As we slide into a new Music Award Show Season, I’m constantly reminded about how little I know about the music industry these days. Putting a face to the name, and even worse, a name to the music is akin to matching Byzantine Emperors with the correct eras on a history exam. I don’t know any of these weirdos. I’ve come to learn though in the grand scheme of things, that I’m not alone. My kids don’t know half of these people either. So it leads me to this conclusion: Award Shows just different!
When I was a kid, an award show was a night of Stars. It was a chance to see Michael Jackson moonwalk across a stage. As a teenager it was a chance to finally see our rap stars get a chance to perform in front of the world for the first time. As a young adult it was a chance to see the biggest names compete for some hardware and bragging rights. Today, its more of a talent showcase. I can only image the wheeling and dealing and money involved with these labels getting their artist on these shows. The schmoozing it takes to take a Sound Cloud rapper and turn him into a viable option for the BET Awards stage.
I’m not hating. In fairness, the terrain is just different. The reach is different. Jay Z had Radio, CDs, Videos, and Magazines. If you could master those, you were a Star. Today, you have Radio, CDs, Videos, Magazines, Streaming, Podcast, Reality TV, Social Media and Sex Tapes. Master any two and you may be on your way! Having an allergy to any one of these mediums may preclude you from knowing exactly what it is you’re looking at when the AMAs introduce the next budding “genius”. Not into Reality TV? “Who that girl with that obviously fake butt giving out the award?”. Not into Twitter and Instagram? “Who this fool with all these face tattoos and dirty hair jumping around the stage?”.
XXL Magazine has a yearly series called “XXL Freshman Class”. It is a profile on the up and coming future stars of Hip Hop. For years, it was spot on in analysis. I mean, to an 80 to 90% clip, the honorees went on to have impressive music careers. Many are considered industry OGs now. Today feels more like a dice roll. As a hip hop senior citizen, I can’t even imagine how locked in to all of the mediums (including the underground circuit) one has to be to recognize more than a couple of the faces highlighted on the list. The problem is, because of that quandary, the list has lost its luster. Sure it’s a good resume builder, but its not a guarantee of anything. Which brings us back to watching Award Shows at 40+. How long will they hold their value? Is it already over? Are Award Shows pointless? I’m guessing that Ill just be…. Guessing, watching these shows from here on out. Although I try, Im just not locked in enough to the star making mediums of today. I’ll judge on Show night. Gone and sing the song Anna Mae.