The fact of the matter is that 92live is partially right. Looks and image do play a HUGE role in the success or failure of an artist, however, if they are tight enough (biggie, short back in the day, etc.) or have a big enough gimmick or hit song (smilez & southstar, ying yang etc.) then it can happen for them. Looks will get you far but chuck is right if you make a hit and have money then the bitches come anyway. Jay Z has the baddest bitch in the game. PEriod.
BUt I agree without saying names that the Bay does lack alot of creativity, charisma, and intergrity to go to the next level. Thats not to say that true with everyone or that no one can make it without being different but the fact of the matter is we have too many cookie cutter artists in the Bay and the West as a whole.
We also have some future stars with potential but too many people still make "block" songs. You may even like someone's shit or they might make good music for us but that doesnt mean they are gonna blow.
We do have an impressive roster of some good up and comers though right now like The Team, Mistah FAB, Frontline, Balance, A-Wax, and then established almost up there cats like Jacka, Messy, San Quinn and pretty much all of Done Deal. I do disagree with 92live though on Quinn, DOES have the look and bitches love him. I've witnessed it. The talent is there so Quinn still can do it. The question is will THEY (the industry) ever let us back in after we blew it so big in the mid-90's?
No other region dropped the ball as bad as we did, when 90% of our artists had deals at one time. If you dont believe me look at all the cats with alot of radio play in from the Bay who still dont have record deals,
Peace.