Jack Mahoney
English 123
Professor Drown
2/24/20
Essential Question: Can todays artists still sell out?
Roy Cook:
“a band has sold out if they have compromised their personal values or musical integrity in exchange for financial gain.” (Paragraph 1)
“Lamar’s connection to Reebok just might inspire fashion-conscious Reebok consumers to learn more about Lamar’s social justice work and engage in some world-improving of their own.” (Paragraph 3)
“ In short, selling out can (and often does) bring wider exposure to the culture and values that the sell-out artist is supposedly betraying.” (Paragraph 4)
“Where an artist produces music that is different from the music that they would have produced without corporate interference, it’s still not obvious that this is necessarily a bad thing.” (Paragraph 5).
“ the music that is produced reaches a much wider audience, in two senses: the music reaches more consumers, and the music is enjoyed by more of the consumers that are reached.” (Paragraph 5).
“there is at least some reason for thinking that music that is enjoyable by many people is, all else being equal, better than music that is only enjoyable by a few.” (Paragraph 6)
“the explicit rejection of capitalist or corporate interests is lacking in hip-hop – on the contrary, economically aspirational themes of “getting paid” have been a central theme of rap music since its origins.” (Paragraph 10)
Javier Gomez-Lavin:
“loaded but fuzzy concept, one that thrives off its dense links to the broader issues of consumerism.” (Paragraph 2)
“Most musicians, but especially pop musicians can’t sell out in a narrow sense anymore, but some musicians can sell out in a broader sense.” (Paragraph 2).”
“entrepreneurial rap pioneered the blending of commercial and musical aspects, ultimately leaving us with our current cultural moment where Kendrick Lamar is selling us Reeboks.” (Paragraph 3)
“ not only the very generative mechanics of music production are geared towards commercialization, but where the content of the music itself echoes this.” (Paragraph 4).
