What Is A Sellout?

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soundboy

soundboy

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Everywhere all i hear is this cat sold out that cat sold out. Somebody define the word sold out so that we can all gain a better picture. If what i am doing is fertilizing my way of living how is that selling out. While some cats choose to not do certain stuff other cats do dose that make them sellouts? and more importantly who are you selling out. Is it your mom and dad who have invested time and money in you progress in life or is it somebody that hasnt invested anything ,physical spiritual ,or financial. it would seem to me if you havent invested you cant be sold out. for example will smith, he always did candy rap. when he was broke nobody said he sold out but the day he was able to write a check and move out the hood he was noted as a sell out. Which brings up my next question. Dose wanting nice things make you a sellout or does getting those things make you one. If moving out the hood makes you a sellout if so then nobody in the hood has to get a job because the government will give you just enough to stay in the hood and the hood only. I guess the real questions are
WHAT IS A SELLOUT?
WHO ARE YOU SELLING OUT
wHAT DEFINES WHO CAN BE SOLD OUT
SITE AN EXAMPLE OF EACH IF YOU WOULD?
 
I don't think W. Smith is a sellout.....


To me a sellout if a person who claims to hate certain Ideals, for example, luxuries, but then becomes involved in them..


I great example of a sellout is Kurt Cobain.... He wanted to live the grunge garage band life and loathed his fame and riches.....

Yet, him and courtney had a huge mansion in seattle....and a brand new $35,000 Volvo...

That is my Idea of selling out....

Other opinions will vary..:)
 
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OOPS.... almost forgot...

One more scenario....

A rock band that wants to stick to it's roots and claims that a band shoud sound like a band..... just 4 guys playing their instrument, without any "overproduction".......

Then five years later they release an album with drum machines and sequenced keyboards and manufactured loops...... and, 25 layers of background vocals....

To me, that is also an example of selling out....



If they had never made that statement about being all roots and real, and just naturally progressed on there own, they wouldn't be sellouts.....
 
I was never a fan of Cobain, but I don't think he was a sellout.
A moron? Probably.
An asshole? Probably.
A baby? Definitely.
But his music never suffered at the hands of these traits or the public and profressoinal shit storm he found himself in, and that would be tough. No, I'd say he was a far cry from a sellout.

A sellout is someone who abandons his integrity and convictions in exchange for popularity. Just because someone hits paydirt doesn't make him a sellout, especially if that was always the intent. Are Madonna, Brittney Spears, and N'Sync sellouts? No. How can you sell what you never even claimed to have.

U2 sold out, although they still sometimes manage to write good music.
 
Vurt said:
I was never a fan of Cobain, but I don't think he was a sellout.
A moron? Probably.
An asshole? Probably.
A baby? Definitely.
But his music never suffered at the hands of these traits or the public and profressoinal shit storm he found himself in, and that would be tough. No, I'd say he was a far cry from a sellout.

Just because someone hits paydirt doesn't make him a sellout.
Click to expand...

You are right, his music never suffered... but his personal life was a hypocrisy... having said that he hated fame and riches, and he wished they were still just a garage band.....Yet a year later owns a mansion and brand new luxury car.......To me makes him a sellout in his personal life

I am actually a fan of him... But not because of that... I just like the songs...:)

And you are also correct about, "Just because someone hits paydirt they are not sellouts...." I agree with you.. but....

To me, when that person has in the past said how they loathe the ideals of riches and fame, and just want to be a simple grunge band..... and then go out and by mansions and fancy cars.. THAT is what makes them a sellout......


This is a great debate... I love these things.....:D
 
I think most people use 'sell out' when an artist builds his rep from catering to a specific audience and then starts to cater to the mainstream, basically ignoring 'where he came from'.

Sometimes it's very blatent, sometimes it's subtle. Sometimes it's just public perception. It definetely matters.

The ironic thing is that the mainstream is not a core audience. It's just what's popular at the time. 9 times out of 10 when you lose your core audience, it's just a matter of time before you fall off.
 
Hey, BG. I meant to say I agree with Vurt and some of what BG said. ;) :) ;D

spin
 
Bleeding Gums said:


To me, when that person has in the past said how they loathe the ideals of riches and fame, and just want to be a simple grunge band..... and then go out and by mansions and fancy cars.. THAT is what makes them a sellout......
Click to expand...
Money makes people act real funny. It is funny how peoples views change as they travel through life.

At first they want to stay true to the game, but when that money starts to roll in, they loose site of that game.

spin

p.s. :) I wouldn't call somebody a "sell-out".

