Another Thought Process Edition: Is Hip Hop Recession Proof? Written by: Rick Sharpe Rapindustry.com

Disclaimer: This article is strictly based on opinions. You are entitled to your own opinion on this subject matter.

Location: Any club in America, Time: 12:51a.m, It’s going down. “Let me get more some bottles to the vip!” , “Girl you see his chain?”, I know, look at that watch! “More bottles to the vip please!!! The Dj got the club rocking, all the ladies are looking good, security is on the dancefloor getting loose, camera phones out everywhere, CRACK!!!, you hear glass shattering and see everyone running toward the door.

Location: Same club in America, Time 12:51a.m, These drinks too much, and these girls aint talking bout nothing. “Ole boy keep ordering bottles”, I see him, icy and all that, I don’t even know this dude. “Man you can’t even get a drink all these servers bopping on ole boy, and security hate every time we fire up”. The Dj drops Lollipop for the fifth time tonight. “And he looking just like one”, CRACK!!!, let me get that!”, you see the glass hit the floor and run out the door with everyone else.

A nice chain may get you a few extra looks from the ladies, but it also will get you a few extra looks from the jackboys. I’m not saying it’s right, just saying it’s real. There are two sides to every story, and if you’ve been doing your thang you may or may not have noticed but we are definitely in a recession, and it won’t be fixed with a rebate check. We’ve lost thousands of jobs to overseaes markets, the gas price has nearly doubled in the past two years,(and with China and India growing don’t look forward to much better) almost all retail businesses are seeing decreases in sales (so they won’t be hiring) along with inflation, thousands of home being foreclosed, and a weak dollar internationally. Pawn shops are eating real good right about now. People are working extra jobs to take care of their family, staying at home more, it’s really hampering our social life and our youth, something you may notice a little further down the road.

So, what does this mean for hip hop?

At first look one would assume this means doom for hip hop sales, with the decrease in sales over the years and the “drought” on good music coinciding at the same time, but the depression has had the exact opposite effect on the game, actually jump starting a trend of more album sales that I believe will continue. Wayne sold a million albums in a week, and it’s probraly not his best album. I don’t think we’re going to see numbers like this from everyone but it at least shows that numbers have stop plummiting, and we’re back on the way up the sales charts. Are you more or less likely to buy a cd today?, less likely to take a chance on someone unproven but more likely to support your favorite artist. The recession has served as a filter, and with tight pockets only the neccesary gets through. More conceptual albums, (Lupe “The Cool”, Nas “Nigga”, Jay-Z ” American Gangsta”, Jeezy, The Recession”, etc…) are hitting the market giving fans a shot at a cd with more than three or four songs, an actual reason to buy an album. Nothing against dance music but it’s proven to be great for ringtones and terrible for albums, and with those singles dominating the billboards of course hip hop seems on the decline because who wants a whole album of that?

The recession has also forced rappers back to the basics. If I’m struggling for gas to get back and forth from work, I’m not investing ten dollars into a cd where you only talk about how you fly jets, how much more money you have than me, or your car that cost more than I’ll make this year. It also has forced people to come together to survive on all levels. We’re seeing more company mergers, carpooling, roomates, etc… This unification created helps us support our own a lot more, especially our own music, leaving the haters shining brighter than ever, lol . Also encouraging are the consistent numbers being dropped by some of the sophmore class (Ross, Lupe, Plies, Game, etc.) in mainstreem rap. Jay-Z’s performance at Glanstonbury was historic and shows hip hop’s global appeal is increasing, and how many other avenues there are for making money with your music. Aside from album sales, ringtones, shows, films, and many other business ventures made available by your status have catapulted today’s rapper to heights that were never dreamed of back in early hip hop, so judging the state of the game by just album sales is stupid. Making money is also not an excuse for terrible music, there’s a market for rubber sh*t, so if you’re a hustler you should do well, but being a hustler isn’t gonna give you a pass for a lackluster album. The recession has humbled many rappers and allowed them to be more relative to the average person, and that connection is and will continue to send more people to the store to buy REAL albums, and not just real cd cases.

Another Thought Process Edition: FLASH FORWARD TO A PRESIDENT OBAMA. Written by: Rick Sharpe Rapindustry.com

Disclaimer: This article is strictly based on opinions. You are entitled to your own opinion.

