Image is Everything
Yes, I jacked the title from the old Sprite commercials. I don’t quite agree with that characterization of life. I’m much more concerned with my perception of myself than yours. But, the older I get, the more I realize that your level of success strongly correlates to how much people like/love/believe in/accept/understand you. This is even more important when you’re in the entertainment industry. Musicians and actors collectively spend millions of dollars on image consultants, PR associates and stylists to craft the perfect image to enhance their appeal to us, the masses. And for the most part, if I’m gonna buy what you’re selling, I need to understand what you’re saying!
Which leads me into a discussion about last week’s Soul Train Awards. (Yes I’m a week late with this but it’s finals time. Sue me.) I didn’t watch the show because I was studying. (Well, I was trying…) But I did log on to twitter during the telecast. My most recent tweet was from an American friend basically saying I needed to assist Mr. Vegas because he was inarticulate during his red carpet interview *hangs head in shame*
I laughed it off and didn’t take it very seriously because I’ve watched enough interviews with Jamaican deejays in my lifetime not to expect better. I have vague memories of watching Anthony Miller’s Entertainment Report and counting how many times the interviewee would say ‘u nah mean’ or use some other space filler in their sentences. I definitely didn’t have high expectations. But, then I saw this tweet from @Bevysmith
If you can’t see the text it’s :
When I was interviewing the Jamaican gentlemen (sic) I could barely understand him & I simply cut the interview short
She was referring to Gyptian who she interviewed on the red carpet. Later in the night, she mentioned that she was pretty sure Gyptian was under the influence. I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case, but no judgements here lol
Watch his acceptance speech:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvjYQamVoOY&fs=1&hl=en_US]
Bevy Smith shouldn’t be passed off as just a random commentator. She hosted the BET red carpet for the Soul Train Awards and has an enviable resume filled with decades of experience that include being a fashion editor at Vibe to hosting the ultra exclusive Dinner With Bevy series. Her comment made me wonder how many opportunities have been missed simply because we were unable to communicate clearly.
After I saw and retweeted her comment, I got involved in conversations with Jamaicans at home and abroad regarding our artists’ presentation of themselves on the world stage. Some expressed dismay that reggae is our most famous export and our musicians do not always represent us well. I love my reggae as much as the next person, but I too cringe at some of the interviews I’ve seen our entertainers give. As much as I want them to spend time in the studio crafting hits for my listening pleasure, I would really love if they would spend some more time doing some media training. Have some soundbites prepared for international audiences. Get familiar with how to use twitter and facebook effectively. Develop a strategy for their brand and stick to it.
Given that every Jamaican artist seems to be clamoring for ‘crossover’ hits and Billboard recognition, one would think they would start focusing more on presentation.This is not to say that I expect them to twang and put on an accent for the foreigners. But as many have noted, music is now a business as much as it is an art. Artists have a product to sell. If they can’t communicate it effectively, who is gonna buy? I definitely understand that depending on their backgrounds they may not have had access to media training and similar tools that their international counterparts do. But that’s where their management should step in and provide the necessary guidance.
I don’t know any Jamaicans who still buy music legally. I don’t even know any who used to buy Jamaican music back when we still paid for cds. So a Jamaican artist’s dollars are coming first from limited local endorsements and stageshows. The big bucks are to be made by touring and selling overseas. (Though CD sales are down everywhere but it’s still better than what they’d get at home). If they’re gonna make money selling reggae music, they’d better figure out a way to ensure that people understand what they’re saying, not just in their lyrics but also in promotional appearances.
I’m sure many of our artistes would love to get international endorsement deals. Well in that case, many of them are gonna need their image revamped and most companies will not want to align their dollars with someone who they doubt can effectively communicate about their product. When we talk about image, we normally think about wardrobe and lifestyle choices. Let’s not forget to consider whether people can understand us and realize that we are in fact capable of stringing sentences together.
p.s. I don’t want to knock Gyptian. I *still* listen to ‘These are some serious times’ after all these years. Seeing him on stage at the Awards with the Jamaican flags all over the stage and the crowd on its feet made me all warm and fuzzy on the inside.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkZ0eGi_upM&fs=1&hl=en_US]
****UPDATED**** I found out Gyptian was hospitalized for dehydration shortly after posting this. Wishing him a speedy recovery!
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