Featured Discussions - True Skool Network2024-03-29T12:25:19Zhttp://trueskool.com/forum/topic/list?feed=yes&xn_auth=no&featured=1Did You Know Elvis Presley Was A Music Thief? 10 Times The “King of Rock & Roll” Stole From Black Artiststag:trueskool.com,2022-06-13:1464587:Topic:8096622022-06-13T20:28:15.291ZEditor's Pickhttp://trueskool.com/profile/RentheVinylArchaeologist
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<p>Elvis Presley’s name has been circulating the news in light of a new musical, drama film debuting this summer simply titled, Elvis. The late, great “King of Rock and Roll” is known most for his signature sound and unforgettable dance moves. However, the Black community recognizes him as a…</p>
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<p>Elvis Presley’s name has been circulating the news in light of a new musical, drama film debuting this summer simply titled, Elvis. The late, great “King of Rock and Roll” is known most for his signature sound and unforgettable dance moves. However, the Black community recognizes him as a musical thief, stealing from lesser known Blues artists.</p>
<p>The upcoming film Elvis will explore Elvis Presley rises to fame in the 1950s while maintaining a complex relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. It is set to debut in theaters June 24th.</p>
<p>Presley has had an affinity for Black music and culture since he was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. He grew up on the Black side of town. Presley would later run with the likes of Ike Turner and B.B. King. It is evident that Black musicians greatly influenced him, yet because of his whiteness, doors were opened for him that were not available to Black musicians.</p>
<p>“I always wanted to sing like Billy Kenny of the Ink Spots,” Presley told Jet Magazine in 1957 according to The Daily Beast. “I like that high, smooth style. I never sang like this in my life until I made that first record—‘That’s Alright, Mama.’ I remembered that song because I heard Arthur (Big Boy) Crudup sing it and I thought I would like to try it.”</p>
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<p><a href="https://globalgrind.com/playlist/elvis-presley-stole-from-black-artists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">READ THE FULL STORY AT GLOBALGRIND</a></p> Celebrate The Life Of Zumbi [A J.PERIOD Tribute Mix]tag:trueskool.com,2021-08-27:1464587:Topic:8013492021-08-27T19:52:11.795ZEditor's Pickhttp://trueskool.com/profile/RentheVinylArchaeologist
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<p><iframe width="560" height="300" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1112120446&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe>
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<div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc; line-break: anywhere; word-break: normal; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap; text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif; font-weight: 100;"></div> 100 DJs to Follow on Twitch: The Ultimate Guidetag:trueskool.com,2020-08-20:1464587:Topic:7005152020-08-20T06:23:48.754ZEditor's Pickhttp://trueskool.com/profile/RentheVinylArchaeologist
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<p>Since the start of Covid, the popularity of DJ streams online have caught fire, prompted by DJ D-Nice's famous live stream which garnered over 100,000 views on Instagram. But it hasn't been without obstacles. IG and Facebook takes down DJ mixes and sometimes bans DJs for streaming on their platforms due to copyright restrictions. Now, DJs…</p>
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<p>Since the start of Covid, the popularity of DJ streams online have caught fire, prompted by DJ D-Nice's famous live stream which garnered over 100,000 views on Instagram. But it hasn't been without obstacles. IG and Facebook takes down DJ mixes and sometimes bans DJs for streaming on their platforms due to copyright restrictions. Now, DJs have turned to Twitch as a safe haven for live streams as they don't run into the same roadblocks. </p>
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<p>Almost overnight, DJs have upgraded their gear and have become TV producers while trying to adapt in the Covid era. Some have been getting creative with their streams utilizing green screen backgrounds and cool overlays. It has opened a whole new world of entertainment with thousands of people from around the world flocking to Twitch to catch their favorite DJs and discovering new ones. Twitch has also provided a platform for DJs to network with each other and connect with new fans from around the world. Many support each other by <em>hosting</em> each others' channels or <em>raiding</em> each others channels <em>(the Raid is a function that DJs use when they are finished with their stream and want to transport their viewers to another DJs channel)</em>. Interaction is key in this virtual world, so DJs often interact with their viewers in the chat, shouting them out and getting into discussions about music, life and more. Another advantage of Twitch is the ability for DJs to monetize their streams through various means, through Venmo, Paypal and CashApp links, but also through Twitch subscriptions and bits (Twitch's digital currency). </p>
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<p>True Skool has compiled a comprehensive list of the best DJs and Twitch Channels to follow from the Bay Area and beyond. You can catch world famous DJs like <a href="http://twitch.tv/djjazzyjeff" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Jazzy Jeff</a>, <a href="http://twitch.tv/DJZTRIP" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Z-Trip</a>, <a href="http://twitch.tv/atrak" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A-Trak</a>, <a href="http://twitch.tv/shortkut" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shortkut</a> and <a href="http://twitch.tv/craze" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Craze</a> spinning for free! Perhaps, you want to catch <a href="http://twitch.tv/theroots" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Questlove</a> of The Roots daily as his spins and muses about music. Other notable shows are a talk/variety show put on by <a href="http://twitch.tv/fourcolorzack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Four Color Zack</a> or <a href="http://twitch.tv/djwonder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Wonder</a> as well as True Skool's <a href="http://twitch.tv/trueskool" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Who Sampled?</a> Hip Hop Trivia Game on Sundays at 12pm PST. Maybe, you're a DJ looking for live streaming tips, in which case you want to follow <a href="http://twitch.tv/tweakmusictips" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tweak Music Tips</a>. True Skool automatically hosts these channels 24-7 on it's own Twitch channel: <a href="http://twitch.tv/trueskool" target="_blank" rel="noopener">twitch.tv/trueskool</a>. If you don't have a Twitch account, start one now and start following these DJs and channels to join the fun and party hop with music lovers worldwide. Let us know in the comments if you have any others to suggest.</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/trueskool" target="_blank" rel="noopener">True Skool</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djjazzyjeff" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Jazzy Jeff</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DJZTRIP" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ ZTRIP</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/SkratchBastid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Skratch Bastid</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/ScratchVision" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Scratch</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/craze" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Craze</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/theroots" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Roots</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djnumark" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Numark</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/shortkut" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shortkut</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DjSpinna718" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Spinna</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/Richmedinamusic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rich