Predictions for 2011

Here are some predictions for 2011.

#1. Rap will remember its more down-tempo jazzy roots and we will start to see a more laid-back genre of hip hop start to emerge. After all, groups like Tribe Called Quest are sleeping giants and its only a matter of time before their brand of hip hop has had enough time to finally come back in full force.

For a memory check:



#2. Cal-skate punk will finally eat itself and implode. Every time I turn on cable TV I hear some 17yr old girl sponsored by Disney singing a bastardized skate punk style song. Miley Otis for christ sake is singing songs written along the exact same chord progressions and style as some of the great skate punk bands. It seems the music industry machine has finally sucked that genre completely dry. What started off as complete rebellion and total expression has, 20 or so years later been beaten to death with a corporate stick. Long live the real stuff. Bad Religion is one of them. Hopefully Big El will give me some help and I might do a cal-punk special in an upcoming post.

Forget me not:



#3. Slayer will continue to get no recongition from anyone playing metal. OK so I love Slayer. I am 35 in March and totally uncool when it comes to metal, only my bro Big El would understand. I simply wish Slayer would get the nod they deserve from those playing heavy music today. Perhaps because they are still around releasing great stuff they are seen as more of a threat than the Godfathers that they are. Hard to believe that they released their first album in the early 1980's and are still going strong and have not lost their edge. How the hell does an artist do that? Might need to think that one through, inspirational.

Deja Vous

As we are at the end of 2010 I thought it useful to remind everyone that as the years pass the wheel also turns. What has passed will come to be again. In music like most things, everything is re-invented. Take a look at Dr Dre in this NWA video from 1985. Dre was a trail-blazer  and in 1985 with the rest of NWA he defined a genre and a style which continues on today.

Dre dancing around in his white shirt and sunglasses.....remind you of anyone you have seen recently? Jay Z perhaps? Can you believe this video is 25 soon to be 26 years old?