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Prince: The Super Negro Theory Reading the recent rash of "Prince Has Lost It" threads got me thinking about the exceptional expectations placed on some music artists...After doing a little research I've come to a conclusion:
I believe we are dealing with the "Super Negro Theory".... After having a long conversation with some Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, and Bruce Springsteen fans (on various occasions), it's jarringly obvious that there are different standards placed on certain acts across racial lines...But before some of you start accusing me of playing some antiquated race card, hear me out... This is not a simplistic case of black artists being judged unfairly when it comes to their white counterparts....If you ask me if Justin Timberlake deserves more acclaim, respect, and credit for his art than say an Usher, I would give a resounding YES...Because after all, as annoying as Timberlake can be, he actually proved himself given that he writes, produces, and at times plays on his own material (which is much more nuanced than Usher's work) and gives a more polished and complete live show when Usher still relies heavily on songwriters and producers to make him relevant and keep up with the Tre Songz of the world.... BUT, here's the RUB...THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND WHEN IT COMES TO EXPECTATIONS OF BLACK ARTISTS Either we are expected to be "entertainers" who rely heavily on the machine or we are expected to be THE SUPER NEGRO...And the crazy part is, we are ALL (black, white, asian, latino ect, ect...) to blame... So what is the SUPER NEGRO you ask? It's the self-contained artist who is deemed to have otherworldly musical powers...People don't view their art as coming from some intellectual, witty world view (I.E. Bob Dylan or Bowie).....They look at the SUPER NEGRO as being somehow mystical...a talent whose' art cannot be explained without hyperbole...Talent that comes naturally and not from good ol fashioned skill and hard work.. Through the years, there have been many notable SUPER NEGROS: Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, James Brown, Sun-Ra, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Prince, Rakim....These artists are looked at beyond being "good" musicians or vocalists/performers...In some cases the super negro has to live up to the hype of CHANGING the course of their respective musical genre, not just producing a good song...They can't just create a song to be enjoyed by the masses...They have to write, produce, arrange, play on, and sing on the material in order to be taken seriously as an artist...They can't be Madonna... So how does the SUPER NEGRO THEORY fit into the recent Prince-Is-Finished threads?... Just look at the way their EXCEPTIONAL white peers are treated...I recall when Stevie Wonder released Hotter Than July some critics complained that it was not as ambitious as Songs In The Key of Life...They balked at the nerve of Stevie Wonder just releasing an "R&B" album that didn't push the boundaries of music...How dare he!!!...They deemed it a "good' album, and that's as far as they would go.....Now let's flip to when Bruce Springsteen releases Born In The USA...There was no mention of the album being less artistic than Nebraska...In fact critics lauded Bruce for being able to expand his musical base and reach out to the masses with his dignity intact...You gotta love it, huh? But the Super Negro Theory goes into overdrive once an artist gets past their prime...and here is where Prince fits in.... I will be the first to say that there have been lackluster and suck ass Prince albums (The Symbol album, Chaos & Disorder, New Power Soul, some of Musicology...ect...)...I have not always been happy with the man's work...But my expectations of him have always been reasonable...It's the same reasonable expectations that Bruce Springsteen fans have on the Boss...He can make a back-to-basics, roots-heavy album influnced by Woody Guthrie and no one (not his fans) would ever accuse him of leaning lazily on his influences...Neil Young can make a country-based album and his fans will judge it on the bases of it quality, not whether or not it strikes the same introspective chord as Harvest... Yet, Prince (The Super Negro) has to keep pushing forward...If he's not re-inventing the musical wheel he is deemed as finished...If he makes music that recalls his own prominent influence (James Brown) he is looked at as being a JB cover band...Remember, the Super Negro cannot simply just make music just 'cause...He/she has to be conceptual, original at all times, and recall the levels of their greatest years..... But the truth is, we are all accomplices here.......Instead of judging Stevie, Sly, Prince and the like on the same curve as their white counterparts we look at them as being more than human...We hold on dear to the whole "written, produced, performed, composed" tag for dear life, instead appreciating the fact that at the end of it all, these acts are just musicians who happened to get their chance to shine... Prince's music today reminds us all that we get old...We struggle to re-live our prime years...And for some folks, they have come to terms with this, choosing to connect with him on very specific levels (such as his live show, which is still viewed by many to be pretty damn good) and not just the albums... Others,however, depend on Prince to make GREAT, challenging music to help them cope with the fact that they are no longer in their own prime years...Thay are not the same person they used to be when Prince could do no wrong in the '80s...Prince's current Golden Years state is a brutal reminder that all of our prime years are behind us....This is a painful realization, ya'll.... In short, Prince fans who find the man unbearable should do their peace of mind a favor and just wait until he passes away and dies.....He's never going to give you what u want at this point...Or, you can pick and choose what you still dig about the man...Or you can go the route of a Bruce Springsteen fan and just enjoy the old man for what he is in 2010 and be thankful that you have had a chance to witness him when he was all that you ever wanted him to be... Life is more easier that way, right? [Edited 2/20/10 12:04pm] | |
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thanks, but do you have a shorter version, 
I'm not gonna read this looong post to find the meaning. sorry  Prince 4Ever.  | |
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thedance said: thanks, but do you have a shorter version,
I'm not gonna read this looong post to find the meaning. sorry What are you 12?... Save the sarcasm....Read it or don't... | |
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Love this thread totally agree with Can You Dig It... I Sure Can | |
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This is one of the greatest posts to ever be written here. Finally,a post that's mature etc.
