AS AN ARTIST MYSELF AND (MORE IMPORTANTLY) A BIG HIP-HOP FAN, I THINK A LOT AOBUT THE STATE OF MUSIC THESE DAYS.. I KNOW EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO THEIR OPINION AND I AINT EXACTLY THE WORLD'S AUTHORITY ON HIP-HOP, BUT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE (NYC) SAID, "IF YOU GO PLATINUM, IT'S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH LUCK, IT JUST MEANS THAT A MILLION PEOPLE ARE STUPID AS FUCK!" IF YOU LOOK AT THE THEMES AND TOPICS OF MOST MAJOR RAP HITS THESE DAYS, IT'S ALL ABOUT SOME MATERIAL BULLSHIT (MONEY, CARS, CLOTHES, BITCHES, JEWELRY). EITHER THAT OR SOME CUPCAKE LOVE THEME FOR TEENAGE GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN. THAT'S WHAT SELLS THESE DAYS. I WAS WATCHING THIS VIDEO ON MTV AT MY POTNA FROM SOUTH CENTRAL LA'S HOUSE THAT WAS BASICALLY HAD THIS RAPPER PULLING UP TO A CLUB IN AN EXPENSIVE CAR AND RAPPING IN THE CLUB WITH A BUNCH OF MODELS AROUND HIM. I DON'T EVEN NEED TO SAY WHAT SONG THE VIDEO WAS FOR CUZ THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF VIDEOS LIKE THAT. I SAID TO MY HOMIE, "THIS VIDEO IS WHACK! THERE'S NOTHING ORIGINAL OR CREATIVE ABOUT IT!" HE SAID, "WHO CARES, THAT'S WHAT'S HOT RIGHT NOW."
BUT HAVE YOU EVER ASKED YOURSELF, WHY IS THAT WHAT'S HOT? IT'S HOT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MOST PEOPLE ARE LIKING. BUT MOST PEOPLE ARE FEELING IT BECAUSE IT'S WHAT THEY'RE EXPOSED TO THROUGH RADIO, TV, ETC. AND WHO CONTROLS RADIO, TV AND THE MEDIA? MANY TIMES ITS THE SAME CORPORATIONS WHO CONTROL MAJOR RECORD LABELS. SEE MY POINT? USUALLY (NOT ALWAYS, BUT MOSTLY) THE ONLY ARTISTS WHO WILL GET THOSE DEALS ARE THE ARTISTS WHO CAN STAY CONSTITENT WITH THE MAINSTREAM FORMULA THAT THEY'VE BEEN USING TO SELL RECORDS. THAT IS BECAUSE THE CORPORATIONS BEHIND THEM HAVE AN INTEREST IN KEEPING YOU IGNORANT, KEEPING YOU OBSESSED WITH THE SAME MATERIAL PRODUCTS THAT ARE PUTTING MONEY DIRECTLY IN THEIR POCKETS. THIS MUSIC IS BRAINWASHING OUR YOUTH, MOST OF WHICH HAVE NO CONNECTION TO THE FEELINGS OR MESSAGES THAT INSPIRED HIP-HOP'S CREATION.
SO NOT ONLY ARE THESE FANS FEEDING INTO IT, BUT MANY UNDERGROUND AND UP-AND-COMING ARTISTS THEMSELVES. EVEN A LOT OF OLD SCHOOL HIP HOP VETS ARE STILL TRYING TO KNOCK OUT THAT ONE CLUB BANGER THAT WILL PUT THEM ON BET AND GET THEM THAT MAJOR LABEL CAKE. SOME CATS EVEN HAVE ENTIRE ALBUMS LIKE THAT. THEY ARE JUST AS BRAINWASHED AS THE FANS. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE FOCUSED ON CARS, CLOTHES, HOES, JEWELRY, AND MONEY, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FOCUS ON THE ISSUES THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. BASICALLY WHILE YOU'RE WATCHING BET, THE POWERS THAT BE ARE RUNNING GAME BEHIND YOUR BACK THROUGH SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ACTIONS THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT YOU EVERY DAY THAT YOU HAVE NO IDEA EVEN EXIST.
A LOT OF THESE TYPES ARE THE FAVORITE RAPPERS OF SOME OF YOU CATS THAT POST ON THIS MESSAGE BOARD. NO HATE, EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO LIKE WHAT THEY LIKE. AND MORE POWER TO THE UNDERGROUND CATS STACKING CHIPS BASED OFF THESE TYPES OF FORMULAS, DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO. BUT SOME OF THE REAL FACTORS, THE NIGGAS MAKING REAL INDEPENDET CAKE (SOMETIMES MORE THAN YOUR FAVORITE MAINSTREAM RAPPERS), MOVING REAL UNITS NATION & WORLDWIDE, DOING SHOWS AND TOURS INTERNATIONALLY, WITH HUGE FANBASES ARE THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T FEED INTO THIS SHIT, WHO DECIDE TO DO THEIR OWN THING AND FOCUS MORE ON THEIR MUSICAL SKILL AND APPEAL AS OPPOSED TO FOCUSING ON THEIR IMAGE. THESE ARE ARTISTS A LOT OF YOU HAVE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF, OR DONT EVEN GIVE A FUCK ABOUT.
SO NEXT TIME YOU DECIDE TO BUY A CD OR EVEN DOWNLOAD A SONG OF LIMEWIRE, THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT ARTISTS REPRESENTS, THINK ABOUT HOW THAT APPLIES TO YOU, AND ASK YOURSELF IF HE HAS ANY SUBSTANCE OR MEANING BEHIND HIS WORDS.
