[Clinton]

So what do ANY of you who feel hip-hop is dead its changed or however you wanna word it think should be done?

Its obvious that there is more than one reason 4 the state of the game now....all anyone does is complain...but i hhave yet to see anyone do anything....Nas Dropped Hip-Hop is dead...turned a few heads and then what? YOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUU! Soulja boy came through....so Nas sayin that it was dead did nothing....if anything it prolly made it worse....fans talk about how -----s aint the same....but all they do is talk....lables aint changin shit if they gettin they money

so how we gonna get it back if we want it back so bad?
what can be done to satisfy everyone.....IS there anything that could be done 2 satisfy everyone....

food for thought

I have mixed feelings on this subject....so i dont wanna say somethin that would contradict myslef...but i want some answers to the questions i asked

i mean...all the GOOD music is coming froom artist who arent signed (Joel Ortiz....ME lol) or they not gettin good money or recognition (Little Brother)
so is there a way to bring back the game.....

hmm...i personally think the stuff people are CALLING hip hop is a WHOLE nother genre....but even if it was....HIP HOP still aint sellin good....

perfect example...
50 Cent: Get Rich or Die Trying....yall saw the numbers it did
But wat about Curtis....He has a MUCH larger fan base now and his die hard fans say it was better than Kanye...so why it aint do those numbers?

the point im tryna make is...like i said even if the BULLSHIT was a whole nother genre...how can we revive "pure" hiphop as far as sales go and good artists (like me) gettin on?

cuz everyone is comlainin.....is that the only thing we can do...or can we (artists producers fans and exects) actually take action

[A. Woods]

I agree with all that, that's why I don't debate the is hiphop dead shit anymore. Because no one is putting out answers...it's just a blame and complain game. But to be real, at this moment, I don' t know how to answer any of those questions...

[Young Ef]

First and formost artist need to start getting smart. It is no longer just about the music it is about the marketing the promotion and the machine behind the artist. These rappers need to know that all these labels want is a hit a hit record. They don't care about you if you are not buzzing something serious in the streets the labels do not care that is the first answer for you

REALIZE THE TRUTH
They need to realize that these labels do not care about them so STOP IGNORING REAL MUSIC TO MAKE MONEY FOR A LABEL WHO DOESN'T LOVE YOU

At the end of the day the biggest answer for you is Independence. We have to put the game in our hands independent companies our own distribution our own publishing we need to do it ourselves that way we our in the drivers seat

we don't have to answer to some dinky mofucka behind a desk who doesn't even listen to hip-hop. Real talk when the big 4 bought out all of the labels it became a marketing machine its all about the numbers in the mainstream we can't be a victim to it we gotta do our own thing and take control of the creativeness and the business of hip-hop

[A. Woods]

Well that's true...I thought that would be a given to people though that going independently is the way to go. Even on a major you have to put in mad work, so go independent and make more money for your work.

[Young Ef]

not only will you make more money you are in control of your own destiny so if your shit is wack it aint nobody fault but your own nobody is writing for you and shit like that its up to you when your on an independent

[kazam92]

I want to add something deep and meaningful to this conversation



Lil Wayne sucks








lol sorry but really the hip hop dead/vs alive crap has gotten old. If there is new music in the genre being released and you go out and listen to it and enjoy it, it aint "dead"

[MicMonster]

ok,

Q: Is hip hop dead?
A: Shot five times, stabbed twice, and left for dead in a burning building...but NO!

Q: Does an entire music genre disappear without the influence of money?
A: Thats up to you and me!!

Look as far as sales go, theres a lot of factors and figures that Im sure some of you guys know a lot better than me. But there are some basic things to remember. First of all, the music industry is subject to the same rise and falls of the economy as anything else in corporate america. I'll support my rent WAY before I support my favorite artist, truth. This is where internet kicks in and kills the sales charts. The most popular artist gets air play, trash or not. But I think you all understand that already.

But how can an entire musical form die unless we die with it? The cash flow aint what it used to be, sure. But money didnt give birth to hip hop. The charts can only tell you who and whats popular, but sales cant stop us from speaking from the soul. Can it? Are we that weak? Never. Cause as long as we breathe, our music lives with us.

As for the state of the game. Its nobody's and everybody's fault. A lot of us (Hip Hop heads) look at rap and see two opposing sides. On one side are the cats who is bout money, cash, hoes. On the other, street preachers and backpackers. I BLAME EM BOTH. Theres more to us as a culture than material things, gangstas. But you're way too deep if you have something political to say all the time, backpackers. Personally i try to be more universal. I ride to that Talib Kweli/Mos Def. Thats wat gives me inspiration and drive. But when I step into the spot where all the females is, Im tryna see the chicks move somethin. lol. nah'mean. Still even with all the things in the world to rap about, Im only hearing a few topics from everybody. Flows are gettin stale. Switch it up. WE NEED MORE CREATIVITY.

srry to type so much but am I makin sense