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My recent condemnation of Ke$ha has caused some controversy. To set the record straight, I love pop music. Instead of dwelling on the negative, I would like to share some of the most creative forces in pop music, just to prove that it’s not all bad.
Lady Gaga:
Beneath Lady Gaga’s elaborate costumes and outrageous wigs lies Stefani Joanna Angelina Germanotta — the New York University student who loves writing music, playing piano and singing. 2009 was the year of Gaga — she rocketed to the top and once there, worked her often-exposed ass off to prove she belonged. Her music is not monumental, but her attitude and tenacity are. Her lyrics about “disco-sticks” and her “p-p-p-poker face” obscure her true message about body image and what is considered beautiful.
Kanye West:
Any frequent reader of this column knows of my adoration of Kanye, so I will keep my gushing to a minimum. Kanye is a musical genius: from his production, to his rhymes to his melancholy auto-tuned singing. He is also a fashion icon, and connoisseur of all art forms. He hides behind a mask of ridiculous behavior to deflect attention away from his openly emotional works. His pop songs are always radio-ready — think back to the summer when everyone was listening to “Gold Digger” — but his deeper cuts are where he truly shines. If you haven’t already, listen to “Two Words” off “The College Dropout” or “We Major” off “Late Registration.”
Justin Timberlake/Timbaland:
I have “FutureSex/LoveSounds” on vinyl in my room. I have never listened to it, but it has remained wrapped up because I have faith this record will be coveted many years down the road. Justin’s days with ’N Sync are of little consequence to his artistic endeavors as a solo artist. He is a modern-day R&B king and when paired with Timba-land, he is unstoppable. Timbaland has been a revolutionary producer for a long time. His style sometimes turns into a mockery of itself, but all of his work with Justin is spot on. They brought sexy back — enough said.
Jay-Z:
Jay-Z scored his first No. 1 single this year with Alicia Keys, but he has been in the industry for a long time. “Empire State of Mind,” is an amazing track, but only a blip in the radar alongside his other massive hits. Singles like “H.O.V.A.” and “Big Pimpin’,” as well as his deeper cuts prove he is as good as he says. He’s called himself today’s Frank Sinatra and rap’s Grateful Dead. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve got no problem with those statements.
Girl Talk:
While Girl Talk might not be a popular artist, his music is infallibly tied to the pop genre. For those unfamiliar with this mash-up artist, he takes pop music from across genres and generations and mashes it together to create masterpieces — Kelly Clarkson sings with Eminem, Jay-Z raps over Radiohead and Salt ’N’ Pepa rhyme over a Kurt Cobain guitar riff. It is music for a generation plagued with short attention spans, but it makes for a crazy party. A true appreciation for Girl Talk’s music must come from an adoration for pop music — even as he twists it to become a reflection on pop culture.
