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Neo-Soul, or Not Neo-Soul

© Mecca Donna

Soul Music, if called by any other name would it sound as good? There is an air of tension in the world of New Aged Soul Music. The magnificent fusion and blend of Blues and Rock, Poetry and Hip Hop, Sensuality and Sexuality has been through a re-birth and has been named "Neo-Soul" Music. This neat little term given to categorize the multitude of what Soul Music is does not go over well with the artists that create and sing the music itself. What is the conflict about? Here is the prospective from both sides of the playing field.

THE NAME . The term Neo-Soul Music can be analyzed by word. Neo, means "new." People who favor the term tend to validate the use of the term by decreeing that it's definition is largely positive. It could be interpreted in more than two ways, however, the two most popular ways explain that even though Soul Music itself is not new, the fusion that currently molds and dictates the sound and feel of Soul Music is new. Not to mention the influx of young fresh and innovative new artists refreshes the musical art form. The term Neo-Soul gives the majority a comfort range from which to foster their opinions, likes, and dislikes. Most people deal better with things they can define comfortably. Normally, most people are not receptive to things that are beyond some sort of category or definition. We seek to make things "fit" into a place that we designate appropriate. So, the bottom line is placing a title on this type of music helps people deal with it's diversity and tendency to change by giving it one common name. It is easier to deal with one particular type of something as opposed to a myriad of different things. This is an effort to clarify exactly what this form of music turns out to be.

THE OPPOSITION

The term Neo- Soul Music offends most artists for a number of reasons. Firstly, I have heard it said that Soul Music was not invented by Generation X. It was not perfected by Generation X and we are simply carrying on a wonderful legacy of music. So in essence the term "Neo" would be contradictory to the fact that we are simply torchbearers. The biggest rage is that no artist wants to be pigeon holed by some three letter word with an even shorter meaning just in the name of clarity. Artists desire their artwork to just BE. To them, the desire to make everything "fit" is too fantastic because reality has it that everything will never fit. The attempt is futile. The attempt to name the art form itself is like jail bars. It almost has the feel that any title would hold their creativity hostage and leave them less able to venture out into various types of music.

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