the Northwess: A Region United?

[MrSniccrs]

Upon sittin in an undisclosed "leisure" facility, I got to tap into Scoob(?) of Selfmade. :Nods head at Selfmade's Wax: Nothin but love right there. Im sittin writin and we start tappin in. Yackin bout this and that. This dude got a good head on his shoulders.

I dont know who follows SMACK DVD but I love that shit and I'd love it even more if I could pop one in and a Northwess artist's name that I recognize was on the features menu. But not 3 DVDs ago, there was a group featured on there "from Seattle" and to my dismay, it wasnt the best representation of the Northern Highlights as I can see um. Whats worse is that the segment was cut short (and this is on a DVD), plus you didnt get to grasp a taste on the mighty, MIGHTY dubb.

This is how we get fucked. And I love hearin about NW classics, and NW releases, but if you're only a gourmet chef in your own kitchen, what kind of patrons are you serving? For one, NOT MANY. For two, then you're just a cook.

Take a deep breath...follow me. :signals with hand: Can you see our music played like the south? I mean, they piggy backed each other. Lil Jon set it up so the door was unlocked. Mufuckas aint accepted the south this big since the No Limit reign or terror! Can you see that happening here? The East is looking for reform. The Bay is gettin runtime...L.A. is havin a menial decline. So?

We link on Myspace, Siccness...where ever and whatever other forum you can. Why not work together? Damn, Im tryna get with niccas left and right who I think got a common cause. It takes more than me preachin on Siccness tho, cousin.

Let me get off my own dick for a minute and let somebody else talk to the masses. Im feelin a lot like Moses probly did: just another nobody nicca tryna kick some shit that nobody wanna hear. Hmmm? Well, fuck it then. So be it.

 

[savage]

i feel that. i just wish our region would blow up! i don't know what needs to be done for that to happen, and who will be the one to set it off. hopefully it'll happen soon though!

 

[Mr. Samos]

The Northwest has way too much talent to let it all go to waste.

I believe we have as much potential as any other region, or more.

But those levels of exposure take time, sometimes they take generations. The South didn't blow up overnight. It happened from a number of huge contributions.

So all we can do is as much as we can to make it happen, nothing less nothing more.

I sure hope NWRAP.COM is going to give us that extra kick we need to get more established on the internet.

I love SMACK DVD also, I think Smack DVD is genius. But fuck, why not make our own DVD?

 

[I AM]

I think the biggest problem here in the NW is that people who have talent don't do shit, and those that don't have talent are all over the place saying, "check out my shit, I'm from Seattle, it's dope, blah blah blah." So we have talentless artists representing the region....I've seen it before as well, people have heard of Joe Shmoe but not 151 or Cool Nutz. The people who are putting on the events and DVDs etc, need to be more in tune with what's going on as well....Or maybe some people who fuck with video stuff (Miles, myself, and others) should get together and put out an all NW DVD-or a collection of them....hmmm....

 

[savage]

what would be a good title for the DVD?

 

[MrSniccrs]

Makin our own DVD is a reach for an open. I mean, niccas aint buyin our regions GOOD music, why the fuck would they spend 10 on top of that to get the DVD? I mean, maybe with the right mufuckas involved it can be HIGH QUALITY on a low budget. Cause its a few mufuckas that know that these schools letchu use the equipment long as you're enrolled. And you can get a grade for mixing the shit down! (Clover Park and Pierce do that shit)

But damn, I keep sayin it, but make sure the meal is cooked before you tryna get mufuckas to eat it. If it smell good (the buzz, the look, the vibe) it gets mufuckas tastebuds goin. Somebody gon bite...

 

[thephantomblue0]

Yeah if its professional folks will think twice. Anybody else heard of those disks where its like DVD on one side and CD on the other, that would be even better given you some interviews and perfomances and then the real deal tracks on the other side.

 

[I AM]

I can make high quality shit on low budget...Doin it right now with some friends at school making a TV show for public access....I just wouldn't pay people to be on the DVD...and you gotta have people that will hustle the shit out of it...People lack motivation.

 

[MrSniccrs]

That WOULD be GREAT...but it takes funds to produce somethin of that magnitude and without financial backing, its a no-go. Its gon take the artist who'd rather get mufuckas to focus up North and recognize that we got talent, and a few mufuckas to fund a project of this proportion. That way, any projected gross will go back to them and those artist can count it as a "promotional blessing". But thats just one idea.

 

[Mr. Samos]

DVD funds ain't a problem man. It can be done, easily. That's not even an issue. You do it right and you make it all back, with profit.

The issue is quality. It needs to be top notch. So we need to find some hungry film makers, lol.

 

[Mr. Samos]

I just wouldn't pay people to be on the DVD

If someone wants money to be on the dvd, they can get kicked to the curb, lol.