Medina</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DjMaseo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Maseo</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/slowroastrecs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Slow Roast Records</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/CarlCoxOfficial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Carl Cox</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/fourcolorzack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Four Color Zack</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/BeatJunkies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beat Junkies</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/kraftykuts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Krafty Kuts</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/ASkillzDj" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ASkillz</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/FoolsGoldRecs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fools Gold Records</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/liljon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lil Jon</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/justblaze" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Just Blaze</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DJGreenLantern" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Green Lantern</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djwonder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Wonder</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/theboombapkids" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Boom Bap Kids</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djlazyboy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Lazyboy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/JESPINOSA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">J.ESPINOSA</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/milesmedina" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miles Medina</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DJAUDIO1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ AUDIO1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/CautionItsHeavy_" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Heavy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djbuckrodgers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Buck Rodgers</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/StatikSelekt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Statik Selekta</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DJMike2600" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Mike2600</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DJKENTARO" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ KENTARO</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/keithshocklee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keith Shocklee</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djmissninja" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Miss Ninja</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DJYodaUK" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Yoda</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DJEVILDEE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ EVIL DEE</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/TripleThreatDJs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TripleThreatDJs</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/goldenchyld07" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goldenchyld</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/MotownOnMondays" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MotownOnMondays</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DJScene" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Scene</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DJNeilArmstrong" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Neil Armstrong</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DjFlipside33" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Flipside</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/cuffin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cuffin</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djboogiebrown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Boogie Brown</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djumami" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Umami</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/CuttyCutso" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cutty Cutso</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djMackswell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Mackswell</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/JahYzer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jah Yzer</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/mom_la" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Motown on Mondays LA</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.twitch.tv/keysnkratestv" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keys N Krates</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/ShoesHouse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House Shoes</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/CosmoBaker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CosmoBaker</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/MrSonnyJames" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mr Sonny James</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djmorsecode" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Morsecode</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/Serato" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Serato</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/The_Nextmen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Nextmen</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/JFBSCRATCH" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JFB SCRATCH</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djrhettmatic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Rhettmatic</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/steve1der" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve1der</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/spydatekzilla" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spydatek</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/fortknox5live" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fort Knox 5</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DJFranzen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Franzen</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/PeachesCrew" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Peaches Crew</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/spairthedj" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Spair</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/LatinPrince" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Latin Prince</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djerock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">djerock</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/aries_nunez" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prince Aries</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djvice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Vice</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/TheRealDJApollo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Apollo</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djdsharplive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ D-Sharp</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DynamixIF2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Dynamix</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/JahWarriorShelter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jah Warrior Shelter</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/heykingmost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">King Most</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djmalachi510" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Malachi</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DaddyRoloHDTV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daddy Rolo</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/zhaldee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zhaldee</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DJTwinSpin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Twin