|
|
Thank the music for the fall of the wall by Refilwe Ralefeta, JWT Johannesburg |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
It was on March 26, 2009, that I realised how society had changed. I parked my car on campus at the University where I’m studying and my friend Nandi parked next to me. She was listening to Avril Lavigne and had the volume full blast. Mind you, she’s black! As I proceeded to the Student Centre, I noticed a white boy dancing to DJ Clock’s Umhamba Yedwa. Music has certainly transformed the youth of today and all credit should go to our role models in the music industry. Eminem for example has managed to unite black and white. His music transcends far beyond colour. And no, Eminem is not a Wigger - if people still use that word. He is just a white boy that can Rap and is extremely talented. Eminem is a role model to many and has made Hip-Hop appeal to a broader audience. Hip-Hop is not only popular amongst black youth, but also across other races and cultures. I remember going to the 50 Cent concert at the Dome in Northgate. People of all races were present. This reinforces the point that music is appreciated around the globe. Artists such as Justin Timberlake and Robin Thicke are two white males who have made R&B music appeal to everyone. It is not only Rap that has revolutionised the music industry, but our own local and unique Kwaito and House music as well. It goes back to Mandoza’s Nkalakatha that got everyone 'bumping' and 'jiving'. My long-term friend from Bulgaria loves House music. Her boyfriend is Muslim and her favourite place to hang out on a Friday night is News Café in the Maponya Mall in Soweto. Rock is another kind of genre that has changed its face. Lil Wayne for example is an award winning Rapper who began his career producing underground Hip-Hop. He is now working on a Rock album called Rebirth. This is a Hip-Hop artist currently at his peak and now releasing a Rock album. This again reinforces the point that music has no colour. There are many other great collaborations where the biggest names in Hip-Hop and Rock meet, such as Jay-Z and Linkin Park. It is these kinds of collaborations that unite the youth. As a result of this, young Hip-Hop heads are enjoying Rock and people that love Rock are listening to Hip- Hop. Another example would be how radio stations have evolved. 5fm has been very successful for moving with the times. The station’s listeners were predominantly white, with a small percentage of black. Today, according to AMPS, in the last seven days 36.5% of people that listen to 5FM are black. When radio icon DJ Fresh left Yfm in 2006 to join 5FM, many black Yfm listeners switched stations along with him. And because of this 5fm has changed. One can hear Brickzz 'Tjovitjo' and Soulja Boy 'Kiss me thru the phone' on 5FM. The same goes for UJ FM which was previously known as Rau Radio. Rau Radio used to play predominantly Rock music, but today it is a station that caters for everyone. All young people love music and look up to the people that make the music. The youth emulate what their role models do. That is why the Tupac and Notorious B.I.G 'beef' caused America to erupt as fans from both scenes took sides. Some may argue that music negatively influences society because of their lyrical content. However, music has taken a stand against racism and stereotypes. That is why white teenage girls and boys are seen with Ama Kip Kip T-Shirts and black boys in skinny jeans and Mohawks. It is music that has brought about these changes. Words such as 'Wigger' (a white person who adopts stereotypical black mannerisms) and a 'Coconut' (a black person who wants’ to be white, because they speak in a certain way and act “white”) are being phased out. Part of the reason for this is because music has played a key role in uniting the youth. Music today encompasses all genres such as jazz, reggae, hip-hop, rock, classical and others. It is much more enjoyable to go to the Manhattan nightclub, a primarily white club in Rivonia and Capital a predominantly black club in Rosebank and party with everyone. Music shapes and reflects society. It has power over our emotions and lifestyle and that’s why it has had such a tremendous effect on the youth. It is through music that people come together; they forget each other’s different values and cultural backgrounds, as was seen at the Coke festival on April 11. South Africa is a diverse country and music groups such as Freshly Ground emphasize this. Freshly Ground is a multi-racial group with a multi-racial audience. It is truly appreciated in the music industry, by all races, and is one of South Africa’s most successful bands. It is clear that South Africa is moving forward. As a country, we have things to look forward to such as the 2010 FIFA World Cup and unity among its youth. Music has united the youth across the globe. Music is music. It has no colour. Thanks to music for the fall of the wall.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