 

[MrSniccrs]

And you gon need to find the right mufuckas for the look too. Sorry, but I would hate for Tacoma/Lakewood to flash across the screen and it portrays nothing-ass niccas. When there are some self-motivated 2nd chance dudes out here. I mean, I wouldnt want my cities to have a super-grimey, run of the mill ass dude to be poster child. And no gimmicks neither. This shit will hafta be well thought out, Rev.

 

[Mr. Samos]

I'd hate to see that also.

It would definitely have to feature the best of the crop from each city, but then again I'm not even talking about one single DVD. I'm talking about a series. So, there are so many things you can do with that. And I'm not even talking about displaying emcee skills or the best "written" freestyle battle like you see in SMACK with the Eastcoast rappers who, a lot of them sound the same. I'm talking about footage that takes you into the world of NW HIPHOP. All of our talented producers on the keys in the studio, the performances and live shows, backstage cyphers, cd release parties, footage of everything and of the best of the NW crop together. Well thought out footage that truly captures the talent and skill.

And with NWRAP.COM. That would be a perfect project to build a DVD from. Once it became established ofcourse, A NWRAP.COM DVD could be essential to bringing a visual to the other regions, while, entertaining our own at the same time. If the website became well established and with the people behind it, I'm pretty sure it will be, it should be mandatory to come out with something like that.

But it will have to be discussed amongst the big dogs because well, we are just shooting shit right now. But I do hope to see something like this in the near future, done right, no low quality budget DVD bullshit. The real deal. And I'll help with anything to get that ball moving, I know you will too.

 

[Calm 1 NPK 503]

I'm no artist but how many NW artists are syain its the NW time to shine but the just sittin around in the rain. If ya really wanna get your shine on hit the road & start puttin your name out there so people will start lookin in this direction.

 

[Mr. Samos]

I'm no artist but how many NW artists are syain its the NW time to shine but the just sittin around in the rain. If ya really wanna get your shine on hit the road & start puttin your name out there so people will start lookin in this direction.

I think I've already stated this about 50 times.

But it's the truth so, thanks for stating it again. Although that's not really the discussion in this thread.

 

[DJ Coma]

I think the biggest problem here in the NW is that people who have talent don't do shit, and those that don't have talent are all over the place saying, "check out my shit, I'm from Seattle, it's dope, blah blah blah." So we have talentless artists representing the region...

EXACTLY!!! Couldn't have said it better myself.

Yeah if its professional folks will think twice. Anybody else heard of those disks where its like DVD on one side and CD on the other, that would be even better given you some interviews and perfomances and then the real deal tracks on the other side.

That type of thing would be perfect for a mixtape. In the day and age where everybody downloads music and less people buy it you have to include something with your release that will make people WANT to buy it. An incentive for the consumer is what is needed. I know there are a lot of CD's I probably would not have bought if they hadn't come with a DVD. Not that the music wasn't up to par or anything, just that I can spend the same amount of money as a regular album AND get a DVD with it.

If it's your real deal album and not a mixtape I say don't do the one side dvd one side cd thing. Have them separate. Or maybe you could have your album on a regular cd, and come with one of those two-sided dvd/cd discs and have bonus tracks on the audio side and a DVD on the other so that way you are actually in a way getting 3 products for the price of 1.

I just wouldn't pay people to be on the DVD...and you gotta have people that will hustle the shit out of it...People lack motivation.

There is nobody in the Northwest that I can think of that you should have to pay to be on one of your DVD's. Sure there are people that have put out solid releases for awhile now in the NW, but still nobody has reached a level where they should get paid for a simple promotional appearance on a dvd. At this point, ALL artists in the NW need to be taking advantage of every promotional opportunity they can get, and they also shouldn't expect to be paid for it. That "I'll do it for X amount of dollars" mindstate is wack and is a problem because a lot of people got egos in this region. There also must be unity in the NW if we want to go anywhere, and I see some starting to happen but there's a LONG way to go.

You're also right on about people lacking motivation, not taking the steps they need to reach the next level. I see people like D-Sane and Cool Nutz grindin a lot, but what is everybody else doing? Why are people droppin albums and I don't hear about them till like 2 months later when somebody on the Siccness makes a reference to it? START GRINDIN!!!

 

[MrSniccrs]

Gettin out there is whats on the "to-do". But dont come out half-assed. I keep tellin people, you'll eat once Snic's got a full meal to feed you. "Taste Test" IS readily available..."Snacktime" is due 'round mid-summer...then its time to think actually dropping. I'd rather seek the love from my peers before just droppin without a recognizable face.