I agree with the sentiments that Prince has always been held to an unfair standard that's impossible. Expect to hear the usual bullshit reponses by those you called out regarding THEIR prime to say some crap like "I complain because I know he can do better" blah blah blah | |
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murph said: thedance said: thanks, but do you have a shorter version,
I'm not gonna read this looong post to find the meaning. sorry What are you 12?... Save the sarcasm....Read it or don't... ok, I'm 44, I did not mean to sound negative..... let others comment on this, maybe I will read it later. [Edited 2/20/10 12:14pm] Prince 4Ever. | |
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Lol long ..... have you ever seen a thing called a book...
It amazes me the internet is made of words and people refuse to read anything more than 3 lines. Try it some time you might like it. As for the origonal poster , it's a well thought out theory, but I can't say I totaly agree, I think the main problem is people want that feeling and emotion they felt when they where of a different age and lifestyle, and the particular album they hold next to that emotion is always what they want from the next release. Due to there life being in a different place now they are disapointed when they do not feel that relived experiance everytime even though it is an unreasonable expectation. [Edited 2/20/10 12:15pm] | |
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feeling it...good post, let's be happy we still have prince around, and there's still the chance of grabbing a concert or two. even on the weaker albums there's always a diamond or two...we still have his back catalogue, much of which he still gets out live...innovation, zeitgiest, whatever u call it - its for those growing up in and steeped in the now. dre could never do a dizzee rascal (first album), but the furious five could't've been NWA. Peace, Mikey Comin str8 outta Preston... |
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xlr8r said: This is one of the greatest posts to ever be written here. Finally,a post that's mature etc. I agree with the sentiments that Prince has always been held to an unfair standard that's impossible. Expect to hear the usual bullshit reponses by those you called out regarding THEIR prime to say some crap like "I complain because I know he can do better" blah blah blah Agreed. Another great, objective, well thought out and constructive post. Something others fail to do. Always admired your posts whether i agree or not because of the reasons above. You struck just in time! This Post is produced, arranged, composed and performed by WetDream | |
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thedance said: murph said: What are you 12?... Save the sarcasm....Read it or don't... ok, I'm 44, I did not mean to sound negative..... let others comment on this, maybe I will read it later.
[Edited 2/20/10 12:14pm] I have to agree. Something about the style of writing. I got 2 lines in and thought, nah, can't be bothered anymore. | |
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xlr8r said: This is one of the greatest posts to ever be written here. Finally,a post that's mature etc.
I agree with the sentiments that Prince has always been held to an unfair standard that's impossible. Expect to hear the usual bullshit reponses by those you called out regarding THEIR prime to say some crap like "I complain because I know he can do better" blah blah blah While this is true, it certainly has nothing to do with Prince needing to be a 'Super Negro' in my book. So I disagree that I , as an Asian, take any part in the blame for this mentality because I never look at him as having to be anything due to the color of his skin. I don't hold Tracy Chapman, Jimmy Hendrix, Seal, or Sananda Maitreya(sp?) to the same standards as Prince, nor do I write them off as "entertainers". But Prince isn't your common musician...he's far beyond that, regardless of the colour of his skin (he's mexican Italian by the way folks--not black). If anything, I think of him as a super CLOSET GHEY. And a damend talented one at that. So, what other standard can I hold him to if not higher than other closeted gheys? | |
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80rn7rue said: Lol long ..... have you ever seen a thing called a book...
