This post is directed to any of the up and coming artists and producers that post on this board.
I have seen an alarming trend lately. A lot of cats on this board are attacking established rappers with under comments and statements. I have also been hearing a lot of “just wait, our shit is different” and “you ain’t never seen a group like this” or the famous “We about to blow” and all sorts of shit like that. Friendly competition is great, actually, its needed as the life blood of this industry. It’s also a historical fact that some of hip-hops greatest moments were lived out in rivalries and attacks on others artists to prove who was better. Confidence and pride are a part of this game, no doubt, but I have seen it turn into blatant arrogance and even disrespect from a lot of cats. I have seen people without an ounce of a track record or even a plan of action talk about, no I take that back, CRY about how they get no love and cats be hatin’…well, welcome to the rap game. However, some of you aren’t even close to being in it so don’t get too pumped up.
Don’t get me wrong, favoritism exists in my blood as much as the next man, it is no secret that I work closely with my established homies in this rap shit (11/5, Jay Tee, Black C, Done Deal) but I also have championed the underdog and cats I didn't know before like for along time like Woodie, Dutch, Killa Vally, A-Wax, I-rocc and more. That’s what its about, keeping an equal balance of “established hitters” and “up and coming talent”.
With the invention of pro tools, and the affordability of graphic design programs like photoshop and even distributors (I was one of them) who will accept virtually anything…the game has become over crowded, flooded and boring with the same old shit and 1000 crabs in a bucket trying to fill one position that is available in the big leagues. Even the independent game is no longer an honorable route to take because it isn’t an “exclusive” club anymore. Back in my beginning days of rap (circa 92-93) there was a certain “ghetto royalty” who congregated and networked in this rap game and made it become the valuable art form that it is today. For example, you could go to a Music People BBQ in 1993 thru 96' and see Chris Hicks, The Click, RBL Posse, Totally Insane, San Quinn, JT The Bigga Figga, Dru Down, Mac Mall, Cellski, N2DEEP and too many artists to list. It was rare that any hatin’ was going on in those days because the “independent game” was relatively new and we were all trying to get into it. Ask any of the cats that were around back then such as Doxx, TKO, Jay Tee, Taydatay, Billy Jam, CrhonikQueen. Kevin Dixon, Art Gonzales, Rob Nonies, Buddha Bob, Mac & AK, Jo & Chris, and too many others. It was a great time for us. Nowdays, respect for the founders has turned into hater ass statements like “quit wating for your favorite 35 year old rapper to drop his new shit” and “it’s time to make way for the new muthfacukas” and blah, blah, blah. First off, lets make something clear…There are very few 35 year old rappers in the Bay still doing something. There are a few in their early thirties but you gotta remember cats like San Quinn, JT The Bigga Figga, Luniz, etc. came in this shit when they were in their teens and early twenties. Maybe E-40 and Too Short are the only ones in the 35 and up club but they are still very relevant to the rap game not only because of their contributions to what it is today but because they still make viable music for their fans.
It’s cool to think you are going to make it in the rap game and to even pump yourself up from time to time but I say let the people decide. Let the fans pump you up and make you one of the O.G.’s. I see 90% of rappers get the same features from their favorite 27 to 31 year old artists and are still pumped. And a lot of you still spend money on these features and then some of you turn around and talk about you don’t get a shot etc. etc. Lets make one thing clear…NO ARTIST has legitimately bubbled from the Bay in several years. Please don't make me pull SoundScans. Not including cats who are on major labels, I can count on two hands the number of artists, established and up and coming included, that have sold more than 25,000 units in the last five years and half of that have broke 40K or better.
The summary of this little story is that the game is fucked up and NOBODY is bubbling right now but some of you insist on adding fuel to the fire but pointing out other people’s faults instead of looking in the mirror. Remember, try not to burn bridges cuz you might have to cross back over them one day. Or as a wise man (Kev Ski) said to me the other night, “you see the same people on the way up as you do on your way down” (or something like that, but yall get the point).
I’m not singling anyone out but most of you are guilty of this ridiculous self promotion and over hyping and its getting old. Like I said, let the world know what you are doing and then leave it alone. It isn’t very honorable or respectable to pump yourself too much and constantly find a way to talk about your projects on every post. It is actually quite un- professional and it gets old quickly. Even projects I am involved in or my own albums, I might mention it once and then get off the subject.
Now for the record, artists from the Bay and other influence areas that I am feeling right now are F.E., Prime Minister, Young Droop, Kaoz, Fully Loaded, Cool Nutz. Luni, T-Nutty, Ecay Uno, Furious, Mully Mac, Pharmacy, AK, A-Wax, Syko, Louie Loc, Javi Picasso, Mac & AK, etc. And of course the legends like San Quinn, Black C, Jay Tee, Taydatay, Cellski, 40, Mac Dre are still doing their thing as good if not better than ever so please remember that they paved the way for us and they still are making shit that half of us can’t even measure up to and we should all be proud to be among them.
If you aren’t on the list above, it doesn’t mean anything except I probably haven’t heard your shit but I will tell you that the few artists on the list above that I didn't know before, got my attention from patience and persistence and overall good material (except my boy Wax who talks a gang of shit but that is part of why he got flavor).
I just wanted some people to wake up and respect the game and try to be a bit more humble. No hate from this way, just hope for the Bay and the West as a whole. Support underground rap. But if the shoe fits…
Peace.