And hard work is somethin that a lot of people aint doin...this shit aint their bread and meat. I mean, Im one of the few who will admit that kids (mandatory) and DUIs take up a lot of my time. But I GO...period. And would have no one say otherwise.

Dont spread the DVD shit out too thin. You gotta give mufuckas a cliff-note style Introduction or Vol 1. You got to. Its too much goin on out here. Then break down the chapters, cities in detail. But, you gotta do a lot of reviewin on who fit the bill too. Like me, perfect example, Im just an idealist...waitin to put plans in action, so I wouldnt fit. But you got niccas thats out there performing at smaller venues every week or so and gettin that "look". They hungry.

 

[I AM]

I graduate in a year...It's a long time but....nothing has been done in the past 4 since I've been out of Seattle as far as DVDs or anything, that I've heard about....Didn't Neema do one or somethin? I remember people filming at his album release last year...I don't know though...

The other thing is, whoever does the DVD might want their homies on it and only on it. I mean, I'll admit that I'd put ONE or TWO people that I knew...Probably Byron Douglas and Red Head Steve or somethin, but only if they were willing. The problem isn't even the material, it's just getting people together so that you can film them and talk to them and shit...It would take awhile--or several camera crews, to complete all that work. The first issue is equipment though...If I had all the shit to do it, I would have done it by now cause I'm sick of everyone bitching about not getting any fucking opportunities....Even though I've posted several threads about free promotion (national and international)....

Lack of motivation. I'm sticking with that as the main reason. People think they will "become" a star. What 95% of peopel fail to realize is they have to MAKE themselves a star. Then you got people who aren't doing shit who have egos through the roof as well as those who are doing shit who have egos through the roof. I think people feel they deserve a lot in return when they haven't really fucking done anything major.

Back to the DVD idea....It desperately NEEDS to happen and it needs to be the best shit anyone has put out of this region to get some attention. I wonder if anyone actually did anything with the industry contact list that Sonny Bonoho posted awhile back? Probably not.

 

[Dirty Shoez]

Sure-fire strategy to come up with new ideas to improve the NorthWest Rap scene:

Step 1: Dirty Shoez comes up with an idea and everyone ignores it.

Step 2: 2-3 Months later, someone says the same thing and suddenly everyone is on board.

Step 3: Repeat ad nauseum.




If i might drop the bitterness......this is one of the three things I have been saying for months now: DVDs, Mixtapes and a (or multiple) central Website. -- Not a magazine, not $12 compilation albums, and not bombarding radio stations and demanding play.

http://www.siccness.net/vb/showthread.php?t=163985

``Just wondering what you all would think about this. The idea would be, everyone would send in all the footage they could get their hands on. Then it would all be edited together into a bi-weekly(?)/monthly show. The main place to view the show would be an internet download, but a higher-quality DVD copy would also be available for sale (DVD-R, for a few dollars nothing more.)

Would you support something like this?
Would you be able to find and submit footage?
Would you pay for DVD copies of the show?
Would you be willing to sell other people DVD copies?

Artists/Labels--Would you be interested in buying ad time?
Would you allow cameramen free/cheap entry into your shows so they can film and upload footage?

Engineers--Would you be willing to help out with some of the audio mixing?

Anyone who I've pissed off--Would you be willing to not kick my ass so I can go get additional footage in the Seattle-Tacoma area?'' (...continued.)


One camera crew going around is a BAD idea. They will, no question about it, focus almost exclusively on the Seattle and Portland areas, and NOT venture into areas like Vancouver BC, Boise, Spokane, Eugene, Yakima and all the other areas that are making hot music.

The idea should be to start a drive to encourage EVERY RAPPER/LABEL DOING SHOWS to purchase a video camera, one around $200-300 dollars, or more if they can afford it. Tell them that if they will send you copies of the footage, you will try EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER to make sure it is seen--be on it a DVD, TV show, or even on a Website.

For what segments that you can, the specialized non-performance, non-interview segments, it is a good idea to do them with "good" cameras if possible.



I'll end here like I always end: Video is coming. HDTV as the household standard is coming. We can either be ahead of the curve, or wait for everyone else to grab up all the market share, and then come running in yelling "WAIT! WAIT FOR US! PLEASE WAIT!!!"......it will be too late. We will look like we're just biting everyone else.

We live in one of the most technologically advanced areas in the entire country. It's time to start acting like we got some damn sense in our head and start utilizing that fact.

 

[I AM]

The material people would send in would more than likely be sub par. Most people don't know how to actually compose a good shot in video, let alone even know what the different names are for shots...

I wouldn't rely on someone else to send me shit for a DVD. If I did it, I'd make sure that I shot the footage to make sure that I knew for a fact it wasn't going to be some wobbley bullshit that some drunk motherfucker in the studio filmed. That and not enough people would send in material.