I was talking to someone a few days ago, and they asked me if I had heard about 7 different albums that had been recently released. My answer to each was no. I find that this is often the case because I am so wrapped up in my favorite music from the past. . . My thought pattern goes something like this: “Hmmmmm… everyone is talking about that new Snoop Dogg like it’s the second coming of Christ… BUT… I kinda of want to listen to Fantastic Vol. 2. . . decisions. . . nah, I’m gonna go with Slum.”
Yesterday I was discussing this very issue with someone. We both shared the same problem, not giving new music a chance because we are too into the shit we already know and love. I realized, I don’t really give a lot of new shit a chance. I would rather be listening to my favorite Dilla album (it varies, right now it’s The Shining. . . or Ruff Draft), or All Eyez on Me, or The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill. . . or something that I already know inside and out.
I think that part of the problem behind this issue is that, there is so much fuckin’ CRAP out right now, that a lot of people have backed off of listening to new music for fear of it being. . . well. . . crap. I cannot tell you (partly because it’s just to heinous to describe, and partly because you more than likely already know) how horrible it is when you dedicate a part of your day (maybe you have no life and have unlimited time to sit and listen to crap, but my free time is rare and/or valuable) to listening to something new, and, when you are done giving it a chance, the only thing you can say is, ‘I want my 37 minutes back’.
So. . . what’s the solution? Do I risk my time and sanity to start listening to new music? Or do I stick with what I know is amazing? Something dawned on me last night when I was having this conversation about how myself and this other person had the same problem with new music. It occurred to me that I had been trying to get him to listen to one of my favorite albums (that’s fairly new), for some time now, but he hadn’t really made any attempt to listen to it. I didn’t understand that, because, I feel like, if I give someone a music recommendation, they should take that shit seriously, God damnit. But he hadn’t, and now I know why. It was new to him, and he would rather listen to shit he knows he loves than take a chance on something new, even though I told him point blank it was amazing. I do this same exact thing when people recommend music to me. I ignore them, not because I don’t trust them, or because they are a moron, or whatever other reason I usually ignore people. I do so because I’m hung up on my oldies but goodies, my tried and true classics, the music I already love.
But… much like my stupid ass comrade that has yet to listen to the album that I keep recommending to him, I might be missing out on something amazing by not giving new music a chance. After all, all music was new music at some point (I apologize for the completely obvious and cliché statement, but, whatever). I actually feel sorry for this friend of mine because I feel like he is missing out on something other worldly by not listening to this particular album. So, if that’s the case, what in the fuck am I potentially missing out on in not giving more new music a chance?
Yeah, okay, maybe I’m not ever going to hear something I love more than a Dilla beat, but… well, no, that was it on that. There is other great shit out there though. There are amazing MCs and beat makers, some already successful, some not yet, that deserve some attention as well. As much as I sometimes feel like I could only listen to 10 artists for the rest of my life, why close yourself off to good shit like that? I can listen to MM..FOOD anytime I want, so why not give something else a chance? It’s not like we’re dealing in finite either/or propositions here. It’s not like ‘either you can listen to MM..FOOD or you can listen to Street Hop… but if you listen to Street Hop you can never listen to MM..FOOD again.’ That’s just not how things work.
Bottom line. . . if you are anything like me. . . and I know some of you are, because I know you personally… Give new music and new artists a chance. Shit, you never know. . . You could hear something you like even more than all the shit you're in love with right now… or... you could lose your mind by accidentally listening to the new Gucci Mane album while attempting to be more open minded. I guess both are a possibility, but, you know. . . whatever.
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