Fuck the NW......

[Mr. D-Sane]

I'm just gettin' real frustrated with this shit. It's not like I started doin' music yesterday. I've been making beats and recording songs for 14 years. I started Street Level 6 years ago and have put out 9 albums....pretty much all on my own with a couple of exceptions. I'm just tired. I'm really considering just stickin' to the production aspect and lettin' somebody else worry about the record label side. It's a money pit and it's too stressful. The shit is gonna kill me.....I can see it now.

 

[Tribal]

^^^That's real. I'm just now gettin serious with the label thing, and am already stressed out as hell tryin to get things in order. I think what we all need to do is sit down and come up with an alternative structure. Once we have a plan, then we can put people in charge of different aspects. I know it'd be a lot of work, but it may pay off in the end. Maybe those of us who have somethin going can come up with a mother label for all NW artists, and have different divisions for each city or county or somethin. Things I can contribute are beats, hooks, web design, moderate graphic design, etc. I originally came up with www.theelementz.net as a site strictly for the NW. But there's too many folks tryin to do different things so I decided to open up for everybody. I'm still down for whatever, as long as it's good for the NW and it's artists.

 

[Cool Nutz]

^^^^It's about figurin out the direction you need to go, and what is going to be fruitful. Sometimes you have to take a couple of days off and figure what is going to be the best approach, and is production going to be the best thing to commit your time to. I have spent many days and nights deciding what is going to be best for Cool Nutz and Jus Family Records. I started diversifying what I was doing. From consulting cats, to booking concerts for larger artists, to managing artists as well. These are things that are music related that allow me to pay the bills.

I think at this point D-Sane it's about you turning up the flame a notch with some distro for you projects, road trips for your artists, and expanding the scope of what you are doing. It seems that you are definitely dedicated to what you are doing and talented with that beat machine and studio of yours, you just gotta get that shit out to more people my friend.

I can attest that there is alot of money and opportunity in the NW, and there are cats out here that have made alot of money out of the region. From D.O.G, Bullet, No Good, and a few others as well. You got it, you just gotta find the clients to buy it. Just my 2 cents my friend.

Don't give up. I have had that thought in my head numerous times, but there are only a few of us out here that have actually laid the bricks for other cats to build on. If we disappear the Young Jedi's will loose their direction. There will be a disturbance in the force.

 

[Nonstop]

i feel you.. i didnt realize what i was gettin my self into a few years ago when i decided to do it myself...

this is only my first, but im gettin bombarded with new tasks erryday... promotions is a bitch... flyers, stickers, hats, shirts, tampons...lol.. televised commercials, radio promo, radio play... street team work at high schools, clubs, campuses... thats just the very begining, not to mention the money it takes to do all that.. its frustrating at times.. and i feel errythang that yall are have been goin thru.. and i have a new respect for the labels in the nw that have remained intact for a long period of time..

IM GONNA HELP THE NW ALONG WITH YALL GUARANTEED! so no.. dont give up quite yet.. cause we finna blow like st helens is about to.. watch

 

[xpanther206]

Depressing thread but real. I've been thinking about it and for my sake I don't even care if the artists don't make it big. I don't need to see something on BET to be able to play it loud driving down I-5. I don't yearn for that national recognition of the region anymore like I used to. But the artists have got to get paid that is the problem.

 

[I AM]

KUBE 93 is a fucking joke....there aren't too many rappers in this region that I think will do anything inside and outside of this region. I think a big problem is promotion and fan support...A lot of people either don't know about the music in the NW or they just don't give a shit...Shitty thing is, it takes money to make it, so a lot of the artists are held back for a long time...As everyone else said, there are a SHIT LOAD of haters in this region....If the big names united and really tried to pull something big off, it could probably work, but I think personal shit would get in the way of business, which sucks...Fuck the bullshit, be about some paper.

 

[Notes]

If we disappear the Young Jedi's will loose their direction. There will be a disturbance in the force.

lol. that's a good way to put it.

 

[Turf_Tycoon]

Get tha fuck up outta the NW if you hate it so bad man.....we don't need no pussys rppin our area anyway......this disloyal shit is showin the true colors of you curs on here.........





























An it's still S.E.A tha Town....till i'm six feet in the ground....

 

[Sick Wid It]

Look man, simply wanting to be a rapper or a beat maker doesn't automatically make it your calling in life. The sooner people realize that the better for everyone.

