danthrax, the first wop to escape the matrix.

Notice how many rap soloists there are?

It wasn’t always that way. There was a time when it was all about crews. But somewhere around the time of Nas and Biggie, suddenly everyone wanted to be a soloist. Since then… there’s been a growing myth out there that great artists do it by themselves.

But 2pac had Death Row. Biggie had Bad Boy.

Back in 80s… it was all crews. Then it was about boroughs. Then cities. Then regions and coasts and labels.

And how do you think the whole south started running shit? You can point to a few successful soloists. But it was only AFTER years of southern rappers repping their city and region HARD. It was AFTER crews like Cash Money and the Dungeon Family had built a foundation.

Crews are magnetic. You think people want to follow a leader? Not as much as they want to be a part of a movement. To belong.

Following a person is lame. Joining a movement? Totally different.

There’s a reason OFWGKTA came up so quick. It’s the same reason that a few people liked Prince Rakeem… but the RZA is a household name. You might have the talent to bang off a great project. But you can only build a trend if that project is part of a wave.

Every member of Wu Tang was talented by themselves. But when they formed a group, they captured the local imagination… and then the world. It was no longer just a bunch of rappers. With every artist and every album, it reinforced the idea that this was THE movement to watch.

Everyone wants to be the hero in the movement. But it takes a lot of bricks to build that movement. Being a brick ain’t glamorous. But it’s far better than being a fart in a windstorm that is the music industry. If you can actually build something that outlasts you… you’ve secured your place in history.

Theme Music: Rascalz - “Northern Touch”

So the quote goes… “no one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.” 

If you apply this to the music biz… a couple of songs probably come to mind. And not just any songs. Many of them are hits. Big ones. Bullshit tracks that play to the dumbest of listeners, using the most calculated tricks to get airplay.

But the thing is… most of the people that I respect don’t fuck with that kind of music.* And those are the people who always put you onto those real tuff tracks. They might even become a journalist, or starts a blog or a band, cuz they want to push what they see as great music.

(*except in the club, where most rules about ignorant music suddenly disappear.)

These people wanna believe that music can make a big difference. That it’s not just some shit that makes you wild out. Yeah… all music has to work as entertainment. But people also listen to music to make sense of their lives. I mean… look at the world and how fucked it is. Can you be surprised that there IS an audience for songs that mean just a little more?

Yeah… even the so-called dumb people need to believe in something. Maybe they wait for someone else to tell them what it is. But some part of the song will cut through the noise… the originality, the message, even just the feeling. Something that says this isn’t just a marketing ploy.

There’s no shortage of artists who got rich playing to the dumbest instincts. But as an artist… I have to raise the bar. I have no choice. First… cuz it’s the only music I want to make. And frankly… cuz I don’t have the business skills to beat the shitty artists at making dumb music.

Theme Music: Lupe Fiasco - “Hip-Hop Saved My Life”

If I had time, bruh… I’d make you a beat.

But you don’t need beats. I’ve seen dudes get more buzz by going in over the latest Weezy/Yeezy.

We can talk about how to step up your lyrics. Cee Lo Green is a soulful dude. Nas has flows for days. But you and I both know that there are less talented artists with bigger buzz.

I’ll mos def give you the cosign. My people will give you some listens. But how many producers have enough of a rep to actually give you some fans? Not many. (And definitely not me… not yet.)

I got advice for days on creative stuff. Your mix. Your hooks. That shit is important to me. I wouldn’t respect an artist who didn’t care about producing GREAT work. I can’t wait to hit the studio and see what we come up with.

But that’s not what you need. Not for the success you want.

At all times… you need to be out there playing shows. Even if there’s only 12 people there. You need to meet promoters, DJs, bloggers, and other artists. Then you need to drop some new material and repeat that cycle all over again. You need to build that movement one person at a time.

I can be one of those people. But it’s the movement that’s essential… not me. You get people by doing something that excites them. You get more people when you listen to them and give them more of what they want. To succeed, you need to do this over and over. Create, connect, learn, repeat.

I consider myself lucky to know such talented friends. But don’t make the mistake of locking your talent up in your room making internet mixtapes. Your talent will suffocate if you can’t connect with others. The music is just one way to make a human connection. Yeah… I can help you with the music. But if you’re doing everything else… you won’t need me to do anything.

Theme Music: Aloe Blacc - “I Need A Dollar”

Ask any young person if they like music… and you’ll get an obvious YES. Music is so important to youth that they’ll even try to outdo you. “I LOVE music…” “Music is my LIFE…” “Music took my virginity and now I’m pregnant with musicbabies.”

But I gotta to take some people back down to reality.

If the only music you love is on the radio… then you don’t love music.

If variety for you is branching out from today’s gold-selling artists to listening to what your parents listened to… you are not a music lover.

Let me be 100% clear… I’m not telling you what to love. I’m telling you how to love. When you love somebody… you put in work to grow that relationship.

That work could be anything. You might pick up an instrument. Turn off the radio and check out a local band. Dig around for your favorite artist’s influences. Check the hip blogs. Shit on the hip blogs. Take in a DJ set and ask “what was that track?” Read up on a genre on Wikipedia. Download some shitty mixtape… just cuz.

But if the best you can do is buy some platinum star’s every album… yeah you obviously love that star. You could buy posters and line up for a sold out stadium show too.  I’ll give you that you love celebrity, fashion, and pageantry. I’ll even tell you that’s a good place to start your love affair with music.

But you can’t know love if you never got off your ass and searched for it.

Love doesn’t just find you on the radio.

Theme Music: Mos Def - “Love”

Had to repost this on an important day… thank you James Dewitt Yancey for the music and the inspiration. RIP

I can only laugh when I see people complain about Justin Bieber.

Cuz it’s not just a little criticism… People will go out of their WAY to hate on this kid. Like “this new Kanye is some real music… not like that Bieber shit.” …or… “Man that bean and cheese burrito was highly satisfying … motherFUCK Justin Bieber.”

I just don’t understand why they care so much.

Okay… Nickleback’s popularity is proof that most people don’t know good music.  So I get that it’s annoying when people around you like something stupid. But nobody around me loves the Bieb, or High School Musical, or the whole fuckin Disney Channel. Not unless you count my 11 year old cousin. Or her mildly approving family. Or anybody who thinks to themselves “isn’t that cute…something for the kids.”

If you’re reading this blog… you’re probably grown. That means you are not the target market. A few years ago some executives found out there’s big money in 10 year olds (or more importantly their parents). And it’s probably because your grown ass don’t buy records. Because you know how to use the Internet. So “who is buying Miley Cyrus?” Tweens. That’s who.

The kids are alright. I like Willow Smith or Bieber enough for music that I would never choose to listen to. But you don’t have 12 year olds saying “get that Backyardigan bullshit off the TV”. You don’t see people walk into KFC and get angry they’re selling chicken.

Yeah… maybe you’re sad that the center of gravity for TV and radio has shifted to the tween market. But if you’re reading this… you KNOW we run these internets.

(Besides… it always ends with their voice changing followed by a coke binge.)

Theme Music: Slick Rick - “Adults Only”