New Format and Other Changes – 2007-03-19
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Urban Music Slips – 2007-02-07
Urban Music Slips
Checking out sales figures, both hip-hop/rap and R&B had significant declines in 2006, 20% and 18% respectively. In a time when urban music seems to be reaching more and more people how can this be? Hip-hop, rap and R&B are more popular than ever before but the numbers don’t lie. So what is the problem? Many seem to think that stagnation is the problem, lack of creativity in urban music is slowly killing the genre. More and more record companies are going for the ‘cookie cutter’ artists and the quick buck rather than developing truly creative and unique artists. Looking at the music scene, there is definitely some truth to this theory.
Another argument that has been made is the lack of true performers in today’s music business. It used to be that back in the day, artists where groomed by record companies to perform. Coached, if you will, on how to perform and give a good show to the audience. You practiced until it was flawless. Even the small acts had someone helping them with their performances. Does that even happen anymore? Not counting mega-stars that we know have the budget to hire their own people. Do more than a small few actually have help with this or are they just handed a mic and pushed out on stage? Seems like that is the case more times than not. I know I have been to quite a few shows from well known acts that were less than entertaining. No stage presence or on stage personality makes for a very boring show. Don’t get me wrong there are a lot of talented artists out there, but how many of those are also talented performers? Because there is a big difference.
Both of the previous arguments have some validity to them when you look at the state of urban music today. But what about file sharing and digital downloads? If you believe the RIAA and some others, this is what is killing record sales. But how come some other genres have actually increased their sales or maintained them in this age of rampant illegal file sharing? Country music sales, for example, fell less than 1% since 2005. Christian/Gospel and Latin music both saw small increases in sales over last year. Something doesn’t add up to me. Are we supposed to believe that urban music lovers are far more likely than any other music audience to download music for free? Twenty percent more likely. That’s a huge difference.
So how do we get things moving in the right direction for urban music? Give us your feedback on our contact form.
RIAA and DJ Drama Dilemma Feedback
We received quite a few responses about our commentary in the last issue. Here is one that pretty much summed up most of the sentiment:
"Well personally I think the whole situation is a bunch of bull. Like it was stated that the record companies are for the mixtapes and support it, but hell they are using double standards with this issue..How you gonna make all that money off the mixtapes and then be like when the heat hits the DJ, you back the f**k up and not support the ones you was making money off of. The next thing is gonna happen is they RIAA will be at all the clubs regulating DJ’s on what they are playing in the clubs. And I say that is a bunch of Bullsh*t."
– Dj Mixxin Mel, Sin Hawk Productions
Thanks Mel, make sure to send us your feedback and be heard!
Articles:
The Music Biz: Nashville company follows unconventional business plan to hip-hop success
Shasone King and his partner Andalé have a vision for Nashville regarding rap music, specifically, and hip-hop culture in general.
They formed Soulspeak Entertainment two years ago as a vehicle to foster not only a brand of rap that is lyrically different from much of what’s popular, but also one that’s equal parts inspirational, instructional and informative.
Now is the time for hip-hop to step up
What does 2007 hold in store for R&B/hip-hop? The consensus boils down to this: 2007 will be a pivotal year for urban music, especially hip-hop. Unless more new — read quality — artists and unbridled creativity are pumped into the urban lifeline, we’re guaranteed more of the same mediocrity.
Though some R&B and hip-hop albums notched respectable sales figures last year, 2006 sounded a wake-up call as both genres posted noteworthy slippages, comprising 20 percent and 10 percent of album sales versus their 2000 heyday, with 25.4 and 13.6 percent.
Mixtapes Get Bad Rap
To me, it’s the hardest, most blatant governmental blow to hip-hop culture since Mayor Ed Koch handcuffed graffiti in the early 1980s. Since then, New York City has adopted a zero-toler-ance policy against the art of bombing. Next up on the hip-hop chop block: mixtapes.
