I love the NW to death, but.....
- Thread starter D'struction
- Start date
...Yeah, it must suck to be an Elderly-American, stuck at home most of the time, bitter, mad because your brain doesn't function at full speed anymore and novel ideas are few and far between. I wouldn't know the feeling.
Seriously, friend Kalyn, this is your chance. Make the argument against what I am saying! Prove once and for all that I am an idiot and talking out of my ass.
I mean...don't let the people agreeing with me influence you or anything. It'd be awesome if you could find a topic where nobody at all thinks I'm right (good luck), but you got to work with what you got.
Step up to the plate. You are the expert here, da 1 dat's n da game, and I am just a lowly student. Let's see you make your case.
Seriously, friend Kalyn, this is your chance. Make the argument against what I am saying! Prove once and for all that I am an idiot and talking out of my ass.
I mean...don't let the people agreeing with me influence you or anything. It'd be awesome if you could find a topic where nobody at all thinks I'm right (good luck), but you got to work with what you got.
Step up to the plate. You are the expert here, da 1 dat's n da game, and I am just a lowly student. Let's see you make your case.
Hey fucktard- the reason I was asking how old you were was because I couldnt remember if you were 21 or not.. and to advise you that you still had plenty of time to go slow and do shit right learning from other's mistakes.. gettin' farther ahead in a shorter amount of time..
-- but instead.. I'll just say... hey fucktard.
-- but instead.. I'll just say... hey fucktard.
OK Tadou your post was very thoughtful, very 'out there' (theoretical, not a bad thing at all, just a little out there). I think I understood what you wrote. You said a) you (unlike a LOT of people on here) understand the significance the image of a region has on its ability to export rap music (especially gangster rap) b) you recognize the image the NW holds but c) you don't necessarily think this image is cemented for the long haul and d) when all is said and done, it really is about the music, and we have to chop off all the weak links.
IF I interpreted that quoted paragraph correctly, then here is how I feel.
a) I'm glad you get this, b/c people want to listen to music that is "real" (or atleast that they think is real), I don't think this is really debatable at all, just a fact about consumers of rap music.
b) I'm glad you atleast seem to get that we indusputably lack a LOT of the characteristics that make rap (esp. of the gangster variety) music "believable" in the eyes of both local and national consumers (such as above average crime, high levels of concentrated black poverty).
c) I disagree with what seems to be your third point, that the above "prerequisites" for a rap exporting city might not always be lacking in the NW. In both SEA & POR, crime is way down (Seattle proper is down to around 30 homicides a year, that is nothing for a city of 550,000, down from 100+ in the 1980s & early 1990s). In both Seattle and Portland, concentrations of black poverty are a) far lower than average nationally and b) decreasing anyway. What set is more likely to both breed the talent in the first place and also be perceived as representing an authentic culture, the Central District or South King County (in case you didn't know, the brothers are moving there in huge numbers, emptying out from the CD). Of course these are mostly GOOD, WONDERFUL things for everything in life except. I don't want my fellow Seattleites black, white whatever, to live in the kind of conditions that typically inspire this beautiful art form. But for the purpose of what WE'RE talking about, it's a very very bad thing.
d) I disagree with any notion that it is all about the QUALITY of the music, regardless of rap-genre. It is about the SUBJECT-MATTER of the music. Too much hot gangster shit has dropped for it to not have blown BIG if it was ever going to.
The Blue Scholars are going to do very big things. This is me basing this opinion on the pulse of people personally in my lives both in Seattle and at college (a very national group of people). These pules, coupled with my own stamp of approval on the quality of their music (b/c I usually opt for gangster stuff), tells me that these guys are doing things and going places.
There I said it, the Blue Scholars are going to do it, the rest will not.
People please recognize this "demographic/geographic deterministic" attitude that I have developed, not by choice, but because 1) unlike in my high school years, living somewhere else I've realized this demographic uniqueness Seattle holds nation-wide and 2) that is what is thrown back in my face EVERY SINGLE TIME I try to promote some of these talented artists.
