3 Successful Rappers Making Extra Income

 

A while back I noted how Hip Hop artists, in order to be finically successful while remaining true to his or her music, need to innovate in areas of entrepreneurship. Now a days many artists are willing to drop their true art form to pick up one that is going to make them the most successful financially. This phenomenon isn't subjected to just hip hop artist. Now-Pop-artists Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus started there career off singing country music. However you don't always have to convert. The secret is by putting your eggs in more than one basket. Here are three hip hop artists who did just that:

1. Lil Wayne:

Lil Wayne is doing painting pictures with his words. He is also busying designing clothes for clothing line Trukfit,. He has taken his newfound passion of skateboarding and clashed it with hip hop. Skateboarding style clothing mixed with rapping attire. It is now a leading branding amongst both the skateboarding and hip hop scene.

2. P. Diddy :

Most people are unaware of P. Diddy or Puff Daddy's real name. His name he was given at birth is Sean Jean Combs. He has used that name to start his own clothing line and  Sean Combs founded the Sean John clothing company in 1998. The
label focuses on high-end fashion and accessories, producing everything from bed linens to cologne.

3.  DMX:

DMX had an abundance of heart felt life revealing songs. He wrote a book that revealed even a more raw honest view into his life. E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX opens up about violence, imprisonment, familial neglect and building his family during his formative years.

When I was younger I use to want to be a criminal defense lawyer. As I grew older I became aware that the justice system was beatable. I was aware of the fact that there would be times that my morals would have to be push to the side. All lawyers are aware of this dilemma. Some do not care, some make a bargain with their conscious and somehow get over the fact. Me? I couldn't do it. I decided I couldn't give in. But hip hop artist's don't hate to give in and still be a rapper though. A financially successful one at that. Just don't put all your eggs in one basket.

It has been fun writing these blogs,. However my time with you all have come to an end. Maybe I may get inspired and decide to blog in the future. Only time can tell. Peace and Love.

 

 

Hip Hop Either Innovates or Die

Times are changing. Back in the days of Grandmaster Flash and Sugarhill Gang, hip-hop was relatively innocent. In the late 80's/early 90-'s, rap was identified by political agendas from groups such as Public Enemy and N.W.A. The early mid-90's the hip-hop community saw a rise in consciousness in the rap messages. However after the mid-90's hip hop began to fall off. True hip-hop that is. The falling off of the once innocent genre has lead to commercial hip-hop. Commercial hip-hop is deteriorating what so many emcees in the 80's tried to build: a culture of music, dance, creativity, and artistry that would five people not only something to bob their head to but to express themselves and deliver a positive message to the people. 

Artists today seem to have forgotten what it was that the Bronx-born genre once stood for. Now, it's all about the Benjamin.  

However this cultivation is what is in essence killing off hip-hop. Because its elements are becoming engrained into most pops songs its becoming harder for hip hop artists to dominate album sales. In fact it is hard for anyone to dominate in album sales due to the fact that music today is pretty much free! Yet without the competitive edge that it use to have, it has become even harder for rappers.

So how does an artist make money if album sales (which once was the prime source of income) is steadily decking? Sync licensing deals, brand sponsorships, selling merchandise and being able to tour nationally. Artist like T.I owns a nightclub and even stars in his own reality TV show- 'The Family Hustle'. Moral of the story, you can no longer put your eggs in one basket.

 Def Jam's A&R Sickamore said it best: We need a lot of mavericks and people fighting to do new sounds. Everyone's caught up to us, and now it's time to evolve. If you don't innovate, you die- that's the fight hip hop is in.

There is a revolution taking place underground. People are dying for authentic hip hop to come back. The audience is there. If money isn't strictly in the album sales than artist can put the innocence back into the genre while putting there eggs in more then one basket to still make a living.

As I stated before hip-hop has not always been about the money. Even though it has grown and is being noticed by people all over the world, can we say the same for the African Community, which hip-hop was initially developed to uplift? Find out my opinion next week! Peace and Love. 

