The Top Ten Most Overrated White Musicians

Don’t get me wrong. It isn’t as if I think these artists suck. Most on this list I find to be very talented.

Also, if anyone requests their music during one of my deejay gigs, I’ll be more than happy to play it.

Yet, I am getting sick and tired of mainstream media always telling everyone how great these people are. Why do white musicians who perform “black music” receive more press than the folks who created it? When the all white Beastie Boys’ Licensed To Ill reached number one on the album charts, people made a big deal about it being the first rap album to do so. Yet, few folks wanted to admit The Beastie Boys’ skin color may have contributed to it.

Sometimes, it don’t even have to be about white musicians performing “black music”. Some white musicians are just plain over hyped.

So here I go. If this list offends, it wasn’t intended that way.

10. Aerosmith

If it wasn’t for Run-DMC covering one of their songs, you wouldn’t be seeing lead singer Steven Tyler on American Idol. Before Run-DMC remade “Walk This Way”, Aerosmith was considered has-beens. Run-DMC’s version pushed Aerosmith back into the public spotlight. Yet, some Aerosmith fans seem to ignore that important fact.

9. Eric Clapton

I don’t get it. Why are folks labeling him one of the best blues guitarists ever? What makes him stand out among B.B. King and Muddy Waters? A great guitarist Clapton may be, but a great BLUES guitarist?

8. Britney Spears

Since day one, never were there any intentions on presenting Britney as a true artist. All she had to do was shake her titties and sing.

7. Lady Gaga

When shock artist Marlyn Manson ripped from Alice Cooper, there was at least some originality to it. When I see Lady Gaga, I see a too obvious and unoriginal rip from Madonna.

6. George Michael

This pertains to an incident in the late eighties. The American Music Awards possessed the audacity to award George Michael the Favorite Soul/ R&B Male Artist. This over Michael Jackson and Bobby Brown, two dudes who created way more soulful albums than George Michael. And it wasn’t because they were black either.

5.Kurt Cobain

After Nirvana’s “Smells Like Team Spirit” became a hit, folks labeled front-man Kurt Cobain the voice of his generation. At this time, I was a few years younger than Kurt. Even though I liked the song, I resented folks saying this white man spoke for me. Public Enemy spoke more for me than Kurt ever did. After Kurt committed suicide, he instantly became more important than he should have been. Well, at least, white people aren’t going around saying he faked his death and moved to Paris.

4. Jim Morrison

For awhile, white people who grew up in the sixties kept going on and on about the man. Some still do. One time, I bought a book of Jim Morrison’s poetry. That shit sucked. It’s a bunch of ramblings that don’t make sense. I’ll take Charles Bukowski’s poetry over Jim Morrison’s.

3. Eminem

Back in the day, black rappers faced constant criticism for talking about bitches. Eminem raps about bitches and folks crown him an important poet. What’s artistically different about a black guy rapping about slapping hoes versus a white guy rapping about killing his baby’s mama? Yet, the baby mama killer is considered the true artist.

2. The Rolling Stones

These dudes borrowed heavily from American blues music. They even named themselves after a Muddy Water’s song. Yet, forgetting that the blues already existed in the States, white Americans sucked these British guys’ dicks and proclaimed them one of the best bands in the world.

1 Elvis Presley

There was nothing original about this man. He just happened to be a white man performing music created by black artists. Just like with Emimen, many white people were more comfortable with that versus appreciating the folks who created the music. How the hell do you name a Caucasian the king of music created by black people? I’ve been saying this for nearly twenty years, and I’ll say it again. Fuck Elvis.

UPDATE: After some Internet chatting, I’ve had second thoughts about Eric Clapton.  Several folks suggested I put Justin Timberlake on the list.  Seeing that Mr. Timberlake is another overrated white artist who sings black, it makes sense.  Okay, Justin Timberlake takes Eric Clapton’s place.

As for Lady Gaga, a white female friend pointed out she borrowed her fashion from Grace Jones.  Borrowing from a black woman makes Lady Gaga stay on the list.