It amazes me the internet is made of words and people refuse to read anything more than 3 lines. Try it some time you might like it. As for the origonal poster , it's a well thought out theory, but I can't say I totaly agree, I think the main problem is people want that feeling and emotion they felt when they where of a different age and lifestyle, and the particular album they hold next to that emotion is always what they want from the next release. Due to there life being in a different place now they are disapointed when they do not feel that relived experiance everytime even though it is an unreasonable expectation. [Edited 2/20/10 12:15pm] | |
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pald1 said: thedance said: ok, I'm 44, I did not mean to sound negative..... let others comment on this, maybe I will read it later.
[Edited 2/20/10 12:14pm] I have to agree. Something about the style of writing. I got 2 lines in and thought, nah, can't be bothered anymore. LOL...sure...thanks.... Gotta love Prince fans... | |
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TheVoid said: xlr8r said: This is one of the greatest posts to ever be written here. Finally,a post that's mature etc.
I agree with the sentiments that Prince has always been held to an unfair standard that's impossible. Expect to hear the usual bullshit reponses by those you called out regarding THEIR prime to say some crap like "I complain because I know he can do better" blah blah blah While this is true, it certainly has nothing to do with Prince needing to be a 'Super Negro' in my book. So I disagree that I , as an Asian, take any part in the blame for this mentality because I never look at him as having to be anything due to the color of his skin. I don't hold Tracy Chapman, Jimmy Hendrix, Seal, or Sananda Maitreya(sp?) to the same standards as Prince, nor do I write them off as "entertainers". But Prince isn't your common musician...he's far beyond that, regardless of the colour of his skin (he's mexican Italian by the way folks--not black). If anything, I think of him as a super CLOSET GHEY. And a damend talented one at that. So, what other standard can I hold him to if not higher than other closeted gheys? The standard of being a Prince fan.... [Edited 2/20/10 12:30pm] | |
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TheVoid said: xlr8r said: This is one of the greatest posts to ever be written here. Finally,a post that's mature etc.
I agree with the sentiments that Prince has always been held to an unfair standard that's impossible. Expect to hear the usual bullshit reponses by those you called out regarding THEIR prime to say some crap like "I complain because I know he can do better" blah blah blah While this is true, it certainly has nothing to do with Prince needing to be a 'Super Negro' in my book. So I disagree that I , as an Asian, take any part in the blame for this mentality because I never look at him as having to be anything due to the color of his skin. I don't hold Tracy Chapman, Jimmy Hendrix, Seal, or Sananda Maitreya(sp?) to the same standards as Prince, nor do I write them off as "entertainers". But Prince isn't your common musician...he's far beyond that, regardless of the colour of his skin (he's mexican Italian by the way folks--not black). If anything, I think of him as a super CLOSET GHEY. And a damend talented one at that. So, what other standard can I hold him to if not higher than other closeted gheys? LOL | |
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I wouldn't even say it's a "Super Negro theory" thing as it's more of a "Super ignorant" fan thing. The whole saying, "You're only as good as your last effort" is a idea that is fueled by the industry. Prince can just okay in my eyes because of what he's done, he's proved himself. Fans of these kinds are greedy and have high expectations on lots of things in their life. not just Prince.
PS. Prince fans are some of the worst fans on this planet. [Edited 2/20/10 12:34pm] ..."holding someone is truly believing" | |
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murph said: pald1 said: I have to agree. Something about the style of writing. I got 2 lines in and thought, nah, can't be bothered anymore. LOL...sure...thanks.... Gotta love Prince fans... I can't believe some people are Prince fans on here sometimes. If anything, shouldn't you be the opposite when you enjoy Prince? A deep, artistic, intelligent person? I would of thought that would reflect in his fans but instead you get ones with the attention spans of a fish at times, ALL offence meant. I dunno.... [Edited 2/20/10 12:41pm] This Post is produced, arranged, composed and performed by WetDream | |
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No offense, but this theory seems to be going to excessively great lengths to explain why some of us think "There'll Never Be Another Chocolate Box Like Mine" is beneath him. | |
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Efan said: No offense, but this theory seems to be going to excessively great lengths to explain why some of us think "There'll Never Be Another Chocolate Box Like Mine" is beneath him.
