I GOT A QUESTION FOR YALL
AFTER LAST NIGHTS SHOW I REALLY PUT MY FINGER ON WHY HIP-HOP HASN’T KEPT ITS STATUS AND FEELS SO BROKEN DOWN. THIS IS THE ONLY BUSINESS WHERE THE CREATORS GET RICH, QUIT AND LEAVE PEOPLE WITH THOUGHTS OF HOW IT WAS. LIKE FOR INSTANCE THE SHOW THEY HAD LAST NIGHT COULD AND SHOULD BE A WORLD WIDE TOUR BUT THERE’S NO PROMOTERS IN THE GAME FROM THAT ERA ANY MORE. THIS IS THE PART OF HIP-HOP I DON’T UNDERSTAND, WHERE DID EVERYBODY GO AND WHY?? YALL THINK I KNOW BECAUSE I MADE MY WAY IN BUT I’M NOT FROM NY I WAS IN ATLANTA LOOKING IN THE WINDOW JUST LIKE YALL. IF YOU LOOK AT SHIT LIKE THE WWE VINCE MC MAN STARTED IT AND IS STILL DOING IT AND I THINK HE’S MADE WAY MORE MONEY THAN ANYBODY IN THE RAP BUSINESS. THE SAME WITH THE NBA, DAMN NEAR ALL THE COACHES ARE FORMER PLAYERS NOW. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE NEW ARTIST THERE COMING EVERYDAY BUT WHO’S TELLING THEM WHAT’S RIGHT AND WHAT’S WRONG? I REMEMBER EVERYBODY USE TO GO TO CANCUN AND CHRIS LATIMER WAS THE BRAIN CHILD BEHIND THIS I WENT EVERY YEAR. NIGGAS FROM EVERY STATE HAD TO BE THERE. THEN I WENT BACK AND SOMEBODY ELSE HAD TAKEN OVER AND IT BY FAR WAS NOT THE SAME. WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY DID CHRIS LEAVE WHAT HE STARTED?? SEE THIS IS WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN I WAS HOME WATCHING BOW WOW WITHOUT ME. WHY AM I LETTING SOMEBODY ELSE DRIVE THE SHIP THAT I BUILT AND COOL WITH WATCHING IT DAMN NEAR TIP OVER. I WAS THERE BUT SOMETHING SAID LEAD BY EXAMPLE. MY QUESTION TO YALL IS WHY DO YOU THINK THESE GUYS HAVE ALL ABANDONED HIP-HOP OR AT LEAST THE THINGS THEY STARTED?
Why won’t somebody say really what happened to hiphop? We have been dancing around it for the past 2or 3 days, the drug dealer turned rapper infllitrated hiphop just as he did in the hood. You ask where did all of the old school guy’s go, they were forced out because the status quo became popping bottles, bentley’s, triple decker’s, things that white people have been doing for years. But somehow it was allowed to made anew how old is GUCCI, PRADA,RANGE ROVER, D6G ETC…. you follow me right. These guy’s are smart because just like preyed upon their own people in the hood they managed to dupe the mainstream and perpetuate a culture that says it’s alright to not wiork and make alot of money wear nice clothes, drive fine automobiles, stay in a big house and girls, girls,girls. We all know that this does not last even the DOPEBOY / RAPPER’S favorite movie SCARFACE it did not last. To me the some of the songs are really nice the beats most of all, but lyrical content is the same ole shit. I sold this or that , had sex with this one and that one , bought this car that outfit all with money obatained off back back’s of your people. Really how long did you think this would last? Guy’s like TALIB and MOS DEF who are trying to tell you what’s going on around you don’t stand a chance in today’s market . Don’t think i’m hatin by any means it makes me happy to see any black person suceed, but i am old enough to know dishonest is dishonest no 2way’s about and the end result most times bad. Our youngsters have been conditioned to believe this is the way to go . We should be tired of this by now because really how many are them really ganster’s , and what the fuck is so cool about risking your life and freedom to pretty much in a nut shell SHOW OFF so to speak. Look at me i got this and you don’t, now with the economic crisis i wonder how many of them regret MAKING IT RAIN now! How can we change this? You can do the same things not as frequent but still you can do them by working hard. What’s wrong with this ?
