Hip Hop didnt die, it was murder...

[Hadez]

i was just thinkin the same thing about the fans bein part of it. i agree 100%

[AspirinE]

I'd like to think the listeners actually control what type of music they listen to.

BUT:

-The media is the biggest brainwashing tool on the planet, if it says something is worth buy it half of those watching will buy it.

- CD sales in no way reflect demand, since:
a) People outside of US only get exposed to the selection. Only to labels that can print enough cds to flood the planet. When theres 5000 50 cent cds in every store, u don't wonder why the sales are high.
b) Promotion and propaganda. Not every rapper can afford a clothing line and 10 videos prime time on MTV to promote his album.
c) The promotion is always given to labels with deepest pockets.



Theres some pretty dumb listeners there too. I been currently hearing more news from Shop Boyz then updates on why Rakims album aint released. I don't even get who the fuck listens to shit like shop boyz. Gota be fucking mentally challenged or Black and in love with "i am a dumb, illiterate nigger, who talk with a slang" attitude.

[4D]

I'd like to think the listeners actually control what type of music they listen to.

BUT:

-The media is the biggest brainwashing tool on the planet, if it says something is worth buy it half of those watching will buy it.

- CD sales in no way reflect demand, since:
a) People outside of US only get exposed to the selection. Only to labels that can print enough cds to flood the planet. When theres 5000 50 cent cds in every store, u don't wonder why the sales are high.
b) Promotion and propaganda. Not every rapper can afford a clothing line and 10 videos prime time on MTV to promote his album.
c) The promotion is always given to labels with deepest pockets.



Theres some pretty dumb listeners there too. I been currently hearing more news from Shop Boyz then updates on why Rakims album aint released. I don't even get who the fuck listens to shit like shop boyz. Gota be fucking mentally challenged or Black and in love with "i am a dumb, illiterate *****, who talk with a slang" attitude.

I agree with a lot of what you're saying, but it's up to the underground artists to get more creative. Not sell out, but release something that can contend on a commercial level, at least 1 or 2 singles that will attract a wider audience to listen to or buy the whole album. They don't have the bank to promote their new albums, because their last albums haven't sold enough. Why should a record company spend a couple million promoting an album that'll only sell a few thousand copies. Artists need to take responsibilty for their lack of sales. The most hardcore of artists in rock, heavy metal and hip-hop that have made it big, have released catchy popular songs to appeal to a bigger crowd, only then to unleash the depth and skill of their art on the rest of the album, and therefor trapping a huge fanbase to buy their albums in the future. That's how you become popular and at the same time maintain respectibility.

And about Maybe's point, you have a lot of validity in your point. It sometimes sickens me to see amatuer beginner rappers, thinking they have the right to look down on a great artist. There's people on this forum getting rave reviews for some of their stuff, yet if a great rapper released it it would be called shit, which is only right too, as we expect more from great rappers, and sometimes feel the need to give amateur rappers a confidence boost. But by giving them these great reviews we are giving them unwarranted ego's and some now think they are actually better than the great rappers. Which is a joke, and anybody with that frame of mind should be shot with balls of their own shit. I have a lot more repect for the rappers that do it as a hobbie, and realise that it's just that.

It's not just you with this point of view Maybe, there's many rappers hitting on this. Check out this short freestyle verse by Apathy

http://www.zshare.net/audio/26844584c6b73c/

[AspirinE]

I agree with a lot of what you're saying, but it's up to the underground artists to get more creative. Not sell out, but release something that can contend on a commercial level, at least 1 or 2 singles that will attract a wider audience to listen to or buy the whole album. They don't have the bank to promote their new albums, because their last albums haven't sold enough. Why should a record company spend a couple million promoting an album that'll only sell a few thousand copies. Artists need to take responsibilty for their lack of sales. The most hardcore of artists in rock, heavy metal and hip-hop that have made it big, have released catchy popular songs to appeal to a bigger crowd, only then to unleash the depth and skill of their art on the rest of the album, and therefor trapping a huge fanbase to buy their albums in the future. That's how you become popular and at the same time maintain respectibility.

And about Maybe's point, you have a lot of validity in your point. It sometimes sickens me to see amatuer beginner rappers, thinking they have the right to look down on a great artist. There's people on this forum getting rave reviews for some of their stuff, yet if a great rapper released it it would be called shit, which is only right too, as we expect more from great rappers, and sometimes feel the need to give amateur rappers a confidence boost. But by giving them these great reviews we are giving them unwarranted ego's and some now think they are actually better than the great rappers. Which is a joke, and anybody with that frame of mind should be shot with balls of their own shit. I have a lot more repect for the rappers that do it as a hobbie, and realise that it's just that.

It's not just you with this point of view Maybe, there's many rappers hitting on this. Check out this short freestyle verse by Apathy

http://www.zshare.net/audio/26844584c6b73c/

Pardon me, i just quickly skimmed through your posts but as soon as i saw "they need to make catchy songs" ... my alarm went off. They don't need to release "catchy" songs, they need to release good songs. Its the radio's and tv that are choosing to play shitty songs, because they can get away with it, since the listeners are brainwashed and the rappers in mainstream are too lazy to compete.

