Probably Enjoys Smell of Own Farts
Wildly successful super-producer and person-who-keeps-shirt-on-when-swimming, Afrojack, appears to be prepared to take an ill advised step in front of the camera to promote his upcoming album. Is this Afrojack keeping up with the need for everyone to promote what they are doing on a dynamic/non-stop basis, or does Afrojack simply enjoy Afrojacking-off in the mirror? Now don’t misunderstand, I enjoy his music. He’s very talented and has had much more success than I. With that said, I believe this documentary is evidence that he lights candles and plays “Take Over Control” while he beds groupies. Maybe.
Yes, Afrojack could be simply maintaining relevance in an uber competitive medium, ripe with talented self-promoters who push the envelope of what club music/club life is. Or, he could be someone who smiles at a framed picture of himself, carefully placed over his mixing board while he maestros up his latest musical genius.
The documentary could very well be a wonderful bit of history for his fans, and a well deserved testament to his hard work over the years. We all certainly would love to live out our hopes and dreams, go from nothing to something. However, it takes a special kind of narcissist to narrate your own autobiographical documentary.
It just doesn’t feel like an inspiring rags-to-riches story, like if he spent his last $600 on a Dell computer and downloaded Fruity Loops (beatmaking software for the laypeople out there) to start making beats to pay for rent and afford food. In the trailer, he cites that he never left Holland. But then when he became successful, he traveled the world DJing. Wow….I can’t believe he wasn’t able to travel the world and had to stay in one country all the time, what a bummer! I can really feel where the angst to create comes from, such pain. What’s next, a documentary about how Steve Aoki overcame his humble beginnings as the son of the PF Chang’s restaurant giant to produce Sweet & Sour Kung Pao House Music? Orange Peel Sesame Bass Drop anyone?
Hip Hop did this correctly by telling stories like Eminem, 50 Cent, and Biggie’s story. People who had nothing but their notebooks and beat tapes triumph over adversity and changed their fate. These people were surrounded by drug dealing, abusive home lives, and real trauma. Their stories deserved to be on camera and put their songs into powerful context. In turn, they helped create 3 dimensional characters marketed to the world effectively. However, rappers have the advantage of using their vocals to paint who they are to fans, while electronic producers’ personalities are not present in the song whatsoever.
Afrojack would like to use this documentary transcend his music and attach his face and personality to his buzzing synths, bass drops and thumping sets. The only problem is, some of us belong behind the scenes doing what we do best, in his case, producing music and DJing. I’m sure the documentary will be adored by his true fans, but I’m afraid he’s going to come off like someone who’s got a crush on himself. Do we feel that this documentary will be a smart, savvy, business move to maintain attention and further celebrity relevance, or is Afrojack giving himself a pointless lifetime achievement award that will ultimately expose him as a narcissist? At least he doesn’t refer to himself in the third person and curse out fans when they say something he doesn’t like at a show.
Oh and would ya look at that….Fuck my life. Hardwell Releases Trailer for “I am Hardwell”