On my free weekends, I teach songwriting classes to inner-city youth in South Florida. Many of them come from really rough backgrounds, foster homes, abusive families and even human trafficking. They’re kids, so the choices they make and the lifestyles they follow are deeply influenced by the music they listen to and the messages embodied within. Unfortunately, major labels with heavy market influence are pushing artists who tell women they’re not pretty enough and convince men they’ll never find a loyal woman. They tell young girls to aspire toward becoming a ‘bad b*tch’ instead of a proper young lady and they brainwash people into believing that empty sex is more fulfilling than real love. What’s left? Too many single mothers who, weathered by dishonesty and heartbreak, have lost their ability to trust; and their children, who have little-to-no contact with tangible fatherly figures to teach them noble virtues as they grow.
Being a kid in the early ’90s gave me a strong appreciation for the R&B music of that era, when the art of songwriting was a little (and by ‘a little’ I mean ‘a lot’) more thought-provoking than it is today. I feel like the underlying messages in major-label-promoted songs seemed to have a lot more value back when artists such as Boyz II Men, Dru Hill, 112 and All 4 One taught us how to love. There was a time when corporate machines put their money behind songs with substance that respected love, women and the pursuit of romance – the type of timeless music worthy of playing at weddings, anniversaries and family get-togethers. Now in 2016, the objectification and general disrespect of not only women but also people in general has become the industry norm, leaving a rising generation of young men without a sense of honor and commitment.
With all that said, I still subscribe to a culture of value, and this is why I made “Benefits of Love.”
As a full-time recording artist I’ve chosen to be the same person I am as a man. The music I write and perform actually represents what I believe in as a human being – and I personally believe in being a stand-up father to my 4-year-old son, Zion. The way I walk, talk, act and live will have a direct impact on how Zion interacts with the world when I’m not around and it’s my duty to equip him not only with mannerisms rooted in wisdom and kindness, but also the confidence to find comfort in being who he genuinely is. My desire is to see Zion grow into becoming a man of character and value, a man of respect and humility and a trendsetter leading his generation toward the light by following an unwavering moral compass. The best way I know how to do this is to lead by example with God as my north star – this is what the #BenefitsOfLove is all about. Please enjoy it and share with someone you value.
Official site: www.AlexanderStar.com
Instagram: @MrAlexanderStar
Facebook: @MrAlexanderStar
Twitter: @MrAlexanderStar
