Bay Rap is dead
- Thread starter W.R.I.G.S
- Start date
I would say the early 90's and again after Mac Dre's passing. Once "Tell Me When To Go" hit the airwaves and MTV. The Bay had the limelight, got featured on "My Block" etc etc...it was well on it's way. It was The Bay's time to shine in a big way! All eyes were on the Bay.
I think what killed that momentum was after that was the B.A.R.S. Awards where alot of people failed to maintain composure and actually made The Bay look bad. I honestly think that was a big let down to alot of people from majors that came out to scout for artist.
We can all sit here and flip it, flop it and throw it sideways, up in the air and then try and sweep it under the rug, but fact of the matter is...that's what put out the fire. Everybody knew it at the time too. Whether anybody would like to admit to it, or not, it's a fact.
I would also add that it's not entirely The Bay's fault, it's simply the nature of the game at the moment. As I stated earlier the Majors are and have always (since the beginning of Hip Hop's independent explosion) been about their own agenda. Once they realized how much money they were losing to the independents they knew that they had to get a handle on it. Peep game... maybe some of you remember when the majors were all gung ho about gangsta rap? They had finally realized that the public was tired of radio and what was considered to be "Top 40" at the time. Back in those days Top 40 was like Lionel Ritchie, Madonna, Phil Collins and Michael Jackson. But when those artists' sales started slipping and began to be overtaken by independent Hip Hop, the majors got wise. they realized that soon they would no longer be in control of the music industry if they didn't do something quick. So they set upon a plan to sign the best of these independents, bombard the radio with their songs and regain the radio listeners they had lost. Once that was accomplished and gangsta rap was the NEW Top 40 (and it took awhile mind you), and they knew they could not continue to pay the rising cost of the deals they were signing (100 Million for Cash Money Records? C'mon), they decided to pull the old bait and switch.
So now what you have is what I call the NEW, new, Top 40, which consists of artists that are signed direct without prior independent baller status. A more watered down form of Hip Hop that they can control. The reason why it's so hard to notice is because they're also still pushing the artists that they signed for mega-millions so that they can recoup some of that signing capital they put out there. In their eyes it was a very costly maneuver but in the end was worth any cost to maintain control in the long run.
This is the reason why they're not signing any hardcore Hip Hop types anymore. It's because they don't have to. They've already stolen all of hardcore Hip hop's listeners, bait and switched the music on 'em and brainwashed them through constant spins of the same NEW, new, Top 40. They could care less if you sell hella unit's of hardcore Hip Hop now cause it ain't their target market anymore.
People who listen to the radio don't listen to hardcore Hip Hop anymore they listen to what they've been brainwashed through repetition to like, and THAT is that soft ass radio shit that most of you as (well as myself) despise. Just remember what I said... a dollar in your pocket is a dollar out of theirs.... Ya feel me?
I tend to agree with you right now, but only because the Majors (after using the East and the West as test models) have figured out new economic strategies to control the South's output. I mean when was the last time a Major signed an independent label from the South, or ANYWHERE for that matter, who was TRULY crackin'? I mean I know that downloading has taken it's toll, but on the real... think about it....
So now what you have is what I call the NEW, new, Top 40, which consists of artists that are signed direct without prior independent baller status. A more watered down form of Hip Hop that they can control. The reason why it's so hard to notice is because they're also still pushing the artists that they signed for mega-millions so that they can recoup some of that signing capital they put out there. In their eyes it was a very costly maneuver but in the end was worth any cost to maintain control in the long run.
This is the reason why they're not signing any hardcore Hip Hop types anymore. It's because they don't have to. They've already stolen all of hardcore Hip hop's listeners, bait and switched the music on 'em and brainwashed them through constant spins of the same NEW, new, Top 40. They could care less if you sell hella unit's of hardcore Hip Hop now cause it ain't their target market anymore.
People who listen to the radio don't listen to hardcore Hip Hop anymore they listen to what they've been brainwashed through repetition to like, and THAT is that soft ass radio shit that most of you as (well as myself) despise. Just remember what I said... a dollar in your pocket is a dollar out of theirs.... Ya feel me?
