A select group of music industry veterans has used their platforms to drop off takes about how artists have presented themselves in the current culture. Each generation faces its own set of challenges as music evolves, and Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men took to Twitter to share his thoughts about witnessing artists not capitalizing on the opportunities set before them. His group launched decades ago with their “Motown Philly” classic and took over R&B, and these days, Boyz II Men is hailed as one of the greatest singing groups to hit the scene.
“I don’t wanna see any more artists’ jewelry on social media. No more videos of their cars cribs or money,” Stockman tweeted. “From now on, I wanna see videos of artists in rehearsal! Your jewelry don’t mean sh*t if u can’t perform! Man this music business is weird!”
“I’m watching artists squander their blessings by not doing what it takes to have a longstanding career in this music business! It’s heartbreaking! It’s all about optics, no soul, no conviction. No intention to last any longer than just a few streams,” he added. “I don’t care about your clothes, how fly u look, how much u spent on your damn ring! If u don’t put the work in where it counts, Diamond ring and all, u still suck! Shout out to the artists I know and respect who do the work to be great! I love y’all, even if the world doesn’t.”
Stockman also suggested that labels signing these artists should “be ashamed of themselves,” as he accused them of “pimpin these kids” for their talents without giving them the necessary tools to have longevity in the game.
Check out his tweets below and let us know if you agree.