Music is the most precious art form created from the soul of artists blessed with some form of God given talent. It is an essential part of the human experience. It helps us get through life but it isn’t protected or revered like it should be. Music is constantly abused, pillaged, and desecrated by tech.
The creation and distribution of music is constantly dissected and reinvented in the name of ‘technological innovation’ but at the expense of artistry. This is accepted by the public. Most people do not care about the reverence of music as long as they get what they want when they want at the least expense.
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As a kid I discovered Hip Hop through my brother. As I got older and aspired to be a DJ I went to record stores where I literally put my money where my mouth is and bought records that I rated, or knew that people would want to hear in the clubs, and on my radio shows. Records were studied. Credits and sleeve notes were analysed and learnt. I paid attention to the detail, the photography, art direction, and the actual pressing of the vinyl. These traditions have gone.
Digital streaming services, video sharing platforms, and social media channels continually change the discovery and listening experience of music. Their algorithms have affected the attention span of the listener which has affected the process of making music.
The length of the average rap record has decreased from four minutes to two and a half minutes or less. Substance is lacking. Great albums are sparse. The churn of music releases has become over saturated, mundane, and uninspiring. I accept change. I move with the times. But there has to be some kind of balance. Once the creative dust settles there has to be a space for unfiltered creative spontaneity to flourish and DJ AG has provided such a space.
I rate the fact that AG gives everyone a chance but like a seasoned selector he is authoritative with the running of his show. He values the participation of established artists as much as amateur inexperienced emerging artists. He is here for the kids and at the same time he is here for the elders.
It was AG’s support of pioneering UK Dancehall artist Daddy Freddy that initially caught my attention on the timelines. The culture has forgotten Daddy Freddy’s contribution to music but AG hasn’t. I actually reached out to AG back in September to feature an artist I was working with. I thought it would be cool for an artist from Brixton to perform on the streets of Brixton and AG showed nothing but immediate warmth and enthusiasm.
Unfortunately, the artist never got round to doing it. A couple of months later I went to see AG in Kings Cross. I joined the queue of artists waiting to see him and waited my turn to talk to him so I could personally invite him on to my Capital Xtra show.
It was a fascinating moment. I witnessed a seasoned selector combine the essence of DJ’ing with the traditions of pirate radio, whilst rejuvenating the live experience using every video sharing platform to amplify his show. He is a self-taught skilled broadcaster. A non-judgemental curator who genuinely cares about the people and the communities. There is no one else like AG and he deserves every award.
AG is literally in these streets risking it all for the sake of artistry. The bite sized TikTok clips are readily digestible for the timelines, but what you don’t see is the dangers that he faces on every session. While broadcasting from Kings Cross next to the station where homeless people sleep in the arches just metres away from his set. Crackheads lurk in the shadows. Drunks walk around aimlessly. Intense aggy unknown amateur artists get over excited with determination to get their chance to perform. Random bally’d up road yutes hang around for whatever reason.
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It’s out of this real life perilous chaos of the streets that careers will be resurrected and the next generation of artists will emerge. Watch out for the new unknown artists that regularly appear on AG’s show and actually improve with each performance. Watch out for that kid that comes out of nowhere and blows everyone away with a new style or new way of saying things.
In an era where creatives are in fear of the impending rise of A.I. At a time when music is constantly abused, pillaged, and desecrated by tech. It is a DJ that is taking it back to the essence and bringing about some kind of real organic creative balance.
Words: DJ Semtex
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