Spin</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DJLadyRyan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Lady Ryan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djsmoke_1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Smoke 1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djcoopdville" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Coop Dville</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/TweakMusicTips" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tweak Music Tips</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/IrieDole" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Irie Dole</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djmindmotion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Mind Motion</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/sazonlibre" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sazon Libre</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/chuygomez" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chuy Gomez</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/heavyweightcrates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heavyweight Crates</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/BoilerRoom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boiler Room</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/jsmooth995" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jay Smooth</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djscottyfox" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Scotty Fox</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djgreenb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Green B</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/soulection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Soulection</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djsep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Sep</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/djdavepaul" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ Dave Paul</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/Jayvi_Velasco" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jayvi_Velasco</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/thinkbeatradio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Think Beat Radio</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/livinproofsf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Proof</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DJFRANCHISE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DJ FRANCHISE</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/DirectMusicService" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Direct Music Service</a></li>
<li><a href="http://twitch.tv/Beatsource" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beatsource</a></li>
</ol>
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<p></p> Exclusive Interview: DJ QBert Clears the Air After Controversial Tweets [VIDEO]tag:trueskool.com,2020-06-10:1464587:Topic:6985342020-06-10T23:32:19.336ZEditor's Pickhttp://trueskool.com/profile/RentheVinylArchaeologist
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5821957289?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5823414270?profile=RESIZE_710x"></img></a></span></p>
<p><br></br> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6Irnd19rpes?wmode=opaque" width="560"></iframe>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">DJ Qbert Clears the Air</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By Eric K. Arnold/Trueskool.com…</span></p>
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<p><br/> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6Irnd19rpes?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">DJ Qbert Clears the Air</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By Eric K. Arnold/Trueskool.com exclusive</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Legendary turntablist and scratchmaster DJ Q-Bert recently faced an intense online backlash for a series of <a href="http://trueskool.com/forum/topics/dj-q-bert-faces-backlash-after-pro-trump-tweets?xg_source=activity" target="_self">Tweets</a> which left many of his fans upset and/or disappointed, and others ready to cancel the</span> <a href="http://www.dmcdjchamps.com/champions.php"><span style="font-weight: 400;">two-time DMC World Champion</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. The offensive Tweets in question included a curt response to a suggestion that he support Black Lives Matter: “#allfuckinglivesmatterbitch!” ; a post suggesting George Floyd was a crisis actor, and another which appeared to praise Donald Trump’s acumen in debates -- which also criticized George Soros, Joe Biden and Barack Obama. In another post, he says the media made Trump “look like a racist.” In another Tweet, he appeared to blame the COVID-19 crisis on exposure to 5G radiation, while maintaining a conspiracy theory that “the evil agenda is world depopulation.”</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Taken together, these comments led to widespread online speculation that Q Bert had become a</span> <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-church-of-qanon-will-conspiracy-theories-form-the-basis-of-a-new-religious-movement-137859"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Qanon</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">follower and ugly allegations of anti-blackness and racism. Some of the Tweets were deleted, followed by subsequent attempts at damage control and clarifying his views. QBert raised eyebrows when he disavowed any knowledge of a counter-BLM movement, or that the phrase “all lives matter” has become controversial -- to some it’s coded language for anti-blackness and a deflection/denial of the oppression black people face on a daily basis in America and throughout the world. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When pressed on his position on Floyd, however, QBert apologized, saying “no one should die like that.” In another post, when asked if he supports Trump’s political views, he responded, “don’t get it twisted. I don’t trust any of these politicians. I like some of what (Trump) does and other things I disagree with.” </span></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5567850283?profile=RESIZE_710x" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5567850283?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="300" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On June 3, QBert posted a lengthy screed on Facebook which appeared to elaborate on his idealistic worldview: “we see a beautiful future coming very soon where black people will be treated equally with all races.” He went on to add, “the fact of the matter is, the murder of George Floyd is unacceptable. Blue on black crime must be stopped.” The post was accompanied by a portrait of Floyd.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In another post that same day, he stated, “we always recognize the original man on this planet before all other races were seeded here on earth was black. That is why they have the keys to our culture’s roots...We know every form of life is important, but at this time, it’s a celebration of the black women and men... the true Kings and Queens (whose) power has been suppressed for hundreds or even thousands of years. The evils know this and are trying to divide us... but even though there is black, white, yellow, red, blue... we are all still one race under god. We send the most love now to our black sisters and brothers in this time of awakening to our new beautiful future.” He ended the post with shouts out to hip-hop pioneers Grand Wizzard Theodore, Kool Herc, and Grandmaster Flash, and the hashtag #blacklivesmatter.” </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These comments, however, didn’t get nearly as much circulation on social media as his earlier posts. Some who read them doubted their sincerity, while others continued to sound off on QBert’s previous statements. Among the hip-hop and DJ community, it seemed like QBert was in danger of becoming the latest casualty of cancel culture -- whether that was justified or not.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was clear that the real DJ QBert needed to stand up -- or at least clarify where he was coming from, away from the social media echo chamber. </span></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5825257101?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5825356681?