IF I interpreted that quoted paragraph correctly, then here is how I feel.
a) I'm glad you get this, b/c people want to listen to music that is "real" (or atleast that they think is real), I don't think this is really debatable at all, just a fact about consumers of rap music.
b) I'm glad you atleast seem to get that we indusputably lack a LOT of the characteristics that make rap (esp. of the gangster variety) music "believable" in the eyes of both local and national consumers (such as above average crime, high levels of concentrated black poverty).
c) I disagree with what seems to be your third point, that the above "prerequisites" for a rap exporting city might not always be lacking in the NW. In both SEA & POR, crime is way down (Seattle proper is down to around 30 homicides a year, that is nothing for a city of 550,000, down from 100+ in the 1980s & early 1990s). In both Seattle and Portland, concentrations of black poverty are a) far lower than average nationally and b) decreasing anyway. What set is more likely to both breed the talent in the first place and also be perceived as representing an authentic culture, the Central District or South King County (in case you didn't know, the brothers are moving there in huge numbers, emptying out from the CD). Of course these are mostly GOOD, WONDERFUL things for everything in life except. I don't want my fellow Seattleites black, white whatever, to live in the kind of conditions that typically inspire this beautiful art form. But for the purpose of what WE'RE talking about, it's a very very bad thing.
d) I disagree with any notion that it is all about the QUALITY of the music, regardless of rap-genre. It is about the SUBJECT-MATTER of the music. Too much hot gangster shit has dropped for it to not have blown BIG if it was ever going to.
The Blue Scholars are going to do very big things. This is me basing this opinion on the pulse of people personally in my lives both in Seattle and at college (a very national group of people). These pules, coupled with my own stamp of approval on the quality of their music (b/c I usually opt for gangster stuff), tells me that these guys are doing things and going places.
There I said it, the Blue Scholars are going to do it, the rest will not.
People please recognize this "demographic/geographic deterministic" attitude that I have developed, not by choice, but because 1) unlike in my high school years, living somewhere else I've realized this demographic uniqueness Seattle holds nation-wide and 2) that is what is thrown back in my face EVERY SINGLE TIME I try to promote some of these talented artists.
Working backwards.....the Blue Scholars are not it. They cannot be. They and those like them (Ra Scion, Nocturnal Rage, etc.) do not represent a soundscape that is anything other than typical NY-style music with a touch of funk. That is not enough. Add to this that their lyricism is overwhelmingly lacking, when compared to artists such as 151, Skuntdunanna, Jay Barz, and so on.
Make no bones about it--the sound is represented by people like D-Sane, Big Squeeze, West Coast Stone, Bosko and so on. These are the names that are it. These are the producers with the styles that will take us to the next level.
This whole situation is not so much a topical thing, as it is.....and it's hard to put this into words for people who haven't written hundreds of verses before.....a lyrical thing. It is about the lyrics, and everything else comes second. This is why Cam'Ron has so much staying power, despite a lack of "big hits": the Lyricism and the Beats are always there, no matter the subject content. Only a complete jackass would listen to Cam'Ron and say he "can't rhyme", and I do mean that with 100% sincerity. A complete fucking jackass.
The bottom line....We CANNOT compete when it comes to subject content--`I'm a gangster', and so on. We also CANNOT compete on the Social Activism tip--it is not only a niche audience, but it's already taken. And crappy BackPacker Jams are not going to cut it ("We all in the club, just havin some fun/Me and my homies, and these girls with nice buns" etc etc). It is about the Lyricism, Tight Beats, and Gangster-Leaning Elements.
As COLA so aptly put it: "I'm not a gangster, but I'm not a square either, duuuuuude" -- THIS EXACTLY IS WHAT THE NW SHOULD BE SHOOTING FOR. It is what nearly EVERYONE in the country that is down with Hip-Hop can relate to: the feeling that while we might not be out hitting licks, pimping bitches, and doing all of these hood things, we are indeed people that, when pushed, will slap the shit out of you. We prefer mano-a-mano to guns, we respect females who respect themselves, we don't snitch to save our own asses (esp. if we were equal partners in the crime), and so on. There is a very large base of shared ideals here.