I have seen an alarming trend lately. A lot of cats on this board are attacking established rappers with under comments and statements. I have also been hearing a lot of “just wait, our shit is different” and “you ain’t never seen a group like this” or the famous “We about to blow” and all sorts of shit like that. Friendly competition is great, actually, its needed as the life blood of this industry. It’s also a historical fact that some of hip-hops greatest moments were lived out in rivalries and attacks on others artists to prove who was better. Confidence and pride are a part of this game, no doubt, but I have seen it turn into blatant arrogance and even disrespect from a lot of cats. I have seen people without an ounce of a track record or even a plan of action talk about, no I take that back, CRY about how they get no love and cats be hatin’…well, welcome to the rap game. However, some of you aren’t even close to being in it so don’t get too pumped up.
Don’t get me wrong, favoritism exists in my blood as much as the next man, it is no secret that I work closely with my established homies in this rap shit (11/5, Jay Tee, Black C, Done Deal) but I also have championed the underdog and cats I didn't know before like for along time like Woodie, Dutch, Killa Vally, A-Wax, I-rocc and more. That’s what its about, keeping an equal balance of “established hitters” and “up and coming talent”.
With the invention of pro tools, and the affordability of graphic design programs like photoshop and even distributors (I was one of them) who will accept virtually anything…the game has become over crowded, flooded and boring with the same old shit and 1000 crabs in a bucket trying to fill one position that is available in the big leagues. Even the independent game is no longer an honorable route to take because it isn’t an “exclusive” club anymore. Back in my beginning days of rap (circa 92-93) there was a certain “ghetto royalty” who congregated and networked in this rap game and made it become the valuable art form that it is today. For example, you could go to a Music People BBQ in 1993 thru 96' and see Chris Hicks, The Click, RBL Posse, Totally Insane, San Quinn, JT The Bigga Figga, Dru Down, Mac Mall, Cellski, N2DEEP and too many artists to list. It was rare that any hatin’ was going on in those days because the “independent game” was relatively new and we were all trying to get into it. Ask any of the cats that were around back then such as Doxx, TKO, Jay Tee, Taydatay, Billy Jam, CrhonikQueen. Kevin Dixon, Art Gonzales, Rob Nonies, Buddha Bob, Mac & AK, Jo & Chris, and too many others. It was a great time for us. Nowdays, respect for the founders has turned into hater ass statements like “quit wating for your favorite 35 year old rapper to drop his new shit” and “it’s time to make way for the new muthfacukas” and blah, blah, blah. First off, lets make something clear…There are very few 35 year old rappers in the Bay still doing something. There are a few in their early thirties but you gotta remember cats like San Quinn, JT The Bigga Figga, Luniz, etc. came in this shit when they were in their teens and early twenties. Maybe E-40 and Too Short are the only ones in the 35 and up club but they are still very relevant to the rap game not only because of their contributions to what it is today but because they still make viable music for their fans.
It’s cool to think you are going to make it in the rap game and to even pump yourself up from time to time but I say let the people decide. Let the fans pump you up and make you one of the O.G.’s. I see 90% of rappers get the same features from their favorite 27 to 31 year old artists and are still pumped. And a lot of you still spend money on these features and then some of you turn around and talk about you don’t get a shot etc. etc. Lets make one thing clear…NO ARTIST has legitimately bubbled from the Bay in several years. Please don't make me pull SoundScans. Not including cats who are on major labels, I can count on two hands the number of artists, established and up and coming included, that have sold more than 25,000 units in the last five years and half of that have broke 40K or better.
The summary of this little story is that the game is fucked up and NOBODY is bubbling right now but some of you insist on adding fuel to the fire but pointing out other people’s faults instead of looking in the mirror. Remember, try not to burn bridges cuz you might have to cross back over them one day. Or as a wise man (Kev Ski) said to me the other night, “you see the same people on the way up as you do on your way down” (or something like that, but yall get the point).
I’m not singling anyone out but most of you are guilty of this ridiculous self promotion and over hyping and its getting old. Like I said, let the world know what you are doing and then leave it alone. It isn’t very honorable or respectable to pump yourself too much and constantly find a way to talk about your projects on every post. It is actually quite un- professional and it gets old quickly. Even projects I am involved in or my own albums, I might mention it once and then get off the subject.
Now for the record, artists from the Bay and other influence areas that I am feeling right now are F.E., Prime Minister, Young Droop, Kaoz, Fully Loaded, Cool Nutz. Luni, T-Nutty, Ecay Uno, Furious, Mully Mac, Pharmacy, AK, A-Wax, Syko, Louie Loc, Javi Picasso, Mac & AK, etc. And of course the legends like San Quinn, Black C, Jay Tee, Taydatay, Cellski, 40, Mac Dre are still doing their thing as good if not better than ever so please remember that they paved the way for us and they still are making shit that half of us can’t even measure up to and we should all be proud to be among them.
If you aren’t on the list above, it doesn’t mean anything except I probably haven’t heard your shit but I will tell you that the few artists on the list above that I didn't know before, got my attention from patience and persistence and overall good material (except my boy Wax who talks a gang of shit but that is part of why he got flavor).
I just wanted some people to wake up and respect the game and try to be a bit more humble. No hate from this way, just hope for the Bay and the West as a whole. Support underground rap. But if the shoe fits…
Peace.