the music industry is concerned more about business then the artist and i think now days the artist are more concerned about the business side then being an artist but in all honesty you have to be more concerned about the business..i dont really know much about the business side of the industry of music but ima go out on a limb and say ion think these major labels are going to last very long especially with the economy money dont come by as easy as it use to way back when no one is buying music no more especially with the internet i think the industry will survive but the labels are going to have to team up with these computer companies and and figure out a way to make things work but lets be real ion care how passionate you are about music who really wants a major deal right now? i wouldnt want one i would be on my independent shit real hard gettin my buzz up settin my own rules making my own money i agree with a comment someone left who said somethin like the money got slow and most of them found a new hustle i total agree but you know what i miss i miss the fuckin lyrical content seem like the more lyrical niggaz gettin overlooked
the problem is the new guys in the game stress the old school guys ages. the facts are just that simple when ever someone from those days trys to do something they cant even get new deals because there are young people at the companies saying they are too old and the streets aint there anymore. thats why they leave because theres no respect unless you are young . but a hit song is a hit song and has no age. white artist dont have this problem at all . no matter who there are if they have heat it sells and they tour. plus old school acts dont wanna give up all those publishing rights and everything else that it would take for a young executive to even give them time of day so why bother.this the facts and no one will ever go public and fight these facts. because we all know all the hotest acts hace publishing deals thats why they are getting pushed. back in the day it wasnt like that . thats why those old school acts just chill because they can just collect theyre own money. so jd change the game and watch them come back real fast
@Kandi When you say souja boy, I think of Mr. Colli Park, or better yet DJ smuff. Have you even heard of Ying Yang twins? Look it up and see who is responsible for the Ying Yang twins. I personally know Surf and dude gets it. After ying yang he had something to prove and he proved it. Soulja boy use to email my group all the time to try to get on tracks with them, dude just built his myspace page around a younger audience and it worked. Soulja boy had built his own following but the point is is that Surf was LOOKING for a new artist to take the place of the Ying Yang twins. The key word here is “LOOKING”.. Smuff was rapping on on the Ichaban record label with Breed,,,let me not go back,, you are too young to know the history, the point is, Surf looked for a new artist and he found one. Some of these guys have been in the music business for years and have not helped anybody. Keep in mind people are not looking for a hand outs. Success is when opportunity meets preparation. I have been getting lots of producers and artist from Global14 asking me to listen to their songs, and I listen and get back to each and everyone of them.
Dude made a comment about Nelly not listening to his CD, let that fuel you dude, because if you ever get on, you should talk shit about Nelly every chance you get. I know I am going to be calling niggas out. I just got to keep it 100..
James Brown said it best….I don’t want nobody to give me nothing open up the door and I’ll get it myself. For some people the door was opened a lot easier then for others. But pray for me yall, when I get in, I’m going to bring a lot of people with me. I just gave Sean Garrett some of my songs,,,Please brother write to them damn songs!! Dude is still humble and will work with anyone regardless of their track record. A hit record is a hit record, it don’t matter where it comes from; he understands this. One placement and its on people.
SPOCK
MY QUESTION TO YALL IS WHY DO YOU THINK THESE GUYS HAVE ALL ABANDONED HIP-HOP OR AT LEAST THE THINGS THEY STARTED?
Jermaine,
I wouldn’t say they have abandoned it. Unfortunaltey HipHop/Rap is a Genre where there is a ‘age limit’ to making music. It’s not like R&B where The Isley Brother can drop some tracks now and It aitn a thang or ever Tina Turner. And it sure as hell aint like Rock whur KISS and lots of Old hairbands or rockbands still are on tour to this day and will sell out a show…etc. There are unwritten rules within the genre of hip hop, and one of them has to do with ‘giving it up’ when you hit a certain age.
The majority of Hip Hop artists aren’t known for their longevity in the music., there are only a handful of artist that have managed to stay relevant pass 5 years. Nowadays you continuous see new artists being churned out by labels to jump on the bandwagon of a certain trend and make a quick buck. Almost every artist that drops is called a Young this or a Young that. Once again bringing to the forefront that unwritten age rule in hip hop, i.e. If you in a certain age bracket you nor your music needs to be around.
I’m sure Big Daddy Kane and the lot of them would still want to be around now doing their thing but hip hop has changed since their time (right now its repeating some history though, as most things in life usually do). When the whole hip hop movement started dudes danced and it was whatever, then it moved into the ‘NWA days’ where it was all about being hardcore. Now it seems to be loosening up a big more with lots of ‘dance tracks’ being made and popularized by the likes of Souljaboy.
Currently Hip Hop is filled with TONS of copycats and hardly any originators. The majority of the artists don’t love the music like they are suppose to, its all about making money. And you can tell who love it and who don’t by just their lyrics. Personally I can only take so much ‘riding on 24s, ice is froze, smoking dro, slapping hoes, swag on bgllian n 4’ lyrics okay. We get it, you made cash and invested (sometimes wasted) it on some shiny assests. You only need ONE song about that stuff, then maybe a club/dance song here and there, but for the most part they need to show their lyrical skills.
