Sh*t or Shinola?
John Legend Wants to Go 'Mainstream'. We Can Help.
Apparently, John Legend is more than willing to give away whatever soul he had left. Seriously. According to Billboard.com, the Grammy winner has been meeting with several advertising firms to discuss promotional strategies for his upcoming project, feeling the need to go "mainstream" with his music. "I want to go beyond what the label machine always does and think of some cool ideas," Legend said recently. He feels that working with a label restricts his marketability, saying that he wants an ad firm that "launches other products to use their knowledge to launch my music." Wow. You mean the relationships with Baileys, Verizon, Lexus, Tide, GQ, The Gap, Target and American Express isn't enough?!?!? Nice. Stating that he thought his 2006 release Once Again was "difficult for people to digest because it wasn't any one radio format", JL has decided to go for a more pop feel, forgoing live instruments this time around in favor of 808 drums and futuristic synthesizers. Well, far be it from us here at SBHQ to hate on a brother for wanting to get more commercial. Quite possibly by doing more commercials. Whatever. We won't hate on John, instead invoking the huge home improvement chain that says, John, "you can do it. We can help." And help we will. Below are five suggestions that JL can use for his mainstream madness:
- Before you continue on the new project, strike a deal with Microsoft and their fledgling music product, making a remix called "Save Room (For My Zune)".
- We hear there's a song on your upcoming release called "No Other Love." Scratch that. STAT. In the spirit of your relationship with Target and the products they carry, adjust that title and call it "No Other Dove."
- Tell The Gap that you'd like them to re-release your debut CD with a new title as an ode to their in-store activity: Get Shop-Lifted.
- Strike up a deal with Webster's so that now and forevermore, your face and bio will appear next to the word "sellout" in all of their dictionaries. With a copyright, even.
- And, of course, the obvious partnership that is years in the making--change teams, crossing over from Lexus and inking a lifetime contract with Acura that will place your face on the bumpers of all of their Legend models. This way, we can always remember you as the
assfool you're being right now.
Tags: john legend
Comments
Hey, JLs first two albums were true to himself and were both really impressive...he has proven himself already. He has nothing to prove by trying something new so why not do something a little different. It will be a refreshing change to have an anthem or a tune of his that you can hear in a club and not just a coffee shop...btw the 1st single green light sounds awesome...
C.L | May 30, 2008 12:41 PM | PermalinkLOL :) You are killing me softly with the suggestions for him to go mainstream. I loved all of the singles off of "Once Again". He is famous enough, so he should continue making music that is true to himself instead of looking for the next "Ordinary People". If he is true to his music, the success will continue to come.
DH | May 19, 2008 4:54 PM | PermalinkI too love(d) me some jl for a min...but I started worrying about him at the start of his last studio album when he started sounding the same...talking bout the same shit. I think his inability to be content with himself comes from something deeper than any fan or money can solve. will he ever grow? heaven only knows...
oh wow | May 3, 2008 1:27 PM | PermalinkI never liked him anyway!
AntBee | May 2, 2008 5:03 PM | PermalinkAnd as far as making a deal with Acura and getting his face "placed on the bumpers of all of their Legend models," I say go ahead. Acura doesn't make a model called, "Legend" anymore, and haven't for about 10 years. Perhaps this Legend will just go away, too.
Poor little John...
I fell in love with Get Lifted and I really appreciated his last album, Once Again. If he wants to go mainstream and keep his original fans with him at the same time, he better take The Dap-Kings (or some other band with the same vibe) with him and record a "thing" that would make young people look back to the 60's/70's Soul and Funk with a big smile in their faces. Yes, sometimes we need that. On one hand we got the progressive flavor brought by Steve Spacek, Rich Medina, Plantlife or Platinum Pied Pipers. We love that but we still love that old thing too. Now we got Amy Winehouse, Bettye LaVette, Sharon Jones, Anthony Hamilton, Al Green (coming soon)... and some others dudes like Donnie, Eric Roberson, Marlon Saunders, Geno Young, Martin Luther and Rahsaan Patterson (I don't forget the ladies, ain't that right Alice Russell?) Goapele and Joss Stone, Jill Scott, Corinne Bailey Rae, Kendra Ross, Ledisi, Lizz Wright and the L.A. based band The Rebirth (the list could go on.. on and on like Erykah). So at this point we know the good music stills there for the people.
I just don't want to see John Legend right next to R.Kelly, Usher and T-Pain. We got to say no to fast food.
Leandro Silva | April 30, 2008 8:45 PM | PermalinkYeah, I don't think his vocal style will sound good over those intstruments. His vocal style has stayed them same since he arrived on the scene. Its POSSIBLE with a whole lot of repackaging, but, I don't see him pulling off that style successfully. But hey, whatever makes him feel good as an artist.
AmiJane | April 30, 2008 7:10 PM | PermalinkPfft! good luck with that, buddy! I can just hear it now. John's lounge singer vocals over some synth beat. Lovely...And who says John isn't getting any radio play? Half of his last album got major air time on smooth jazz radio stations.
0731 | April 30, 2008 6:07 PM | PermalinkIs Kanye in his ear? On one hand I find this to be problematic, but on the other as long as he keeps his lyrics and sound fresh good. Just as long as he does not come out sounding like Usher Raymond V. This dude really should stay in his lane.
J | April 30, 2008 4:14 PM | PermalinkI can see his point with looking for a better marketing strategy outside of the label, but I think he missed the boat with the lack of radio airplay with Once Again. The album isn't as good as his debut. He was on some other ish and he can't really get mad if not many followed him. He can have as many 808s as he likes, just as long as he keeps the band on tour, I can't imagine his live show without it...
Scribe | April 30, 2008 4:11 PM | PermalinkWell, i'm disappointed that his next album will not be using live instruments but I do not think he necessarily selling out. He is only selling out if he is compromising HIS own integrity and personal convictions, not anyone else's. If he previously stated that he would not do endorsements for moral/ethical/principles etc then he does do them that is selling out; just because he is doing something that you or I or anyone else doesn't like does not mean he is selling out though.
sasha | April 30, 2008 3:22 PM | Permalink