Schooless Groove

The subject of "old school," is not easy to talk about with a certain amount of negativity. But, try to keep in mind that everything that I say will be not only subjective, but will be my own opinion. So, why say anything at all? First of all, defining "old school," varies from source to source. As near as I can tell, "old school," is any R&B music from before 1992. That's just a guess. The actual term, "old school," is street vernacular for Rap music that wasn't done in the latest style. Ultimately, the term has come to refer to any Black music that isn't done in the
latest style. And of course, with continued use, it has come to mean anything that is not done or made in the latest style.

In reference to R&B music, the concept of "old school," tends to relegate certain artists' music to the repetition of their former hits and reunion tours. But, the sound of "old school," is undeniably true to a stronger sense of melody and songwriting craftsmanship. This is where the negativity comes in. There is an obvious and discernible difference between "old school," and "new school." "New school," is the sound of today's mainstream music market place. So the issue becomes a matter of taste, right?

In the 80s, when Rap was on the rise, a lot of school districts were forced to make cuts in certain programs in order to keep their doors open. Music programs were usually among the first to go. Many young people interested in leaning more about making music turned to the sound of the street. The Rap music of that time didn't always require music. This appealed those who wanted a chance to make it in the music business. The major labels were finding out about the power of the "novelty," of Rap, and looked for ways to capitalize on it. One way to do that was to keep bringing fresh faces to the forefront. This served to encourage a whole generation away from traditional music making and toward Rap, which grew in popularity partly because of the influx of people wanting to seek their fortunes.

In 1989, the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences did their part by awarding the first Rap Grammy, which served to legitimize Rap as a true music art form all its own. From then until the present, becoming a "Rap Star," has been something to aspire to.

During the mid 1990s, a huge amount of merging and acquiring left the recording industry pared down to just four major label competitors. Artists whose music was not selling or not selling well were let go as the majors began to do what ever it took to maintain their bottom lines. Since selling music was not necessarily the make focus or source of revenue for these huge conglomerates, the nature of what was popular with the music buying public was not their number one concern. Instead, it became a matter of who was selling well and what was selling well, and then sell that until something or some else came along. Most often, however, it's been more like an endless attempt to keep the "assembly line," moving, rendering the sound of what was being sold, more and more disposable.

This may sound like so much criticism, but how else can it be stated if the result of this trend has contributed to a continued decline in record sales. But, my purpose is not to condemn a particular style of music over another. When you go DIY you don't really have the time. As a fan of music, I'm always on the lookout for something that I think sounds great. And I'm not really not that big on nostalgia, while I admit that music of the recent past still hods a fascination for me. I personally have only wanted for music to pick up where it left off. Put melody back into the forefront and try to raise the lyrical content at least to a level that on one would mind singing. Make something memorable, yet indescribable. I'm talking about creating a schooless grove.