 

 

Tidal Is The Death of Record Labels

History has been made. A host of the most top notch artists in the music industry have collaborated to launch Tidal, the first artist-owned platform for music and video. Who is the mastermind behind all of this? The one and only legendary, Jay-Z. He gathered celebraties such as Alicia Keys, Nicki Minaj, J. Cole, Daft Punk and Kanye West to help him pursue his mission. Alicia Keys helped to articulate this mission by saying the declaration that each artists signed on state at he Tidal relaunch event:

 Throughout history, every movement began with a few individuals banding together with a shared vision – a vision to change the status quo.
That vision came to life with a first step. Our first step begins today through the platform TIDAL.
TIDAL is an artist majority owned company with a mission to reestablish the value of music and protect the sustainability of the music industry rooted in creativity and expression.
As part of our vision to introduce change to the current system, we will continue expanding this platform into an all-encompassing destination in the coming months. We are working diligently everyday to enhance the overall service.
Today, the site incorporates high quality sound, video and exclusive editorial, but there are more features on the way. In time, TIDAL will not just be a streaming service but an immersive platform with enhanced experiences.
With TIDAL we are making a commitment to build a platform that reflects ideas contributed directly from artists, providing an enriched experience. Music presented and heard the way the artists intended.
We want our mission with TIDAL to spark conversation and lay a foundation for tomorrow’sburgeoning stars.
Our movement is being led by a few who are inviting all to band together for a common cause, a movement to change the status quo.
Today marks the next step.

This is where it gets interesting. With Tidal, unlike Spotify, there is not a free service. It is being offered to U.S users at two price points: $10.00 for standard sound quality and $20.00 for CD quality. This means the musicians stand a chance to make more money from it. This could potentially be the death of Record Labels. That would mean no more exploitation of pure music! 

Tidal would not exist without the fact that people are not buying full albums anymore.  It takes more then record sales to be a successful rapper nowadays. Find out what it takes to be a rapper by keeping an eye for the next blog post! Love and Peace.

3 Powerful Reasons 'To Pimp A Butterfly' Impacts Hip Hop

Kendrick Lamar has spoken. The release of his 3rd solo album has shaken the foundation
of Hip Hop. For those who are not hip and up to date, Kendrick Lamar is a 27 year old rapper (he prefers to be called a storyteller). In 2012 he made his mark in the game with his first major label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city. To Pimp A Butterfly engraves this mark even more. Here are three ways in which his album is impacting Hip Hop.

1. It is Insightful: To Pimp A Butterfly is embedded with inspiration and historical references. It is worthy enough for a college class to analyze and critique. It touches on critical theory, Nelson Mandela, Exodus 14, respectability politics and etc. In "Hood Politics" he mocks Washington politicians by incorporating the names of L.A gangs (DemoCrips and ReBloodicans) who he says call them thugs why also being the perpetrator. He also attempts to express the grievances, the frustrations, inspiration and creative power of the youth culture. 
2. It Is 'Cool' : To Pimp A Butterfly was the most anticipated album of the year. The success from his last album left fans and critics dying to see if he could live up to the hype he created. His aspirations to go beyond commercial success and his ability to be his own person (not letting the industry dictate his content) also contributed to the anticipation of this album. The albums social awareness theme would have had a MUCH harder time being accepted than it is now. Right now it is the topic of discussion. Kendrick Lamar is in the position to use Hip Hop as a political and social influence as what Hip Hop (not rap) should be doing. 
3. It is Unapologetic:  We live in a world were people often feel uncomfortable expressing their inner thoughts or beliefs for reasons such as fear of being misunderstood or bashed or even to avoid awkwardness. With Hip Hop being consumed by a decent amount of every race, artists tend to not go to deep into touchy topics. Kendrick Lamar is an exception. He details the mental and emotional impact of living in the 'hood' or poverty stricken cities as an African American child. His delivery is rough, brutal, and unapologetic. In Blacker the Berry he states unabashedly destroys black stereotypes; "My hair is nappy/ My d*** is big/ My nose is round and wide? You hate me, don't you?/ You hate my people/ Your plan is to terminate my culture/ I want you to recognize that I'm a proud monkey". Kendrick does not just play the blame game in this album. He also points the finger back at the black community to demonstrate how they play a part in their own destruction. In "Blacker the Berry" he questions why black people get extremely riled up when a white cop kills a black man but do not demonstrate the same frustrations towards black on black crime.

