jam South. And he's yelling 'We The Best!!'
everywhere while looking like another confused lackey.


'Chris, stop hating.'
I got a six word phrase for you...'Read a book, get
another verb.'

But what really made me see red was the fact that over this past weekend
I got a chance to see the new artist for Cash Money Records. Kevin Rudolf.
Who? Yeah, I know. He's a guitarist who has played behind Justin Timberlake
and other artists. So this dude has an album out. I've heard one song. Which
is entirely multi-tracked in autotune. Roger Troutman must be cursing up in
heaven right about now. It makes me want to put out an album, and I'd call
it 'They Should've Never Gave You Morons Money.' Is it me or are The GZA's
classic words from 'Protect Ya Neck' now the downfall of record labels? You
have to ask that question because people aren't buying CDs, and digital sales
are key which puts them in panic mode to push these jokers. And think about
how you listen to music normally. You listen to it on the go, or at home. These
are all people who think that music you make mistakes to in the club or in
your boy's car laced off that beer or bag has repeat value. And before anyone
tries to claim that this is a regional bias since I'm from New York City, there's
a bunch of artists from all over who I have and listen to heavily in my music
library. But these clowns? Never. To me, they're nothing more than gimmicks
with bling and bad tattoos.

So the overall point I'm trying to make here is, these guys are here until
the public wakes up and sees through the smoke and mirrors or they commit
career suicide in various ways. It's not like it can't happen...the list of bad
out of work artists is long. But for these guys and others, It can't happen soon
enough for me.