Because he was the same guy that sung "Don't you want to play with my Tootsie Roll" in the '80s when you loved his purple dirty drawers...lol.. But on the real, this is not about Prince making music that's beneath him or lackluster...It's about fans not allowing Prince to fuck up or make average music much in the same way fans of Paul MacCartney do...Which goes back to the whole Super Negro theory... dig? [Edited 2/20/10 12:45pm] | |
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murph said: Efan said: No offense, but this theory seems to be going to excessively great lengths to explain why some of us think "There'll Never Be Another Chocolate Box Like Mine" is beneath him.
Because he was the same guy that sung "Don't you want to play with my Tootsie Roll" in the '80s when you loved his purple dirty drawers...lol.. But on the real, this is not about Prince making music that's beneath him or lackluster...It's about fans not allowing Prince to fuck up or make average music much in the same way fans Paul MacCartney do...Which goes back to the whole Super Negro theory... dig? [Edited 2/20/10 12:43pm] That's an unfair comparison though, no? Paul McCartney is no where near the level of Prince in so many aspects. It's not like Paul sets the bar. Prince, on the other hand sets the bar. Prince is by far the most talented closeted gay, Mexican-Italian, singer on the planet. Paul is just a pretty good songwriter and average singer. | |
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TheVoid said: murph said: Because he was the same guy that sung "Don't you want to play with my Tootsie Roll" in the '80s when you loved his purple dirty drawers...lol.. But on the real, this is not about Prince making music that's beneath him or lackluster...It's about fans not allowing Prince to fuck up or make average music much in the same way fans Paul MacCartney do...Which goes back to the whole Super Negro theory... dig? [Edited 2/20/10 12:43pm] That's an unfair comparison though, no? Paul McCartney is no where near the level of Prince in so many aspects. It's not like Paul sets the bar. Prince, on the other hand sets the bar. Prince is by far the most talented closeted gay, Mexican-Italian, singer on the planet. Paul is just a pretty good songwriter and average singer. Hey, you have your views...lol...But it seems like everyone else on the planet looks at Paul Mac as one of the greatest songwriters of ALL TIME...Yet, he is allowed to go about his business and make the music he wants to make not worrying about his next work reaching the greatness of "Elenor Rigby"...I'm just saying.... [Edited 2/20/10 12:56pm] | |
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Lol before I leave this thread: imo Paul MacCartney was an exceptional brilliant songwriter in The Beatles, better than Prince.
Prince was an excellent songwriter in 1978 to 1995. But talking about songwriting Prince hasn't created half as many classics as Paul MacCartney. Post the Beatles Paul hasn't delivered anything worthy (not to my knowledge) - like he did in The Beatles, just like Prince post Warner Bros.: Prince hasn't delivered any album truly great since 1995..... sure there are great Prince songs here and there, but not great albums... this is imo.  Prince 4Ever. | |
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I've always thought that Prince fans hold him to a ridiculous standard.
They complain when he does his classic material live when fans of every other classic artist love hearing the old stuff. Do you think Springsteen fans give a damn that they've heard Thunder Road 10,000 times??? I know Stones fans are ecstatic when they play Satisfaction. They say his new stuff isn't any good, then bitch when he doesn't play it. Then they have the nerve to compare people who enjoy Prince's new stuff to "battered wives". Which is extremely crass, and disrespectful. They say that folks would defend him if he commited capital murder, when he hasn't done anything remotely similar to that. I'm still trying see how taking videos off youtube equates to domestic abuse. JERKIN' EVERYTHING IN SIGHT!!!!! | |
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thedance said: Lol before I leave this thread: imo Paul MacCartney was an exceptional brilliant songwriter in The Beatles, better than Prince.
