No I don’t really, but I wanted to get you’re attention to the fact that I think alot of cats are in the wrong genre in these competitions. Moreover, the two artist shouldn’t even be mentioned in the same breath, one is a pop artist, one is an alternative hip-hop artist. But that’s just my point: lot of people don’t know how to properly evaluate and catergorize their music or know one genre of music from another.

Don’t get me wrong it can be hard at times, and in some cases that’s good. It supports the thought that music is music, self expression, a way to evoke feelings/emotions in others, PERIOD! But if we are to indulge ourselves in a competitive forum, there needs to be some sort of standard.

For example, I’ll be fouraging through alternative hip-hop, cause I’m interested in stuff that is not the so-called “Hip Hop” that is played on the radio. Yet I still find an overwhelming amount of artists trying to emulate what they hear on the radio, which is cool, but by definition alternative means: that differing from the normal status of a subject. So why put your music in an alternative category when it sounds like everything else that is the norm. IE, in that genre, if 90% of your vocals are melodic and you are trying to sing, more cases than not (ironically I’d say about 90% of the time), YOU PROBABLY DON’T BELONG IN ALTERNATIVE HIP-HOP. Again nothing wrong with it, its just in the wrong place. We are fortunate to have so many categories that there is nearly one for any style of music you wish to compete in (Thanks Ourstage – please make check for promotional services out to G-Whiz, lol)

I just think that instead of evaluating the fairness of the judging process, maybe developing a mechanism that ensures that people are in the right category before competitions begin. We have to make sure that we are not judging an orange contest with 100 oranges and end up tasting like 50 apples: It’s a waste of time, and some of the judges might like apples better, skeweing the results of the orange contest.

Another part of the problem is the adherence to genre’s in competitions. Now I’m not gonna be “angry fu fu guy” but, quite frankly, their are alot of songs out of genre in the competitions. R & B songs hip-hop categories, rock songs in country, etc.

I’m running from the fear of killing my statement of music being just that:music. There are artists that aren’t equiped to recognize what genre is what for whatever means, but then there are fans who are unsure either. I do maintain that it isn’t easy to make a mistake. Trust me, after hearing so many songs in so many different match ups, it becomes difficult to fail someones attempts based on the fact that they are in the wrong genre, especially when the work of the artist , in your opinion, far and beyond superceeds that of whom he is pared up with, no matter what the genre is.

Its a difficult answer that I have not yet discovered, but I don’t think having paid “yes men” in to judge everyones music is the answer. Maybe half & half: half of a vote from professionals doing it in the genre and the other half from US. Or maybe a higher percentage from us, like 45% them to 55% US, I don’t know.

But like I said, I don’t know what the answer is and I appreciate what Ourstage is doing and that the task isn’t always easy. I’m just glad at the opportunity to build with like minded musicians and grow together as well is conversating with unlike minded musicians and challenginig each other. I’m glad that people like my music and that people don’t. But if you choose to vote, please remember the genre that you are voting and as hard as it may be, if the song doesn’t fit, maybe it doesn’t desrve to be voted best. Keep up the good work Ourstage and one day it will all make sense for everyone!

-G-Whizzzzaaaaaad!!!!!