I'm not hatin'. I'm just making comparisons to greatness.

[The Blue Method]

I sometimes get into heated discussions about today's singers. After expressing my views, I sometimes get called a "hater". I hate that dumb word. It's completely dismissive of any rational reason for disliking someone's music. Reasons like "Their lyrics are so crappy", or "Everyone in R&B sounds exactly the same", or "I bet you'll hear an "OH!" before this song is over". (LOL!) I actually had someone tell me that he didn't think STEVIE WONDER could really sing all that well. Crazy, right? But he likes Neyo! Or was it Usher? Wait. No, it might've been Chris Brown, or Lloyd, or Trey Songs, or fill in current R&B singer here. Like I said, they're all the same dude. Who in his right mind doubts the vocal ability of Stevie frickin' Wonder? He's got it all man! If you like tons of vocal acrobatics? Stevie's got it covered better than any of the aforementioned arti- I mean singers. If you like someone who can hit a pure note without moving all around, I KNOW he's got that covered better than any of those guys too. We won't even talk about lyrics. (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?) The point is...none of the current singers have any character in their voices. Many people don't get what I'm saying because they've never REALLY LISTENED to great singers of the past. If the only song you've heard by Sam Cooke is Change is Gonna Come for instance, it might actually be a novelty for you. It may have never crossed your mind that no one today comes close to the soul that man exuded. But if you take the time to go buy some Sam Cooke (AND YOU SHOULD!!!), and really get into it, you might not be able to listen to the radio anymore. You'll be disgusted. And lets not even mention how pissed you'll be at what's on the radio if you actually start listening to several artists from the era of Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, JAMES BROWN, let's stop there for now. So when you start listening to these amazing artists, and you start to get your favorite songs by them...you'll start comparing it to what's on the radio now, and you may find yourself wondering, "Why haven't I been listening to this amazing music all this time?" You'll be awake. Then you'll begin to realize just how much great music is out there that you'll never hear on POWER, KISS, HOT, or WIRED fm. Then maybe someone will call you...a hater.

[The Blue Method]

Kita, you are so right when you say, "I believe there are some artist who have major talent in their vocals that they haven't tapped yet but they don't have to." A key example of this for me would be Beyonce. When you go and watch Cadillac Records, you may leave the theater asking yourself, "Why can't she sing like that all the time?" or "Why can't she write lyrics like that in her own work?" I felt like she sang like a grown woman in both Cadillac Records and Dream Girls. I think she's afraid to put the "stink" on it when it comes to her own songs. Mary J Blige on the other hand...may not be the best singer, but YOU WILL FEEL MARY before that song is over because she's gonna give you all of herself!

[Kita-Simone]

Music for every generation is different. The music of today is missing something... Variety. I love the sounds of past artist. Don't get me wrong, I like a lot of the artist today too. Sometimes I can't tell which artist is which. Plus, all the genres are sounding alike too. It sells and as long as it sells... Nobody is going to make it any different. I believe there are some artist who have major talent in their vocals that they haven't tapped yet but they don't have to. They make money doing what they do. Then you have the artist that can't sing a lick but get paid big bucks. So, I don't think you're a hater; I think you have a valid point.

[Professor Kim]

Bobby Womack -- whachu know about some Bobby Womack! I still remember dancing to "That's the Way I Feel About Cha" with a very special someone back in 1973 ;-)
And did I mention I saw the Temptations live when Paul was still with the group? For my 12th birthday -- Psychedelic Shack was the hotness then. Now THEY were superior male vocalists!

[The Blue Method]

Thanks so much for chiming in Beth, Almighty(what up dog?), Prof.Kim and Polo. I love that line about skipping your gut Beth. And if it doesn't go all the way to your toes, I guess its just sex tunes then. LOL! And you said it Almighty! No clue! Ask the next teenager you see if they know who Bobby Womack is. LOL! Prof, you dropped some amazing names in that post. I like Carl's voice. I just think he should stay away from the teen-pleasing lyrics. "Homies" and "at the club" are lyrics the greats just wouldn't have even considered. Polo, my man...thanks!

[Professor Kim]

When I was a kid, I didn't think Stevie was the greatest vocalist either. But I saw Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, Smokey, and a whole lot of legends perform when I was growing up. I really started appreciating Stevie (and Donny Hathaway, who I think has some vocal similarities) when I listened to some of the contemporary singers who try to cover their music. The real deal is that Stevie is one of the greatest musicians of last century. The industry doesn't reward that kind of musicianship any more, from this outsider's observation.

What I wonder is why the real male vocalists out there, like Carl Thomas, don't get more play?

[The Almighty JiQsaw]

B, it's up to us to keep the real music alive, and to teach the truth to the youth, as they have NO CLUE of what true music is!

[Beth NoLastName]

Well, how about that. I thought it was just me and I was growing old. The word music means more to me than a few notes and some lyrics. It's communication...deep stuff. I suppose if people aren't as deep now their sense of music is simply not coming from the same place as mine. If it skips your gut and doesn't get all the way to your toes, to me it's just pleasant or unpleasant sound...not necessarily music. Music brings me inside it and gets inside me. Noise is just noise.