What Rappers Must Do to Succeed in These Changing Times

Originally posted on my MySpace blog, but I figured I want to showcase it here too:

I actually drew up a new lengthy internet piece as a response to a conversation from an editor from Fader Magazine and blogger extraordinaire Eskay of Nah Right. In this piece, they speak on the fact that very few rap albums are coming out on major labels and the ones that do tend to suck.

This has struck a chord with me as I am gearing up to try to influence hip hop artists to become more aware of this moment and capitalize on it. In a time of seemingly great despair, we have the resources to start new indie labels, much like the old Rap-A-Lots and No Limits of days past. It is obvious to me that Rhymesayers is not just a label that releases backpack rap, but they have a model that understands the conditions of their market. They utilize the resources available to them and use them quite well as indicative of the viral responses on the internet (my only gauge).

Here is an e-mail I sent to Eskay in response to the piece I linked up above. It’s lengthy, but I feel it is a pertinent. Let me know what you think. I am open to criticism – always.

Greetings Eskay,
I wanted to comment on your discussion with Eric Ducker regarding the ability of contemporary rappers to make actual albums, instead of working towards making a viral hit single and slapping together an accompanying project of failed attempts. I enjoyed your position and I plan to highlight it on one of my blog spaces in the near future. I would like hip hop artists to take heed to the futile missions they have chosen to achieve.

I feel that hip hop – in general – has been responding to the radio 7-second delay for a little too long. There’s just an extreme lag in response to the changes in the music industry climate. Like, I don’t understand why more indie labels, a la No Limit have not sparked up over the internet. Hip hop is just as old as the internet (well within the same generation), but hip hop doesn’t get the internet. I would think things would be hand-in-hand, but as I was reminded back in the early days of hip hop internet buzz for folks like Eminem, dudes from the ‘hood weren’t seeing the message board threads. Hip hop today is in a place where even the folks that are adopting the new instruments of the trade are showing they do not truly get what they are doing.

I know what I just said above goes a bit deeper than how I put it, but the essence is still true. Hip hop is not getting the internet yet.

I respond this way to encourage someone like you to continue to urge the folks that listen to you to truly learn how to use social media in a way that will benefit them in the long run. Setting up a MySpace page and barking at people to listen to your new single is not the move if you were not already well-established before the year 2005. Marketing experts are showing that the traffic you do get is not earnest and it will not result in sales.

Rappers need to go back to doing what we do best – speaking about what we know that is happening in our neighborhoods. We need to engage our audience and have them feel involved in what you do. People need to like you before they will accept your work. Rappers read stories in The Source and XXL about dudes hustling wares out the trunk, but what they forget is that they probably knew countless dudes that attempted the same method. Yet only a few made it successfully. I proffer that they actually had people that liked them as a person – whether a mass of regulars or a couple of powerful ones – as to why they were able to break the pack. Skill only goes so far and as a rapper myself, I know that the funk doesn’t last forever.

I’m from the great city of Detroit and the most popular rap acts that aren’t on majors are not super eMCees. They are much like today’s trap rappers, who just so happened to be very connected to the neighborhoods they are from. Backpack rappers are nomads and do not understand they need a community behind them to really succeed. Great visual, right?

Anyway, keep up the great work, Eskay. I don’t really check your blog as much, because everything you post gets to me via another blog or an IMed link. I know what you’re about though and I appreciate your efforts. I hope you continue to support quality hip hop. I also hope that hip hop artists will get wise and start to commission folks like us to help them initiate progressive branding campaigns that can get them the type of success in music that they can actually muster on their own with a little work.

Thanks for your time. I’ll see you around in the blogosphere.

Peace,

Hubert Sawyers III / Brother G.A.M.

Where You Can Find Me: Twitter


If you are reading this blog, then you are probably very hip and already know about the numerous social media sites. I know your time is precious, but I wanted to take one day a week and highlight the other places where you can find me on the internet. Of course you might be a regular reader, so you could already be well-versed of my online presence via my links in the blog sidebar. SWEET.

Today is significant, because I recently logged in my one thousand, one hundred eleventh “tweet” on Twitter. For you of little time or slow reading comprehension, that is read 1,111.

Now if you are not on Twitter, that is all well and good. There are so many sites, how can you have time to use them all, right?