Prince was an excellent songwriter in 1978 to 1995. But talking about songwriting Prince hasn't created half as many classics as Paul MacCartney. Post the Beatles Paul hasn't delivered anything worthy (not to my knowledge) - like he did in The Beatles, just like Prince post Warner Bros.: Prince hasn't delivered any album truly great since 1995..... sure there are great Prince songs here and there, but not great albums... this is imo. Cool observation....And I agree that at his peak Paul was an exceptional, brilliant songwriter...That's as clear as day... But of course for me, it all goes back to this little nugget from my post...I picked it out since I know you really don't like reading long posts... "THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND WHEN IT COMES TO EXPECTATIONS OF BLACK ARTISTS" | |
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murph said: Reading the recent rash of "Prince Has Lost It" threads got me thinking about the exceptional expectations placed on some music artists...After doing a little research I've come to a conclusion:
I believe we are dealing with the "Super Negro Theory".... After having a long conversation with some Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, and Bruce Springsteen fans (on various occasions), it's jarringly obvious that there are different standards placed on certain acts across racial lines...But before some of you start accusing me of playing some antiquated race card, hear me out... This is not a simplistic case of black artists being judged unfairly when it comes to their white counterparts....If you ask me if Justin Timberlake deserves more acclaim, respect, and credit for his art than say an Usher, I would give a resounding YES...Because after all, as annoying as Timberlake can be, he actually proved himself given that he writes, produces, and at times plays on his own material (which is much more nuanced than Usher's work) and gives a more polished and complete live show when Usher still relies heavily on songwriters and producers to make him relevant and keep up with the Tre Songz of the world.... BUT, here's the RUB...THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND WHEN IT COMES TO EXPECTATIONS OF BLACK ARTISTS Either we are expected to be "entertainers" who rely heavily on the machine or we are expected to be THE SUPER NEGRO...And the crazy part is, we are ALL (black, white, asian, latino ect, ect...) to blame... So what is the SUPER NEGRO you ask? It's the self-contained artist who is deemed to have otherworldly musical powers...People don't view their art as coming from some intellectual, witty world view (I.E. Bob Dylan or Bowie).....They look at the SUPER NEGRO as being somehow mystical...a talent whose' art cannot be explained without hyperbole...Talent that comes naturally and not from good ol fashioned skill and hard work.. Through the years, there have been many notable SUPER NEGROS: Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, James Brown, Sun-Ra, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Prince, Rakim....These artists are looked at beyond being "good" musicians or vocalists/performers...In some cases the super negro has to live up to the hype of CHANGING the course of their respective musical genre, not just producing a good song...They can't just create a song to be enjoyed by the masses...They have to write, produce, arrange, play on, and sing on the material in order to be taken seriously as an artist...They can't be Madonna... So how does the SUPER NEGRO THEORY fit into the recent Prince-Is-Finished threads?... Just look at the way their EXCEPTIONAL white peers are treated...I recall when Stevie Wonder released Hotter Than July some critics complained that it was not as ambitious as Songs In The Key of Life...They balked at the nerve of Stevie Wonder just releasing an "R&B" album that didn't push the boundaries of music...How dare he!!!...They deemed it a "good' album, and that's as far as they would go.....Now let's flip to when Bruce Springsteen releases Born In The USA...There was no mention of the album being less artistic than Nebraska...In fact critics lauded Bruce for being able to expand his musical base and reach out to the masses with his dignity intact...You gotta love it, huh? But the Super Negro Theory goes into overdrive once an artist gets past their prime...and here is where Prince fits in.... I will be the first to say that there have been lackluster and suck ass Prince albums (The Symbol album, Chaos & Disorder, New Power Soul, some of Musicology...ect...)...I have not always been happy with the man's work...But my expectations of him have always been reasonable...It's the same reasonable expectations that Bruce Springsteen fans have on the Boss...He can make a back-to-basics, roots-heavy album influnced by Woody Guthrie and no one (not his fans) would ever accuse him of leaning lazily on his influences...Neil Young can make a country-based album and his fans will judge it on the bases of it quality, not whether or not it strikes the same introspective chord as Harvest... Yet, Prince (The Super Negro) has to keep pushing forward...If he's not re-inventing the musical wheel he is deemed as finished...If he makes music that recalls his own prominent influence (James Brown) he is looked at as being a JB cover band...Remember, the Super Negro cannot simply just make music just 'cause...He/she has to be conceptual, original at all times, and recall the levels of their greatest years..... But the truth is, we are all accomplices here.......Instead of judging Stevie, Sly, Prince and the like on the same curve as their white counterparts we look at them as being more than human...We hold