I know alot of you are probably disappointed with the postponement of the Bay Area Rap Summit. Well, myself and Chuck from Done Deal are too! We still intend to do it, but the current status of the music business has hindered our plans. Support we were counting on from major media outlets, record companies and others just never came through, and quite frankly, Chuck and I couldn't do it all on our own. Don't fret though, IT WILL go down, somewhere soon. STay tuned!!!
What really prompted me to creat this post though is something else entirely. My colleague, peer, friend, competitor and all round stubborn homeboy Cuda aka Big C of Associated Distributors started an amazing post that has record responses and has generated a great dialogue that the Siccness has been missing for a long time. I considered stop posting on this site due to the "at great lengths" that muthafuckas go to to hate sometimes.
I think the post shows solidarity among music industry insiders and hopefuls alike. I also think it shows the imperfections of this business and ALL of us as businessmen. We as distributors are not above correction or reproach in the same way that no rapper or producer or graphic designer etc. is above criticisim and comment.
I gotta say that there are times I have forgotten why I got in this game and lost sight of what I'm in for. I most assuredly am in for the dough because I got a mortgage and a family now but I came into this biz 10 years ago as a rapper/wanna-be manager/two bit hustler and gangbanger that didn't know shit. All I wanted to do was be heard and network with established cats in the business. When you do get to my position though (and believe me it ain't much of one), you learn that all the muthafcukaz out that pants on one leg at a time, just like us. This is also a humbling industry that has taken me from ego maniac, to broken spirited to well rounded businessman and the only thing that has changed around me is the players.
The music business, partiucularly in the Bay Area, used to have a sort of GHETTO ROYALTY (TM) that used to network like N2DEEP, Johnny Z, E-40, Chaz Hayes, Mike Mosley, Davey D, Chuy Gomez, Buddha Bob, Walter Zelnick, Jo & Chris at Dogday, Travis aka TKO of Wherehouse Music in Novato, Doxx (believe it or not), Scott Gordon, Art Gonzales, Rob Nonies, Jeff Clanagan, Spice 1, Cougnut, Jason at Music People, Cellski, JT the Fig, and too many to list. Alot of those people have moved on to other things and some have all the way fallen off and some are stgill here trying to get their piece of the pie. The fact is, the Bay has long been missing "an establisment" within the music business. The days of the mom & pop, the record pool, college radio, music industry seminars like GAVIN, unsigned hype contests, DJ's that actually "broke records" yada, yad, yada etc.
Anyway, my point is, some of you are too young in the game to remember, some of you were there. WE need to bring the game back to the Bay. I don't just mean money, and politics and all that but I mean solidarity and individuals willing to put it on the line to get results. Now, I dont want any responses to this post talking about, "what distributors need to do", or "how week the next cats shit is" cuz all of that is counter productive. People have voiced their opinions but I can say this...
MY CONCIENCE IS CLEAR!!! If this music shit falls into the ocean tommorow, I did my part for the game. I provided jobs and opportunities for countless numbers of established, and up and coming artists and labels and broke bread with plenty of magazines, designers, printers, mastering companies and studios (you all know who you are). If it sounds like I am getting off topic, check this out and see my point, the talk is getting done but the action is being taken. I have discussed this on numerouse occasions with the big homie HERM, Cuda, Chuck from Done Deal, Black Dog from Murder Dog, Chuy Gomez all my rap comrades and plenty of other industry cats who WILL support whatever we do but someone has to step up. I don't know how, when or where but it has to be done before we lose all that we got left.
I'm in favor of the conventions, seminars, a music union, all that. Boycott radio, whatever. But we need a voting body. The same way the majors have the RIAA and the indie (non rap labels) have the AFIM. I propose the company be named for a company I already have incorporated called THE LABEL GROUP. It is the perfect name for a body of labels and affiliates that need representation in the game. I say that this company have a board of directors and specialize in addressing issues that face the indi rap game and taking it to Washington DC, radio, major labels and whoever else we have grievances with. This company should charge union dues to cover costs and use these dues to assist in securing legal representation for labels as well as hiring staff for marketing purposes and even having in house graphic designers, photographers, recording studios, manufacturing etc. All available to member companies at a discount.
I sound like a revolutionary but I am sick and tired of being sick and tired and those of you who know me, know that I don't get involved in much but when I do I got alot to say. You also know I have been stressing lately about the path that the game is going down. These are just ideas, but let's get the dialogue going and see what we can do with our collective thinking caps.
There are a lot of vocal and intelligent cats on this board like Tact Out, Cuda, A-Wax, Mac Pacino, LIL CS, Sick Wid it etc. and we could probably do some damage as a unit. I don't want anyone to take this post the wrong way though as an inivation for distribution deals etc. I am an employee at Bayside much like a McDonald's manager and I answer to people so some of the decisions I make as the VP of Urban Music over there are strictly from a distribution standpoint. When I am not at Bayside, I am a record label owner, retail store owner, artist manager, consultant, rapper and any other hat I can wear. My contacts and resources in this game run deep and I feel it is time we pooled these resources.
I am working on a book called GHETTO ROYALTY about the rise and fall of the Bay Area rap game and I hope my last chapter can be about how the Bay rose to it's once known prominence once again.
With or without people though, I am going to launch the LABEL GROUP and see what happens. The first project is going to be a DVD called THE RAP GAME 101, and you can guess what it's going to be about. An informative DVD on what to do and what not to do in this shit. I've already got 40 in it, Black Dog from Murder Dog, Violet Brown at the Wherehouse, Rick Rock and too many others to list. We are dropping science in this one and it will take the viewer on a step by step journey through this game.
