During Black Music Month 2009, the folks here at BlackRadioIsBack.com and the syndicated FuseBox Radio Broadcast want to put on as many things that are related to Black Music - from the music itself, to the business, cultural aspects, etc. - up through our outlets as possible.
One thing that seems to be very relevant during this age of creative freedoms being lessened (both via laws of the land and economics - 21st Century iCooning is being pushed more as a way to get in the Black Music Door of Success every single day) is awareness of the playing field artists have to deal with to get their craft out everyday.
More and more, various companies are taking over many outlets from radio to television, which is leading to a big homogenization of the type of entertainment most average Americans can see easily every day (thank The Higher Power for the internet for infringing a bit on that territory).
This leads to a lot of hearing and seeing the same old famous people or groups what feels like all of the time - and if someone new gets in the mix, they have to go through a certain system to get there, which sometimes is being exactly like those folks who were already in the mix. :-/
The movie documentary Before The Music Dies
shows that this effect is something that is not just affecting Black Music, but all types of creative expression. Narrated by Forrest Whittaker, there are lots of interviews with various musicians, industry insiders, music critics and fans that reveal how the music industry has reached this current moment and what folks can do about it.
There are also some pretty cool performances from folks like The Dave Matthews Band, Erykah Badu, Seattle street performers, Mississippi gospel singers and others up in the mix.
Check out the documentary below and let us know what you think - hope y'all enjoy it and get something that stimulates thought from the entire scenario! :)
Video: "Before The Music Dies" Movie Documentary