on dear to the whole "written, produced, performed, composed" tag for dear life, instead appreciating the fact that at the end of it all, these acts are just musicians who happened to get their chance to shine... Prince's music today reminds us all that we get old...We struggle to re-live our prime years...And for some folks, they have come to terms with this, choosing to connect with him on very specific levels (such as his live show, which is still viewed by many to be pretty damn good) and not just the albums... Others,however, depend on Prince to make GREAT, challenging music to help them cope with the fact that they are no longer in their own prime years...Thay are not the same person they used to be when Prince could do no wrong in the '80s...Prince's current Golden Years state is a brutal reminder that all of our prime years are behind us....This is a painful realization, ya'll.... In short, Prince fans who find the man unbearable should do their peace of mind a favor and just wait until he passes away and dies.....He's never going to give you what u want at this point...Or, you can pick and choose what you still dig about the man...Or you can go the route of a Bruce Springsteen fan and just enjoy the old man for what he is in 2010 and be thankful that you have had a chance to witness him when he was all that you ever wanted him to be... Life is more easier that way, right? [Edited 2/20/10 12:04pm] Very nice analysis...whether you agree with the theory or not.  | |
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murph said: Reading the recent rash of "Prince Has Lost It" threads got me thinking about the exceptional expectations placed on some music artists...After doing a little research I've come to a conclusion:
I believe we are dealing with the "Super Negro Theory".... After having a long conversation with some Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, and Bruce Springsteen fans (on various occasions), it's jarringly obvious that there are different standards placed on certain acts across racial lines...But before some of you start accusing me of playing some antiquated race card, hear me out... This is not a simplistic case of black artists being judged unfairly when it comes to their white counterparts....If you ask me if Justin Timberlake deserves more acclaim, respect, and credit for his art than say an Usher, I would give a resounding YES...Because after all, as annoying as Timberlake can be, he actually proved himself given that he writes, produces, and at times plays on his own material (which is much more nuanced than Usher's work) and gives a more polished and complete live show when Usher still relies heavily on songwriters and producers to make him relevant and keep up with the Tre Songz of the world.... BUT, here's the RUB...THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND WHEN IT COMES TO EXPECTATIONS OF BLACK ARTISTS Either we are expected to be "entertainers" who rely heavily on the machine or we are expected to be THE SUPER NEGRO...And the crazy part is, we are ALL (black, white, asian, latino ect, ect...) to blame... So what is the SUPER NEGRO you ask? It's the self-contained artist who is deemed to have otherworldly musical powers...People don't view their art as coming from some intellectual, witty world view (I.E. Bob Dylan or Bowie).....They look at the SUPER NEGRO as being somehow mystical...a talent whose' art cannot be explained without hyperbole...Talent that comes naturally and not from good ol fashioned skill and hard work.. Through the years, there have been many notable SUPER NEGROS: Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, James Brown, Sun-Ra, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Prince, Rakim....These artists are looked at beyond being "good" musicians or vocalists/performers...In some cases the super negro has to live up to the hype of CHANGING the course of their respective musical genre, not just producing a good song...They can't just create a song to be enjoyed by the masses...They have to write, produce, arrange, play on, and sing on the material in order to be taken seriously as an artist...They can't be Madonna... So how does the SUPER NEGRO THEORY fit into the recent Prince-Is-Finished threads?... Just look at the way their EXCEPTIONAL white peers are treated...I recall when Stevie Wonder released Hotter Than July some critics complained that it was not as ambitious as Songs In The Key of Life...They balked at the nerve of Stevie Wonder just releasing an "R&B" album that didn't push the boundaries of music...How dare he!!!...They deemed it a "good' album, and that's as far as they would go.....Now let's flip to when Bruce Springsteen releases Born In The USA...There was no mention of the album being less artistic than Nebraska...In fact critics lauded Bruce for being able to expand his musical base and reach out to the masses with his dignity intact...You gotta love it, huh? But the Super Negro Theory goes into overdrive once an artist gets past their prime...and here is where Prince fits in.... I will be the first to say that there have been lackluster and suck ass Prince albums (The Symbol album, Chaos & Disorder, New Power Soul, some of Musicology...ect...)