Hip Hop is the most show boat genre of music out, perhaps the only one. I never see like Fall out Boy calling out The Killers in their lyrics, songs or anything and putting each other down and all that. They come into the game, play their instruments beautifully and have awesome fun and sometimes deep lyrics, you know real musician, not the fly by night bull shyt one’s, that mostly make up the hip hop and R&B Genre. Oh and don’t get me started on that ‘sing-talk’ mess that’s SATURATED R&B Nowadays.
did I go off track? Haha I think I answered your question in the beginning, then kinda swayed to the left a bit, nehoo yeh….um the end
Music evolved. Period. There are a lot of old school kats trying to get back in the game here, and the overall sentiment is that they should just go and sit down. Why is this? Cause they still tryin to bring back the music that got them popular back when they were on top, but music culturally now is not about what was. It’s about what is and what will be. Music is always looking forward, granted there are trends that people seem to hop on and they wind up being new school one hit wonders. Seems like people now are all about that guap and not about diversifying and making that good good music. The focus got lost somewhere when music evolved. Nobody is pulling down insane amount of numbers in terms of crowd size or album sales, except for an exceptional few.. If people make music because they’re passionate about the craft then music can rise above just being about the dollar.. Those old school kats did just that — when they said hip hop was wack, they still put it out REGARDLESS. And then American society hopped on the bandwagon, but now it seems like America is saying what’s hot and what’s not, and people are following the trends instead of making them like they did before.
I still love hip hop.. keep it true, and always funky fresh.
i think they do it for the money..
make that 1 good hit, get your cut
and bounce, cause they cannot
think of anyother way put the artist out
there.. because they cant do their own jobs. lol
Smile Always
-V
@Spock You dont have to school me too much, I turned 33 today. My point was that kid made his way, he heard exponentially more No’s than Yes’s and got shit on by most of the old school rappers when he got in the game. I personally hated that song and the dance but I admire his hustle. I look at it like this, if you are in the business for the love of the music the money will come and nothing can stop you from success. But if you in it to get rich, you’ll be broke before people even remember your name.
“The major labels pay from the top.. In other words, the top executive at Sony Records, has a relationship with the top executive at BET. The Sony exec with break bread with the BET exec or the Clear Channel exec for TV and radio play. That is why we have a play list and every station across the country sounds the same. That’s why Mariah Carey’s people got in trouble about that TV awhile back,,,look it up. Why do you think so many dope boys are in the business? You need more then talent you need money..UNLESS you hook up with somebody that has money THEN you are going to get pimped. This is how the business works.” -Spock
This is what is the death of all black music-hip hop and r&b. We are being sucked up and sucked dry by the big companies like Universal. They make all they can off our blood sweat and tears then under promote acts when they are through with them or somethin they deem more profitable comes along. The radio industry used to have room for the artists on major labels, indie labels, the breakthrough artists and music that was unique to each city or region based on what the listeners like. Now we are becoming a land of mindless trolls that are only open to what is dictated to us.
Sorry JD! This did not answer your blog. I just had to get it off my chest lol. In response to your blog, it is a combination of the answers that have been already posted but especially the ones about our culture living the disposible, drive-thru life. It is like we don’t have fathers to show us the path to go, so how can we be fathers to others? And unless our mothers are strong and willing to keep kicking our butts to do the right thing, we want what’s ours and then that’s all we need.