I tend to agree with you right now, but only because the Majors (after using the East and the West as test models) have figured out new economic strategies to control the South's output. I mean when was the last time a Major signed an independent label from the South, or ANYWHERE for that matter, who was TRULY crackin'? I mean I know that downloading has taken it's toll, but on the real... think about it....
i agree with you 70sav. I mean people say this and that but in all reality the majors own the market, and if they arent signing anyone from the bay, noone is gonna come up.
And i hope everyone on the siccness agrees that we all hate that soft ass radio shit. I mean what kind of dudes cruise down the freeway going 90 with their stereo system bumping that kind of shit. I dont even see how it sells to the old gangsta rap listeners. I dont see how people can just take whta the radio gives them and like it. For me i have to do my own research on music and find what i like at the local rasputins or what have you.
Its our most talked about subject on this board. Why nobody from the bay is doing it big on a national level. I mean really big. It just makes me fucking sick man. E40 should be way bigger than he is, hes been in the game so long and has perfected his talent and business, but still falls short of the jay z's and 50 cents and shit.even the rick ross' lil waynes and fat joes. Its ridiculous.
When this new jacka cd comes out, everyone who posts on here should get together 15 bucks and all go buy it the day it comes out. Try to boost up our good artists a little bit. I know motherfuckers in here be downloading there whole music collection. Dont do it. It sbetter to have the album with the case and quality on a cd and production credits and all that too.
And i hope everyone on the siccness agrees that we all hate that soft ass radio shit. I mean what kind of dudes cruise down the freeway going 90 with their stereo system bumping that kind of shit. I dont even see how it sells to the old gangsta rap listeners. I dont see how people can just take whta the radio gives them and like it. For me i have to do my own research on music and find what i like at the local rasputins or what have you.
Its our most talked about subject on this board. Why nobody from the bay is doing it big on a national level. I mean really big. It just makes me fucking sick man. E40 should be way bigger than he is, hes been in the game so long and has perfected his talent and business, but still falls short of the jay z's and 50 cents and shit.even the rick ross' lil waynes and fat joes. Its ridiculous.
When this new jacka cd comes out, everyone who posts on here should get together 15 bucks and all go buy it the day it comes out. Try to boost up our good artists a little bit. I know motherfuckers in here be downloading there whole music collection. Dont do it. It sbetter to have the album with the case and quality on a cd and production credits and all that too.
To me, bay area rap is the hardest, realest, best party music (for tha thiizzzzersss yadada). Nobody is trying to be cooler then anyone or be a better rapper, and they all consider themselve dumb. when thouse southern miami (example) niggas looks gay as fuck with that "we da best" bullshit. fuck that.
Yeah, but I think the whole point of the thread is artist from the Bay are not getting the exposure outside their region. They maybe hot in the Bay, but unheard of anywhere else.
Besides, no artist from the Bay is getting anywhere near the amount of money them Miami & Dirty South cats is gettin'. Unless you want to count E40, but that's just one compare to all the artist out in the Bay. It should actually be swarming like them other spots, but it's not. And I dare say, like somebody has already stated. E-40 is not getting the proper exposure like alot of them other artist out there.
Besides, no artist from the Bay is getting anywhere near the amount of money them Miami & Dirty South cats is gettin'. Unless you want to count E40, but that's just one compare to all the artist out in the Bay. It should actually be swarming like them other spots, but it's not. And I dare say, like somebody has already stated. E-40 is not getting the proper exposure like alot of them other artist out there.
Anywayz... it all boils down to this... If you want a record deal with the Majors then you're gonna have to make the type of music that appeals to the radio. Period. If you cant stomach that, then your best bet is to stop compromising yourselves and start making music for those people who are sick and tired of that radio sludge. Become a peoples champion and make it your business to be as vocal as you can about being anti-radio. I mean REALLY go bad on 'em. Like every track should start with "Fuck the radio" and end with "Fuck the Majors". THAT is the type of movement that not only the bay, but Hip Hop as a whole really needs right now.
