DwnWthVwls

Maybe they don't want to use their music as a socio-political soapbox. Maybe their opinions are personal. I don't see why they are expected to speak out just because of their media presence. Honestly, I'd rather they didn't along with everyone else who isn't educated about a topic. Far too many uneducated people argue over politics, religion, economics, etc when they don't wholly understand what kind of effects their ideology would have on the system they are criticizing.

I also don't like the fact that you restrict this to A list artists. I can give you a fuck ton of social-politically conscious artists that are not mainstream.

Also, here is a mainstream example:

Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass

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I don't got a god complex, you got a simple god...

Soulflower

Thanks

Also, I am aware that there are other conscious artists besides mainstream but just pointing out an observation that I notice.

So you don't think that pop stars have a social responsibility once they reach a certain level? Do you think pop stars should at least be in touch with problems that affect everyday people?

Chula Vista

Who said they are not in touch with problems going on in the world. You keep going there and I don't know why.

And no, they have zero responsibility just becasue they are successful.

Again the civil rights movement was a HUGE thing. Ferguson is a blip by comparison.

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“The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well,
on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away
and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”

DwnWthVwls

-No. I think they have greater power to do so but they should not feel obligated anymore than any other member of society. I don't put these people on a pedestal.

-If they are interested in it. Again, I don't expect them to do anything different from any other member of society. They aren't special, their career just happens to put them in the spotlight.

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I don't got a god complex, you got a simple god...

Soulflower

This is very true.


The reason why I asked these questions because although they are not social activists the people who are affected by social issues (mostly) are the people that go to their concerts, buy their CD's, perfumes etc.

So while I think they are not obligated to care about the very people who made them who they are, I think that when their audiences is affected by something I think they should at least show they care about them. I dunno. I think they should in a way be held accountable especially if they claim to care about social issues.

Surell

I don't want to be off topic but where in the fuck are you getting these ideas from? Despite your stance on the matter, the fact that the events in Ferguson have made an impact on American racial consciousness at large is kinda not up for debate. Despite how recent it is, despite how it may have turned out in its verdict, it (along with several other occurrences) renewed the liveliness of the discourse on race in America. Perhaps the movement isn't as monumentally established as it was 40-50 years ago but that doesn't mean civil rights debate (and not just racial) has vanished.

Anyway, Lil B is mainstream enough for me (on Gucci and Wayne mixtapes, was in The Pack, is an internet sensation which is almost enough to be famous now) and put out this gem; Radiohead are a fairly popular (last album debuted at #6) and almost always concern themselves with philosophical/political/social concerns; and OG Maco, the "U Guessed It" man put out the EP "Breathe" after being enraged by the events in Ferguson. Besides that, we just had that slew of self-esteem jams back around "Born This Way" from Lady Gaga, and "New Slaves", despite what you think about Kanye, was enormously political.

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Frownland

I wouldn't call Ferguson and the ensuing riots/protests a civil rights movement mostly because it's a singular event, but hey that's just me.

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

Soulflower

Standing Ovation

James

I feel like every thread you post I say the exact same thing. Kanye West. Beyonce too, Pretty Hurts was a big hit last year. Great song and concerned with social issues.

Soulflower

That song was a forced song and was unconvincing. Beyonce is fake. After what she did with Ledisi I realize she is nothing but a phony and a spot light hogger.