It’s time for Hemingway to put the mouthpiece up for a while and go back to writing and performing his music full-time again. I thank everyone for reading these posts. I tried to be as punctual and writer adequate as possible in writing this stuff, as I am not a blog writer by trade. If you have any questions for Hemingway in the future, just email me at the email contact on this blog and I’ll respond to you personally.
I know how bitter these posts come off to some of you. Please understand… I would not have shared my shit with you if I didn’t think it might help the present condition of things that are happening to all of us. I know a lot of self –help books out there teach to not be angry or feel bitter and stay away from negative energy and bitter people. However, we already know that all of these things are necessary feelings and experiences to help promote a healthy and balanced life. It’s ok to express to others if you feel bad or bitter or whatever. Just make sure you’re balancing that shit out..
To everyone that received these blogs (that’s a lot of yall) I’ve either worked with or have inquired to do work with you . You all play important roles in the industry. I have faith in you guys. And from the Emails I have received, I’ve learned that even the people I had thought were for sure assholes, are actually quite concerned, caring and really genuine people. I just have one more, quick request for you guys, PLEASE get back into artist development again. I know it’s almost impossible to do the way things are set up now, but there are a some of us out there who could really give a lot more, if we were to be helped.
Thanks for listening,
Hemingway Jenkins
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Race Card?!
There is no question that racial segregation still exists …There is also no question that many people assume that the majority of people who talk about race issues are a part of some minority. And in many cases that’s true. But isn’t that a shame? The Music Industry is one of the most racially segregated institutions in the world today. Rock, Indie Pop, Classical, Jazz, Rap, you name it. Have you ever heard of the "Urban Music Department " at a Major Record Label be referred to as being the, "Black Music Department" ? I have many times. Isn’t that segregation? I’ve been apart of some great artist’s careers and seen them fall because their new project wasn’t "Urban" enough. Now that this 80’s fad has made itself prominent in the Urban scene, I’m watching these same artists try and fit themselves into new categories like "Black Rock" and "Afro-Punk" …WTF? I hear these titles being used mostly by black people… It’s like blacks are accommodating this sickness.
Historically speaking, black people have been in slavery in America, way longer than being out of slavery. So it’s not racist to suggest that traces of slave mentality still exist in the culture and dare I say, seemingly in the music and it’s "Urban" industry. And whites living under that institution for so long, some even being slave owners; One would have to also suggest a certain mentality there as well, that also presently has it’s traces in it’s culture and seemingly in the Industry. The African-American’s contributions to the arts, especially music in the twentieth century have heavily influenced the whole world up to date. It’s only logical to learn to comfortably study the many different African American views and perspectives of the present . The past is already studied comfortably almost like it’s satire, but not always studied closely. That’s why these mentalities are prominent in the world today . There has been a new statistic that suggests that slavery in it’s entire definition is occurring now, more than it ever has in the history of mankind (based off of a special about present day Haitian slaves). At first I always wondered why black people were so quick to categorise themselves. Then I saw black artists trying to go into territories that happen to be dominated by whites. WOW!!
What’s scary is that most white people do not think themselves to be racist. I started to understand why these titles like "Black Rock" and "Afro- Punk" exist. I know many Indie Pop and Indie Rock artists who’s music, is not really in the spirit of those titles but they’re still considered such. The same for blacks in their categories. But blacks seem to be harder on each other about that. I remember I saw something really Bazaar occur at a lower east side bar in manhattan. The booking person there put together a bunch of bands, black and white. She clearly divided up the night, racially. Each band had 30min. to do their thing . She put one multi-genre/indie act with two Neo Soul acts simply because the artist was black. After the performance, I wondered where the black members of the multi genre band and the Neo Soul bands and their audiences, had went to. They had all went outside. I don’t even think they were aware as to why. In a span of 5minutes that whole venue was white and crowded. An all white garage band was about to perform. This is going to sound funny, but white people really intimidate black people… Especially a gang of white people. All they have to do is look at a black person with that innocent , puzzled "What are you doing here", "Am I in the White place?", look. All of those black people were outside so fast… talking and laughing like nothing happened. Unless it’s family, I personally feel that any kind of all white gathering in America by Americans is a racial statement in and of itself…that’s including labels and their "Departments".
Black people are in the Suburbs too. This might have been forgotten in some Frat college orgy…I don’t know. But there is definitely some serious racial profiling once you get to a college campus in America…and I feel it starts with the "Greeks". This effects people who may have had none of these experiences. There’s no reason why there should be titles like "Black Rock" and "Afro Punk". Next thing you know There’ll be "Black Indie-Pop". Different races grew up together in the same neighbourhoods and subdivisions checking out similar music as well as individual tastes. The music industry is not doing it’s job documenting this experience, The Black Kids and Light Speed are just not enough documentation. These stupid titles blacks and whites are giving non-urban music that people who happen to be black are making, is due to the non-participation of white owned Indie Labels not doing there jobs documenting the American Experience.
You can really see this problem in the music with rich, strong, groundbreaking twentieth century roots, "JAZZ".
