Some people shouldn't be reactors

I recently paid a person to react to an artist, because the reactor and the artist are both rappers and I wanted commentary on her rapping, so I can learn more about the genre.

The reactor watched the video, liked the singing of the artist, but then when she started rapping, the reactor's only commentary was "some people just shouldn't be rappers".

In the reactor's defense, I didn't specify WHY I wanted a reaction into her music from them, and also, they are entitled to think her rapping sucks.

What I wanted was commentary on her rapping, good or bad. Tell me why she shouldn't be a rapper. What is she doing wrong, what is your problem with it? Is her sense of rhythm not good, or her flow or because you don't get the contradiction between her voice and the subject matter (sweet-looking and sounding girl, dark lyrics). Tell me. Educate me. Assume I know nothing if that helps.

The reasons I'm not talking about this to the reactor directly or naming either the artist nor the reactor are multiple. First of all, what good would naming them do? I like her rapping, lots of other people like her rapping, and there's one person who doesn't, who cares? The reactor is alright, in general. Sometimes the reaction is great, most of the time it's alright, and this reaction was one of the ones where they really "dropped the ball" so to say. I don't want to talk shit behind their back because they did a bad job once. I'd hate it if a customer did that to me, if they wrote a message online naming me and saying what a bad job I did. But if they didn't name me, then I'd get it. I can't redo the interaction with the customer and 99% of the times when I do a bad job I know I did a bad job, but they are also allowed to be upset about it and vent about it. Not naming is just basic human decency, it's them acknowledging I'm only human and humans are not always 100%.

And about not talking to the reactor directly - sure, if I had done it immediately and known how to express it properly, they might have listened to me. But bringing it up now would be weird, and I don't see what good would that do. They did react to her, so they technically did what I paid them to do, so I don't feel entitled to a refund either...

I feel like they don't respect me. I put thought into choosing an artist and a song - and granted, I don't always do that, but they couldn't possibly know if I just threw any random song at them or spent days considering my options. I spent money on it and this is their job. I'm a paying customer. They did the job, but they did a bad job and I'm upset about it. And I'm allowed to be upset about it and talk about my bad experience.

Also, if I brought it up, I don't know how they'd take it. I mean it as feedback "you did bad job this one time" and all I'd expect is an apology (and maybe an elaboration on their opinion), because there's nothing else they can do about it anymore. But I feel like they would only see that there's nothing they can do about it anymore and get defensive... Idk. Maybe I'll bring it up, maybe I won't. Maybe they know they did a bad job and feel too awkward to bring it up. That's how I'd feel in their position. I am seriously considering not requesting from them anymore, though. What's the point? If they happen to not like the song, then I get nothing but a stupid reactor ruining a perfectly fine song for me. If they happen to like it, I might still just get a "It's a good song" and I don't need the validation, either. I know it's a good song, that's why I listen to it. So, I can't use their services for learning, I can't use them for entertainment... What good would requesting a reaction from them do? Nothing.

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Ok, vent over. Lets talk about why am I writing this in the first place.

It's because in my mind, this ties to something I've thought about multiple different people over the course of several years. Especially very small reaction channels - there's a reason they're small, there are very few awesome small reaction channels (like, under 100 000 subs, that's small to me). Usually, the reason they're small is because 1) their equipment or editing skills aren't up to a certain standard - bad video or audio quality, no screen on screen of the thing they're reacting to, or 2) they suck at doing reactions.

There are three major factions, IMO, that make a good reaction channel (equipment and editing skills aside + I'm only talking about music reactions): 1) expertise 2) personality 3) knowledge of music.

First of all, expertise: They need a basic understanding of pitch and rhythm, most people are born with it and it can also be practiced. If they are very knowledgeable on a certain genre of music or a particular area of music such as singing, they have a better chance to make it big.

Second of all, personality. They need to be expressive and have good verbal skills. It's good if they have a somewhat predictable nature, if people know what to expect. The audience needs to be aware of their values, strong opinions they might have, things they love or hate in music... No one wants to see a) someone who has no reaction, who just watches a video and then says "I liked it" or "I didn't like it" - no facial expressions, no further elaboration on what they liked and what they didn't and why or b) who they cannot predict at all, who never verbally explain what they like or don't like and then, on face value, their reactions are not coherent.

Third of all, knowledge. Best case scenario is someone who hasn't really listened to much music before, or has been stuck on one genre and is now open-mindedly exploring a new one. But being very knowledgeable about a certain genre and focusing on giving your opinion on new releases of songs in that genre works as well.

