The Washington Post article "D.J. Cory 'CoCoBrother" Condrey brings gospel to hip hop generation" really had my mind going. The article is basically about a young man's journey to be a radio d.j. and his decision to gravitate from secular music to gospel.
In the article, Condrey talks about starting out with radio in Atlanta, then becoming a radio personality in Washington, DC, to moving back to Atlanta to do a hip-hop show. It was there where he said he had a revelation and decided to switch from doing secular music to gospel. His gospel show became a hit and is now syndicated in many cities nationwide.
I can relate to this article because it somewhat mirrors a thought that continues to pop in my head. I've basically been involved in church all my life and I consider myself a spiritual person. I however enjoy making music, especially hip-hop. Even though I don't consider my music to be totally out of hand, it isn't the kind I'd play for my elder family members or church members. I sometimes wonder if I should be making that kind of secular music. I am an adult and can make my own decisions, but I just sometimes wonder what God thinks about all this.
I sometimes take a deeper approach. I wonder am I not as successful as I could be because I'm doing secular music. Should I be doing gospel hip-hop and not secular hip-hop? When I look at the industry, I don't see any gospel rappers making huge commercial success. Maybe that's what's making me wary of transitioning my music. I then sometimes think that I could be that one who turns gospel rap into a commercial phenomenon.
Right now I continue to make secular music. I have done and will continue to do gospel music here and there, but not exclusively. That doesn't mean that this decision won't ever change. Condrey was at his third radio job before he received his revelation, so maybe mine is coming soon.
You can read the Washington Post article about D.J. Cory CoCoBrother Condrey by Hamil R. Harris
by clicking here.
-Sean Allen December 12, 2010
You bring up an excellent conundrum that I am sure many successful artists have thought about in the past. Making music can be a hobby or a business. If you want it to be a business, you must produce music that sells. There are probably artists that have been very successful because of sticking strictly to secular music, but there are also countless artists who have been less successful than they would have been, had they pursued more mainstream genres.
ReplyDeleteThere is more potential for "success" in mainstream genres, but that doesn't mean that you have to sacrifice what originally inspired you to become an artist. But what is "success" anyways? Is it fame? Making money? Influence? Being happy? Doing what you really want to do?