It’s Jan. 20th, 2009, more people are tuned in for an inaguration speech than ever recorded, setting television records that rival the Superbowl, American idol, and the Mash series finale. Outside the Whitehouse local police aided by military assistance attempt to calm a rawkus crowd of Obama loyalist and anti-Obama protesters in a very hostile environment, Fox news cancels all its shows and only covers the chaos. World press covers this intensely. On the inside poltical elite along with other first tier celebrities and world players gather and prepare to hear from the next president.

Silence…................................, Jay-Z’s 99 problems comes on blasting from the loudspeakers, Obama pimp strolls down the aisle slapping high fives and pounding the gathering in a pair of Versace glasses being guided by his secret service – a group of former mobsters, gangsters, and assassins. Barack steps up to the podium and after fifteen minutes of non stop applause, he begins to address the crowd. “We’ve waited for this day for over 200 years, and it’s finally here”. Five more minutes of applause before Barack continues, “I’m gonna legalize marijuana, free rent for all those in the hood, gas will be $1.50 in the morning, the troops will be home by Valentine’s Day, your healthcare vouchers will be in the mail in three weeks, Hard knock life is our new National anthem, power to the people!!!, power to the people!!!, The secretary of state brushes off his shoulders, and the program is interrupted by Terrance and Rosci hosting 106th and Park and throwing it to the number one video, a tribute to Obama by all the major rappers in the game.

Aight, I know it gets ridiculous after the silence but thats pretty much how black America is viewing a Barack presidential run, like gold will fall from the sky and everything will all of sudden be better. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but we have a better chance convincing the Taliban to support womens right.

What if Madonna, Tom Cruise, and Tom Brady said I’m voting for John Mccain because he’s white?, The backlash they would recieve would be unbearable, but how many people do you know that are voting for Obama because he’s black? How many of you know about his healthcare plans, views on border contol and foreign diplomacy?, he does check out rather well but judge for yourself, don’t take my word. Obama is a very insightful, inspiring person and I’m a supporter but I’m also a realist. He will face lots of opposition once in office. He inherits a national debt, an unfinished, unwinnable war, and will also have to compete with bitter republicans voting against his message of change. He has the mental compacity to work through any issues that we have as a country but it will be hard. Wearing an Obama for president shirt, or putting a bumper sticker on your car is ok, but thats irrelevant if you don’t vote, and after November your vote won’t matter anymore either. Truth is his presidential nod will force people to have conversations about race, unite the majority of Americans and send the rest into overdrive with their messages of hate. He will change our global image from bullys to freedom fighters, make tax cuts, and offer many other innovative plans to help better our country, he’ll push his agendas as hard as possible, but more importantly what will you do after he’s president? Will you wait for the gold to fall from the sky or will you get involved? The Jena six was a historic moment in black history, but honestly there’s a Jena six in every city, so why only one rally? No one should be celebrating too much (but you should celebrate) about getting six kids out who weren’t exactly Gandis when there are thousands of innocent African Americans currently incarcerated with no voice. People are still dying over stares and colors, still to many single moms, and the divide between the older and younger generations is as big as Drew Carey. Obama is a start but we need to support our local politicians, they’ll have more to do with your day to day than your president. Support black businesses, and raise our youth on strong morals intead of coolness, and stop being so critical of each other. If you haven’t noticed Obama is half black, so our first black president could just as easily be our 44th white president, nothing against him but be your own hero. Talk is cheap and we’re in a recession, so while I believe Barack will do an excellent job as president don’t sit around and wait on him to save the world, get involved.

Another Thought Process Edition: RAP REALITY – Don’t get your Heart Broke. Written by: Rick Sharpe Rapindustry.com

Disclaimer: This article is strictly based on opinions. You are entitled to your own opinion.

His posters are all over your wall. You have his first cd, all his mixtapes, and you even co-sign his terrible entourage of childhood friends turned rappers. This is your guy, this is who you root for and you’re about to get a chance to see him up close and personal. He’s performing at a local club, and of course you’re there. You got your best fit on, a fresh cut, even a few dollars to blow. After showing up an hour and a half late, he finally arrives. The club is peaking as he hits the stage and puts on a show almost worth the wait, drops a freestyle, throws out a lil money, a lot of reckless talk, etc.. . While you’re partying you snatch a STRAIGHT PIECE!, swap numbers and along with the few drinks you’ve had this is a night to remember. The Show ends and you race to your car. Reality has set in, it’s three in the morning, you’re still tipsy and you have to be at work at nine, but to you it was all worth it. You wake up with a massive headache and end up calling out, not realizing your area supervisor came in that day. You don’t lose your job but your margin for error was just sliced in half, and you can kiss that raise goodbye. Reality again!