So, based on that list we can compile another one on what makes someone a bad reactor, who shouldn't have a music reaction channel:

- Doesn't understand or like music. Has zero knowledge on rhythm or basic song structure.

- Has a very monotone expression and tone of voice, and a very calm demeanor (too calm, not excited).

- Has poor verbal skills, doesn't know how to express themselves verbally.

- Has an obnoxious personality, is not liked by people. I.e. being rude or mean to the audience or the artists, being unwilling to learn, being too opinionated on their political stance, etc.

- Knows too much. The idea behind having a reaction channel is that you are seeing and hearing something for the first time. If you've already heard of every artist, it's not going to interest people when you react to their music, even if the song is new.

- Is close-minded about the music they listen to, genre-wise.

All of this is things people can develop, so the most important thing to be is humble and willing to learn.

I wouldn't be a good reactor. First of all, I fear talking to a camera. I don't mind selfies, I don't mind lipsyncing, I don't mind another person filming me, I don't mind recording my own voice... It's just the talking to a camera part that makes me have an out of body experience level anxiety attack and forget my own name and how to human.

Second of all, it takes me time to construct my thoughts. I've been writing this post for like a week, or maybe two. I know one reaction channel where the guy films his first reaction to things and then starts looking up facts and analyzing the song further and films that as well, and then edits it so it's not hours long... I like that, that's how I roll as well. I don't remember the channel's name, but the YT series is called "Trying to stan...". His girlfriend "scripts" them by choosing the artists and songs, looking up facts in case he wants to know something in the middle of filming, reading the comments afterwards etc so he doesn't see spoilers... It's a two-person channel and I think the concept is awesome. And the channel is great as well.

If I wasn't scared of talking to a camera, that's how I would do it. I would do it alone, but I would give myself time to look things up and not be ignorant and too hasty with it.

I also know too much. I am very much a geek and when I find something that interests me, I pour myself into it, I spend every waking moment learning about it. When there are moments in life when I can't do that, when I have to focus on multiple things at once, I get unhappy and stressed. Having a reaction channel would be me deliberately putting myself in that situation, of not being able to learn everything about an artist or a microgenre or art movement in the span of few days. I can write this blog anywhere, almost anytime, on my phone. I can't film anywhere anytime.

And because I'm such a curious person and want to learn and love music so much, I've heard of most popular music subgenres and listened to them and found my favorite artists in that genre that stuck. I feel like I know too many artists to be a good reactor. Music rarely shocks me anymore, and those reactions are the best, where the reactor is shocked because they've never heard anything like that artist.

Generally speaking, people like me, but I bet some people would have a problem with me not supporting artists who are sexual criminals or queerphobic. As crazy as that sounds to me. "BuT cAn'T yOu SePaRaTe ArT fRoM tHe ArTiSt??" Yes. The art can be whatever and say whatever, but the person has to be a good person, and this is what that means to me, this is the bare minimum of human decency, for me. Good art, bad artist combo on your playlist is just being lazy and spineless as a consumer. That bad person benefits from your clicks and comments and minutes you listen to them. Is that the kind of person you want to support? Or could you get your head out of your ass and do a five minute google search into whose music sounds like that asshole's music and listen to that instead? 

At the very least, music made by people like this should be a guilty pleasure. Something you're unwilling to admit that you listen to.

Does this close me off some potentially awesome music? Sure. But my principles are more important to me than hearing a set of notes and words in a particular order.

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In case someone who's reading this recognizes the person that inspired this blog post: I'm not doing this to instigate drama or to start beef with them or against them. I have nothing against them - they're a good person and generally speaking, an ok reactor. This one misstep made me momentarily angry with them, but I calmed down before I started typing. I do not hold a grudge, I simply realized I'm not getting anything out of their reactions anymore and that's why I'm quitting the requests. This is just me valuing my hard-earned money and my time higher than what they can offer. I'm criticizing their work, not them as a person.

Only some of these points apply to this reactor and other points apply to others, I don't know a single reactor who'd tick all these negative boxes (thank God). But IMO, the more negative attributes you got, the worse you are as a reactor, and the more positive ones you got, the better you are as a reactor. It's a balance act. No one is in either end of that spectrum. And people are people, so some days they might be great at it and other days they might suck. I just happened to catch a day that this person sucked and it happened to be the last drop for me.

I'm done writing. Thank you for reading, whoever you are.

Ps. I don't agree that "some people just shouldn't be rappers", or "metal screamers" or "singers" or whatever. They're skills one can learn and I don't like gatekeepers. Music is for everyone. Reaction channels are different, because you kinda need a certain kind of personality to be a great reactor, and you can't change your personality.