In the never-ending quest to maintain musical relevance, nu-metal band Korn recently came forward to declare that they invented dubstep. As a DJ and producer of dance music, it took me all of two seconds to determine that this declaration is nothing but a pitiful cry for attention from a band that is slipping out of the spotlight in a world where EDM (electronic dance music)–particularly dubstep–is slowly infiltrating popular culture and is beginning to generate a lot of attention.
Dubstep was actually invented in London in the late 1990′s as a derivative genre of 2-step garage, ‘reggae’ dub, UK grime, and drum and bass. It is deeply rooted in the underground, but has slowly made its way into the American mainstream. Early into the new millennium, dubstep hopped the pond and crossed over into America, and started developing on an underground level, unheard of by the majority of Americans until recently. In a short amount of time, dubstep in America went from being relatively unknown to one of the most popular and highly marketable genres of music. Artists such as Skrillex, Rusko, and Deadmau5 have become figureheads for the genre, and are now some of the most popular names in music. Skrillex is nominated for 5 Grammy Awards in this years Grammy’s, an unheard feat for an EDM artist. You can hear many of his songs in popular commercials, and even my 12-year-old sister blasts Skrillex on repeat.
Right now, dubstep is all the rage. But why? How did dubstep get so popular so fast, and why are artists like Korn so desperate to be associated with it? I believe its appeal is partially a result of the fact that like many other notorious genres throughout the history of music, it has a controversial reputation, the kind of reputation that makes parents concerned that it will negatively influence their children. Subsequently, this makes it very tempting for America’s youth to involve themselves with it. As transparent and sad as Korn’s attempt at linking themselves with dubstep was, I completely see the logic behind it. Dubstep is the next big thing.
As the world of music progresses, it seems as though a lot of the music that is most popular amongst America’s youth is periodically whatever genres parents consider to be the worst influence on their children at that time. This, in turn, leads many to rebel in an effort to find out what these genres are all about. The allure of the taboo is largely responsible for surges in popularity of “problem” genres such as metal, rap/hip-hop, and most recently, dance music. Each of these genres have their own perceived negative qualities that contribute to their unique and unfavorable reputations.
Parents feared that metal music would turn their children into satanic, drug-addicted misanthropes that would be forever lost.
Hip-hop and rap have been dirty words and banned in innumerable households for many years now, in fear that it will turn nice children into violent ‘dice-tossin’, ho pimpin’, bitch slappin’, drug slangin’, pot smokin’ hoodlums’, resulting in hoards of illegitimate children and run-ins with the law. I’m not just talking about contemporary hip-hop, flooded with references about pimped out vehicles, promiscuous sex, “stacks of cheddar”, and Hennessy. Hip-hop has had a negative reputation since its early days, back when it was more about poetic expression of life’s struggles than the pursuit of a materialistic lifestyle.
“In the end, regardless of the genre, music enriches our lives in a way nothing else can”
This isn’t just a contemporary thing either. Controversy has surrounded certain musical genres for nearly a century.
Jazz in the roaring 1920′s is said to have given birth to promiscuity.
Some of the older generations seem to have been deeply appalled by Elvis’ “suggestive” dance moves.
Also, who could forget Woodstock’s era of rock-and-roll? Woodstock is practically synonymous with sex and drugs.
The scandalous reputations of these genres didn’t push fans away. They just made these genres seem even more intriguing and thrilling, and rapidly attracted new fans who wanted to know what the buzz was all about.
Now in 2011, we revere artists like Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, and The Grateful Dead. Elvis is practically a deity, forever immortalized for his contributions to music. Also, jazz is considered to be one of the most cultured forms of music. So what changed? Time and the progression of music.
Every time a new genre comes out that can be viewed as a bad influence, it is demonized. It seems like every time a new controversial genre surfaces, people seem to forget about how “bad” the older ones are.
There is little that drives a child to do something more than being told that it is bad or dangerous. Children listen to this music as a form of rebellion- it’s been that way since at least the 1920′s. Society has just changed its views on what it considers “problem” music to be over time, and it seems like every new genre tops the old ones. Just like russian dolls, old “trouble” genres are covered up by newer ones, and the focus shifts.
