The early 1990s saw Rap and Hip Hop reach to new heights as the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences continued to add new Grammy honors to it's growing list of presentations. After giving Rap it's first Grammy in 1989, the door was wide open for the sound of the street to flow freely across the air waves, as cash registers rang all around the globe (ca ching!). Rap got an additional boost from award winning Producer Quincy Jones. His album, Back On The Block released that same year, seemed to serve notice that Rap was not only worthy of greater attention, but was also a viable musical entity within the recording industry. It wasn't long before established artists from almost every genre were incorporating Rap into their own sounds.
The hard sound of Gangsta Rap soon made it's way up from the under ground and into the mainstream. Fueled by an aggressive rhythmic attack and explicit lyrics, the music quickly grew in popularity as a conflict loomed in the background. Over time, a supposed rivalry between East Coast and West Coast Rappers boiled over, culminating in the death of two of it's biggest stars, Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G
The feud was said to be just media hype designed to sell more records. However, the Black community was not amused and filed protests with the recording industry over what it felt was exploitation of urban misery and violence in the name of profit.
Needing to keep it real, the industry began to recruit and sign Rap artist who were still very much a part of the Rap subculture, but whose approach was more musical, with lyrics more reflective of who they were and where they were from. But, what's more, the early to mid 90s saw the introduction and rise of the Boy and Girl bands.
Some of the more familiar names are Backstreet Boys, Nsync, 98 degrees, Spice Girls, Expose, and All Saints. What made these groups different from their 50s and 60s counterparts is the way that some of them came to be. Many of the Boy and Girl bands of the 90s were the result of ads placed in news papers or large trade publications by producers who were looking to form such acts. Those that answered the ads would audition for a chance to be chosen, in the hopes of achieving stardom. Several members of the Backstreet Boys actually met while auditioning to be a part of other such acts. Here at last was the very situation that the music industry big wigs had been trying to get back to since the days of Disco.
Members of acts formed in this way more often then not were hungry for stardom and eager to sign on the dotted line. They no doubt had no qualms about what rights they may have been signing away. Once they were signed, they were fast tracked to the top.
The sound was a mix of Pop, R&B, and Hip Hop blended into a homogenized confection designed to catch the attention of the target audience of 14 to 24 years old. A strong emphasis was placed on appearance. It's just my opinion, but having good looks appeared to be more important than having the ability to sing, write, or play an instrument. Once signed to a major label, in house writers and producers went to work on designing a sound to fit each band's image. Big money from the majors insured that they would be guaranteed to get their fair share of media exposure.
By the mid 90s, these groups were hot, though rarely did they appear in public performance playing instruments. The Economy was booming, as the nation was in the middle of it's longest period of economic growth in it's history. Many people had jobs who never had them before. Disposable cash allowed potential record buyers within the target demographic to indulge in their favorite bands. Over time, the sound of the music began to exhibit a certain bland and repetitiveness that left it less than memorable. Some critics even considered it to be as "disposable," as the money that bought it.
But, this is what Disco had become, before it's demise. Mass produced like fast food and just as easily disposed of. However, music fans and consumers were behind the revolt that lead to the fall of Disco. While by the late 90s the blandness of Pop music was being called into question, most of which remained as just questions. Questions as to why the bands were having such huge success while no one within the bands were writing or playing on any of their major hits. There was a low rumble but nothing near the revolt that lead to the demise of Disco. The machine produced hit after hit until sales peaked in 1999. Some have said that the decline that followed into the 21st century, was due in part to the mass produce mind set. This may or may not be true, but there are some other factors that came into play as well.
Once again, the Rap and Hip Hop merry-go round was employed as a new group of stars that included P-Diddy, J Z, and Kanye West came onto the scene. But, by the late 90s, just as the major labels dreams had come true, a new nemesis for the music industry would arise in the guise of the Mp3 and internet file sharing.
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