I KNOW THIS IS LONG, BUT IT'S JUST WHAT I BE THINKING ABOUT AS I SIT ON MY COACH SMOKING DOOBIES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS. ONE LOVE.
IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE (NYC) SAID, "IF YOU GO PLATINUM, IT'S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH LUCK, IT JUST MEANS THAT A MILLION PEOPLE ARE STUPID AS FUCK!" IF YOU LOOK AT THE THEMES AND TOPICS OF MOST MAJOR RAP HITS THESE DAYS, IT'S ALL ABOUT SOME MATERIAL BULLSHIT (MONEY, CARS, CLOTHES, BITCHES, JEWELRY). EITHER THAT OR SOME CUPCAKE LOVE THEME FOR TEENAGE GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN. THAT'S WHAT SELLS THESE DAYS. I WAS WATCHING THIS VIDEO ON MTV AT MY POTNA FROM SOUTH CENTRAL LA'S HOUSE THAT WAS BASICALLY HAD THIS RAPPER PULLING UP TO A CLUB IN AN EXPENSIVE CAR AND RAPPING IN THE CLUB WITH A BUNCH OF MODELS AROUND HIM. I DON'T EVEN NEED TO SAY WHAT SONG THE VIDEO WAS FOR CUZ THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF VIDEOS LIKE THAT. I SAID TO MY HOMIE, "THIS VIDEO IS WHACK! THERE'S NOTHING ORIGINAL OR CREATIVE ABOUT IT!" HE SAID, "WHO CARES, THAT'S WHAT'S HOT RIGHT NOW."
BUT HAVE YOU EVER ASKED YOURSELF, WHY IS THAT WHAT'S HOT? IT'S HOT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MOST PEOPLE ARE LIKING. BUT MOST PEOPLE ARE FEELING IT BECAUSE IT'S WHAT THEY'RE EXPOSED TO THROUGH RADIO, TV, ETC. AND WHO CONTROLS RADIO, TV AND THE MEDIA? MANY TIMES ITS THE SAME CORPORATIONS WHO CONTROL MAJOR RECORD LABELS. SEE MY POINT? USUALLY (NOT ALWAYS, BUT MOSTLY) THE ONLY ARTISTS WHO WILL GET THOSE DEALS ARE THE ARTISTS WHO CAN STAY CONSTITENT WITH THE MAINSTREAM FORMULA THAT THEY'VE BEEN USING TO SELL RECORDS. THAT IS BECAUSE THE CORPORATIONS BEHIND THEM HAVE AN INTEREST IN KEEPING YOU IGNORANT, KEEPING YOU OBSESSED WITH THE SAME MATERIAL PRODUCTS THAT ARE PUTTING MONEY DIRECTLY IN THEIR POCKETS. THIS MUSIC IS BRAINWASHING OUR YOUTH, MOST OF WHICH HAVE NO CONNECTION TO THE FEELINGS OR MESSAGES THAT INSPIRED HIP-HOP'S CREATION.
SO NOT ONLY ARE THESE FANS FEEDING INTO IT, BUT MANY UNDERGROUND AND UP-AND-COMING ARTISTS THEMSELVES. EVEN A LOT OF OLD SCHOOL HIP HOP VETS ARE STILL TRYING TO KNOCK OUT THAT ONE CLUB BANGER THAT WILL PUT THEM ON BET AND GET THEM THAT MAJOR LABEL CAKE. SOME CATS EVEN HAVE ENTIRE ALBUMS LIKE THAT. THEY ARE JUST AS BRAINWASHED AS THE FANS. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE FOCUSED ON CARS, CLOTHES, HOES, JEWELRY, AND MONEY, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FOCUS ON THE ISSUES THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. BASICALLY WHILE YOU'RE WATCHING BET, THE POWERS THAT BE ARE RUNNING GAME BEHIND YOUR BACK THROUGH SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ACTIONS THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT YOU EVERY DAY THAT YOU HAVE NO IDEA EVEN EXIST.
A LOT OF THESE TYPES ARE THE FAVORITE RAPPERS OF SOME OF YOU CATS THAT POST ON THIS MESSAGE BOARD. NO HATE, EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO LIKE WHAT THEY LIKE. AND MORE POWER TO THE UNDERGROUND CATS STACKING CHIPS BASED OFF THESE TYPES OF FORMULAS, DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO. BUT SOME OF THE REAL FACTORS, THE NIGGAS MAKING REAL INDEPENDET CAKE (SOMETIMES MORE THAN YOUR FAVORITE MAINSTREAM RAPPERS), MOVING REAL UNITS NATION & WORLDWIDE, DOING SHOWS AND TOURS INTERNATIONALLY, WITH HUGE FANBASES ARE THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T FEED INTO THIS SHIT, WHO DECIDE TO DO THEIR OWN THING AND FOCUS MORE ON THEIR MUSICAL SKILL AND APPEAL AS OPPOSED TO FOCUSING ON THEIR IMAGE. THESE ARE ARTISTS A LOT OF YOU HAVE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF, OR DONT EVEN GIVE A FUCK ABOUT.
SO NEXT TIME YOU DECIDE TO BUY A CD OR EVEN DOWNLOAD A SONG OF LIMEWIRE, THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT ARTISTS REPRESENTS, THINK ABOUT HOW THAT APPLIES TO YOU, AND ASK YOURSELF IF HE HAS ANY SUBSTANCE OR MEANING BEHIND HIS WORDS.
I KNOW THIS IS LONG, BUT IT'S JUST WHAT I BE THINKING ABOUT AS I SIT ON MY COACH SMOKING DOOBIES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS. ONE LOVE.
