Morpheux said:
Died in what sense? Because it's not on commercial radio?
The music lived on despite being pulled off radio back in 92.It simply went back to the underground and when the internet took in the mid 90's freestyle fans from around the country had a chance to stay on top of what was out.I remember calling stations that played freestyle back in 92 and being told that "Hispanics didn't like freestyle anymore". I first thought why is it being typecast as Hispanic only music and what planet was he living on?Now,we have countless I stations dedicated to playing freestyle old and new.
Who would have thought that in 2010 these artists would be on stage singing these songs.I think they earned it and it's a testament to the staying power of these songs. And not to compare but freestyle artists get 10 times more work than any current U.S. house artist out there.Now,how can that be?
Granted, freestyle is VERY underground now. If anything, I actually played TWO artists with new material on my show this past Sunday.
But NO disrespect to the artists that have set the foundations for the legacy that is freestyle. I don't think THEY could imagine 25 years ago that they would STILL be singing those songs. Judy Torres admitted that on my interview show. For everyone involved, I'm proud of them.
A lot of the artists in freestyle I consider my friends so if they are still doing it, then God bless and continued luck
It's a weird sort of "crossroads" in a way because while those artists are still doing shows, it's because of the very underground nature of freestyle that nothing new has really arisen, even without the radio play, that would allow the music to "morph" into the next generation.
There have been arguments about it (no good quality new music, it doesn't sound ANYTHING like what we're used to, etc.) Yes, freestyle has been around all these years but without a "torch" to carry the sound forward then for the 50th anniversary, you'll have us in our 60's & 70's with our children at the casino (since they are our "ride", lol) with those artists and nothing new. I suppose it works for doo-wop but just as anything else, with nothing to keep things refreshed, the sound "dies". Let's think of it this way, no one is listening to music made in 1910...that generation is 99% gone.
And since you brought the comparison up. Freestyle artists do have their concert appearances here and make the money. But if you are going to compare it to work, house artists here make their big money OVER THERE (the other side of the world). They are in high demand in places like London, Amsterdam, Paris, Ibiza, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Russia as well as emerging clubbing areas in Asia (Shanghai, China for one). They do the clubs here in NYC, Miami and L.A. but house music is more universal than freestyle. Granted, there ARE freestyle fans in Europe but the demand of it is very low in comparison.
Sorry for the length.
