Podcast Review: PitStop Music

By Allison Thigpen

I listened to Pit Stop Music, Episode 5, about Caleb Dixon, otherwise known as “Yung CED,” and the internet's effect on the music industry today. This podcast was created by Archie Barnes and Gabe Rosenfield. 

Listening to this, from the get-go, I really liked the speakers' energy. They seemed serious about what they were talking about, in a natural manner. Archie and Gabes questions seemed genuine. It seemed like they were actually wanting to know a lot about the guest, Caleb. 

I also learned a lot about music, specifically rap. Caleb mentioned in the beginning that he is into “old school rap”- I found that quite interesting, as I had never thought of rap as being new or old; I guess I may not know much about it. 

I also learned how specific music artists like Caleb are. There are so many fine details and elements that go into their work that listeners, like me, may not be aware of. 

Mostly, though, I think it is so interesting how the internet has changed the music industry. One of my close friends is into music as well, and it is apparent how much the internet is helping young artists to start as young as they are. 

Dixon mentioned, “When you start young you have so many years to grow, and expand your craft. If I would have waited until I was like 26, I would have already been irrelevant.” 

I think that because the internet and the technology we have access to today is making it easier for people to start creating much younger, that many years from now, music is going to be growing even more, because the artists in our community, big or small, will have had so much more time to master their craft more than ever before. 

Barnes and Rosenfield also touched on some negative aspects to this accessibility. With creators starting so young, they may be creating content at the age of 16, and look back when they are older, and regret some of the things they said. 

Rosenfield said, “An 18-year-old making millions of dollars opens up a huge door for making mistakes; these people are kids.” I found the ending of the podcast to be the most interesting part of all, when they talked about the industry affecting children. 

So many of the popular young artists of my generation such as Juice WRLD, Nipsey Hussle and Mac Miller have died so young, or gotten in trouble with that law; a question that this all raised for me was, can we blame them?