Hey Everyone -

We’re luck to have tons of shows – in Philly, NYC, and even New Hampshire. If you live anywhere near these shows – come out and support us. The internet is great – BUT NOTHING BEATS LIVE MUSIC.

Shortly after posting my previous blog I received an email from Dan Palmer (as expected) concerning the present state of the MOJO system. He urged me to urge you to continue to have faith in the system until it gets off the ground – the talent buyers are going to need time to recognize that the system works, etc. This makes sense.

Look – let’s wait a little while to pass judgement. That being said, what I really urge you to do, is to assemble an EPK that isn’t on ourstage or sonicbids or affiliated with an existing site. Reach out to talent promoters and bookers on your own: you might get a gig once in a blue moon with ourstage, but you’ll get much much more if push yourself. We can’t wait for ourstage, mojo, or anyone else to break our career – we’ve gotta do it ourselves.

Thanks.

Let’s analyze the artists that Ourstage touts as being selected by a marketplace gig. We all know that Mojo rating is some sort of combination of EPK-readyness and successful contest entries.

Ideal Fathers – No Calendar up, no Photos, no movies, no contest wins

Reno Divorce and King Rat – Doesn’t even have a song or picture!!

Nicotine Fits – No profile!!!

Teamwork – No audio wins / no video / no photos / no press / no calendar!

Cause – No Calendar / No Pics / No Video (actually has a contest win)

Jon Hope – NO EPK, no contest wins, no videos, no calendar, no press, etc…

Lordz of Brooklyn – NO EPK, no contest wins, no videos, no calendar, no music!!!

The Nillaz – NO BIO, NO VIDEO PHOTOS PRESS OR CALENDAR OR CONTEST WINS

Blitz the Ambassador – no video, no photos, no calendar, no press, etc… no contest wins

Enough, that’s enough to clearly prove that Mojo ratings are useless and not taken into consideration (or taken extremely lightly into consideration). These are the facts, right there for everyone to see.

To all the artists I’ve listed, I’m not degrading your music – congratulations on your success! I’m rather questioning the method by which you were selected – Ourstage constantly stresses the need to keep your EPK up to date, etc.. but it really doesn’t matter.

I hear it time and time again after Philly Slick performances. Usually, the comments are from an adult, usually white, usually at the venue to see another act or the parent of a musician of another act.

“Now THIS is the kind of hip hop I like.” (You have to really emphasize the ‘this’)

I shouldn’t have a problem with that statement. We play a show and get fantastic reception, we bring hip hop to people who think the genre is defined by Allen Iverson, so what is the problem?

The problem is that we sure didn’t start this. We sure aren’t the first to play this ‘kind’ of hip hop. It’s ridiculous that we’re the first you’ve heard of “good hip hop.” Not only have there been fantastic emcees, group and producers for the past 30 years making quality hip hop, but there are tons now.

Why aren’t people hearing Mos Def? Why aren’t the Roots getting the promotion they deserve from Def Jam? Why can’t we change “rap” (read: R AND B) radio stations to diversify beyond a top 20 playlist (and don’t give me that sirius/xm argument, there really are relatively few choices – and you shouldn’t have to pay for radio – internet radio will soon put an end to them – look at their sales of late!)?

There are people who like good hip hop and there is good hip hop that isn’t getting out to those people, so even from a basic economic business model people are missing out.

If you look at the lasting stars in rap – the ones that have been around for 10+ years – there is a lyrical element to their rap, and there is quality music behind it as well (nas, jay-z, dr dre, eminem, outkast!!, etc…) people like puff daddy have moved on to fashion and other things primarily, how long did No Limit and So So Def last, these movements come and go, but quality music stays around.

Its just a shame those in positions to promote it choose not to or ignore it altogether.

The most influential writer of our time.

MONDAY NIGHT VS DALLAS

Hey Ourstage,

Where is our latest badge? You like to flaunt how it makes so much of a difference – well, then, hand over the badge so we can show everyone our accomplishments – I keep my EPK up to date, now its your turn…

??

We should have won the video finals – not only were we in 1st place 90% of the time – but the rankings locked at around 10:30 for both the music and video finals – with no place changing taking place. THIS IS BULLSHIT – OURSTAGE – YOU CANNOT LOCK THE RANKINGS – WE’VE ALL SEEN IT HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST WEEK – WE’RE NOT IDIOTS

Ourstage says all votes get counted, but we know that’s not true. When the rankings froze earlier in the week, I am certain my votes didn’t count, as nothing moved at all from the time when the rankings kicked back in – they would have changed significantly had they suddenly factored in everyone’s votes that weren’t previously counted.

Daniel Palmer, or OS Team, don’t even respond to this – I know the damn company lines by now – you;’re going to say all the right things to make it seem like everything is A OKAY! Ya’ll are probably just pawns of AOL anyway.

Bullshit