Make no mistake about it, Seattle and Portland both are ready. Not for million-album sales, but surely for 50,000-100,000 sales. The problem, again, is that we do not have the things in place that we need to have in place--Mixtapes, Websites, DVDs, and all of these things.
The people want to know about NW Rap. That is just the fact of the matter. Hip-Hop is exploding, and people are very interested in Local music. The problem is that they don't know where to begin. So they end up seeking out whatever they can find, often, something that sucks and does not represent what they were looking for.
This is where a NW Website comes in. They can go to these sites, see WHO is from THEIR home-towns, listen to THEIR music, and then decide from there if they would like to purchase albums, go to shows, and so on. -- This is very different from being handed a flier, going to some crap-ass rarely-updated website, downloading some Real Audio song previews, buying an album and waiting 4 weeks for it to be shipped, and so on. It is not acceptable.
I could type for days on this matter, and anyone that is willing to be honest with themselves will be forced to admit that I am mostly right. But at the end of the day, due to the endlessly stubborn nature of most NW residents, I am going to have to personally bankroll every last one of these things I am talking about. And because I will NOT compromise my education for anything, these things will have to dribble out (if not just plain be on hold) for months and years at a time until I can get around to them.
This is the blueprint right here. It does not change, no matter how many of these threads are made. Bring the people albums and shows, and they'll be like "Cool", and then go on their merry way. Bring the media to the people, and the people will start coming in full force for the albums and the shows.
Make no bones about it--the sound is represented by people like D-Sane, Big Squeeze, West Coast Stone, Bosko and so on. These are the names that are it. These are the producers with the styles that will take us to the next level.
This whole situation is not so much a topical thing, as it is.....and it's hard to put this into words for people who haven't written hundreds of verses before.....a lyrical thing. It is about the lyrics, and everything else comes second. This is why Cam'Ron has so much staying power, despite a lack of "big hits": the Lyricism and the Beats are always there, no matter the subject content. Only a complete jackass would listen to Cam'Ron and say he "can't rhyme", and I do mean that with 100% sincerity. A complete fucking jackass.
The bottom line....We CANNOT compete when it comes to subject content--`I'm a gangster', and so on. We also CANNOT compete on the Social Activism tip--it is not only a niche audience, but it's already taken. And crappy BackPacker Jams are not going to cut it ("We all in the club, just havin some fun/Me and my homies, and these girls with nice buns" etc etc). It is about the Lyricism, Tight Beats, and Gangster-Leaning Elements.
As COLA so aptly put it: "I'm not a gangster, but I'm not a square either, duuuuuude" -- THIS EXACTLY IS WHAT THE NW SHOULD BE SHOOTING FOR. It is what nearly EVERYONE in the country that is down with Hip-Hop can relate to: the feeling that while we might not be out hitting licks, pimping bitches, and doing all of these hood things, we are indeed people that, when pushed, will slap the shit out of you. We prefer mano-a-mano to guns, we respect females who respect themselves, we don't snitch to save our own asses (esp. if we were equal partners in the crime), and so on. There is a very large base of shared ideals here.
Make no mistake about it, Seattle and Portland both are ready. Not for million-album sales, but surely for 50,000-100,000 sales. The problem, again, is that we do not have the things in place that we need to have in place--Mixtapes, Websites, DVDs, and all of these things.
The people want to know about NW Rap. That is just the fact of the matter. Hip-Hop is exploding, and people are very interested in Local music. The problem is that they don't know where to begin. So they end up seeking out whatever they can find, often, something that sucks and does not represent what they were looking for.
