As a music lover, Friday morning is my favorite time of the week. Once I wake up, I immediately go to my Spotify “Radar Release” and listen to the latest tracks by my favorite artists and others not yet on my radar.
My second favorite music tradition occurs Thursday night. If you tune in to Hot 97 at 7:00 PM, you will hear the sounds of a bomb, cars racing, and a man yelling uncontrollably.
The man orchestrating the chaos is Aston Taylor Jr — more commonly known as Funk Flex. On Thursdays, the Bronx DJ premiers new tracks for his national audience hours before they are available on platforms like Apple Music. Flex gets the releases by having a rapport with artists that can only be achieved through DJing in New York for decades and having a unique pulse on what listeners want to hear.
Funk Flex is unlike your typical celebrity DJ, who spins at Essence Festival, Presidential Inaugural parties, and corporate events. His default is abrasive, inserting himself in a manner that toes the line between comedy and arrogance. Though occasionally funny, his premier of “Otis” showcases the best and worst of his unique personality. His hour-long rant about Charlemagne tha God perfectly blends mayhem with music.
In some respects, listening to Flex reminds me of the mediocre DJs I suffered through in college. They never knew when to let a song breathe, routinely picking the worst moment to restart the track or drop a shoutout. Despite making me re-live forgettable nights out, I have developed an appreciation for what Flex does and what he represents.
Yes, the antics are absurd and occasionally distract us from the music, but isn’t that the norm today? Increasingly, artists are using their music to pull in other revenue streams. Rappers are — and rightfully so — using music as the catalyst to do other things. As artists continue to develop their brand and host shows like Saturday Night Live, their marketability outside music ultimately takes precedence. Rappers have more access to capital than ever and will remain in demand as brands look to develop connections to the Black community.
The drawback is this potential to monetize makes artists and personalities play a role, selling themselves to capitalize on the latest trends. Rap and R&B are becoming void of original voices and personalities. There only exists so many lanes for those in music to thrive. There is a ceiling to success for those who operate outside or contrary to the established trends.
Funk Flex has become an unlikely breath of fresh air due to his authenticity, remaining true to himself as time and technology pass him by. He reacts to music as we do in our most intimate moments, with unwarranted emotion and passion.
His energy fills a void created by artists whose stage presence often lacks enthusiasm and care for the art of performing. Flex counters an industry that is increasingly reliant on indifference. Flex doubles down on the quirks that make him different, regardless of whether it’s in style.
How we listen to music is rapidly changing. The dominance of streaming platforms and social media has relegated radio. Given our numerous choices, the end is near for the once-popular audio medium. Funk flex and his industry may be slowly fading, but he’ll go down fighting — and undoubtedly screaming.
