OPINION: IS EDM THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL LUNCH ROOM?

Over the past few years, what started off in illegal warehouses has blossomed into a multi billion dollar, worldwide phenomenon. However, it's no secret that with main stream success, an onslaught of underground hatred tends to follow. But is this hatred needed, or is this hatred even well founded, more over is hatred ever well founded? I would say "no," it's nothing more than petty elitism. 

Artists like Seth Troxler and Mat Zo have been quite vocal lately with their disdain of some fellow artists, personal career decisions. Now while everyone is entitled to their opinions, when did it become warranted for grown adults to be so vengeful towards other individuals for doing their own thing? It's almost as if these "saviors of the underground" are fighting a theoretical battle that doesn't even exist. And in this paradox, creates this imaginary war against purists and mainstreamers which no one wanted in the first place.

The past few weeks a few artists and events have been under fire. But I can't for the life of me understand how they're destroying the "underground scene" as they're being accused of. They're doing things in their own ways, in their own respected fields, that are growing them as respected artists and brands.  For example, I live in Downtown Los Angeles, and have yet to see how the club nights in Hollywood, or festivals like Electric Daisy Carnival have hurt the underground warehouse parties that neighbor my apartment. 

Just because Chainsmokers were on American Idol, or Steve Aoki throws cakes, or Ultra has a different attendee than an underground rave, does not mean they are attacking or damaging "the scene." It means that they have a different way of doing things than the ones criticizing. It's no secret EDM has branched off from house music into its own entity, with its own sounds, and own subculture, far away from its underground roots, but so what? Wasn't the underground started to band together and flee the persecution from the ignorant outsiders? Aren't they just perpetuating the core issues that have sprouted every underground scene in every genre? I smell hypocrisy.

If you want to sit and preach about integrity and respect, than I suggest the preacher has some themselves. The main stream, isn't writing hate articles and personally attacking artists smaller than themselves, so don't play savior to people who quite frankly don't need saving. You don't have to like everything, you don't even have to respect everything, but there's a difference between not liking something and being downright malicious.

Words: Devan Welch/ Rubix Management