I know cats who would make great brokers, lawyers, businessmen, etc if they put the same effort into those things as they do into being a rapper. And the cold part is they're so convinced being a rapper is the only way to having a great life and getting out of the ghetto that they don't even see their real & true potential.

By the way, being a broke ass rapper is by CHOICE. If that ain't working out for you then maybe it's time to choose something else. Nine times out of ten the only thing holding a person back in life is the choices they make. Dig that.

 

[Mr. D-Sane]

My thing is.....

I eat off my studio and beats. That's MY shit.....can't nobody tell me nothin' about it and I don't have to depend on anybody to do it.

I have made money sellin' records.....I'd be a liar if I said I didn't. BUT......it's slooooooow money. And I hate the fact that I have to depend on other people to do THEIR job. Everybody says....."yeah I'll get out and promote and sell CD's. Yeah.....I'll bring the money back to you safely and make sure that we recoup first. Yeah.....I'm serious about this shit." And then the album comes out and it all turns out to be bullshit. They don't want to go anywhere outside of Seattle.....I have to damn near beg some people to even do shit IN TOWN sometimes. So how are we ever gonna get anywhere? I need my money to keep goin'......but where's MY money that I invested into the project? Then the artist gives you some drag about how they had bills to pay (like I don't?) or they just fucked it off kickin' it.

I'm real bitter in case you can't tell. And the only reason I haven't quit yet is because like Cool Nutz said....SOMEBODY has to pave the way. And there is definitely room for all of us in the game. I just question the seriousness of NW artists and if they understand what it's gonna take to get it there?

 

[Mr. D-Sane]

Get tha fuck up outta the NW if you hate it so bad man.....we don't need no pussys rppin our area anyway......this disloyal shit is showin the true colors of you curs on here.........



An it's still S.E.A tha Town....till i'm six feet in the ground....

I'm reppin' the town harder than anybody.....so cut the crap. Maybe you should be supportin' muthafuckas instead of talkin' shit.

 

[Tribal]

^^^I think the reason why there are so many "rappers" in the NW is because they see the music as a popularity contest, and therefore don't take it as serious as you or a few other folks around here. So when it comes down to it, rather than investing that money back into the project, they'd rather use it as a way to look "cool" and feel "important" at the club or amongst their homies. You can always tell the real from the fake when people want shit for free. As you were saying, everybody wants somebody to front beats, studio time, graphics work, etc. without putting an ounce of work up front. As I'm sure you have made many sacrifices also, I've put in about $40K for studio equipment, and only seen about a $5K return. So I'd say it's definately a balance of the "love" of music, and the sense to make money for the investment you've made. I agree though that people need to get their priorities straight. The NW IS fucked up like that.

 

[Sick Wid It]

Fuck hand-outs. Fuck sob stories. Fuck hard-luck cases. Fuck working for free. And fuck anyone who thinks they deserve anything without earning it.

It's a joke that so many cats claim to be 'so serious' about the music. 99% of them don't even know how to be serious about it, much less act it.

My hats off to the cats who do and are... For the ones that talk it but don't walk it, people will see right thru that and when you never accomplish anything, don't wonder why.

 

[Notes]

For the ones that talk it but don't walk it, people will see right thru thatQUOTE]

real deal.

 

[savage]

yea him and Funk Daddy and Bosko and more :classic:

 

[Turf_Tycoon]

I'm reppin' the town harder than anybody.....so cut the crap. Maybe you should be supportin' muthafuckas instead of talkin' shit.

Maybe you should come harder....i'm not sayin youre not doin ya thang, but maybe you should grind harder cuzzin......cuz maan if niggaz ain't feelin you niggaz ain't feelin you, ain't nobody buyin cds just to support....niggaz is to broke to jus be spendin lucci like that....it's not the consumers fault.....

 

[HERESY]

I stumbled on this thread by accident (clicked the wrong link). My well wishes go to those who are networking, making money, struggling etc etc etc. Here in the bay area our market is more saturated than the nw market. Ya'll have a million rappers? The bay has 20 trillion. Ya'll have 50 thousand labels? The bay has 50 million. Ya'll have 200,000 producers/composers? The bay has 200 billion. Ya'll struggle is no different and should be EASIER due to the fact that your market/area has not been swallowed up yet. My suggestion?