My apologies for this long post. I had to get it off my chest. I look forward to seeing everybody at the Siccness and I am proud to be sponsoring it with Hitworks, Cuda and Press A Demo so that some good networking can take place.
Peace and be safe. Support indie rap!!!
What really prompted me to creat this post though is something else entirely. My colleague, peer, friend, competitor and all round stubborn homeboy Cuda aka Big C of Associated Distributors started an amazing post that has record responses and has generated a great dialogue that the Siccness has been missing for a long time. I considered stop posting on this site due to the "at great lengths" that muthafuckas go to to hate sometimes.
I think the post shows solidarity among music industry insiders and hopefuls alike. I also think it shows the imperfections of this business and ALL of us as businessmen. We as distributors are not above correction or reproach in the same way that no rapper or producer or graphic designer etc. is above criticisim and comment.
I gotta say that there are times I have forgotten why I got in this game and lost sight of what I'm in for. I most assuredly am in for the dough because I got a mortgage and a family now but I came into this biz 10 years ago as a rapper/wanna-be manager/two bit hustler and gangbanger that didn't know shit. All I wanted to do was be heard and network with established cats in the business. When you do get to my position though (and believe me it ain't much of one), you learn that all the muthafcukaz out that pants on one leg at a time, just like us. This is also a humbling industry that has taken me from ego maniac, to broken spirited to well rounded businessman and the only thing that has changed around me is the players.
The music business, partiucularly in the Bay Area, used to have a sort of GHETTO ROYALTY (TM) that used to network like N2DEEP, Johnny Z, E-40, Chaz Hayes, Mike Mosley, Davey D, Chuy Gomez, Buddha Bob, Walter Zelnick, Jo & Chris at Dogday, Travis aka TKO of Wherehouse Music in Novato, Doxx (believe it or not), Scott Gordon, Art Gonzales, Rob Nonies, Jeff Clanagan, Spice 1, Cougnut, Jason at Music People, Cellski, JT the Fig, and too many to list. Alot of those people have moved on to other things and some have all the way fallen off and some are stgill here trying to get their piece of the pie. The fact is, the Bay has long been missing "an establisment" within the music business. The days of the mom & pop, the record pool, college radio, music industry seminars like GAVIN, unsigned hype contests, DJ's that actually "broke records" yada, yad, yada etc.
Anyway, my point is, some of you are too young in the game to remember, some of you were there. WE need to bring the game back to the Bay. I don't just mean money, and politics and all that but I mean solidarity and individuals willing to put it on the line to get results. Now, I dont want any responses to this post talking about, "what distributors need to do", or "how week the next cats shit is" cuz all of that is counter productive. People have voiced their opinions but I can say this...
MY CONCIENCE IS CLEAR!!! If this music shit falls into the ocean tommorow, I did my part for the game. I provided jobs and opportunities for countless numbers of established, and up and coming artists and labels and broke bread with plenty of magazines, designers, printers, mastering companies and studios (you all know who you are). If it sounds like I am getting off topic, check this out and see my point, the talk is getting done but the action is being taken. I have discussed this on numerouse occasions with the big homie HERM, Cuda, Chuck from Done Deal, Black Dog from Murder Dog, Chuy Gomez all my rap comrades and plenty of other industry cats who WILL support whatever we do but someone has to step up. I don't know how, when or where but it has to be done before we lose all that we got left.
I'm in favor of the conventions, seminars, a music union, all that. Boycott radio, whatever. But we need a voting body. The same way the majors have the RIAA and the indie (non rap labels) have the AFIM. I propose the company be named for a company I already have incorporated called THE LABEL GROUP. It is the perfect name for a body of labels and affiliates that need representation in the game. I say that this company have a board of directors and specialize in addressing issues that face the indi rap game and taking it to Washington DC, radio, major labels and whoever else we have grievances with. This company should charge union dues to cover costs and use these dues to assist in securing legal representation for labels as well as hiring staff for marketing purposes and even having in house graphic designers, photographers, recording studios, manufacturing etc. All available to member companies at a discount.
I sound like a revolutionary but I am sick and tired of being sick and tired and those of you who know me, know that I don't get involved in much but when I do I got alot to say. You also know I have been stressing lately about the path that the game is going down. These are just ideas, but let's get the dialogue going and see what we can do with our collective thinking caps.
There are a lot of vocal and intelligent cats on this board like Tact Out, Cuda, A-Wax, Mac Pacino, LIL CS, Sick Wid it etc. and we could probably do some damage as a unit. I don't want anyone to take this post the wrong way though as an inivation for distribution deals etc. I am an employee at Bayside much like a McDonald's manager and I answer to people so some of the decisions I make as the VP of Urban Music over there are strictly from a distribution standpoint. When I am not at Bayside, I am a record label owner, retail store owner, artist manager, consultant, rapper and any other hat I can wear. My contacts and resources in this game run deep and I feel it is time we pooled these resources.
I am working on a book called GHETTO ROYALTY about the rise and fall of the Bay Area rap game and I hope my last chapter can be about how the Bay rose to it's once known prominence once again.
With or without people though, I am going to launch the LABEL GROUP and see what happens. The first project is going to be a DVD called THE RAP GAME 101, and you can guess what it's going to be about. An informative DVD on what to do and what not to do in this shit. I've already got 40 in it, Black Dog from Murder Dog, Violet Brown at the Wherehouse, Rick Rock and too many others to list. We are dropping science in this one and it will take the viewer on a step by step journey through this game.
My apologies for this long post. I had to get it off my chest. I look forward to seeing everybody at the Siccness and I am proud to be sponsoring it with Hitworks, Cuda and Press A Demo so that some good networking can take place.
Peace and be safe. Support indie rap!!!
