Just a thought...could be the first of "Reese Thoughts"

[BIG REESE LOC1]

Is there an inside circle to Northern California music game? Is there a conspiracy going on? Does one have to be cool with or nut swing on certain folks to get distribution deals? slots in shows? even a respectable mention? Could that be construed as hatin?

I see alot of cats that are "in the business" just because of a circle of folks that they around. Muthafuckas that dont what its like to really do this shit for real, they just on cause they homie might have a lil name up in this shit.Muthafuckas with not one album out, BUT they doin shows. Muthafuckas that pop alot of shit, but in all essence they are just a feature, who dont nobody really dig anyway. Whatz really with this?

I think that behavior is just stunting the growth of what I think we all here to do, and thats blow this muthafucka up. We cant do that by havin the same EXACT features on each and every album that comes out this area. We cant do that by being some non-networkin muthafuckas. At the same time one has to keep self-respect. I feel like, fuck it, I'm gonna make my own way, cause I aint gonna swing on no muthafuckas nuts. I'll network with folks, but some cats feel like its a privilege that the artist is even allowin you to pay him/work with him. So to any "artist" that may think like that, may think that a muthafucka may need you to advance, you can eat a dick up.

I look at shit like this. We all in the same game. We make records, and sell'em so we can get some scratch. What I'm doing aint no different then one of these cats that you may see on BET/MTV everyday. Yea they may have a big ass budget and a power house record company behind them....BUT we are still doin the same ass shit, MAKIN RECORDS to sell to consumers.

Am I wrong to think like this? I would go more deeper, but I'm gonna go outside and get ready to light these fireworks I spent big money on for my kids.:beard:

 

[eMDe]

I feel you....
but it seems like the bay area independent scene is almost a whole new business..
We DONT rely on radio/video play.
We DONT do BIG shows.
We DONT sell 100's of thousands of units
but we also
DONT need to spend $500K for promotion
DONT worry about royalites (as far as beats and features)
DONT need to sell 100K units to recoup.
WE DONT EVEN NEED DISTRUBUTION TO MAKE $!
why kiss ass to these shady distributers and get 7$ a unit when you could push em out the trunk for 10-14 and sell 1000 in your own town?

It's like a different business in my eyes.. I went through entertainment law at foothill.. and have read a bunch of music business books.. and the indie business doenst worry about alot of the "major" industy rules.
I would turn down someone who wanted royalties for a beat or feature because hardly anyone asks for em. How can i pay out royalties when the majority of my sales are out the trunk?

 

[Mista CaNE]

It's just a classic example of the buddy system, just like at jobs when someone who knows someone gets "Hooked Up" with the position when there are clearly more qualified people in line. The rap game is about who you know, not skill or whatever. On top of that you have the cats with money always beggin for hookups and player prices, and the muthafuckas out here strugglin puttin the blood sweat tears and little bit of money they got into this, get raped by these SO CALLED main-stay's in the game. They'll charge you double just cuz your new, like they dont remember where the fuck they came from. The way I see a feature is, if your feelin my music enough to ask me to feature, and i'm feelin you enough to actually appear.. then why not lace u up somethin then when i need the same you return the favor. You got these cats and theres no need to name names cuz they name themselves in the sicc shop chargin outlandish prices for verses that are not only not classic but not even note worthy. And it's a shame cuz opinions are like assholes and everybody got 1 but the minute u actually share it people get all bitchified and are so insecure they turn it into war rather then just respectin another man's point of view. Obviously if you can charge 1000 for a verse and get it then by all means who am i to tell you otherwise, but i'd rather fail my way a million times before comin up in a manor in which u reflect in 10 years and no everything u did was fake as fuck and nothin u said was sincere. Everybody needs to find there niche' cuz not everyone is meant to rap. Keep bringin up topics like these Reese I enjoy having to actually think from time 2 time. Pz and stay up

 

[eMDe]

The way I see a feature is, if your feelin my music enough to ask me to feature, and i'm feelin you enough to actually appear.. then why not lace u up somethin then when i need the same you return the favor.

THANK YOU!!!!
THANK YOU!!!!
I COULDN"T AGREE MORE!