Hip Hop's purpose is to be a cultural movement. To Pimp A Butterfly's psychedelic and abrasive honesty is putting culture back into music.The album as a sense of urgency to it. It isn't your typical trip down memory lane. It is a reflection of the present and how it is shaped by internal and external forces. It forces you to choose to either stay ignorant or figure out your place in the grander scheme of reality.

It seem as if Kendrick Lamar is not the only one with a sense of urgency. Jay Z recently launched the first Artist owned streaming music service--TIDAL. Be sure to stop by again to find out exactly how game changing TIDAL is.

Put The Blame on Hip-Hop:

                                                                              

     In regards to statements made by MSNBC concerning the SAE frat's 'race' chant, I've done some reflecting and observation. Now I am left to wonder: Why does the blame always resort back to Hip-Hop? If you are not up to date, a video was leaked of SAE members on a  bus chanting in the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know it Clap Your Hands" : There will never be a n***** SAE/ There will never be a n***** SAE/ You can hang ‘em from a tree, but it will never start with me/There will never be a n***** SAE. 

As the video went viral it didn't take long for Waka Flocka to see it and to take action:

                 

 Let me digress for second to point out the powerful and positive influence Hip Hop has can bring to the world. As shown above, Flocka stated, "When I first started doing shows it was all hood spots and all black people...Now it's white, black and brown people at my shows. All races partying having a good time and enjoying themselves peacefully". I'm just going to let that sit there.

Referring back to the initial topic, MSNBC decided to dig further into Flocka's statement and dedicated a part of their Morning Joe segment to viewing their perspective of it. When first watching the clip one might want to scream, "RACIST!" Or maybe one might think, "Yes! They are right! Hearing the N-word in rap music influences them to say that!" I understand both rationale. The person screaming racist translates their message as an excuse for the frat's racist chant. The person in agreeance takes it as if rappers can use the N-word then somehow expect white people who listen to the music not to say it?

When I watch something I try not to react immediately. My initial reaction was on the fence between the two rationales I provided. While it seem like they were trying to downplay the situation, I felt as if their words held some truth to it. After taking time to soak the information in, I decided that no, they are not racist. But they are still wrong. The way they mocked Flocka and how they said, "He shouldn't be disgusted with them, he should be disgusted with himself!, first lead me to believe that they were racially against him. Then I imagined my older family members mocking him as well and realized that they most likely didn't agree with his content of music, which is their prerogative. I then I began to think about how black kids first started using the N-word. The only way you learn a word is by using it.That means that they heard it from their parents and/or through music. You tend to say it the context you hear it in.

I then suddenly realized two important factors:

1.  The N-word referred to by some of the SAE frat brothers ends with an -er. The N-word used by black people AND some white people end with an -a. While some may argue that neither one of the words should be used, they both have a very different distinct meaning. The one ending in '-er' has a painful racial background and sting to it. The other one has been modified to a word of endearment. 
2.  Whether they use the 'N'-word or not is not the prominent issue at hand. The concern is towards the rest of the chant that gave that word it's painful racial power: You can hang ‘em from a tree, but it will never start with me/There will never be a n—– SAE.” The chant is talking about lynching a black person and not allowing them into the fraternity because the color of their skin.

It is possible to blame rappers and African Americans who uses the word around other ethnicity, for white people using the N-word (ending with an -a). I personally have white friends who uses it, but only around their black friends that they are comfortable with and knowing that the feeling is mutual. They might even say it amongst a group of the same link minded white people. To these group of people, black or white, they are using it as a pronoun for " a person". That person could be friend or it could be a person that cuts you off in traffic. But never is it because of that person skin.

 In Hip Hop music that uses the N-word repeatedly, they are never talking about killing that person BECAUSE of their skin color. It would be impossible to say that they do not rap about killing someone and using the N-word in the same sentence. But again I emphasize, it is not because the color of their skin. Yes, the usage of the word and who can say it and why they are saying it, is a very important topic that must be discussed. However that is not the prominent issue at hand. MSNBC Morning Joe segment dedicated to Waka Flocka lyrics and how they found it just as disgusting as the chant is something I do not hold them against. The more I review the video the more I see it as a case of cognitive dissonance.

