MADE

Joe Jackson’s a scumbag. Thousands of people on YouTube think he is. You saw the interview he did with CNN’s Don Lemmon at the BET Music Awards, didn’t you? Look at the video below. He was being asked questions about how the Jackson family’s doing in the wake of Michael’s death.

He answered with very abrupt, detached answers. And he kept passing the mic around to his attorney and spokesperson. And then he took the opportunity to promote his record company.

Bad move Joe. It’s dangerous in the age of social media. I learned about the interview online, like most people. Many people want to see Joe Jackson burn. Just read the YouTube comments. Aristedude1 says, “What a fucking asshole Blue ray technology…YOUR SON JUST DIED AND YOU DON’T GIVE A SHIT ASSHOLE.” FlipinoxBandito says “Go to hell Joe,…Disgusting human being.”

If Joe Jackson releases an album under his new record label, do you think these people are going to buy it? Hell no!. Actually, some of them might buy it just to spit on it. That particular YouTube video where I got these comments had over 60,000 views and over 800 hateful comments about Joe Jackson. Imagine all the other videos out there and all the blogs talking about how much of a douchebag Joe Jackson is.

How many people are viewing these videos and reading those blogs? I think it’s an understatement to say that Joe Jackson is sealing his fate in the music business. His already bad reputation has descended into an inferno. Way to go Joe. Good luck with that record company.

But Joe Jackson doesn’t know any better. He’s old. He’s from another generation. He has a mindset that tells him it makes sense to launch a new record label in 2009. He doesn’t understand where the music business is headed. He thinks he’s going to clean up after his son’s death. Maybe he will, maybe he won’t. But if he does, it won’t be off of CDs. So far, MJ record sales don’t correlate with his fame.

But I don’t really care about Joe Jackson. He’s going to do what he’s going to do. To me there’s a more practical lesson in all of this. The lesson is this: Shut up!

Joe Jackson needs to shut up. The Jonas Brothers need to keep their mouths shut. Everyody just needs to zip it.

I don’t say that out of self-righteousness. I say it out of pragmatism. There are two reasons you have to be careful about overcommunicating your indie band, your music or your brand these days.

First, the Internet doesn’t forget. When you say something, whether it’s in a blog, in a forum or on video, it’s on the record…forever. It’s not like the Internet is going to dissapear. Your words are there for the world to see…forever. There’s no more anonymity.

Joe Jackson could start a foundation to cure cancer and people will still remember him as that douchebag at the BET Awards. These days, you can’t do thing that contradict each other and get way with it…at least not for long. You have to pick one identity and one message and stick with it. Don’t tell some of your fans one things and others another.

Second, hype doesn’t work anymore. I direct these words especially to all you hip hop artists out there. You’re especially guilty of overhyping yourselves and it’s sickening. That loud boisterous style you love so much doesn’t work online. Hey, some of y’all need to learn how to spell too. And turn off the caps lock before you start typing. Just showing some love man cause I love hip hop.

What social media has done is it’s forced your products to speak louder than you. All the hype in the world won’t convince me if your music isn’t the shit. Tone down your talk and tune up the quality of your music and products. That’s how your market today. Aight.

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