For hip hop, what really needs to be done, is THE DJ needs to be brought back, and im not talking about these wack ass mixtape clowns that make "beats" and put in gun sounds and shout on the records all the time, im talking bout those wise motherfuckers on the radio that can play good songs to make the day better. No need for these parots talking on the radio anouncing "new hot joints" which are not hot, they are just played because of affiliation and because they are paid to play something.


But whatever, its not like anybody there is gonna do shit, since people are too greedy. It is possible to change culture areally though, ive seen it happen and i been part of movement.

I say bring back the street culture, that graffiti/breakdance/turntable shit, that shit gets new kids involved and makes it interesting. All these "rappers" out there right now, "trying to make it", should be setting up parties on their blocks and making themselves a sorrounding that would get people to listen to them AND bring the spirit back at the same time. Coz frankly, rappers that rap for these businesses like fucking beggars are pathetic.

[4D]

We've had this discussion about being brainwashed by media before, and I don't buy it. I agree it's a huge factor in promoting an album or an artist. But, it's not the only factor. Melody and music is something that is in human beings to just react to and enjoy. There are many different kinds and levels of it, and there are certain types that just appeal to a bigger average of people. Middle of the road music like Pop which is in between all the other genre's will obviously be more "popular" because it's easier on the ears, easier on the brian, you don't have to think about it. It's just dumb fun chill out music. That doesn't make it better it just makes it popular. Obviously the closer you get in the other genre's to reaching the Pop genre, the more popular your music becomes. If you dumb down the hip-hop, makes it appeal to the pop audience, you will sell more, but if you are popularity focussed only you'll lose respectability. But, if you can write a few "catchier" songs that will appeal to a larger audience, you will garner a greater listening audience to the rest of your album, which is any artists goal, to draw attention to the album. It doesn't have to be a shitty club-banger song to be catchy, as you said it can just be a better song.


About the established hip-hop artists starting up projects for youths in their communities, in an ideal world that would be awesome, but most artists couldn't be bothered thinking about the preservation of their culture. They're too busy spending their money on mansions, rims and cristal. But some have done things like this, I know Eminem has started some kind of foundation for the youths in Detroit, and I think s few mroe have to. Hopefully more could do the same.


And yes, it would be great if it went back to the breakdancing, graffiti and DJ's scatching on the decks. That'd be awesome. Those wankers that are over using that shitty gunfire effect on their mixtapes are the epitome of shite!

[Hoopz]

more dj's like Julio G are needed.

[$0 R3@L]

I dont think hip hop dead its dying,the main cause is the listner and commercial side of the buisness.

Atm theres very few rappers we can constantly expectdecent material from as it seems everyone is just totally lost what it was that made us support them in the first place.

As for online rappers i should hope EVERY online rapper just sees it as a hobby and not a career.Like studying music for college or not having a steady job and purely waiting on a dream to be granted are the fools,its very sad and such a waste of life >.<.Theres many great online underground rappers around but none,including myself,will EVER make it into mainstream.

Its nothing about struggle because everyone struggles,granted some flash there ipods and OTT studio setups but why should that matter? Lets just make music and enjoy doing so.

[J Won]

Well I think more people get into the suckish music, and more and more people like it and encourages the music artist to make that music.

[Hoopz]

I dont think hip hop dead its dying,the main cause is the listner and commercial side of the buisness.

Atm theres very few rappers we can constantly expectdecent material from as it seems everyone is just totally lost what it was that made us support them in the first place.

As for online rappers i should hope EVERY online rapper just sees it as a hobby and not a career.Like studying music for college or not having a steady job and purely waiting on a dream to be granted are the fools,its very sad and such a waste of life >.<.Theres many great online underground rappers around but none,including myself,will EVER make it into mainstream.

Its nothing about struggle because everyone struggles,granted some flash there ipods and OTT studio setups but why should that matter? Lets just make music and enjoy doing so.

how do you know?
Do u know how bone got discoverd? they were like rappers here on TR, they just made a plan n took action, they didnt sit around n wait to be discoverd.

Pac even wasnt supposed to be a rapper, he was with digital underground n he rapped something n they were like, well damn, he is good, lets put him on a track "same song".

any of you good rappers have a chance, but dont COUNT on it.

[$0 R3@L]

While thats somewhat true for that era of hip hop,the modern hip hop scene is FLOODED with rap acts.Thereforethe chances of breaking mainstream are 1/1,000,000+. While its nice to think everyone has a chance in reality its should always remain a dream.Lets just all enjoy what we do and how we do it and show some of the mainstream artists how it should be done and we aint even got money or production teams and managment to back us,nothing but our self taught skills

[J Won]

Can anyone list any artists that actually deserve the paycheck that 50 Cent gets?

[,-,'-{Bar}-',-,]

Can anyone list any artists that actually deserve the paycheck that 50 Cent gets?

rakim
nas
jin
talib


of the top

[4D]

Can anyone list any artists that actually deserve the paycheck that 50 Cent gets?

Nobody deserves that much money. It's not about the money, but many other rappers deserve as big a fanbase as Fifty has. He doesn't deserve that, he should be dropping raps on TR and getting laughed at!