Recently, a renowned mainstream mixtape producer, DJ Drama, was arrested, had assets seized and was jailed on $100,000 bond for violating a law against "boot-legging" that, when broken, actually helps the ailing music industry – hip-hop in particular.
The Little Brother Breakup: A Look At Other Hip Hop Divorces
When Little Brother started to make headway in the late 1990’s, their sound was fueled by the vintage drums of 9th Wonder. The combination of 9th’s beats, and Phonte’s and Big Pooh’s rhymes made the perfect match, and Little Brother became an underground favorite with enough potential to crossover into radio.
News came yesterday that 9th Wonder has left the group. While this causes disappointment, and a bit of uncertainty, it should not shock anyone. Little Brother has criss-crossed the country on multiple tours without 9th Wonder behind the decks, causing fans to wonder about his absence and sometimes forget he is in the group.
Fav Videos:
| Jamie Kennedy – Rollin wit Saget
Jamie Kennedy & Stu Stone team up with the legendary Full House star for one of the most anticipated hip-hop collaborations of all time. |
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Carlos Mencia – Dee Dee Dee Song
Carlos Mencia comes with this hilarious Slim Shady style spoof which actually makes a good point. |
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| 2Pac 1992 Malcolm X Grassroots Movement Speech
In 1992, The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement invited Tupac to speak at its banquet in Atlanta. Excellent speech… |
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Hip Hop Revolution
Hip Hop is bigger then a necklace, rims, pimps and hoes. It is a voice for the voiceless, it is the stories from the streets, it is a political movement. Commentary from hip hoppers all over the world. |
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Slicksno Urban Update – RIAA Drama – 2007-01-22
After hearing about the raid on the Aphilliate Music Group and the subsequent arrest of DJ Drama (Tyree Simmons) and DJ Don Cannon (Donald Cannon), I couldn’t help but wonder where all this is going? What is it leading up to? Like the rest of the hip hop community, at first I was shocked and in disbelief. Then came that feeling of “Daaammmnnn, that’s f#@&$d up…” once you really let what happened sink in.
Considering that record labels have quietly supported the mixtape movement helping it grow into the hip hop heavyweight that it is, many people are asking “Where are the labels?”. How come they just kept quiet while all this went down? Seems like a big CYA for them. The RIAA does alot of dirty work for the major labels by enforcing the various copyrights on their CDs and other media. Or maybe a better expression would be “having their cake and eating it too” since they support mixtapes but also are the key members of the RIAA. Maybe that is why this issue is so confusing. The labels are playing both sides of this and scoring a win-win situation for themselves. What do you think about it? Let us know here.
Blogs:
Rascism, Power & Drama-What’s Really Behind the RIAA Raids
As I noted in my first reports on this incident- The raid on the offices of DJ Drama and the Aphilliates WAS NOT about mixtapes, this is about inserting power. Please bear in mind that over the past year, many deejays from all around the country have been quietly organizing and weighing their options while assessing their collective power. For example, last month several hundred deejays met at a highly publicized West Coast Summit. Already we have TJDJs, The pioneering DJs who are down with Tools of War, The Core DJs, The Heavy Hitters,The Big Dawgs, The Beat Junkies Nasty Nesand the RappattackDJs and The Bum Squad DJS all running profitable businesses and working in a collective fashion. Some of these DJ Collectives have been behind the scenes organizing to demand Health Care and other provisions from the industry. When folks got together in LA, it was to start demanding more work opportunities. In all these DJ collectives, they have been asserting that they ‘run the industry’ because the deejay has the ability to make or break records.
The Orgins Of Rap And Hip Hop Music
The origin of hip-hop can be traced back as far as the ancient tribes in Africa. Rap has been compared with the chants, drumbeats and foot-stomping African tribes performed before wars, the births of babies, and the deaths of kings and elders. Historians have reached further back than the accepted origins of hip-hop. It was born as we know it today in the Bronx, cradled and nurtured by the youth in the low-income areas of New York City.
