Why Bay Rap Gets No Mainstream Luv

[Truetalents]

This is a quick overview of how the west has been supressed yadidimean. I'ma break it down for everyone out there who don't already know and any rapper tryna get put on will feel me on this.

1) You can't get on the radio without paying for your spins and air time. Why's that you ask? All your main rap stations like wild94.9 and 106kmel are all run by the same company, Clearchannel. You can't get anything on without going through their system and since they have a monopoly in their own way, they can charge whatever they want.

2) You are lucky these days to be able to perform for free at concerts until you are a big name. Most people have to pay to perform at shows with anyone that has some kind of recognizable name, this makes since because you get promotion linking your name to a big name but the problem with both this and the radio deal is....

3) Generally you won't be able to fund the radio play and concerts without a major label behind you. You are prolly wondering why not many peeps in the bay are signed with a major label, that's cuz major labels won't generally talk to you until they see some self made success on sound scan charts. The problem is it is hard to do that without radio play, which is hard to get without label support.

It's a vicious cycle yall, i know you feel me on this. I could go on for years but it's draining as all hell, but believe me the bay is bout to get their props again, it's just around the corner, peeps are startin to wake up

 

[VanD]

k.

 

[Snubnoze]

I hear bay shit on the radio a lot, and their are bay artists concerts goin on all the time........

 

[SCOCIOUS]

I hear bay shit on the radio a lot, and their are bay artists concerts goin on all the time........

he probably talkin about the daily playlist.

 

[DJ Mark 7]

Radio doesn't determine what your sales will be buddy...Stop using that as a scapegoat

I HATE them, but look at groups like ICP....Those guys get NO airplay, make NO videos, yet they go platinum...

The key is to establish yer fan base....Hardcore fans that will support you and BUY your music. Make yourself accessible to them, and APPRECIATE them....cause they are what MAKES you

 

[mexbig]

Radio doesn't determine what your sales will be buddy...Stop using that as a scapegoat

I HATE them, but look at groups like ICP....Those guys get NO airplay, make NO videos, yet they go platinum...

The key is to establish yer fan base....Hardcore fans that will support you and BUY your music. Make yourself accessible to them, and APPRECIATE them....cause they are what MAKES you

i agree. its all about having a strong fan base.

Allot of these rappers don't need that major record deal or that mainstream help
all they want is them dollars for their cds sold. If your in a major record deal you have to sell lots of units to make money. So why risk some shit like that when you can make money by being independent and selling to your loyal fans.

 

[Sydal]

That whole "You gotta have big soundscan numbers independently" is bullshit. What were Eminem's soundscans before he got signed? His first album flopped, in a major fuckin way. What were GAME's soundscans? 50's soundscans? All those cats did was put their name in everyones mouth and that was it...no major numbers necessary.

Anyhow, you can't blame radio, you can blame your product. The radio is not a record store, and like Mark7 said, people out there sell mass amounts of records with no radio or video promotion...ICP was a very good example of that.

 

[Truetalents]

Everythin I said must have been misinterpreted, if you read my headline i said why the bay area gets no luv from THE MAINSTREAM. If you can tell me that the bay is getting mainstream luv like it deserves then u dunno what i'm talkin bout, i was tryna get at why you turn on the radio and you are more likely to hear bull shit like the ying yang twinz or chingy than you are to hear bay music. When was the last time you saw a bay rapper on mtv, what about bet, vh1? That was why i was talkin bout radio, promotion, and major labels, i was talkin bout the mainstream, yall talkin independent, so i don't think you really got what i was tryna get at

 

[yung-g]

i feel what ya sayin DC, and i agree wit u. alotta people got different view on this shit, so i just leave it alone, lol. cause i doubt no one on this board can ACUARATELY pin-point what the bay's problems are. all they can do is speculate, including myself.

thatz why i just say fuck it, and concentrate on gettin in the studio and recording quality shit for niggaz to hear.

 

[Daddy Rich]

these facts are way off lol

 

[Daddy Rich]

let me re-phrase that some of wut ur talkin about dc is off but for the most part its redundant

 

[MC_PM$]

Radio doesn't determine what your sales will be buddy...Stop using that as a scapegoat

I HATE them, but look at groups like ICP....Those guys get NO airplay, make NO videos, yet they go platinum...

The key is to establish yer fan base....Hardcore fans that will support you and BUY your music. Make yourself accessible to them, and APPRECIATE them....cause they are what MAKES you

That's a good point about the fanbase. Now in terms of Bay artists, how could they establish a fanbase when each and every one of them sound like each other? I mean this whole "bayish" sounding format is very outdated, and it constitutes no originality when everyone is sounding like everyone.

Here is a list of what I would consider priorities in Artist Establishment.

1. Distinction, Originality, and Consistency in musical material

2. Self propelled Marketing (free concerts, guest appearances, word of mouth)

3. Professional Marketing (Distribution, Radio, Various Media outlets)


The main problem I have with most Bay Area music today is the fact that it is quite repettitive! I mean, for god sakes shit ain't what it used to be back in the 92-96 era. I know those days made some great music, but everything I hear now is a cheap immitation of that time period.

 

[Daddy Rich]

^^^and the south and east dont all sound alike hmmm

 

[Lettaz]

This is a quick overview of how the west has been supressed yadidimean. I'ma break it down for everyone out there who don't already know and any rapper tryna get put on will feel me on this.

1) You can't get on the radio without paying for your spins and air time. Why's that you ask? All your main rap stations like wild94.9 and 106kmel are all run by the same company, Clearchannel. You can't get anything on without going through their system and since they have a monopoly in their own way, they can charge whatever they want.