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At the end of last week (June 5), I was asked by DMC USA Branch Manager Christie Z to try to get an interview with Q. I should note that we have been acquainted for decades. I first became aware of QBert in 1992, when, as a member of FM20, he opened up for a memorable hip-hop show at Oakland’s Omni which also featured Body Count, Gangstarr, Organized Konfusion, and Freedom T.R.O.O.P. 187. That show was the first time I had ever witnessed orchestrated instrumentation on turntables and beat-juggling, not to mention cutting-edge scratching. It was a night I will never forget.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over the years, I’ve profiled QBert for The Source, covered his Skratchcon event for the Bay Guardian, attended the Bay Area premiere of “Wave Twisters,” and caught numerous solo DJ performances and judging appearances at DMC events. I don’t consider myself a close friend of his, but rather someone who has seen his evolution and development and would be (hopefully) able to put things into their rightful context. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I reached out to Kendo, the production manager for QBert’s event production and management company Thudrumble, and we agreed an interview was in everyone’s best interests. QBert took a few days to decompress, regain his energy, and get some much-needed sleep, so we ended up scheduling the interview for Monday June 8. In the meantime, I had several lengthy conversations with Kendo. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He said he had been working with Thudrumble for nine years in an official capacity and affiliated for even longer. He considered Q “family.” The turntablist, he explained, lived in somewhat of a bubble and lacked sophistication about politics and many other things because his main focus was on his craft. This seemed reasonable, as many artists don’t have large social circles outside of performing. It surely takes dedication and lots and lots of practice to stay at the top of an artform for three decades, as Q has done. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But Kendo also related that Q has often given back to the pioneers of his artform without expressly seeking publicity -- such as the time he took Grand Wizzard Theodore on tour with him. The allegations of racism and anti-blackness just didn’t sit right in the gut. While it’s easy to see how saying “allfuckinglivesmatterbitch!” could be taken as throwing shade on the BLM movement, if QBert actually harbored anti-blackness sentiments, you’d think they would have surfaced prior to now. </span></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5825282100?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5825282100?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While online critics projected that Q was a “guest” in hip-hop culture -- an artform created by black people, they noted -- the facts tell a somewhat different story. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For one thing, the Bronx inner cities where hip-hop sprang from was also heavily populated by Puerto Ricans and Dominicans -- for example, the Cold Crush Brothers included Puerto Rican DJ Charlie Chase; Ruby Dee and Prince Whipper Whip of the Fantastic Five were also Puerto Rican, as was The Fearless Four’s Devastating Tito. Legendary b-boys the Rock Steady Crew were mostly Latinos -- Frosty Freeze (RIP) being its most recognizable African American-Belizean member. Hip-hop didn’t just incorporate black music into its canon: Afro-Latin funk, Latin jazz, jazz fusion, straight-up rock & roll, Caribbean music, Italian spaghetti western soundtracks and even German and Japanese electronic music all pollinate breakbeat culture. There’s actually a stronger argument to be made that, while hip-hop originated in black and brown communities, it’s always embraced multiculturalism as central to its aesthetic.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the West Coast, which doesn’t have a sizable Puerto Rican or Dominican population, Filipinos and Mexicans have often played similar roles, especially those who lived in integrated neighborhoods. As told in Oliver Wang’s “</span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X784LC0/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Legions of Boom</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,” QBert came up out of a Filipino mobile DJ scene which helped to lay the foundations for Bay Area hip-hop in the 80s. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After winning his DMC titles, he helped to make the Bay Area turntablist movement credible on a global level, forming the Invisibl Skratch Picklz, collaborated with Kool Keith on Dr Octagon’s underground/alternative hip-hop classic,</span> <a href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/23101-dr-octagon-dr-octagonecologyst/"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dr. Octagonecologyst</span></i></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, premiering his animated film “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhjUfbbnD3I"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wave Twisters</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">” at Sundance, appearing in two highly-acclaimed documentaries, “Scratch” and “Hang the DJ,” and being dubbed a “Grandmixer” by Bronx turntable legend DXT. To be blunt, his contributions over the years far outshine a series of controversial Tweets in terms of cultural impact.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5825295665?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5825295665?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, those Tweets came at a particularly critical tipping point in American history, when ongoing attempts at black liberation and police reform converged with a global pandemic and an outpouring of resilience and resistance to what many viewed as attempts at militarization in response to protests and uprisings which</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">did</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">result in property destruction and violent confrontations with law enforcement, as well as peaceful gatherings -- and apparent momentum for police reform. In light of all this, QBert felt the need to clarify where he was coming from, and speak to the situation at hand. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The interview was conducted at a Brisbane warehouse used by Thudrumble’s production crew, Mixsterious. Right off the bat, Q spoke to the initial comment which launched a social media firestorm: “Let me clear one thing up. There was this thing, ‘all lives matter’, and I had no clue about that. I just DJ forever. I don’t even watch sports. Of course, this whole George Floyd thing is a big thing. So I came on (Twitter), like, ‘what’s going on’? And someone was like, trying to press my buttons, ‘what’s up?’ I’m like, no, I’m for everyone. I’m trying to help everyone. I said, ‘all fucking lives matter.’ and I didn’t know there was an All Lives Matter thing, that is a counter-culture for the BLM movement.” </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He went on to say, “I really meant to say, I love everyone... Of course, every life matters. And, of course, we have to fix the thing with black people. They are the first original man on the planet.” </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also shared concerns that racial animosity is being used as “psychological warfare”: “There’s a bigger picture. They could be using this (racial conflict) to start a new World War. New World Order.” </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In response to allegations of anti-blackness, he said, “First of all, my best friend, MC UB, he’s black. They can believe what they want. My homies are black. I got all kinds of nationalities that are homies.”</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He’s gone so far as to try to spread his unity message among Filipinos, he added. “I even go to Filipino conventions and I tell Filipinos, it’s cool that you’re proud to be Filipino, but let’s work for the whole planet. “</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These remarks may not assuage anyone who expected him to take a militant political stance, or soundly denounce the Trump administration. But they are at least consistent with someone who claims to be a humanist, who doesn’t follow politics, and who is more than a bit of an idealist. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over the course of the discussion, Q forthrightly addresses the allegations and concerns about him, and did so honestly. Meaning, not in obviously-coached soundbites and talking points, but more so off the top of his head and from the bottom of his heart. He clarifies where he stands on racial unity and multiculturalism, his feelings about Trump, and what he would say to Floyd’s family. But he also speaks on Filipinos having African ancestry, and how he maintains a battle DJ mentality -- even though no one in their right mind would battle him today. In doing so, a picture emerged of an eccentric yet focused character who shuns political affiliation in favor of a simpler dichotomy: good/evil. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m more on a spiritual side,” he said, adding that he believes in karma, and that promoting love is preferable to spreading hate.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The same level of dedication and focus he’s applied to scratching over the years has allowed him to develop a personal philosophy of elevating one’s inner vibration to the highest level. The eccentricity came out a bit when he talked about aliens, however the example he cited, of the Dogon tribe in Mali, actually lends credence to theories of extraterrestrial involvement or interaction with humanity, as the Dogon have</span> <a href="https://www.africanbookstore.net/proddetail.asp?prod=NF7000"><span style="font-weight: 400;">advanced knowledge of cosmology</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, including awareness of Sirius-B, a white dwarf star in the Sirius system, which can’t be seen with the naked eye or anything less than a state-of-the art telescope. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Q also noted that he has</span> <a href="https://www.thudrumble.com/collections/wave-twisters-zero"><span style="font-weight: 400;">free music</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">available for download on his website, and that his personal approach is all about staying humble and giving back as much as he can to the culture -- becoming a better teacher by remaining an eternal student. While not every question may have been answered perfectly, unwarranted speculation should at the very least cease.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What has he learned from all this? “In touchy situations, people can get swayed to be hateful.”</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether his words will suffice to explain what may very well have been a mental crisis brought on by social isolation and COVID-related stress -- the interview marked the first time he’s been reunited with his support team in five months -- remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: DJ QBert showed up, answered whatever questions were thrown at him the best he could, and gave some thoughtful and insightful answers. No matter if he regains his lost followers or not, ultimately, the experience may result in him growing as a person, not just a turntable icon. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shout-out to Christie Z, Kendo, Mixsterious, and the Thudrumble crew and to the True Skool squad -- Korise Jubert and Ren Salgado -- for making this happen.</span></i></p>
<p></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Additional Read: <a href="http://trueskool.com/forum/topics/dj-q-bert-faces-backlash-after-pro-trump-tweets?fbclid=IwAR2QVOF-B-JxxB5QTvQxgW52gWJZ3X31YDUJnlhrJrO5IBCR6au1pgbTjBs" target="_self">DJ Q-Bert Disappoints Fans After Pro-Trump Tweets</a></span></i></p> Bay Area DJ, Lazyboy Wins Redbull 3Style Nationals. Watch His Set Heretag:trueskool.com,2019-12-09:1464587:Topic:6937932019-12-09T18:18:21.468ZEditor's Pickhttp://trueskool.com/profile/RentheVinylArchaeologist
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3762499216?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3762499216?profile=RESIZE_710x"></img></a> <br></br> This past Sunday (12/9), six dope djs battled at The Midway in San Francisco to represent the USA in Moscow at the World Finals Redbull 3Style USA Championship. The winner was Bay Area favorite DJ Lazyboy! Catch his winning set below (shot by DJ Mr E aka Miguel Escobedo)…<br></br> <br></br>
</p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3762499216?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3762499216?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a><br/> This past Sunday (12/9), six dope djs battled at The Midway in San Francisco to represent the USA in Moscow at the World Finals Redbull 3Style USA Championship. The winner was Bay Area favorite DJ Lazyboy! Catch his winning set below (shot by DJ Mr E aka Miguel Escobedo)<br/>
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<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fdjmr.e%2Fvideos%2F10156849322153527%2F&show_text=0&width=267" width="267" height="476" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
</p>
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Listen to his full set <a href="https://www.mixcloud.com/redbull3style/on-the-floor-dj-lazyboy-wins-red-bull-3style-usa-national-final/" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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Watch Lazyboy's Redbull 3Style Entry video:<br/>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kI9N4Qy3aVU?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> GRANDMASTER FLASH BECOMES FIRST DJ TO WIN “NOBEL PRIZE FOR MUSIC”tag:trueskool.com,2019-06-15:1464587:Topic:6883952019-06-15T21:27:26.435ZEditor's Pickhttp://trueskool.com/profile/RentheVinylArchaeologist
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2946961291?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2946961291?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="560"></img></a></p>
<p>BY KIERAN DEVLIN • JUNE 13, 2019</p>
<p>Grandmaster Flash has become the first DJ to win the Polar Music Prize, often dubbed the "Nobel Prize For Music".</p>
<p>The prize was founded by Stig Anderson, better known as ABBA's lyricist and manager, in 1989. Previous winners include Led Zeppelin, BB King, Metallica, and Paul McCartney.</p>
<p>Flash, real…</p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2946961291?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2946961291?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="560" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p>BY KIERAN DEVLIN • JUNE 13, 2019</p>
<p>Grandmaster Flash has become the first DJ to win the Polar Music Prize, often dubbed the "Nobel Prize For Music".</p>
<p>The prize was founded by Stig Anderson, better known as ABBA's lyricist and manager, in 1989. Previous winners include Led Zeppelin, BB King, Metallica, and Paul McCartney.</p>
<p>Flash, real name Joseph Saddler, accepted the prize from the King of Sweden, saying the award was "in honour of every DJ, every rapper, every graffiti artist, and every breakdancer".</p>
<p>He further commented: "This thing that I did had not existed before, and I am one of many where I come from. It ended up being called hip-hop, taking the drum break from pop, rock, jazz, blues, funk, disco, R+B, and using duplicate copies of records. I would take one section and repeat it over and over again."</p>
<p><a href="https://djmag.com/news/grandmaster-flash-becomes-first-dj-win-%E2%80%9Cnobel-prize-music%E2%80%9D?fbclid=IwAR0G8-AjgauSYo8GEQEcap_MB--LAzD-mh5nksbTX6z6my2wCk0sCobyPu8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">READ MORE AT DJMAG</a></p> Producer 3LAU Picks Twitter Battle With Z-Trip About DJingtag:trueskool.com,2015-07-01:1464587:Topic:6322352015-07-01T23:04:33.160ZEditor's Pickhttp://trueskool.com/profile/RentheVinylArchaeologist
<p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XDcBteFQVI8/VZJC_vnOHTI/AAAAAAAAdZE/9Sm-s7uTytw/s400/3lau%2BZ.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XDcBteFQVI8/VZJC_vnOHTI/AAAAAAAAdZE/9Sm-s7uTytw/s400/3lau%2BZ.jpg"></img></a> 3LAU gets into a Twitter battle with the legendary DJ and producer Z-Trip. <br></br> <br></br> During the recent EDMbiz Conference, Z-Trip got into a debate with producer 3LAU who claims to have no DJ skills and admits to performing pre-recorded sets. <span class="highlightNode">3Lau</span><span>'s comments about his why he chooses not to add improvisation to his sets…</span></p>
<p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XDcBteFQVI8/VZJC_vnOHTI/AAAAAAAAdZE/9Sm-s7uTytw/s400/3lau%2BZ.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XDcBteFQVI8/VZJC_vnOHTI/AAAAAAAAdZE/9Sm-s7uTytw/s400/3lau%2BZ.jpg" class="align-full"/></a> 3LAU gets into a Twitter battle with the legendary DJ and producer Z-Trip. <br/> <br/>
