Beat Biters
In 1997 nearly every music magazine around was raving about an album which was changing the hip-hop terrain. It came from neither the East or West. This was from RnB's home turf, the South. That album was Supa Dupa Fly by Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliot.
The question is, what the fuck happened? Why did the talents of Missy and co-producer Timbaland, whose trademark scatterbeats are now the backing of choice for Justin Timberlake, end up gracing the pop scene so often with pieces of crap?
While researching this (yes, sometimes I do research blog entries) I found out that Missy and Timbaland were responsible for some of RnB/New Jack Swings greatest atrocities/hits in the early-to-mid 1990s (Jodeci, SWV, Nicole Wray). This clearly says a lot. It's not so much a question, as I previously thought, of why they sold out, but why they stopped selling out at the end of the 1990s.
So despite them helping to sell A Shark's Tale and Moulin Rouge and furthering the careers of Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado, they have quite a few albums worth owning. I say that there should be no more than three Missy Elliott albums, the last Aaliyah album and maybe a Ginuwine album. But under no circumstances does anyone need the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, even if it has got Beck on it, nor do we need Justin Timberlake, even if he says on 'SexyBack' that he's gonna show us "mu'fuckaz where it's at". Because we know it's the pube-wigged one out of N'Sync that held hands with Britney Spears for five years, so it's unlikely he's going to show anyone where it's at.
Technorati Tags: Missy Elliot Timbaland Justin Timberlake Hip Hop Southern Bass
The question is, what the fuck happened? Why did the talents of Missy and co-producer Timbaland, whose trademark scatterbeats are now the backing of choice for Justin Timberlake, end up gracing the pop scene so often with pieces of crap?
While researching this (yes, sometimes I do research blog entries) I found out that Missy and Timbaland were responsible for some of RnB/New Jack Swings greatest atrocities/hits in the early-to-mid 1990s (Jodeci, SWV, Nicole Wray). This clearly says a lot. It's not so much a question, as I previously thought, of why they sold out, but why they stopped selling out at the end of the 1990s.
So despite them helping to sell A Shark's Tale and Moulin Rouge and furthering the careers of Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado, they have quite a few albums worth owning. I say that there should be no more than three Missy Elliott albums, the last Aaliyah album and maybe a Ginuwine album. But under no circumstances does anyone need the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, even if it has got Beck on it, nor do we need Justin Timberlake, even if he says on 'SexyBack' that he's gonna show us "mu'fuckaz where it's at". Because we know it's the pube-wigged one out of N'Sync that held hands with Britney Spears for five years, so it's unlikely he's going to show anyone where it's at.
Technorati Tags: Missy Elliot Timbaland Justin Timberlake Hip Hop Southern Bass
posted by Marc at
10:36 AM
2 Comments:
Actually in the UK, Ginuwine was never really all that big. At that point, most of Britain was all about Britpop. Destiny's Child had just started and, despite being Wyclef's first post-Fugees production, were totally ignored. Actually, I suppose the only black music really going on anywhere in the UK was The Fugees The Score album, drum 'n' bass after white kids started getting into it, and speed garage.
I suppose that it's a shame because some really decent artists were completely overlooked, like Ginuwine and Blackstreet. About the latter, 'Yo Diggity' was a massive club hit but the Blackstreet album didn't really do much outside of that, them being a bit too "urban" at that time, that is before Tommy Hilfiger totally co-opted black culture as a way to market expensive clothes to middle-class whiteys.
Ginuwine were that "ride my pony" group weren't they?
Not something I want to see evidence of.
Actually, regarding Moulin Rouge, it's funny because the latest (or at least the Tokyo-latest) Q magazine claims that awful sunscreen song is something you are secretly allowed to love.
At risk of sticking my neck out, I would say the Embarrassing LPs view is, um, no you're not.
I believe I remember Baz Luhrrrrrman, or however you spell his name, taking credit for Radiohead's success in an interview once.
Certainly he exposed some artists to the mainstream, but the Moulin Rouge soundtrack is a heap of shit and is just grounds for divorce / renegging of visas or whatever complex situation it may stir up.
Absolutely not allowed.
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