ALl these cats use features as BUSINESS tactics rather than actually wanting to COLLABORATE for CREATIVE reasons!!
SHIT!
"If you like *well known rapper* buy my cd cuz i got 8 bars of him on it"
Why not say "I hooked up with *rapper* and we did something real togiether and connected."

Lets bring this shit back to "music" rather than "business" and just selling units.

 

[eMDe]

reese keep these coming.. i might be off topic but shit gets my brain stimulated.

 

[BIG REESE LOC1]

@ eMDe & Mista Cane

Its all good, this forum aint gonna be about bullshit all the time. I'm gonna bring real concerns, real topics, real spit, and I do appreciate and value your opinions. I thank the both of you for coming with some intellectual answers that required some thought, not that bullshit that some of our fellow siccness members be about. Stay strong and stay safe homies.

 

[noWetaG]

REESE......
I feel like what u described is not only 4 N. CALI rap....
but the music industry n general.......
society even more generalized.......
the market is is so oversatuarated its not funny.....
instead of these young artists taking years 2 hone their skill
and REALLY learn how 2 make great records.....
theyre tryna drop shit in a few months work!
now all power 2 u if u can knok out bangers like PAC
but with me my music is a direct xpression of my soul.....
i take this shit serious as cardiac.......
it deserves the time 4 me 2 learn all i can......
xperience as much as life as i can 2 build on as an artist......
so when u listen 2 that shit,
u KNOW i poured my heart n2 it
making sure my shit stands out since everybody
with a mic, a copy of FRUITY LOOPS
and a notebook fulla the same contrived rhymes
bout liquor weed & hoes....u know......
juss predictable......swear theyre the next big thing

orginally spit by Gate Uno
"everybody & they mama wanna rap nowadays //
thats whys theres 10 times the victims than the old days"

 

[THE D.U.G.O.U.T]

1st of all, great post cuzzin & also some really dope replies....yall came with some good insight.

So, here is my take on this & this is directed at nobody in particular. Yes, there is a "click/inner circle", I am sure there is. Do you you have to be a part of it to make it...no, not in my eyes. Is it harder? Of course it is...going against the grain always is. It's the road less traveled by folks because you actually gotta work to succeed. Alot aren't willing to do that & we "almost" got caught in that somewhat. Fortunately alot of things have happend to us in a short time frame that taught us some fast lessons.

There are alot of folks charging funny dollar amounts for features, beats etc. The way I see it is everyone has a dream to sell.....it's up to you to buy it. You always have that option not to. These cats hittin for money and they aint dropped shyt but appeard on a few compilations will catch a heavy dose of reality when their phone ain't ringin off the hook because they decided somewhere along the line they were worthy of being paid to drop 16 bars like a fucken star. It's sad. We fell victim a few times and that isn't something I am afraid to admit. We're a young company and still learning everyday. What I try and do everytime I get the chance is "soak" game from those I meet who have been doing this alot longer and that includes those I feel who are a part of this "inner circle". I don't buy into it all no more and that is where the maturity has kicked in, but what I do is take what little I feel I could use to build on for myself and learn from it as well as put it to use.

That's all you need to do. I even soak game from cats that are alot younger than me because fuck putting yourself on a pedastile...nowadays there are cats that are 21 & a little older who have been hustling their shyt for over 5 years. They have seen alot too and defintely have some insight on shyt. Age don't mean shyt in this game & to those who believe it does, your cutting yourself short. I ain't been in this long enough to know everything & to be honest you can never know it all. I learn everyday & continue to struggle with ways to make this company succeed. Just because my partner Rob & I combined have dropped 3 albums does not make us industry experts who can't soak shyt from others. Shyt we do it all the time & we're workinn on 4 & 5 now.

All I can say is this; do not use another name or pull a feature if your aim is to sell records because of it...we did it & it does NOT work. Do it for the right reason & I say that would be because you have always wanted to be in the labb with that person or to simply test your skills. Also, if you get a chance to talk to folks you think have part of this "click/inner circle", don't just get an attitude and shine em on....use that as an opportunity to hear what they have to say and like I say, take what you can from what ya hear and go from there....not all of it is industry bullshyt.