Growing up in Baltimore, I have a deep rooted love for hip-hop and rap. Up until the time I went to college, hip-hop consumed me. I played it loud and frequently, much to the dismay of my parents, who were worried about how negatively it would impact me and “corrupt” me. They believed listening to hip-hop would compromise my character and turn into a bad person, which consequently angered me and drove me to listen to it even more. But when they found out I had become involved with dance music to the point where I was a DJ and producer, they went into a full-fledged panic, catastrophizing about how it would ruin my life, because of what they had heard about EDM. They pleaded with me to stop being involved in dance music, hell, get back into hip-hop even. In their eyes, becoming involved with EDM was the worst thing that could have happened to me. But they have never been to a dance music event, and refuse to even listen to any of the music, so there is no real foundation behind their arguments. The only thing they have to go off of is what they have heard about EDM, a stereotype most frequently spread by people who have no concept of what the genre even entails. All they know is that dance music is now the new token bad reputation genre, and just like that, hip-hop is no longer a major concern.
Young people are most susceptible to getting drawn into these genres. Those who have yet to fully develop a strong sense of self are often curious, and more importantly, extremely impressionable. Dubstep is particularly appealing to them because not only is it a sub-genre umbrella-ed within the newest controversial genre, dance music, it is extremely hard-hitting, classified by an excessive amount of bass, screeching noises, and in many cases, a lack of melody. Some have dubbed dubstep a new, more electronic take on metal music. It evokes a similar response in which many dance to it wildly, stomping around and even forming mosh pits. This of course, is a rash stylistic over-generalization, as there are many different sub-genres of dubstep, but the elements I listed above are deemed some of the most critical core components of dubstep music. Combine the hard-hitting, angsty, aggressive sound with the controversy that comes from the fact that it is a form of dance music, and what you get is an audience that ranges from goths dressed in all black with 4 inch ear gauges, to thugged-out hip-hop fans (there is a strong correlation between hip-hop and dubstep, as many dubstep artists started in hip-hop, and many dubstep songs feature rap vocals), to frat bros, to prepubescent, bright-eyed teeny boppers. The appeal of the genre is extremely wide, and attracts different demographics for different reasons, which is a big reason why dubstep has enjoyed a meteoric rise to popularity, and has become successful so fast.
I believe that genres with bad reputations are often falsely represented and misunderstood. I feel that no genre of music is inherently “bad” or a “negative influence”, but I do believe they can be capable of leading people astray if they are not involved with the music for the right reasons. Lots of people like to say that dance music is about drugs, sex, and hedonistic irresponsible decisions. But as somebody who has devoted myself fully to dance music, I feel that I am qualified to say that that is not an accurate representation of what dance music is truly about. My parents feared that dance music would turn me into a careless person who would spend all my time partying. That sentiment could not be farther from the truth. In fact, I actually started going out a lot less when I became a DJ and producer, because I preferred to stay in and work on mixes and make tracks. It may sound cool and glamorous, but really it just means I like to play around on software and gear all day. That’s right–people expect DJs to be party animals and overall wild people, but in reality, all I am is a glorified tech and computer nerd.
The point I am trying to make is, musical genres, just like anything else in life, are what you make of them. The best advice I can give is to be interested in the types of music you are passionate about because you genuinely love and appreciate them. Many of the stereotypes about these genres are inaccurate and should not form your opinion solely based on them. That being said, there is, unfortunately, some level of validity to those stereotypes. There is nothing that devastates me more than reading headlines about drug related incidents at raves, not only because it is sad, but also because it perpetuates all the negative stereotypes about the genre, and gives young impressionable fans the idea that this is the kind of behavior that accompanies being a part of the scene. It is unfortunate that incidents like this occur, because they are not an accurate representation of what the scene actually stands for, and the negative vastly overshadows the positive.
Just like young teenagers should not be out at bars and nightclubs, they should not be out at raves and shows, and that’s the bottom line. The music itself is not an issue; the concerns arise when impressionable young people who are not developed enough to make informed decisions get mixed up in adult nightlife settings. Being a part of the EDM community doesn’t mean you have to or should attend festivals or raves. In the end, it should just be about the music. Dance music, just like all other genres of music, is meant to be appreciated for what it is, and can actually be a very positive musical experience for fans young and old. The digital nature of dance music allows people to create it right from their computers, expanding creative possibilities. More than a few established EDM artists got their start by just making music in their bedroom on their computer. That’s what so beautiful about it- you don’t need fancy equipment, a studio, or lots of money to create great work.
Music is one of the greatest gifts the world has to offer. It inspires us, helps us through tough times, and pushes us to new levels of creativity and achievement. It’s a universal language that everyone understands. In the end, regardless of the genre, music enriches our lives in a way nothing else can.
While
some of my experiences certainly influence my music more than others, I
like to think they’ve all played some part in shaping my musical
identity.