Anytime you see an art or culture with a rich, strong, influential background and history, being corrupted, you better take a closer look at it, and the world. One tradition always has reigned true about the black jazz musician. You either really make it or you really don’t. Most gigs are given to white jazz musicians. Small’s (10th st. 7th ave. NY,NY) is infamous for this. Other clubs too for that matter. Nowadays, if you stick around long enough, right before you die, they’ll make you a brief legend as you then have made, "The Bucket List". Now, you can speed up this process by loosing your amazing chops early, or dying unexpectedly. There are some great young cutting edge jazz composers out there. But I’ve personally seen many of them passed up because of there colour. Jazz is a small percentage of the market, which makes it easily controllable by very wealthy people who fund it. So one coming with too much wisdom in that scene, can easily be blacklisted. I believe the Japanese and now the Chinese are gaining influence on the Jazz industry, and the Japanese are naturally big on tradition. The innovative aspect in Jazz is what makes it very special. It is a clear soundtrack of the American Experience and the World, in the 20th century into the 21st. It naturally promotes independent thinking. But now I’m taking this somewhere else, so to be continued…
Historically speaking, black people have been in slavery in America, way longer than being out of slavery. So it’s not racist to suggest that traces of slave mentality still exist in the culture and dare I say, seemingly in the music and it’s "Urban" industry. And whites living under that institution for so long, some even being slave owners; One would have to also suggest a certain mentality there as well, that also presently has it’s traces in it’s culture and seemingly in the Industry. The African-American’s contributions to the arts, especially music in the twentieth century have heavily influenced the whole world up to date. It’s only logical to learn to comfortably study the many different African American views and perspectives of the present . The past is already studied comfortably almost like it’s satire, but not always studied closely. That’s why these mentalities are prominent in the world today . There has been a new statistic that suggests that slavery in it’s entire definition is occurring now, more than it ever has in the history of mankind (based off of a special about present day Haitian slaves). At first I always wondered why black people were so quick to categorise themselves. Then I saw black artists trying to go into territories that happen to be dominated by whites. WOW!!
What’s scary is that most white people do not think themselves to be racist. I started to understand why these titles like "Black Rock" and "Afro- Punk" exist. I know many Indie Pop and Indie Rock artists who’s music, is not really in the spirit of those titles but they’re still considered such. The same for blacks in their categories. But blacks seem to be harder on each other about that. I remember I saw something really Bazaar occur at a lower east side bar in manhattan. The booking person there put together a bunch of bands, black and white. She clearly divided up the night, racially. Each band had 30min. to do their thing . She put one multi-genre/indie act with two Neo Soul acts simply because the artist was black. After the performance, I wondered where the black members of the multi genre band and the Neo Soul bands and their audiences, had went to. They had all went outside. I don’t even think they were aware as to why. In a span of 5minutes that whole venue was white and crowded. An all white garage band was about to perform. This is going to sound funny, but white people really intimidate black people… Especially a gang of white people. All they have to do is look at a black person with that innocent , puzzled "What are you doing here", "Am I in the White place?", look. All of those black people were outside so fast… talking and laughing like nothing happened. Unless it’s family, I personally feel that any kind of all white gathering in America by Americans is a racial statement in and of itself…that’s including labels and their "Departments".
Black people are in the Suburbs too. This might have been forgotten in some Frat college orgy…I don’t know. But there is definitely some serious racial profiling once you get to a college campus in America…and I feel it starts with the "Greeks". This effects people who may have had none of these experiences. There’s no reason why there should be titles like "Black Rock" and "Afro Punk". Next thing you know There’ll be "Black Indie-Pop". Different races grew up together in the same neighbourhoods and subdivisions checking out similar music as well as individual tastes. The music industry is not doing it’s job documenting this experience, The Black Kids and Light Speed are just not enough documentation. These stupid titles blacks and whites are giving non-urban music that people who happen to be black are making, is due to the non-participation of white owned Indie Labels not doing there jobs documenting the American Experience.
You can really see this problem in the music with rich, strong, groundbreaking twentieth century roots, "JAZZ".
Anytime you see an art or culture with a rich, strong, influential background and history, being corrupted, you better take a closer look at it, and the world. One tradition always has reigned true about the black jazz musician. You either really make it or you really don’t. Most gigs are given to white jazz musicians. Small’s (10th st. 7th ave. NY,NY) is infamous for this. Other clubs too for that matter. Nowadays, if you stick around long enough, right before you die, they’ll make you a brief legend as you then have made, "The Bucket List". Now, you can speed up this process by loosing your amazing chops early, or dying unexpectedly. There are some great young cutting edge jazz composers out there. But I’ve personally seen many of them passed up because of there colour. Jazz is a small percentage of the market, which makes it easily controllable by very wealthy people who fund it. So one coming with too much wisdom in that scene, can easily be blacklisted. I believe the Japanese and now the Chinese are gaining influence on the Jazz industry, and the Japanese are naturally big on tradition. The innovative aspect in Jazz is what makes it very special. It is a clear soundtrack of the American Experience and the World, in the 20th century into the 21st. It naturally promotes independent thinking. But now I’m taking this somewhere else, so to be continued…
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