One last thing I need to speak on.....alot of people are buying and selling adat tapes with "name/artist" vocals on them....if your gonna go that route ask yourself how true you are to "music" not rap but "music" when you can go and spend money on a friggen tape throw your vocals on there and have a completed song for your album when you have never met the cat and he/she has no idea yall even did a track together. That is something I will never let this company or myself fall "victim" to. Show a little dignity and be real.


My 2cents....take it for what ya think it's worth....


PR.

 

[AntDawg_DFW]

Pops in, kicks back and soaks up game....

 

[eMDe]

One last thing I need to speak on.....alot of people are buying and selling adat tapes with "name/artist" vocals on them
PR.

That to me shows how this industry is BUSINESS rather than "art". There is no creative connection there.. jsut paying 500$ for a name to paste on your flyers, cd cover, and sig on the siccness.

 

[Mista CaNE]

Lovin this thread and how it's turning out. It's a shame that my album is droppin soon and I know a few things, A: my shit is original, B: the talent is there, C: i put 100% effort into it and it's a honest reflection of me being sent out to the world. And i'm honestly sittin wonderin if it'll sell, the thing is we never know what will sell, sometimes somethin you think isn't up 2 par blows up beyond belief, anyways... I feel Reese didn't compromise himself and hopefully his sales reflect that meaning i'm hoping that there are still some intelligent cats left out there to soak up and recognize REAL game, and even more so shit that came from the heart, u can feel it in ya chest when somebodys spittin that real life experience shit. It's always nice to spit a witty 16 with dope punchlines but nuttin like that real. I respect the inner circle for their hustle and they feel hey, if they had to know someone to get on then so be it. All I can do is give my all and treat every song, appearance, album, meeting etc with the intelligence and effort of my own and how I would expect someone to lace mine.

 

[Mezzano]

in a capitalist system, even art production becomes a question of $$$, from the multinational corporations at the top (like Sony) to the mom-and-pop stores and independent labels at the bottom. its different sides but the same game, all about the bottom line. i think a lot of true creative energy gets lost in the middle, because its almost impossible to survive as an artist, only a handful actually reach the point where they can just do their art and not have any other forms of income.

in a non-capitalist system, maybe artists would be subsidized by their communities to produce art for the benefit of the community, so it wouldn't be a hustle and at the same time artists would have more incentive to produce challenging interesting music.

 

[JESTER]

in a capitalist system, even art production becomes a question of $$$

this is a great post, reese!--it is sad but true and i am glad others recognize this "inner circle" so to speak


much love

 

[J-Scratch]

My thought's.

I feel you guy's on this topic, but heres another:

I was just talking to a co worker here, and I was talking to him about the quality of albums coming out.

I remember the day's when you could listen to whole album's.
What the fuck happened. Doesn't anyone listen to what they are putting out? I have laced beats on karoke better than half they're damn album... I have made some tight beats got some tight hooks, lyrics, and if I were to put my shit out it I'd do it to prove something. That I can hold my own, and that I took the time to put out some quality. You feel me. I have some shit just sitting right now, and when I have the time , and the money (my kids make me poor LOL), I'm going to drop something even if it's just for the homies and what not, but my shit will come legit.
Anyways just my lil venting and shit...


:dead: :dead:

 

[Sydal]

Hmmmm....

In all honesty, I don't feel the bay area scene much...all you gotta do to sell records is have some fuckin money...the most non-talented muthafuckaz with cash can do it here, fuck that. Granted, the major industry got some garbage too, but it's on every corner in Northern Cali...no hating intended.

To all rappers, if I say your name in a song, in a somewhat negative way, don't take it personally...if I don't like y'all shit, everybody gonna know I don't like ya shit...plain and simple. Everybody too busy smilin in each others' faces around here....well, I ain't about that. I'm out to do my thang, get MY cash on, and if you don't agree with that, stop rappin'...cause NWA did not form Gangsta Rap just because, they did it for $$$....

So, all the real rappers with real talent....Reese Loc, Kapital Boyz, my group P.O.F, 10 Dolla...etc...it's time to network and take the trash to the curb...feel me??

Good topic reese

 

[RIKOLOKO]

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