DJ Jim Q's Playlist: Corruption

Corruption is the global theme this month. Our friends from the Monterrey chapter selected the ominous theme. I enjoyed exploring music from the Mexican city, in fact I ended up putting a number artists from the Monterrey on this playlist. From my limited research, there seems to be a vibrant music scene and it is another creative destination on my list of places to visit. Corruption might be a heavy theme for a playlist, but I like a challenge and I think I’ve pulled together a good one this month. Corruption is everywhere around us. Our businesses, our friendships, our governments, our minds, and our data are all vulnerable to corruption. Even that which is most sacred like art and music are susceptible.

The business of art has always had its fair share of corruption and exploitation. Nowhere is this more apparent than in music. Since the earliest days of recording, artists have been in a constant struggle between the art of music and business of music. The story of contemporary music is overflowing with examples of unfair practices and blatant exploitation. There are too many instances of young eager artists signing away their creations out of hunger and naiveté. Examples like Little Richard agreeing to forfeit the rights to his first hit “Tutti Frutti” for $50 to Specialty Records owner Art Rupe. Or the story of Tommy James being bullied out of all royalties by his mob affiliated record label. In recent years Tommy Boy records tried to force De La Soul into a 90/10 split for streaming royalties. And then there’s the dramatic story of the 90’s R&B trio TLC holding then president of Arista records Clive Davis at gunpoint over accusations of unfair contract terms. Art and commerce are oil and water, the two don’t mix without agitation.

I’m perpetually conflicted in my thoughts around this uncomfortable partnership between art and commerce. I certainly believe artists should be fairly compensated for their work, but excessive financial incentive does seem to corrupt the purity of the art itself. Especially once the art is sustaining an enterprise like a record label or even worse, investors. When art is being made to sell, it’s a different creation — for better or for worse, it’s a product.

It’s not always the greedy record companies or other predatory entities exploiting artists, some artists are corrupted by their own desire for fame and fortune. The age-old accusatory term “selling out” has been bandied about since fans cared passionately about music and the musicians creating it. The term “sell-out” suggests an artist has compromised their artistic values and integrity in exchange for wealth or wider attention. The list of so-called “sell-outs” is long and diverse. Often a stylistic change, that is just as likely driven by artistic intent, is labelled a betrayal by fans. Bob Dylan’s infamous crossover to electric guitar at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival provoked such a response from the folkies of the time. The vitriol was so potent the agitated crowd yelled and booed throughout the performance — you can hear it in the recordings. Metallica was all but disowned by hardcore metal heads when they made, god forbid, a video for their brooding crossover hit One. I know I felt betrayed seeing them broadcast on MTV between the likes of Paula Abdul and Richard Marx. Country fans still haven’t forgiven Taylor Swift for choosing a path toward pop stardom. Rapper Snoop Dogg went from “Murder was the Case” to swapping recipes with Martha Stewart on daytime TV. And of course the Beatles went from being a group of leather jacket-wearing greasers playing seedy bars in Hamburg’s red light district to the fab four in sharp suits and matching haircuts singing “I want to hold your hand” on the Ed Sullivan show. Artists change and evolve; the ultimate nemesis of inspiration is stagnation. We can’t know what the intention is for these adaptations, have they been corrupted by greed or ambitions or have they just chosen a new artistic path?

This month’s theme is corruption, so the playlist includes songs of Tainted Love, Bad Influence, Idle Hands and Pyramid Schemes. Philly’s Bell Biv DeVoe warns of a girl so dangerous she is “Poison”, PinkPantheress exposes a dishonest partner in “Boy’s a Lair”, and Chuck D furiously battles corruption in “War a33 1/3”. No bribes necessary, these songs are infectious enough to keep you listening for days.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoy these playlists I would love to hear from you. Give me a shout on Twitter and subscribe on Spotify. See you next month with another playlist