Articles:
Slick Trouble
The government’s determination to deport old-school rapper Slick Rick knows no bounds
Chances are, if you’re under 35 but old enough to have voted for president a couple of times, you’re still carrying around the mental imprint from the day your adolescent brain was stamped hard by lyrics describing a robbery gone bad.
The words themselves are probably enough to bring up the memory. There was no melody, just the slight British accent in the voice rapping the tale, likely still as familiar as when you first heard it, which was about the time the first George Bush became president on a mandate to read his lips.
Spreading The Word
Sean Price burst onto the rap scene with Boot Camp Clik (BCC) as a part of his famous group Heltah Skeltah (where he went under the name of Ruck). He released two albums with Heltah Skeltah in the mid-90’s, and dropped his solo album entitled Monkey Barz in 2005. Monkey Barz received rave reviews and helped him gain credentials as a solo artist. He has recently worked with BCC and dropped an album with his old crew members, which was entitled The Last Stand. He is preparing to release his sophomore LP, Jesus Price Supastar, and continues to work with Heltah Skeltah.
In this exclusive interview, Sean P reveals the story behind the name Jesus Price, and reacts to the death of one of his concertgoers. Price also makes it clear that he’s not on the whole “bring New York back” movement, but just trying to lay down a blue print for MCs everywhere to follow. Price claims that there might be something to Nas’ statement that “Hip-Hop is Dead,” but is hoping that with the release of his second LP, he can show what real hip-hop is all about.
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Slicksno Update – 2007-01-02
Commentary:Happy New Year!!!
Slicksno.com wishes you all the best for a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2007. We are even more dedicated this year to bringing you the best hip hop/urban oriented entertainment that the web has to offer. So keep your eye on Slicksno.com in 07!!!
Here are a few articles and other things that I enjoyed over the last couple of weeks…
Articles:
Not black enough for the crude crowd
If you’ve been focused on such trivial pursuits as the war in Iraq, genocide in Darfur or typhoons in the Philippines, you might have missed the earthquaking announcement that Oprah has become a “white woman.” So announced hip-hop artiste 50 Cent in an interview to be published in Elle magazine.
The hip-hop performer explicitly explained: “Oprah started out with black women’s views but has been catering to middle-aged white American women for so long she’s become one herself.”
Fan Asks Hard Questions About Rap Music
CHICAGO  Byron Hurt takes pains to say that he is a fan of hip-hop, but over time, says Mr. Hurt, a 36-year-old filmmaker, dreadlocks hanging below his shoulders, “I began to become very conflicted about the music I love.�
A new documentary by Mr. Hurt, “Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes,� questions the violence, degradation of women and homophobia in much of rap music.
Scheduled to go on the air in February as part of the PBS series Independent Lens, the documentary is being shown now at high schools, colleges and Boy’s Clubs, and in other forums, as part of an unusual public campaign sponsored by the Independent Television Service, which is based in San Francisco and helped finance the film.
Rise up Hip Hop Nation: Making 2007 the Year of Sustainable Change
On the eve of a new year, I’d like to begin by offering peace and respect to everyone everywhere. While many are celebrating the holiday season, many more are suffering. Some are reflecting on the year gone by, while others are just praying the New Year will bring new possibilities for joy, peace, sustenance and justice. This is the time of year for reflection on the past and resolutions for the future. For me, this annual process led me to important questions. How can we make 2007 the year of sustainable change? What concrete steps can we take to address what ails our communities and our global village more broadly? Wherever we are in life, whether blessed or oppressed, affluent or struggling, the condition of the global village will directly affect us all sooner or later, and it is in our best interest to work towards sustainable change.
The first thing we must do is realize that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. We can no longer wish for better and act the same, maintaining status quo by default.
Fav Videos:
NYOIL – Yall Should All Get Lynched