During the recent EDMbiz Conference, Z-Trip got into a debate with producer 3LAU who claims to have no DJ skills and admits to performing pre-recorded sets. <span class="highlightNode">3Lau</span><span>'s comments about his why he chooses not to add improvisation to his sets and compared it to David Copperfield to which Z-Trip responds, "We ain't Beyoncé or David Copperfield WE ARE MOTHER FUCKING DJ's!"</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span><span>Watch the clip below:</span></span></p>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/noWoPO-_L4c?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe>
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<p><span><span>Following the conference, the debate continues on Twitter. R</span></span>ead the tweets below:</p>
<p><a href="http://edmsauce.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/3lau.png"><img src="http://edmsauce.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/3lau.png" alt="3lau" width="640" height="533" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-51161"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://edmsauce.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/3lau2.png"><img src="http://edmsauce.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/3lau2.png" alt="3lau2" width="641" height="910" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-51160"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://edmsauce.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/3lau3.png"><img src="http://edmsauce.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/3lau3.png" alt="3lau3" width="638" height="835" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-51159"/></a></p> The Music Industry Is Literally Brainwashing You to Like Bad Pop Songs — Here's Howtag:trueskool.com,2014-08-12:1464587:Topic:4034112014-08-12T03:03:40.184ZStaff Pickhttp://trueskool.com/profile/Ren
<p class="lead dropcap" dir="ltr"><a href="http://media3.mic.com/YTcyYTE3ZTk2ZiMvMDF3VlRMejBaZmd6Ri00OVgxTWlJb3E4Z0JZPS8xMzJ4MDoxMzk3eDc5Ny8xMjgweDYyMC9zMy5hbWF6b25hd3MuY29tL3BvbGljeW1pYy1pbWFnZXMvN2ZkMjc1YmIyZDBlZjIxMmU5NmNlZjJlMGU2Mzk2ODA2NDlhZDg4OWM5Yzg4OTgwMDBkZGY0NDcxODA2NGNiOC5qcGc=.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="http://media3.mic.com/YTcyYTE3ZTk2ZiMvMDF3VlRMejBaZmd6Ri00OVgxTWlJb3E4Z0JZPS8xMzJ4MDoxMzk3eDc5Ny8xMjgweDYyMC9zMy5hbWF6b25hd3MuY29tL3BvbGljeW1pYy1pbWFnZXMvN2ZkMjc1YmIyZDBlZjIxMmU5NmNlZjJlMGU2Mzk2ODA2NDlhZDg4OWM5Yzg4OTgwMDBkZGY0NDcxODA2NGNiOC5qcGc=.jpg"></img></a></p>
<p class="lead dropcap" dir="ltr"><span>By </span><a class="link-author" href="http://mic.com/profiles/18037/tom-barnes" title="Tom Barnes's Profile">Tom…</a></p>
<p dir="ltr" class="lead dropcap"><a href="http://media3.mic.com/YTcyYTE3ZTk2ZiMvMDF3VlRMejBaZmd6Ri00OVgxTWlJb3E4Z0JZPS8xMzJ4MDoxMzk3eDc5Ny8xMjgweDYyMC9zMy5hbWF6b25hd3MuY29tL3BvbGljeW1pYy1pbWFnZXMvN2ZkMjc1YmIyZDBlZjIxMmU5NmNlZjJlMGU2Mzk2ODA2NDlhZDg4OWM5Yzg4OTgwMDBkZGY0NDcxODA2NGNiOC5qcGc=.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://media3.mic.com/YTcyYTE3ZTk2ZiMvMDF3VlRMejBaZmd6Ri00OVgxTWlJb3E4Z0JZPS8xMzJ4MDoxMzk3eDc5Ny8xMjgweDYyMC9zMy5hbWF6b25hd3MuY29tL3BvbGljeW1pYy1pbWFnZXMvN2ZkMjc1YmIyZDBlZjIxMmU5NmNlZjJlMGU2Mzk2ODA2NDlhZDg4OWM5Yzg4OTgwMDBkZGY0NDcxODA2NGNiOC5qcGc=.jpg" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p dir="ltr" class="lead dropcap"><span>By </span><a title="Tom Barnes's Profile" class="link-author" href="http://mic.com/profiles/18037/tom-barnes">Tom Barnes</a><span> </span>August 4, 2014 | <a href="http://mic.com/articles/95260/the-music-industry-is-literally-brainwashing-you-to-like-bad-pop-songs-here-s-how" target="_blank">Mic.com</a></p>
<p dir="ltr" class="lead dropcap">Last summer it was "Blurred Lines." This summer it's "Fancy." Every year, there's a new song that we <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/blurred-lines-the-worst-song-of-this-or-any-other-year-20131206">all hate</a> until we don't anymore (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyDUC1LUXSU">see</a>: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-zpOMYRi0w">playcounts</a>). And it turns out that's because we were brainwashed to like them.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Research suggests that repeated exposure is a much more surefire way of getting the general public to like a song than writing one that suits their taste. Based on an <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0027241">fMRI study in 2011</a>, we now know that the emotional centers of the brain — including the reward centers — are more active when people hear songs they've been played before. In fact, those brain areas are more active even than when people hear unfamiliar songs that are far better fits with their musical taste.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This happens more often than you might think. After a couple dozen unintentional listens, many of us may find ourselves changing our initial opinions about a song — eventually admitting that, really, Katy Perry's "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KSOMA3QBU0">Dark Horse</a>" isn't as awful as it sounds. PBS' <em>Idea Channel</em>'s<em> </em>Mike Rugnetta <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApaGQGrGjr8">explains</a>, it's akin to a musical "Stockholm syndrome," a term <a href="http://www.nilsbejerot.se/sexdagar_eng.htm">used originally by criminologist Nils Bejerot</a> to describe a phenomenon in which victims of kidnapping may begin to sympathize with their captors over time.</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ApaGQGrGjr8?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe>
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<p dir="ltr">Most people assume that they hear a song everywhere because it's popular. That's not the case — a song is popular because it's played everywhere. It is technically illegal for major labels to pay radio stations directly to play certain songs, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. The phenomenon is called "payola" (an amalgam of the words pay and Victrola), and it was rampant in the 1960s up through the '80s, during which period the music industry was <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-29/of-music-payola-and-disclosure.html">literally run by the mob</a>. It still happens today, even though it isn't as blatant. Labels pay independent promoters to "<a href="https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110916/03140815978/how-payola-works-today-why-you-only-hear-major-label-songs-radio.shtml">incentivize</a>" radio stations to play their music, or <a href="http://rollingout.com/entertainment/radio-stations-forced-play-iggy-azaleas-fancy-least-150-times/">create program caps</a> to make sure a song gets enough plays to have its effect. There's real neuroscience behind the strategy: If you hear something enough, you'll start to like it.</p>
<p dir="ltr">That Stockholm effect happens with culture, too. The scientific term for this phenomenon is the "<a href="http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic472736.files/Zajonc.pdf">mere exposure effect</a>," discovered in the '60s by Robert Zajonc, and it can apply to anything — images, shapes, songs or people. In his study, participants reported liking songs more the second and third times they were exposed to them. This same response occurred even when participants weren't aware of any previous exposure. It seems then that people can easily <a href="http://aeon.co/magazine/altered-states/why-we-love-repetition-in-music/">mistake the fluidity</a> of their ability to identify and fully comprehend a song with actually liking it. So once a song gets stuck in your head it may quickly transition from being irritating to being beloved. A good example of this is the inexplicable popularity of ear worms like the Black Eyed Peas' truly heinous "I Gotta Feeling."</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Other scientific factors matter just as much, though. The <a href="http://aris.ss.uci.edu/rgarfias/courses/musexprs/documents/SER47_chap-01-02.pdf">context</a> in which you hear a song is often just as important as the qualities of the song itself in communicating meaning, and the more times it's forced upon us the more opportunities we have to make positive associations. If someone hears Ariana Grande's smash hit "Problem" every time they're out with their friends, they will likely start to associate it with good times and good feelings regardless of the song's actual lyrics. Songs that the industry foists upon us constantly, then, have a far better shot at becoming popular than ones without the machine behind them.</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Ultimately, we have way less of an idea of why we like the things we do. Numerous social and cognitive factors make it very easy for the pop music industry to gather an audience for artists they decide are worth promoting, and once we've been initiated to those artists, there's no turning back. The industry knows that well, and they manipulate it constantly. But even amidst all that science and big business maneuvering, there's one truth: If you play a really <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-zpOMYRi0w">bad song</a> too much, people will still <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=if%20i%20hear%20fancy%20one%20more%20time&src=typd">figure it out</a> for themselves.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en" xml:lang="en"><p>i love iggy but if i hear fancy one more time i'm going to set the world on fire</p>