Remember when the East had Hip Hop on lock and Pac and Cube went bad on 'em cause they was always lookin' down on us. Shit... the ball aint really been in their court since. Thats cause in all reality there were a whole lot of other people who were lookin for an alternative. Don't get it twisted, I'm not askin for people to say "Fuck the South", cause that would be a mistake, but If we wan't to take back some of our customers then were gonna have to wage war on the real enemy and that is the Radio and the Majors. Remember when cats started getting real vocal about how KMEL wasn't playin' no bay shit and was like Fuck KMEL? Funny we started hearing more and more of our shit after that. Imagine that on a national level.
Some of you are probably thinkin that it wouldn't make a difference anyway because of downloading. Well the reality of the situation is that whether the people buy your hardcore Hip Hop or download it, it doesn't really matter as long as they aren't listening to the radio. See, advertisers need to have some draw to get people to listen to their advertisements cause no one is going to tune in to hear a station that consists entirely of ads. If no one is listening to the radio then advertisers will have to find an alternative way to advertise. In the future the only way that artists are going to continue to survive is to sell their music as content to content providers, who will in turn give it away to the public for free in the form of broadcasts. In between these broadcasts will be advertisements by companies who have paid the content providers to run these ads. The content providers in turn pay top dollar to whoever has the hottest content (whoever the PEOPLE demand to hear), and you want that to be you. It's pretty much gonna be like TV.
In all actuality it is very similar to how it works right now with the exception that the radio stations (the content providers) pay blanket fees to performance rights organizations such as ASCAP or BMI to play their catalogs and then disperse this money to the artists by way of royalties. Point is that if you want to see the artist that YOU like blow up, and not the artists that they pick for you then you have to take that power out of their hands and the movement starts right here, right now... Just say Fuck 'em!
P.S. The Konglomerati Cometh...
Remember when the East had Hip Hop on lock and Pac and Cube went bad on 'em cause they was always lookin' down on us. Shit... the ball aint really been in their court since. Thats cause in all reality there were a whole lot of other people who were lookin for an alternative. Don't get it twisted, I'm not askin for people to say "Fuck the South", cause that would be a mistake, but If we wan't to take back some of our customers then were gonna have to wage war on the real enemy and that is the Radio and the Majors. Remember when cats started getting real vocal about how KMEL wasn't playin' no bay shit and was like Fuck KMEL? Funny we started hearing more and more of our shit after that. Imagine that on a national level.
Some of you are probably thinkin that it wouldn't make a difference anyway because of downloading. Well the reality of the situation is that whether the people buy your hardcore Hip Hop or download it, it doesn't really matter as long as they aren't listening to the radio. See, advertisers need to have some draw to get people to listen to their advertisements cause no one is going to tune in to hear a station that consists entirely of ads. If no one is listening to the radio then advertisers will have to find an alternative way to advertise. In the future the only way that artists are going to continue to survive is to sell their music as content to content providers, who will in turn give it away to the public for free in the form of broadcasts. In between these broadcasts will be advertisements by companies who have paid the content providers to run these ads. The content providers in turn pay top dollar to whoever has the hottest content (whoever the PEOPLE demand to hear), and you want that to be you. It's pretty much gonna be like TV.
In all actuality it is very similar to how it works right now with the exception that the radio stations (the content providers) pay blanket fees to performance rights organizations such as ASCAP or BMI to play their catalogs and then disperse this money to the artists by way of royalties. Point is that if you want to see the artist that YOU like blow up, and not the artists that they pick for you then you have to take that power out of their hands and the movement starts right here, right now... Just say Fuck 'em!
P.S. The Konglomerati Cometh...
damn bro. i've been thinking about the exact same thing for a minute. thanks for breaking it down though cuz most cats don't want to accept the reality that this biz is changing. they still pushing cds when what they really need to do is start trying to get some sponsors to pay good marketing dollars for their shows. this way the inde market could get bigger and start getting them radio dollars you were speaking about. good shit though.
a, that's some real shiet. think about it. for instance, spice 1 on his self titled and 187 he wrote, those albums were as hard & as gangsta as it gets. the reason why is cause it was a byproduct of the streets of east oakland in the late 80's early 90's when the town was mostly black and deep in the drug+murder game. now they changed east 14th to international, that speaks for itself. and it's like as far as the ghetto oakland is not like it was and the bay in general is not like it was back then when these rappers were byproduct of that era. do you think if spice 1,too short,and the rest grew up in todays bay area they couldve made those same types of albums?
