80's Soul Robotica Music: Santogold, M.I.A and Amanda Blank

I don't know if MIA or Santogold are emcees
in the rigid sense of the word.
However, I am warm to the idea of them getting
love and being able to live as artists.

You all know how I feel about having more than the
Rhianna prototype represent who women are in pop music.

We are thick, petit, dark, light, nappy, curly,
bone straight, angry AND content.
Our music should reflect this.

There was an article in The Times this Sunday
about women in hip hop which mentioned
M.I.A, Santogold, Kid Sister and Amanda Blank.

I have a hard time placing them square into
the throws of hip hop. I think they are doing
something a little different.

But this is Post Party like a Rock Star,
Post Yeye + Daft Punk. So it makes sense.

In a way, I feel the more weird and boundary
pusing the music is, the more license I have to
be weird and push the boundaries.

Its a vicious, vicious cycle.

Perhaps they are part of their own genre
of 80's-Soul-Robotica. But then that phrase
doesn't even capture M.I.A's global tension.

Even thought the article mention's most of
the women discussed in this post I couldn't help
but feel that the article was missing something,

“There is a reason why these artists are having so much early traction online,” said Josh Deutsch, chief executive of Downtown Records, which will release albums by Amanda Blank and Santogold this spring. “And it’s because they have such strong voices and strong points of view. There’s nothing remotely manufactured about them.”

How many times do I have have to hear
"These girls have something to offer" or
"they are saying something different"?



Perhaps we can talk about what it means to
be outside the boundaries and what it means to
be a female in POP music and go against the grain.

What's really going on?

Which reminds me that I need to netlfix that Dixie Chick
documentary.

The notion of making different music reminds me
of Gregs Tate's latest rumination on Black
Rockers in this year Pazz and Jopp Poll. He writes,

That said, Black Rockers (or Negroes Who Rock) need our own Pazz & Jop, and really our own Village Voice and our own Grammies, and of course our own extraterrestrial galaxy far, far away. If only because I'd love to show and tell the good news to all those other Black people who don't rock, but are maybe open to hearing something musical from American-raised coloured folk other than Beyonce, Rihanna, Jay-Z, or Soulja Boy. Because such folk need�nay, deserve�to know how stupendously, consistently genius MeShell Ndegeocello's The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams is....

Every since my "I Can't Listen to Nas" post,
I have been trying to figure out what I am going to run to.

As of late, it seems like the Stars are lining up.
I just discovered Ken Starr, NERD is coming out
with a new album and M.I.A. is showing some
running potential.

So, I think I will start with M.I.A.

Tomorrow.

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Listened to any new genre pushing
music lately?

Is the Black Rop-Rock recognition a
long time coming? Where Kelis at?

She the main one in all this.

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