INVEST IN DIFFERENT FORMS OF MUSIC AND TAP INTO DIFFERENT MARKETS. I did it and it paid off BIG time for me. If a person think's Heresy will rap or make beats 24-7 he is an idiot. You guys have car lots right? You have local business in need of commercials and jingles right? You have indie film producers and directors right? Why not tap into that market? I understand money is slow (it was slow for me a couple of years back) but I simply got in where I fit in. I had to do a SPEC DEAL not too long ago but I just got cashed out for that.


Another thing to consider is LEAVING your area. When we are finished with our projects we will be on the road and the NW was going to be the first place to hit. Idaho is ten years behind our market and culture and I'll be a fool to NOT exploit that shit. If young mc can get 10 grand for a show in idaho it's money to be made. I didn't know seattle had rappers until I hit this board. What does that tell you? Ya'll need to start coming out here and at least getting ya'll shit passed out. You guys don't have that BIG label or ARTIST bringing the attention and MONEY to your area. I'm not taking away anything from the cats who are nw icons and and names. Is that a bad thing, because ya'll don't have a big label or artist as a household name? NO. why? Because that shit is in the making. It's talent out there ya'll just need to start branching out. People out here love your shit but thats WHEN and IF they get to listen to it. EXAMPLE? Nonstop-GA. NOT ONE PERSON IN VALLEJO WAS BUMPING HIS ALBUM. I GOT A HOLD OF IT (GOOD LOOKIN OUT NON STOP), got it around and now it's official. People out here are lookin foward to his shit and asking about him.


How are ya'll treating new prospects and rappers on a BUSINESS level? Is the word out on the street that such and such is a thief or such and such ripped mc whoever out of some loot? Whats the business like?


Invest in studio equipment? Been there done that continue to do it. NO MORE FREE SHIT UNLESS IT'S A FOR SURE SPEC DEAL. WOULD A NIGGA GIVE YOU A YURPLE SACK FOR FREE? OF COURSE NOT. WOULD SOMEONE FRONT YOU THIZZ FOR FREE? NOPE. CHARGE EM AND IF THEY CAN'T PAY IT THEY NEED TO KEEP MOVIN ON.

 

[BaneTheTerrible]

you make some very good points. no one wants to pay for anything.

 

[I AM]

^^That's cause a lot of people think everyone owes them something....A reality check is in order for a lot of people. There are people in the NW that put in work, like Cool Nutz, D-Sane, etc....The supporting cast is the next important step...If the people you fuck with aren't doing shit, then either are you...There seems to be a lot of one man teams in the NW...or there use to be at least, and maybe that's why shit has been sluggish for so long...Heresy, you brought up a lot of VERY good points....I'm sure that a lot of artists NEVER even thought about doin shit for a commercial or whatever, which sucks for them because it is potential exposure to a bigger portion of the industry, but I guess some people only want to be "rappers" and put out their own albums so they can be the next "hot" shit in the area....Too many people are focusing on little shit rather than the big picture.....Maybe once people wake up some changes will happen.

 

[Mr. D-Sane]

This is what I wanted out of this thread......people taking the negativity and creating somethin' positive. Everybody is making really good points.

Alot of people misinterpret my ranting and shit talkin'. In reality I just want everyone to step up their game (me included). Somebody has to let people know what the deal is without them takin' it as hatin'. I just tend to do it in fashion that upsets people sometimes.....but that's keepin' it real and the truth hurts. I appreciate brutal honesty. If you ain't feelin' somethin'....LET ME KNOW!!! There are too many people around here that are tellin' cats they are tight when they're not. People post up their songs "Hey....check me out." And I realize not everybody can be tight and they don't all have the best situations to work with BUT FUCK......if you ain't ready for the Big Leagues you need to go play t-ball with your buddies. The software industry has got people thinkin' that they can buy a program.....mixer and microphone and you'll be platinum tomorrow. What a joke. You need some talent.....that's somethin' that doesn't come in a box or is downloadable from Kazaa. Times are gettin' crazy and they're gettin' worse daily.

My problem is though....I'm spread waaaaaay too thin. Alot of people don't realize that I run 2 seperate companies. SLR and my production company. My studio shit is very time consuming and is also one of the only ways that my bills get paid....so I HAVE TO do it. It's real hard for me to be in 2 places at once. I can't be out on the road doin' this or that when I have albums to mixdown......songs to mixdown....beats to make and recording to do. So that's where my dilemma is.....and it's a choice that I'm beginning to feel like I'm gonna have to make sooner or later. Even if I quit pushin' albums today......I still have somethin' to be proud of....have made alot of connections and I have learned alot about this business.