Hey JD…did you forget that there were people before our generation. We miss the ol school because times change…music changes…everything changes. Sometimes you just have to make room for new things to happen. What’s messed up is that we never know if its for the positive or negative. Yes our ears are bleeding to Gucci Mane and bullshit like that, but there is still quality music being played and embraced. Don’t lose faith. What you need to do is get some kind of coalition going against these radio stations and record companies that keep supporting this wack ass shit they keep putting out. If I hear another Gucci Mane and OJ the “orange juice” dude marathon on another Chicago radio, I’m gonna scream. They play it so much, I find myself singin Aye! “screaming”
WELL….JD…..I THINK YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT FROM THEIR POINT OF VIEW!!!! THINGS HAVE CHANGED SOOO MUCH FROM THAN……IT USE TO BE COOL TO BEAT-BOX AND FLOW BUT DAT WONT MAKE IT VERY FAR IN TODAY’S WORLD….CUZ PEOPLE ARE SSSOOO USE TO DAT “DUMB” MUSIC….LIKE “GET SILLY”……NO OFFENSE!!!! I THINK THEY JUST GOT OLD AND JUST DECIDED TO PUT THINGS UP…..JUST THINK ABOUT REV RUNS SITUATION…..REV….JUST GOT TOO OLD FOR DAT AND GOT MORE INTO CHURCH…..IT HAS A FAMILY NOW AND BEING HOME BECAME MORE “IMPORTANT”…….BUT HE STILL TENDS TO DO THE LIL RAP THANG FOR “SPECIAL OCCASIONS”…..!!!! THINGS HAVE CHANGED ALOT!!! THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU NOW AND DEM IS DAT UR STILL IN DIS BUSINESS AND MAKING MONEY 4RM IT….SO TO SEE BOW WOW GOING THROUGH WAT HE WAS GOING THROUGH….IT WAS KINDA HARD FOR YOU TO ACCEPT DAT!!!! FOR DEM…..DEY JUST REALLY HUNG THE WHOLE THANG UP CUZ DEY MAY FEEL LIKE THEIR TIME IS UUUPPP…..LET SUMBODY ELSE HAVE A TURN!!!! YA!! KNO!! I THINK ARTIST DAT ARE IN THE GAME NOW AND HAVE BEEN IN IT FOR A WHILE…..LIKE “LL” OR “JAY-Z” OR “NAS” OR “SNOOP”…..SHOULD STEP IT UP AND BE WHAT THE “LEGENDS” CANT BE!!!
How long are they supposed to continue. JD? At what point should they stop? Doug E, Big Daddy Kane, LL and a bunch of the old school artists are in their 40s. What are they rapping about that the average aged music buyer and audience can relate to? After a certain point, I think they should retire to save themselves the embarrassment of looking ridiculous. They have had their time in the spotlight but I think with Hip Hop, they should hang it up after a certain age.
i think a lot of the promoters from back in the day and the originators of the different styles of hip hop were in it for the actual love of the music and the love of the fans and if they got some money out of it then it was just icing on the cake. it wasn’t about EVERYONE INCLUDING THE FANS knowing how much your advance was, how many albums you sold and how much you had to sell before you were able to make a profit. granted, quite a few of the originators went crazy with their funds (as in every genre of music) and may not have been looking at the long term but you can tell they loved the music and what it represented. the more recent artists are coming out as business men and women 1st and artists 2nd and they are taking advantage of every available means they possibly can. this can be discouraging to originators who feel there is no market for them when they see and hear what’s out there now. some even think they have to change their style to stay relevant and when some of the newly established artists/producers tried to put them on and change their style up, it didn’t sound or feel authentic and some may not have done very well.
the originators matured, had kids and are on to something else. some don’t want to get involved in the game anymore and not because they were forced out but because they walked out before they were kicked out. gotta respect that.
promotion is also a major factor. believe it or not, there are still lots of people who don’t use the internet and don’t want to know about myspace, imeem, youtube, facebook or just a regular web site for an artist. but people still listen to the radio and people still watch tv and people still see billboards and pasted ads on the wall. there is a market for a “fresh fest” tour but if people don’t know about it then how do you expect them to support it?
another issue is financial gain and egos: the people want to support the originators but if the originators don’t want to show up unless they get a larger cut instead of just doing it for the love and the fans then it’s an issue for the promoter, an issue for the other members on the tour and the fans lose in the end because they didn’t get a chance to enjoy the music and support the originators. yes, we all have bills to pay but what about the love of the art form? what about the love you had in the beginning? who wants to pay $75 to see a tour and 1 or 2 artists cancel because “the money wasn’t right”?
it could be several reasons:
1. mismanagement of money and egos – the promoters from back in the day could have got rich, but jacked it off as a lot of “us” do. plus their egos get out of hand, and eventually it affects their business.
2. cashed out – they probably set a financial goal for themselves and just cashed out when they reached that point. as people get older, things like family become more important.
3. victim of copy cats – i see this time and time again JD. when one promoter does his/her thang, here comes another one implementing the same idea into their event/concert. once everyone else does it a million times, why even continue to promote yours? its just too many nigs doing the same thing. so much that the consumer or partygoer is just OVER it!
4. can’t keep up with the joneses – everywhere you turn there’s some new in marketing strategies. from myspace, facebook, twitter, etc…its hard for some “old school” promoters to keep up.
someone said when some of these artist get near forty what can they rap about and they should stop before they embarass them selves. i guess jay-z listen and diddy and there are others. the things is if you are near forty and you are the one writing the checks its cool because you set the rules. russell simmons should retire but he seems to stay important. the real qusetion is black music is it hip hop or is hip hop a part of black music? it seems we must get the story right in order to embrace all black music. the last time i checked black music has been around longer than hip hop. trust me i love hip hop more than i can say . but black people roots in music goes deeper than one flavor. we should never ever abandon our history for only the stake of looking hip . we are the biggest innovators in music and we should be proud of all we do not just a part. its up to people like you jd to make the youth understand. to be honest what ever we teach people about us they take it as being hip period without question. we can get with soulja boy, gucci mane ,usher, trey songz, and the isleys and still be cool with all the new music they decide to put out. overseas they embrace everything black music has to offer and you know that jd. we need to get our people here to embrace black music as a whole.