— j baby (@jesusthefourth) <a href="https://twitter.com/jesusthefourth/statuses/491339533531611136">July 21, 2014</a></blockquote> 9 RAPPERS WHO PRETENDED TO BE RICH, BUT WERE ACTUALLY FLAT BROKEtag:trueskool.com,2014-07-01:1464587:Topic:3811242014-07-01T23:45:31.490ZStaff Pickhttp://trueskool.com/profile/Ren
<p><a href="http://financialjuneteenth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/broke1.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="http://financialjuneteenth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/broke1.jpg"></img></a></p>
<p><span>May 20, 2014 | via <a href="http://financialjuneteenth.com/10-rappers-who-pretended-to-be-rich-but-were-actually-flat-broke/" target="_blank">financialjuneteenth.com</a></span></p>
<p>You see rappers on TV shining like crazy and bragging about how much money they have. But most of this is a really ugly lie and one that makes black people look as ignorant as any minstrel…</p>
<p><a href="http://financialjuneteenth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/broke1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://financialjuneteenth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/broke1.jpg" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><span>May 20, 2014 | via <a href="http://financialjuneteenth.com/10-rappers-who-pretended-to-be-rich-but-were-actually-flat-broke/" target="_blank">financialjuneteenth.com</a></span></p>
<p>You see rappers on TV shining like crazy and bragging about how much money they have. But most of this is a really ugly lie and one that makes black people look as ignorant as any minstrel show in the history of our country. You’ve seen what rappers say about themselves on TV, but here’s some truth about how your favorite rapper is probably going broke right now:</p>
<p>1) Ludacris was in a custody battle with the mother of his child and revealed in court filings t<a href="http://blackamericaweb.com/2014/02/21/ludacris-ordered-to-pay-7000month-to-baby-mama-after-crying-broke/" target="_blank">hat he earned only $55,000 </a>over the previous year. That’s hardly the paycheck of a baller. Yes, that was $55,000 and yes, that was 2013. Check the link if you don’t believe us.</p>
<p>2) Lil Bow Wow was in court after his Bentley was repossessed. He revealed that he had only $1,500 in his bank account. He now has a job on BET’s 106 & Park, but this is probably not enough money to get him out of debt. <a href="http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/richest-rappers/lil-bow-wow-net-worth/" target="_blank">According to Celebrity Net Worth,</a> Bow Wow owes $90,000 to the IRS and another $280,000 to a luxury car leasing company. So, while the depth of his financial distress remains unclear, it’s very clear that he’s living on the edge financially.</p>
<p>3) Xzibit – former host of the MTV show, “Pimp My Ride,” filed bankruptcy after owing over $1 million dollars to the IRS. He hasn’t had a hit record since Bobby and Whitney were in love with each other. <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2012/09/29/xzibit-tax-lien/" target="_blank"> He has filed bankruptcy twice</a> since 2009.</p>
<p>4) Method Man was <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/1623065/method-man-arrested-on-33000-tax-evasion-charge/" target="_blank">arrested for failing to pay taxes back in 2011. </a> He resolved the matter, but remains in debt. He also keeps trying to make a comeback, but it’s just not working out.</p>
<p>5) Fat Joe – <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2013/08/26/fat-joe-prison-tax-evasion/" target="_blank">went to prison after pleading guilty</a> to tax evasion after owing over a million dollars to the IRS.</p>
<p>6)<a href="http://www.complex.com/music/2013/03/a-history-of-rappers-going-broke/lil-flip" target="_blank"> Lil Flip went to court </a>and told the judge that he can’t pay more than $500 per month in child support. According to most estimates, this means that he isn’t earning more than about $3,000 per month. He’d be better off collecting trash for a living.</p>
<p>7) <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/ja-rule-tax-evasion/" target="_blank">Ja Rule went to prison for two years</a> for tax evasion after owing millions to the IRS. He gets out soon, and will spend the rest of his life paying off the debt. He does have a cookbook coming out, so maybe that will make him a billionaire.</p>
<p>8) Beanie Sigel – He used to rap next to Jay-Z, but he <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/1703159/beanie-sigel-prison-drug-possession/" target="_blank">too went to prison for drug possession</a> and also had serious trouble with the IRS. Those lawyers can be expensive when you’re committing your life to “keeping it real.”</p>
<p>9) <a href="http://theurbandaily.com/2013/09/19/young-bucks-bankruptcy/" target="_blank">Young Buck from G-Unit went bankrupt </a>and lost his home, forcing him to sell his jewelry and everything else. If you listen to any of Buck’s songs, you’ll hear that he usually rapped about how much money he had and even made fun of other rappers who’ve gone broke. Now, he’ll just be making jokes about himself; that’s if anybody ever listens to his music again.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.techyville.com/2014/05/social-media/this-man-gives-a-list-of-rappers-who-eventually-went-broke/" target="_blank">Mark Dice does an interesting video on the topic. </a> He comes off a bit condescending and maybe even racist, so that’s tough to swallow. But if you listen to the gist of what he’s saying, he’s speaking quite a bit of truth about the buffoonery and financial irresponsibility that is prevalent in hip-hop music on the radio. Dice states that many of the artists on television are actors, and that the seemingly authentic lifestyle that young people are emulating is merely a facade. What’s most pathetic is that many of the artists selling this imagery to teenagers are in their mid to late thirties, so they’re a little too grown to be thinking and dressing like kids.</p>
<p>It’s actually a little sad when you think about it. Maybe we can do better for the next generation: Let’s teach our kids how to be true ballers by going to college and running their own businesses, instead of being pawns for white people who think we’re stupid. We have enough rappers and athletes already.</p> How One Generation Was Single-Handedly Able To Kill The Music Industrytag:trueskool.com,2014-06-10:1464587:Topic:3700402014-06-10T00:03:28.877ZEditor's Pickhttp://trueskool.com/profile/RentheVinylArchaeologist
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<div class="subText inPostSubText"><span class="categoryName"><a href="http://elitedaily.com/category/music/">MUSIC</a></span> <span class="authorName">• <a href="http://elitedaily.com/author/thoneyman/" title="Posts by Thomas Honeyman" rel="author">THOMAS HONEYMAN</a> • </span><span class="post-date">JUN 6, 2014 | <a href="http://elitedaily.com/music/how-one-generation-was-able-to-kill-the-music-industry/593411/" target="_blank">Elite Daily</a></span></div>
<p>The old music industry is dead. We’re standing in the ruins of a business built on private jets, Cristal, $18 CDs and million-dollar recording budgets.</p>
<p>We’re in the midst of the greatest music industry disruption of the past 100 years. A fundamental shift has occurred — a shift that Millennials are driving.</p>
<p>For the first time, record sales aren’t enough to make an artist’s career, and they certainly aren’t enough to ensure success. The old music industry clung desperately to sales to survive, but that model is long gone.</p>
