Interesting perspective and I do agree.
As for "bringin the bay back" we were never HERE in the first place.
We have a handful of GOLD and PLATINUM artists (40, N2DEEP, The Click, Hammer, Bash, Short, 2Pac, Spice 1, etc.) and some less successful but definitely consistent sellers like Quinn, Mess, Keak, The Fig, Mac Mall etc. so to ever consider that we were on enough to fall off and then to actually bring the Bay back is not really an accurate statement of people's part.
Would I like the Bay to reveive greater attention so that other's can have opportunities? Yes. At the expense of my own well being and career? No.
This isn't total but last year I can remember buying The Team, Balance Mixtape, Mistah FAB, Baby Bash (Super Saucy and Smokin Nephew) and some others and that was because I liked their music.
This year so far I ahve bought Quinn, Balance, 40, and The Mossie and I plan on getting some others.
But the TRUTH IS no matter how much people want to argue, most artists and their camps are for THEMSELVES not a whole movement.
At the end of the day, SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC and if it so happens that it's from the Bay and escalates the "bay rap movement" as a whole then so be it.
People have to remember that to "bring the Bay back" it means more than just artist's selling units but artist's have to do more than just buy houses, gold, and scrapers. WE (the industry) have to re-invest in the community and help others come up when we are in a position to do so and we also have to create an musical infrastructure beyond just studios and home record labels.
In the early days you could actually visit the offices of your local distributors, record labels, graphic designers, onestops, pressing plants, magazines, record pools etc.
Now, almost the whole "industry" is gone. There isnt enough money and people who are legitimate to support it. It's really sad because we have no structure to justify the expense of doing "real business" and to support all of the talent we have in the Bay.
And when certain people do bring RAP SUMMITS and the such, people complain about the price. Amazing.
Anyway, Im glad as fuck that QUINN and 40 are doing so well. Not just because they are from the Bay but because they deserve it and are legitimately good representatives for us.