January 24, 2016

Brother Ali "Downloading Vs. Buying Music" (Video, 2009)


When people ask me about downloading vs buying, I often reference Brother Ali’s 2009 video blog, where he discusses this topic in-depth: “…Over time, you start building a library or a collection that lives in your house of all this music that means so much to you … To have and own that physical thing meant something. The relationship that you have with your music is hurt when all you’re doing is downloading it and not paying for it. Not to mention, it’s not a physical, real thing … That’s a very cheap, separated, estranged relationship that you’re having with that music. You’re removing an element of it when that happens …” But, as you’d expect from Brother Ali, his full response is very balanced and honest, so please watch the whole video HERE. With streaming now playing such an integral role in music consumption and the disposable nature of music - an overabundance of new content daily - I wonder if fans will ever have the same attachment my generation had to music!?!? Do you have any thoughts on this? I'd like to hear from you. Updated image: Art by Collins Spaedy.