You can't hate the player...., hate the game. :D
 
Very interesting discussion going here. My definition of a sell out is a person forgets where he/she comes from. I don't think it has anything to do with how many records you've sold, how many cars you have, or how you bling, bling. It's about respect. It is very rare to find somebody that did anything on their own. Even the solo musician who comes to this bbs gets help by either asking a question or just reading what other people write. Since humans are by nature community oriented, it's important to remember that when you finally get somewhere in life (your name in lights, top 10 on billboard, etc.) to recognize where you came from and don't forget those who helped you get there. You don't have to give 'em money, or try to get every person you ever jammed with on your next record. But, don't get too big for your britches! There is only one way off the top and that's down.
 
Hey spin,
One more thing. You said money makes people act funny. I agree with that. Did you ever notice how people change when somebody they know makes a little money? What a twist! After you work hard for what you have somebody is always there. There is enough evidence in the world about how people make some cash and go buck wild - everything is about the floss. It's a wonder you some many stars saying they don't like their fame and fortune. That doesn't mean they don't want nice things. I think it changes their friends a little. If you are musician, you become busy in the studio, promoting your work, or perfecting it, just trying to keep it coming. As long as you respect your people - and they respect you, I think there wouldn't be as many people calling other people sell outs and people being called sell outs...

Vice
 
Vice, I agree totally with both of your posts. They were very well stated.

:D

spin
 
Wow...when Kurt Cobain was writing and singing about living under a bridge in Aberdeen, Washington, I (the same age, grew up 30 miles from Aberdeen, similar mother, no father, etc...) was catering the songs for my first Immortal/Epic release to fit what the A&R guys at Epic wanted. I rememeber living in a posh place in the Hollywood Hills, surrounded with equipment and money, and listening to "Pennyroyal Tea," thinking (KNOWING) I would never be the artist, with the artistic integrity, that KC was. I loved and felt everything he said and sang. Still, I couldn't bring myself to stop trying to market bubble-gum pop music (which I did) because I was so afraid of straying too left of center, because I was too afriad of failing at doing what I really wnated to do.

Where are you guys coming from? Eric Clapton has mansions all around the world and actually has the nerve to record Robert Johnson covers? Now that's absurd.

Cobain may have lived a life that disgusted you, but make no mistake, it disgusted him, too....really, it did. What...would you have him give all his money to charity!? He drove a Mercedes station wagon because Mercedes makes the best station wagon and he had a freakin' kid! That's all. HE HAD A KID and a bitchy wife!!!! Would you have him deny his child? He did the best thing he could do for his child and, secondly, himsel, when he offed himself...he did what apparently you all wanted him to do.
 
Man, we can discuss sell outs all day, come up with a whole list but please lets not talk about Kurt. For one thing it's absurd to think of him as a sellout. When did he not put his music first, when did he ever put himself first, besides in the end. His whole existence was a sacrifice. For his music he kept revisiting songs that were immensely difficult. He kept reaching down into himself to give all of us fools that shit and we dare question his intergrity. The man was a martyr, let him be. I think it's ridiculous and just plain rude to bring his name up in such a topic, or any topic that doesn't plain praise him. Sure he was selfish, sure he owned a fuckin nice car, wouldn't you? The man gave it all, foolishly maybe, but he did, and he never ever compromised his music or his ideals for money. Aerosmith playing britney spears songs at the superbowl, now that's compromising your music for money, that's selling out. Every MTV manufactured bubble gum brat with nice hair and shit music now that's a sellout, but not Kurt.



Laj
 
The Ultimate Sell out

I don't know if I would call Kurt a martyr. A martyr is generally someone who dies or suffers for principles, (not someone who suffers - who doesn't) or sacrifices all for a cause. What was his cause? He did it to himself, because he was unhappy with himself and his life. Suicide in itself is selling out. Many people come from the not-so-leave-it-to-beaver lifestlye, but we make different choices. Most people try to do their best with what they have. Sometimes things turn out good, sometimes things turn out bad, but suicide in my opinion is never the answer.
 
Staind, Korn, Slipknot, and Limp Bizkit are all sellouts. When I walk into Wal Mart and see their gear on the racks, thats when I know.
 
A sellout is a bitch ass motha fucka who dont follow wha GOD has planted in dem, meanin if my mind body and souls says make commercial music and I try ta fit in by makin gangsta music den imma fuckin sellout. If all I know is gangsta and I try ta do some Will Smith shit imma fuckin sellout.

The bottom line is do wha yo heart burns ta do not whas trendy.

IMHO XELF

PEACE AND GOD BLESS
 
I'd also like to respond to all deez people on here makin statements about whoz a sellout or not.


HOWDA FUCK DO YALL KNOW.


Deez people make music either because they want u ta feel dem or cause the sold out but and mind u a BIG OL BUT...........noone really know why, unless u know deez people personally I suggest u shut da fuck up and talk about some real shit like helpin each other make better music cause alot of u cats "SUCK" and probably sellouts yo damn xelf.


IMHO XELF

PEACE AND GOD BLESS
 
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