Without a doubt The Bay was much different back then. Having lived through that era I can tell you that the streets were whole lot realer then. Realer as in - there wasn't much room for faking cause if you did you might end up dead and stinkin' somewhere. Economically the times were so bad that just about everything was about money and the pursuit, protection, theft, or recovery of it. Damn near everybody in the hood was involved in some way in illegal and illicit business, or at the very least knew someone very close to them who was. Don't get me wrong, you can still get your wig split today, but most likely it's over petty bullshit that can be avoided.
It's a known fact that some of the greatest art in history was conceived in the midst of adverse times and that this is directly attributable to the raw emotion that is captured while one is in a state of pain or hardship. Notice the radio only plays these happy go lucky, swang the bottle, party songs with cats boastin' about what they got? Well thats a sign of the times. It's real superficial. When times are relatively good no one wants to hear anyone preachin' or cryin about how bad they got it. But as these times continue to get worse people aint gonna want to hear that shit no more, they gonna want to hear voices demanding change and topics that they can commiserate and identify with. So maybe you've got somewhat of a point there.
I think one of the problems with Bay Area Rap is that when it comes to Hip Hop many of the other races look up to Black rappers so much (due to the fact most of the early Bay Area rap Icons were Black) that they tend to imitate subject matter and style that may be inconsistent with their actual upbringing. Same goes with the economic status. Most of the Bay's early rap Icons came from the ghettos and grew up dirt poor and that is not the reality of a lot of the bays rappers today, yet they attempt to imitate these scenarios in their rhymes as well, and it just doesn't ring true. I think cats just need to be themselves and spit what THEY know, and that a Hip Hop Community made up of a diversity of styles and subject matter is a better and more creative one. I don't know about you, but I get sick of hearing the exact same shit over and over.
It's a known fact that some of the greatest art in history was conceived in the midst of adverse times and that this is directly attributable to the raw emotion that is captured while one is in a state of pain or hardship. Notice the radio only plays these happy go lucky, swang the bottle, party songs with cats boastin' about what they got? Well thats a sign of the times. It's real superficial. When times are relatively good no one wants to hear anyone preachin' or cryin about how bad they got it. But as these times continue to get worse people aint gonna want to hear that shit no more, they gonna want to hear voices demanding change and topics that they can commiserate and identify with. So maybe you've got somewhat of a point there.
I think one of the problems with Bay Area Rap is that when it comes to Hip Hop many of the other races look up to Black rappers so much (due to the fact most of the early Bay Area rap Icons were Black) that they tend to imitate subject matter and style that may be inconsistent with their actual upbringing. Same goes with the economic status. Most of the Bay's early rap Icons came from the ghettos and grew up dirt poor and that is not the reality of a lot of the bays rappers today, yet they attempt to imitate these scenarios in their rhymes as well, and it just doesn't ring true. I think cats just need to be themselves and spit what THEY know, and that a Hip Hop Community made up of a diversity of styles and subject matter is a better and more creative one. I don't know about you, but I get sick of hearing the exact same shit over and over.
IM GUNNA TAKE THIS ONE AND RUN WIT IT...I'VE BEEN ON THIS FORUM FOR A FEW BUT LOOK....ALKOHOL IS MAKING MOVES THAT I WILL NOT DISPLAY BECAUSE WOULD NOT LIKE DEALING WITH THE BULLSHIT CATS WILL HAVE TO SAY ABOUT MY INDIVIDUAL GOALS....BUT I WILL SAY THIS....WHEN ALKOHOL TAKES OVER THE BAY AS ONE OF THE BEST PRODUCERS TO HIT THIS SCENE THIS YEAR AND ALONG WITH THAT BE THE NEXT BEST VOICE AND STYLE TO HIT THE STREET IT WILL INDEED BE ALOT OF BACKLASH FROM MY OWN PEOPLES....BUT THAT COMES ALONG WITH IT. BAY RAP AIN'T DEAD BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO....I JUST DO MINES A TAD BIT DIFFERENT. I AM WHAT IS NEEDED ALONG WITH A FEW OTHERS I DIG.