March 2019 – Page 2 – Artistic Apathy

Nujabes, Soul Music

I believe there are two types of soul food. There’s the one most people are acquainted with. I’m talking cornbread, fried pork chops and mac and cheese. Then there’s the other soul food.

Music.

If someone asked me for some good “soul music,” I would direct them to Nujabes.

I discovered Nujabes circa 2014 when I was on my expedition into deeper music territory. I was heavily into electronic music at the time. From there I gravitated towards strictly beats, then Hip-Hop beats and that’s how I found Nujabes.

Nujabes is a blend of Hip-Hop, Jazz and Soul and it is done so beautifully and seamlessly. The late DJ is truly a legend in my and many others’ books. His use of flutes, piano arrangements, and saxophones have captivated me from the moment I came to know him.

His music moves my soul, it’s hard to explain the intricacy of how this music permeates the body and reaches inside. I feel uplifted, like in another plane. When I listen to Luv (sic.) pt3, my favorite track, I feel an emergence of my soul. I feel hopeful. I feel nostalgic, like I’m being called home.

On Imaginary Folklore, the serenading Japanese vocals soothe me. It makes me feel like everything is alright. Nujabes’ music helps me see the beauty in the world and appreciate it. Sometimes I’m so moved I want to write my own lyrics to the songs.

I can see his music being played in a piano bar or at your friendly neighborhood kickback. It’s so versatile and universal, anyone can enjoy. I remember I received a guest to my house one day and I was playing Nujabes, they never heard him before but they explained to me that the ambience made them feel peaceful and relaxed.

Even so, his music is not so mainstream with Americans. Real Hip-Hop heads are sure to know who this legend is but I feel he deserves more recognition.

Nujabes, your music continues to touch and inspire a generation of people and I’m sure it will for generations to come. You have left behind a legacy so impeccable, you will be remembered for years to come.

I truly respect artists who put their heart and soul into their music. Nujabes was one of them.

Rest in the clouds, king.

Can You Copyright a Culture?

In our politically correct climate nowadays, you hear a lot of talk about “cultural appropriation.”

Before I was one of the people who watched others like a hawk to see if they were “appropriating.” I don’t know where I sit on the issue anymore, frankly. I remember hairstyles being a topic of discussion and at that point I just sort of quit.

But can you “copyright” a culture? I know how this may sound. I’m not arguing that people can take cultures and make whatever ridicule they want out of them. Hear me out, please. But do the trademarks of a particular culture, let’s say Hip-Hop, belong to a certain group of people by right?

I see a lot of sentiments around Hip-Hop for example but it’s not the only example. Before, Hip-Hop was predominately African-American. Now you have people of other races as frontrunners. There are some who insist that non-African-Americans will never truly embody Hip-Hop. The thing is, Hip-Hop has changed so much throughout the years, it’s not the same thing it was before. Hip-Hop has grown to have a global impact and not only is it influential, it’s lucrative too. As I look at Hip-Hop around the world, for example, in China, Japan, Korea, Canada, The UK, Germany, Russia… they are really just doing their own thing. While they certainly look up to American artists, they’re not much worried about what Americans think of them, let alone their music. They are appealing to an audience.

So do Hip-Hop artists from these countries owe American rappers something? Or are they just doing what humans do? Discovering something and putting their own flavor into it?

I like to think there’s no problem with this. But can you really own a sub-culture or a lifestyle? These are just my thoughts and this wasn’t meant to prove a point. Just to provoke thinking and hopefully spark a discussion. I’d love to hear from people in the comments. Until next time.

The Universal Language

I’ve often heard music be described as the “universal language” or the “language of the soul.”

This implies that music reaches people no matter what their origin or nationality or creed may be. You don’t always have to understand the lyrics of a song. Sometimes a song can have no lyrics and still touch you. Many people argue they can’t listen to a song without understanding the lyrics.

I’m of the camp that thinks this is a non-issue. As I listen to a song by one of my favorite foreign artists, I can feel the emotion of what he’s saying. I don’t speak his language but already I can tell it’s an outpouring of emotion. This is also assisted by the fact that it’s the first track of the album and the album picture has a transcription on it that reads: — why didn’t you tell anyone? — no one asked

This is a sentiment I’ve shared in the past.

Before I was struggling in the shadows and didn’t want to burden anyone with my problems. Why didn’t you tell anyone? Nobody asked. I don’t know the whole story but this implies the artist went through something that at the time he would have rather not talked about. Perhaps he’s finally coming clean about it on this track. I’ve looked up the lyrics and really, I don’t speak Japanese but I feel the mystique of not knowing makes it that much sweeter. Why is it some people need to understand every word of a song and focus so much on lyrics while others gravitate towards music in foreign languages or just like the feeling of a song? I guess it’s a mystery.

Cover image: Untitled album by KOHH

I Wanna Be…

Growing up I was told I could be a number of things. Writer, illustrator, film director… and I believed them. My imagination pushed me forward and carried me through childhood and adolescence. Somewhere along the way I sort of lost sense of that and who I was. I began searching but I don’t think I was ever lost. To this day, I feel I still have a sense of what it is I need to do but I’m more doubtful. The vision is not that clear anymore. It seemed before it was clear what I needed to do. Now I’m not so sure… I see people of all sorts of backgrounds, from around the world, bask in excellence. Whether they’re an athlete, model, a singer, everyone has something they’re good at it and shine at… I just want that to be me. Let me be great, let me shine. I can’t stand the idea of being ordinary. I don’t want to fade away, I want to leave behind a legacy. I want to have impacted people in some way. I don’t want to just exist, I want to live. No longer do I want to look at others living their life to the fullest and wish that was me. I want to make it a reality. I want to fight for a dream worth fighting for. Let me be…

Love’s Mystique

The idea of love has long been elusive to me. At one point I even wondered if anyone loved me at all. I thought I had to go out of my way to find love.

Still, fast forward today and I’m still naive to what love is. I can say without question that I love my friends and family but to what extent does my love go? Could they ever do something to make me not love them anymore?

When does “love” cross over into something sacrificial? When you give up how you feel, and what you want for the betterment of others? Or is all real love sacrificial? As you can see this is something I’m still in the process of figuring out. Is it important to feel loved at all times to feel happy? Or can someone feel happy just being alone? I value alone time but I can’t be alone for too long before I start to feel like something is missing.

I’d like to experience a true love for once. For a long time I’ve fantasized about finding someone that is truly meant for me, who likes me for my quirks and enjoys spending time with me. That person hasn’t come around still but until then I wonder if there is a way I can “maximize” love. This may sound strange but I’ve heard many people say this is the key to happiness. If I can find it within myself to be a more loving person, maybe I will be more receptive to love and won’t feel like there’s a hole in my heart all the time. Just some thoughts.

This has been a very personal post from the writer at Artistic Apathy, signing off.