Well, I will say Twitter is one of the winners in the social media game these days. While it’s future is just as unknown as the MySpaces and Facebooks of the world, it is a great place now to build relationships with people like yourself. As a person who chops it up with people of different walks of life regularly, I like to try to build common bonds with those that may not realize that there are more like them roaming the planet. For instance, I am very passionate about music and trying to maintain a certain level of quality in my daily consumption of it. The blogosphere has it so that there are thousands of songs being shared every day. In the my mind, I cannot imagine even 10% of those songs even being good, so I try to find sites that actually focus on quality works rather than large quantity of supposedly exclusive ones.


Case in point, Fresh Selects dot net is a great place to find progressive hip hop, soul, electro and combinations of each mentioned genre. Run by a guy named Kenny Fresh, who probably should show his face sometime if he is ever to answer to his very appreciative growing public. If you check this place and find it enjoyable, then you will LOVE Kenny Fresh’s spot. Guess what? Kenny is also on Twitter! As like anyone with taste, Kenny is not afraid to share his opinions on music and the world should be all the better for as he speaks truth!

As I close, I want to encourage you to have fun with social media, but take it seriously. More and more companies (read: potential employers) are eyeing social media sites as ways to find prospects for hire… and fire. Your online presence can probably make or break a relationship of any sort. If you are an artist, then you may want to read some blogs on how to properly use social media. In fact, I will give one tip right now – STOP BROADCASTING AND START ENGAGING [YOUR PEERS/FANS]. There is no need to talk at people. You should want to talk with them. It aids in building long-term relationships. Know that. Until the next one…

Oh, wait until you see what I do for tweet # 1234!

Detroit, Can You Dig It?!


This is just a quick blurb about an up-and-coming hip hop group called Detroit CYDI. CYDI is short of “Can You Dig It,” which I think is probably the most clever you can get with an acronym that remotely reads like another word. Detroit CYDI is comprised of Sean Uppercut, Rufio Jones and Illingsworth (all from Detroit) on the raps. On the beats, Illingsworth splits half of the beatmaking / production duties with Swedish producer, Erik L. You may know Erik L from his work on German-based label Melting Pot Music, which also has Frying in Vein favorite DJ Day in its ranks. This collective released an album titled The Rhyming Dictionary on Christmas Day. They are giving it away for your personal enjoyment and trust me, you WILL enjoy it. They offer a variety of ways to download it, pick your I.V.:

Sendspace
Zshare
Torrent

Now for those that want to get a taste before filling up your harddrive with more music you found on the internet, I have included two of my favorite joints on the records. First, we have “It’s Nothin'” featuring Detroit eMCee Stryfe and Swedish vocalist Stray. It’s a high-powered fun cut that will do well performed live. The beat by Erik L jams and the dudes provide nice rhymes that even your Mom could respect.

Next, a track with Illingsworth on the beat titled, “Based on a True Story.” I especially like the ending with Illingsworth’s verse. Without giving too much away, this track shows off the personalities of each individual eMCee while showing they each got a knack for the raps. I found myself cracking up on Rufio Jones verse, but only to continue to ROFL at Illingsworth “verse.” It just shows having fun making music can NEVER be a bad thing.

Lastly, I will give you a YouTube video that the guys made for their song “NASCAR” featuring vocalist Stray. Bonus points to the person that can tell me what video game this is, but it escapes me at the moment.


Leave a comment and let me know what you think of the record. I think this is going to be on my best of list for 2009 at the end of the year. A full review of the album and interview with the group is in the works, so stay tuned.

ROFLworthy: Zelda and the Unibrows – City Kids music video

This definitely describes the average bloke that comes through to party in Detroit, then flees as soon as things get too real like… the street lights come on or the ragamuffins start to grabassin’. We still love you though. Rep Detroit when it’s cool, poo on the city when it’s not. It’s all good. Yeah, we’re getting along quite well with that kind of interaction!



I found this video on the Detroit Techno and House blog, but there wasn’t anything about the group that made the song and video. I appreciate finding it though, all the same. I love googling, so I found some stuff about this group behind the hilarious song and video:

Zelda and the Unibrows – worldwide website – MySpace

Their music sounds like baroque pop electronica. Me likes. You probably don’t, but this is my blog. Unibrows, if you happen to come across this blog, please say hello! If you ever need an irreverent rap lyric by a certified rapper, holler at me!