...I have not always been happy with the man's work...But my expectations of him have always been reasonable...It's the same reasonable expectations that Bruce Springsteen fans have on the Boss...He can make a back-to-basics, roots-heavy album influnced by Woody Guthrie and no one (not his fans) would ever accuse him of leaning lazily on his influences...Neil Young can make a country-based album and his fans will judge it on the bases of it quality, not whether or not it strikes the same introspective chord as Harvest... Yet, Prince (The Super Negro) has to keep pushing forward...If he's not re-inventing the musical wheel he is deemed as finished...If he makes music that recalls his own prominent influence (James Brown) he is looked at as being a JB cover band...Remember, the Super Negro cannot simply just make music just 'cause...He/she has to be conceptual, original at all times, and recall the levels of their greatest years..... But the truth is, we are all accomplices here.......Instead of judging Stevie, Sly, Prince and the like on the same curve as their white counterparts we look at them as being more than human...We hold on dear to the whole "written, produced, performed, composed" tag for dear life, instead appreciating the fact that at the end of it all, these acts are just musicians who happened to get their chance to shine... Prince's music today reminds us all that we get old...We struggle to re-live our prime years...And for some folks, they have come to terms with this, choosing to connect with him on very specific levels (such as his live show, which is still viewed by many to be pretty damn good) and not just the albums... Others,however, depend on Prince to make GREAT, challenging music to help them cope with the fact that they are no longer in their own prime years...Thay are not the same person they used to be when Prince could do no wrong in the '80s...Prince's current Golden Years state is a brutal reminder that all of our prime years are behind us....This is a painful realization, ya'll.... In short, Prince fans who find the man unbearable should do their peace of mind a favor and just wait until he passes away and dies.....He's never going to give you what u want at this point...Or, you can pick and choose what you still dig about the man...Or you can go the route of a Bruce Springsteen fan and just enjoy the old man for what he is in 2010 and be thankful that you have had a chance to witness him when he was all that you ever wanted him to be... Life is more easier that way, right? [Edited 2/20/10 12:04pm] Excellent post murph. You've made some very good points, and I agree, way too often many of his fans hold him to a very, high standard, while not appreciating or embracing his versatility in music. Also, way too often you will find many of his fans desiring that Prince fill a void missing in their lives, often wishing he could be the fantasies they desire, which in reality, he cannot fulfill those fantasies for them. They have to learn how to separate the musician/artist/persona/performer on stage from the individual he is off stage. Not every fan will like every piece of music he creates, but at least they should enjoy and appreciate that they've had the opportunity to enjoy the music he has shared over the years, and the experience of seeing this genius musician/artist perform. [Edited 2/20/10 14:04pm] | |
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Excellent essay. Most of the music journalists who critique are coming from the same white, middle/upper class, priviledged, eurocentric background. The radio owners/programmers, record company executives and media conglomerate powers come from the same class. If the complexion of the standard bearers and powers-that-be changed, so would the anaylsis of the art form.
And while we're on the subject, don't you hate the term "classic rock" for it's connotations. Compositional music based around the drum or complex rhythmns never get the same respect as the simple rock n roll backbeat (which was also developed by black music forms)- Unless of course, they happen to be Paul Simon, Sting, David Byrne (then it's praised as the intellectual use of "tribal" culture). Prince confounds them all because there is no denying his massive talent. He can kill em at what they do best while at the same time creating his own genre. Believe me, Bruce, Neil Young, Bono...know they can't get up on the stage with the man. Most musicians acknowledge the greatness of P, but he won't truly be appreciated by critics until it's all over. | |
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murph said: thedance said: thanks, but do you have a shorter version,
I'm not gonna read this looong post to find the meaning. sorry What are you 12?... Save the sarcasm....Read it or don't... EXACTLY excellent response  |
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xlr8r said: This is one of the greatest posts to ever be written here. Finally,a post that's mature etc.
I agree with the sentiments that Prince has always been held to an unfair standard that's impossible. Expect to hear the usual bullshit reponses by those you called out regarding THEIR prime to say some crap like "I complain because I know he can do better" blah blah blah I totally agree, this is the best thread I have read n a long time
Thank u murph 4 going there. Very well written and so true  |
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thedance said: Lol before I leave this thread: imo Paul MacCartney was an exceptional brilliant songwriter in The Beatles, better than Prince.
Prince was an excellent songwriter in 1978 to 1995. But talking about songwriting Prince hasn't created half as many classics as Paul MacCartney. Post the Beatles Paul hasn't delivered anything worthy (not to my knowledge) - like he did in The Beatles, just like Prince post Warner Bros.: Prince hasn't delivered any album truly great since 1995..... sure there are great Prince songs here and there, but not great albums... this is imo. u had me scared 4 a minute, glad I finished reading all of your post where u added n the end IMO  |
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