Just wanted to comment because I think the same questions can be asked about music in general or maybe that’s just how I see it. I listen to Hip-Hop but I am more of an R&B chick and my friend and I were having the same discussion about R&B. We were listening to an Atlantic Starr album but we were basically asking each other what happened. We use to have a lot of old school concerts here in Denver and we still do but they are not the same anymore. I don’t get the same feeling from R&B now that I get from old school R&B but like I said maybe it’s just me!
J,
I believe that the MC that made HipHop becuase we left them. When the newest things come around its no longer cool to still listen to them are roll with them u need to jump on the band wagon with the new. As HipHop changed were did they fit in the grand of things. Were does LL fit with bow are Slick Rick fit with soulja boy. I dont think that its a bad thing were thing has its time and place in this world not to say that they time is up. I still jam my old school real loud.
This Is Some Real Talk JD & As Bow Is Mentioned In This, iThink He Should Read This TWICE Over Before He Quits Rap To Persue The Actin Career!
My girl can definitely take a hint, not sure what she did but we’ll be wishing you the best from afar, no more comments!
on a side note: much love to run dmc, bobby womack and little anthony and the imperials for their recent (but long over due) induction into the rock and roll hall of fame.
MAN THESE CATS DONT HAVE ENOUGH FORTITUDE TO RUN THE LONG RACE. I THINK EVERYONE SETS THESE SHORT TERM GOALS AND WHEN THEY ACHIVE WHAT THEY WANT, THEY THINK THAT’S GOOD ENOUGH AND MOVE ON ONLY TO BE UNSATISFIED IN THE LONG RUN. CATS NEED TO REALIZE THAT WHEN YOU MAKE IT IN THIS BIZ AND YOU ARE A SUCCESS YOU HAVE INFLUENCED THOUSANDS IF NOT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID AS AN INSPIRATION. YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO YOUR FANS, FRIENDS, AND PEOPLE TO KEEP IT GOING TILL THE VERY END. IF YOUR BIZ GOES UNDER THEN YOU TRIED AND AT LEAST YOU HAVE THAT. BUT IF YOU ARE A SUCCESS AND JUST QUIT BECAUSE YOU HAVE MADE ENOUGH MONEY IN YOUR MIND, YOU ARE MISTAKEN AND SELFISH!!!!!
The only answer is lack of passion and love from the start……………
Honestly, I think the answer is simple….. Hip Hop isn’t FUN anymore.
OR…
Because it’s a money thing with the mentality of “I got mine, you get yours.”
-Nisha
XOxo
I think artists put a mental age limit on Hiphop and give up. when a rapper get in his 30′s he wants to settle down and leave the game to the young cats. By example You(JD), Jay-Z, Mary J Blige,all have staying power and doing what you love… it’s like wallstreet.. the young MIT,Havard kids come in with new technology and the old heads sell their share of the company for some odd million or billions of dollars. And that is the reason why the game is constantly changing.
Real Talk JD,
Shyt is Fucked Up Out Here! I believe Music Dictates Peoples Thoughts And Actions. JD and the rest of Oceans have the talent and ability to do that. Sometimes I think Artist and Producers forget the True Power and Influence they Have On thier Fans…nah Fuck that The World!! Real Talk tho People Losing Hope Out Here. Bring That Real Music Back. I’m talking bout that Music that give you chills when you hear it. That Classic Usher, That classic Monica. Dondria and Trey I feel have the voice and talent to make CLASSIC ALBUMS. Im 18, My generation don’t know nothing about that. They don’t know what it’s like to play an album from beginning to end and every track is LIKE THAT!! Nowadays people drop albums wit three or four good songs. Then want us to go to the store and buy they shyt. THAT’S NOT IT!!(Tyrone voice)..lol! Damn I kno this a Long azz comment but one more thing….Everybody keep asking whatz wrong wit Hip Hop? Whatz wrong wit R&B? The answer is simple it AINT NO SOUL in the music no more! SOUL is what both Hip Hop and R&B was created on. JD BRING THAT SOUL BACK!!!!!!!!!!!