2) You are lucky these days to be able to perform for free at concerts until you are a big name. Most people have to pay to perform at shows with anyone that has some kind of recognizable name, this makes since because you get promotion linking your name to a big name but the problem with both this and the radio deal is....

3) Generally you won't be able to fund the radio play and concerts without a major label behind you. You are prolly wondering why not many peeps in the bay are signed with a major label, that's cuz major labels won't generally talk to you until they see some self made success on sound scan charts. The problem is it is hard to do that without radio play, which is hard to get without label support.

It's a vicious cycle yall, i know you feel me on this. I could go on for years but it's draining as all hell, but believe me the bay is bout to get their props again, it's just around the corner, peeps are startin to wake up

Thats bullshit ....Let me break it down...When you sign to MAJOR LABEL...You have to do a album that appeals to Not only the Bay area but the WHOLE COUNTRY...SO if you gotta album and its all Mobb Music...Only ur Region is goin buy it if u cant make the whole country feel it....Labels pump millions of dollars into a project....They dont want no album thats only goin sell 200,000 copies on national level....Thats how niggas get into the red (DEBT) with labels...and end up owin' they ass...Like example the SOuth is killin' shit right now...But for years niggas wasnt hearin' that shit till BOUT IT BOUT IT blew up...South steady risin' and last 2-3 years they been killin' shit....and MAJORITY OF IT IS TRASH...Be real shit like "Knuck if you buck " "White tee's"....Shit gets the club jumpin'...BUT...Lyrically them niggas is trash...Thats why them Groups wont be around long....Now a days u gotta HAVE LYRIC's....Alot of niggas harp on the same shit....Killin',hustlin' etc...Ok thats cool....But be lyricall about the shit....Plus also....You gotta be original...Everybody is startin' to fucking sound the same...and Its not just the Bay...Its alot of places that got talent...But they aint tryin' to make music out they region...Shit about radio is partly True in some Markets...But some dj's dont give a fuck...If its hot its hot...This nigga David Banner was gettin' 300 spins without payin' shit...he aint pay no independant promoter or nothing....Again I bring it back to the south...Theres niggas in Texas who sell 100,000 of copies with no label...Example....Slim Thug...This nigga shit and His crew's Boss hog outlaws sell like 100,000 mixtapes every time they drop...and that nigga is caked up....Before the deal with interscope...Nigga was rollin' Bentley has mad paper....Now he's signed to Neptunes...This nigga Mike jone's....Has no major deal and makes $5 stacks (thousands) Per show ....No deal...U know why E-40 keeps a major deal???...He got a deal when the bay was poppin'....He stays consist....and He's not scared to try new shit...Nigga went and got fabolous....He got Lil jon..he re-invents himself...he Keeps that bay sound but then he switch's it up a little....etc ....Another niggas do is...THEY DONT WATCH THE RAP GAME...and see what everybody doin'...
Then peep what they doin...And how they move and then you make ur moves...Did u read the interview with skyballa?....I forgot what site it is on....He said He got Universal,Violater,Atlantic and G-unit (some more and i forgot)...Holla at him...U know why???...Cuz he made universal sounding album...WITH MOSTLY BAY AREA PRODUCERS...and he went and got couple niggas and proved he could hold his own with these artist....Right now the rap shit is fucked up...U wanna get on ???...Do what these niggas doin...Jack muthafuckas beats make mixtapes and put in the streets...Not just the streets of bay...Everywhere...Prove to muthafuckas U got Talent just like rest of country....Lets be real Too short is weak lyrically...BUT...Too short has built a fanbase since 80's....he got 500,000 thats goin cop reguardless...Most new artist dont have that....and yes there is alot of muthafuckas in the east and south that sound the same...but there is some that DONT....

 

[Lettaz]

Fuck a radio...But if u wanna go to major label...U gotta be prepared do a Commerial/Club/Party song on most labels...If niggas aint willing to break the mold aint shit poppin....Im tell u what im do....

Im from Northern Va (Dc area)....Which when u say that first thing comes to mind is Go-Go...Thats what dominates this area...But there is niggas thats nice...only muthafuckas thats on from va is Timberland and Neptunes...Timberland dont got no va artist....Neptunes got a few but they either some fake ass niggas or weak (i aint even goin go into)...SO i what i plan to do is make a mixtape using Beats from every fucking region...Cuz im open minded muthafucka...If its hot its Hot ...Period i dont give a fuck if its from Oakland,Atlanta,Nyc,Philly,Compton,Va,texas etc....Im get one of these Dj's (Yeah u gotta pay em...But the game is always pay to play)....To host the shit ...(Im thinking about Dj Drama (dj in atlanta but he from philly)...I holla at him....He basically told me he would put my shit on his mixtapes (if it was hot)...For no charge...but to get him host it is another story...Thats exposure...He push 20,000 mixtapes atleast every time he drop...If i make it to one of his shits...Thats 20,000 muthafuckas right there who might be checking for my shit cuz its hot...and Keep busting them in head...But fuck it im tired ....Just got done fucking and im still drunk...im about to crash...But word of Advice....Peep how 50 cents Blueprint u might learn a thing or two...cuz the Nigga had huge following way before Dre & Eminem signed him....Signing to them just made his buzz bigger...And i know niggas hate him or whatever...But do your research....Map your shit out...and excute your plan...Rap is new age Hustle game...And u aint goin go stand on a block that you dont know before u peep it is you (Unless u trying to die)?...Same shit...If sellin' dimes and got shit moving...and im trying to get money...Im peep shit...How u run ur shit...Then i might do some shit like sell 2 for 5's in a fucking crack vile....and im get paid especially if my product is just as raw or rawer than yours...1