You call the girl you met in the club a few days later, take her out to eat and end up at her crib watching re-runs, clowning her baby pictures, and playing cards. When you bring up the show she goes on a tirade about how fake and lame your favorite rapper is. She explains how his mom still lives in a bad area, how he was a nerd in high school, that his current car is leased, tells you he’s not really from the hood, and shows you a few pictures of him before his deal, not flattering stuff. Your heart cringes as you’ve just had your millie vanillie caught lip synching, hero crushing moment. He’s who you wake up to, what you ride to, what motivates you and you’ve just found out that it’s all a lie. All the songs, all the interviews, all the outrageous talk, it’s all a lie. You feel betrayed, misled, cheated and develop a slight hatred for the rapper. It seemed so real, he seemed to relate to you on a personal level. He spoke your language, dressed like you, and talked about all the things you aspire to. Reality again!!!! He suddenly isn’t even a star to you anymore, just another lame. You somehow now feel above the person you just looked up to a few days ago, but his video will continue playing along with his song on the radio and the show doesn’t stop. You’re on of the few who know the truth but millions more may never know. He pimped you, you’re on of his hoes, and as dedicated as you were he won’t miss you, remember he has over a million of you.

It’s odd to me that so many fans vouch for rappers that they don’t know personally, and defend anything not showing the rapper in a positive light as hating. What have they done for you? Paid a light bill, donated to your charity, given you gas money? No, if they saw you at a store right now they wouldn’t even know you and you’ve spent tons of money supporting them. Ask one for 20 dollars the next time you see them, and check out the response. I say this to say it’s time we start taking the music for what it is, and stop buying into the characters. A lot of these rappers (not all of them) have fashion consultants, a team of press consultants and more, all which are provided by record labels who mold them to look and talk exactly how they would like so they reach their target audience. If you’re not making six figure following a rappers lifestyle more than likely will lead you into debt, and for the most part it’s just a portrayed lifestyle. I won’t say they never did but think about it, you’d have to be an asshhole to still be selling bricks with five or ten mil in the bank, what you could be giving up for what you’re making, it just doesn’t make sense. There are plenty of other ways to put your partners on with that kind of cash without the risk. They might not really have those mil, may just not care.

I could name countless moments where rappers have been shown not to be who they say they are, but does it really matter? Their music doesn’t suddenly change when you find out something. If you liked a song before you got wind of a rumor chances are you’re still gonna like it afterward. Lots of the things being used to denounce an artist’s credibility are stupid. Having a job isn’t cool now? getting shot is?, not being in jail, or not killing people means you aint a “real nigga”, being just a rapper aint cool?, it’s not cool to get paid for something so easy without risking your freedom? yeah right, if you believe that you got the game messed up. I do agree you shouldn’t pretend to be a street cat if you not,( I’m with you on ban fake rappers coalition) but looking at the state of the economy being a succesful (just) rapper is a blessing. Some of you shouldn’t be afraid to say thats how you came up, its true. A lot of rappers are pimps in their music and have wives, some rap about the best california herb and don’t smoke. Some of these dudes don’t even write their own stuff! There are a few real cats out there, but there definitely are a lot of fake ones. Rappers (for rap fans) have a bigger influence on the community than doctors, politicians, teachers, and a lot of other people, and where have they led you?, to the pinnacle of cool and the depths of financial burden. Kobe Bryant is probraly the greatest player on Earth, and while you may disagree with personal decisions (selling out Shaq, the Colorado fiasco) you have to respect his game. I’d still pay to watch him play, but I don’t think we’d be rubbing shoulders in the club or playing spades at a barbeque together. We should treat rappers, all musicians for that matter the same. Follow common sense, knowledge, vision, and not just people with money, especially if they aren’t breaking bread with you. Support the music not the character, and for the most part don’t believe the hype!