<p>Even superstars have it tough. Pitbull — despite having 50 million Facebook fans and nearly 170 million YouTube plays — has sold less than 10 million albums in his entire career. This is the reality of the new music industry, which is built off of liquid attention, not record sales.</p>
<p>Why? Well, the answer lies with us , the Millennials. We’ve taken over the music industry by controlling the two things that matter most:</p>
<h2>1. The Demand</h2>
<p>The music industry is just like any other big business: It follows cash. Over the past two decades, music has suffered through the CD bubble, torrents, Napster, iTunes (with Apple taking a 30 percent cut of everything) and now, the ubiquity of streaming services, which reduces sales below the already rock-bottom level.</p>
<p>The music industry has been rocked by new trends and over the past few years, has succumbed to a state of near free-fall. It’s clutching whatever few straws are left in an attempt to salvage profit from the remains of its broken business models.</p>
<p>As music becomes more and more entrenched in the digital realm, Millennials have emerged as the dominant consumers. More importantly, we dominate the most promising emerging market for music: mobile devices. We use music, media and entertainment apps <a href="http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2013/06/millennials-use-mobile-music-entertainment-apps-more-often-than-any-other-age-group.html" target="_blank">more than 75 percent more</a> and social sharing apps about 20 percent more frequently than any other age group.</p>
<p>In a nutshell, Millennials consume the most music and tell the greatest number of people about it. While it’s obvious that consumption is important, why is it so important that we <i>share</i> what we listen to?</p>
<p>The old music industry had a banner metric of artist success: album sales. For years, album sales have been declining and the growth of singles and streaming services have accelerated the trend.</p>
<p>As we’ve transitioned into a digital music economy, new measures of success have emerged. A new generation of artists has hit the scene and they thrive on attention rather than units of music they sell.</p>
<p>The attention has become just as valuable as our likelihood to purchase, as it leads to festival and performance attendance, merchandising sales and other sources of revenue. However, we still won’t <i>buy</i> your music.</p>
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<p>Brands know this, too. Companies like GUESS, Red Bull and Steve Madden will pour <a href="http://www.sponsorship.com/IEGSR/2014/03/03/Music-Sponsorship-Spending-To-Total-$1-34-Billion.aspx#.U01ytvldXnh" target="_blank">more than $1.34 billion</a> into sponsoring music venues, festivals and tours this year.</p>
<p>Over a billion dollars will be spent for the opportunity to build customer relationships and brand equity with digital natives. In contrast, the top 10 highest-earning electronic artists last year cumulatively made just over $240 million — less than 20 percent of what brands will spend in 2014 to capture Millennials’ attention.</p>
<p>What brands understand is that music is an important part of Millennials’ identity. It’s more than entertainment for us. The music we listen to can be as important as how we dress and influences who our friends are.</p>
<p>Going to festivals and shows is an expression of identity. Brands know that if they can identify with a DJ like Skrillex and his dedicated fan base, they’ll have more than just the consumer’s brief attention. The brand will become part of the fans’ lifestyle.</p>
<p>That’s why Steve Madden is <a href="http://www.edge-collective.com/steve-madden-reaching-a-new-generation-of-consumers/" target="_blank">teaming up with up-and-coming female DJs</a> to attract Millennials.</p>
<p>The end result is that the music industry and the big brands are both chasing the new generation of artists; artists who can capture, retain and monetize attention — instead of album sales — and who can keep Millennials interested.</p>
<hr/><h2>2. The Supply</h2>
<p>All that’s required to make a modern record is a computer and a piece of affordable recording software. One of the most powerful professional DAWs (a digital audio workstation, used to produce music) is Logic Pro from Apple, which costs only $200.</p>
<p>Inside the DAW are virtual instruments like pianos, synthesizers and drums, as well as all the necessary tools to edit and produce audio.</p>
<p>Most of the equipment required to create music has been absorbed into the DAW, while the software continues to get easier and easier to use. The end result is that artists can create music more quickly, more efficiently and less expensively than at any other time in history.</p>
<p>Gotye created his song “Somebody That I Used to Know” in his parents’ house near Melbourne, Australia. The self-produced track reached number one on more than 23 national charts and charted inside the top 10 in more than 30 countries around the world. By the end of 2012, the song became the best-selling song of that year with 11.8 million copies sold, ranking it among the best-selling digital singles of all time.</p>
<p>A young Dutch producer named Martin Garrix reached the top of the charts in more than 10 countries with his smash hit, “Animals,” which he produced and released at 17 years old. The song hit number one on Beatport, making Garrix <a href="http://news.beatport.com/blog/2013/06/24/martin-garrixs-animals-claws-its-way-to-1-and-sets-a-new-record/">the youngest person ever to receive the honor</a>.</p>
<p>Millennials, who can simply record after class or work, are mostly familiar with this technology, but our open-source attitude toward learning is much more important.</p>
<p>Search “How to use Logic Pro” in YouTube and you’ll find thousands of free tutorials. Sites like Reddit have entire communities with tens of thousands of members who are dedicated to learning about music production.</p>
<p>Technology is cheap and high-quality learning resources are free. As the result, artists have massively successful records without having set foot in a recording studio.</p>
<hr/><h2>3. Music Discovery Is At An All-time High</h2>
<p>It goes without saying that music discovery and music production go hand in hand. However, just as technology has enabled easy music production for young, emerging artists, it has also provided them with a way to reach fans all over the world.</p>
<p>There are the classic success stories like Justin Bieber and Lana Del Rey, of course, but below the YouTube empire rests an entire culture of Millennials who are discovering music online.</p>
<p>Platforms like SoundCloud have more than 250 million active users each month and Millennials discover their music predominately through these digital platforms. Incidentally, when digital natives produce new music, they release it first on the digital platforms.</p>
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<p>This is how Millennials are playing both sides of the field: They’re creating more music than ever and releasing it onto platforms where their peers go to discover music.</p>
<p>The music industry middleman has been cut out and a back-and-forth conversation replaced it. Of course, huge stars like Katy Perry still dominate sales, but Millennials are eroding that model with a new, grassroots discovery model.</p>
<hr/><h2>4. Millennials Are Forming Dominant Musical Teams</h2>
<p>Powerhouse songwriting and production teams back dominant artists like Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. These production teams are one of the main drivers that keep the superstar artists on top. Working in teams allows these writers to churn out tons of highly listenable pop tracks.</p>
<p>Now, Millennials are breaking down this final barrier, too.</p>
<p>Services like <a href="http://www.findmysong.com/" target="_blank">FindMySong</a> are connecting independent musicians so they can form their own dominant songwriting and production teams. The FindMySong model takes advantage of the fact that there are more independent musicians than ever before who want a piece of the major artist success without the major label strings.</p>
<p>With cheap recording technology and an effective way to distribute the music, these independents team up online to rival major labels.</p>
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<p>You have the power now. What are you going to do with it? For the first time in its long history, the American music business is firmly in the hands of the artists and the consumers. You have the ability to lead the industry wherever you want it to go.</p>
<p><em>Photo via We Heart It</em></p>