This is where a NW Website comes in. They can go to these sites, see WHO is from THEIR home-towns, listen to THEIR music, and then decide from there if they would like to purchase albums, go to shows, and so on. -- This is very different from being handed a flier, going to some crap-ass rarely-updated website, downloading some Real Audio song previews, buying an album and waiting 4 weeks for it to be shipped, and so on. It is not acceptable.
I could type for days on this matter, and anyone that is willing to be honest with themselves will be forced to admit that I am mostly right. But at the end of the day, due to the endlessly stubborn nature of most NW residents, I am going to have to personally bankroll every last one of these things I am talking about. And because I will NOT compromise my education for anything, these things will have to dribble out (if not just plain be on hold) for months and years at a time until I can get around to them.
This is the blueprint right here. It does not change, no matter how many of these threads are made. Bring the people albums and shows, and they'll be like "Cool", and then go on their merry way. Bring the media to the people, and the people will start coming in full force for the albums and the shows.
Starting Spring quarter, I'll be putting in a good 10-20 hours a week on NorthWestRap.com, mostly lyrics and bios on rappers/producers (like this page right here) -- Show pics would be a nice touch. Interviews, Album Reviews and all the corny shit can wait for later.
They are going to sell their units, that is for sure. They are capable of being the Backpacker Equivalent of Cool Nutz: bringing in all the big names, holding the concerts that the people want to go to, touring the region, and all of these things. As far as the music itself goes--people don't want Feel Good music. If we did, Black Eyed Peas' dumb asses would be 10x Platinum by now.
"Purists may despair commercialization corrupting hip-hop but Geologic, sees an optimistic future. He is hopeful because young children at local community centers still break dance and keep true components of the culture alive. Hip-hop could also be an incredible political force because Geologic says no other genre of music discusses issues such as drug and gun problems within the inner city.
Still, Geologic heeds caution when examining hip-hop within its political, social and cultural context. While one could celebrate hip-hop’s influence as a far-reaching dominant culture, those who align themselves with hip-hop must also be conscious about worldly atrocities.
“Slavery still exists. There are third world countries being raped. It is imperative to know about these things,” Geologic says. “For all these things, hip-hop can be a tool to help. If it comes to a point where hip-hop comes in the way of that, we’ll change it and revise it.”
I rest my case. Self-proclaimed "Real Hip-Hop" will never be it, or it will be embraced fully by the Middle Class and therefore destroyed.
"Purists may despair commercialization corrupting hip-hop but Geologic, sees an optimistic future. He is hopeful because young children at local community centers still break dance and keep true components of the culture alive. Hip-hop could also be an incredible political force because Geologic says no other genre of music discusses issues such as drug and gun problems within the inner city.
Still, Geologic heeds caution when examining hip-hop within its political, social and cultural context. While one could celebrate hip-hop’s influence as a far-reaching dominant culture, those who align themselves with hip-hop must also be conscious about worldly atrocities.
“Slavery still exists. There are third world countries being raped. It is imperative to know about these things,” Geologic says. “For all these things, hip-hop can be a tool to help. If it comes to a point where hip-hop comes in the way of that, we’ll change it and revise it.”
I rest my case. Self-proclaimed "Real Hip-Hop" will never be it, or it will be embraced fully by the Middle Class and therefore destroyed.
I don't think that the NW will ever just be put on the map and known nationally. There aren't any rappers that really do club tracks. I guess all the rappers in the NW try to make their lyrics so "gangsta" that most clubs don't wanna play that shit in the club b/c thay fear gang shootings and etc., etc. Maybe there are some good rappers in the NW, they just don't put their ALL into the rap gang, cuz they too busy out in the streets poppin pills and bein in the streets. Or maybe they in a contract w/ an upcoming label that really don't have the funds to get their shit out nationwide. Because come on, if a rapper is serious, he/she goin to stay focused. get real people w/ money to be behind him, and put their shit out nationwide. I've been all over the country and it seem like the south is the most serious. I moved to atlanta a few months ago, and it really seem like the cats out here are more focused and real out here when it comes to music.