Morning Joe's Mika Brzezinski tried to clear up the statements made after a considerable amount of backlash saying that the lyrics of Waka Flocka had nothing to due with the influence of the chant. She knows that. But her previous statements said other wise. I believe that  it was her not wanting to deal with the real issue at hand which is  understand why these frat brothers felt it was okay to chanting about lynching someone. In former member's Levi Pettit apology statement he stated "I think I knew they were wrong, but I never knew why or how they were wrong...I’m not here to talk about where I learned the chant or where it was taught. I’m here to apologize for what I did". Pettit. For one the mass majority of the black community and a good amount of the white community could care less about your apology. Your apology doesn't bring answers. We expect you to apologize. That is how it works when dirty laundry is aired through the media. A better topic for Morning Joe's could have been why wasn't Pettit able to talk about where he the learned the chant and where it was taught? I must say again, you say a word in the manner you were taught to say it.

Rant session over.
Now I must take this moment to say their is power in music, especially Hip Hop. As I shown previously, people of all color attend Flocka's concert. That is a beautiful thing. Their isn't any other genre of music where at a concert you may see all different types of people, in equal proportion, all partying and having a good time together. I believe its important to find light in dark situations. The only way to come out of a dark place is to find the light.

It seems has if Kendrick Lamar is searching for the light with the release of his third solo album, To Pimp A Butterfly. The album firmly anchored in social consciousness pleads for peace and equality for all. Keep your eyes open for my review of this of this truthful Hip Hop album. Love and Peace.

ALL Music is Exploited--But Hip-Hop is The Worst

Whenever there is an issue with politics, justice and almost any other issue of the world, you can bet that money is involved. Money is essentially the 'root of all evil'. On this blog I have talked much about the exploitation of Hip-Hop. Money, as you can guess, is the root of this problem. Once artists like N.W.A and Ice Cube arrived on the Hip-Hop scene, there was an increase in sales for Hip-Hop. Dollar signs replaced the eyes of corporations. They decided to take that 'street life' theme and blow it up. The took the content about misogyny and flashy jewelry and made it to where it dominated rap music.

Before I go further, I must explain that rap music is not the only genre being exploited. Country music and Pop music (can you believe it!) are both victims of exploitation . For Country music, the corporations play on the stereotypes of country people: big trucks and getting drunk. For Pop music, it overemphasizes catchy hooks and melodies, and by sometimes having a corporation or political marketing agenda (which is a topic for another article!). Music today is a commodity. Ken Hirschkop, in the book Music and Politics of Culture, put it best: The diversity and innovation in performance and reception typical of popular music is erased when the music is abstracted and placed onto the capitalist circuit of radio playlist, promotional tour and record/cassette/CD sales. Even though he was discussing pop music, the concept does not excluded music genres as a whole. Anything produced has the opportunity to be exploited by capitalism. That is not to say that capitalism is bad. It is just a product of its own exploitation, but again that is another topic.

Music has much influential power. It is one of the strongest influential powers in the world. Why do you think corporations who have no love and desire for music spend so much time and put so much money into it. By limiting the content you are limiting its consumers to their own personal growth. However that is the difference between the exploitation of Hip Hop and the exploitation of Pop and Country music. The exploitations of Pop and Country limits its consumers from creativity and education of different styles of people. The exploitation of Hip-Hop results in those same limitations but more. Consumers of hip-hop, in terms of buying power, is essentially white. However it is directed towards and produced by African Americans. Generally speaking, African Americans tend to only listen to Hip-Hop or R&B but of course their are some exceptions. With that being said, the exploitation of Hip-Hop restricts an entire race. It is no secret that the Black community is in a deep rut. We have the most buying power but no assets. Generations of people who do not know their history. Black on Black crime. This is not to say that the exploitation of Hip-Hop is the sole cause of these problems but it adds to the fuel when it has the potential to put the fire out. I may be bias since I am an African American, but an exploitation that holds a race back from liberation is the worst exploitation of all.

When it comes to placing the blame for racial problems, many people throw shade at Hip Hop. Sometimes it is done rightfully so and sometimes it is not. Recently MSNBC reported that the disgusting racial chant by SAE fraternity is a result of Hip-Hop. Do you believe that statement holds some truth to it? Stay tuned and find out my opinion in my next article. Love and Peace.

The Destruction of Lauryn Hill

February 8, 1999, TIME magazine blessed the cover with the face of hip hop artist Lauryn Hill, crowning her as Hip Hop’s matriarch. The issue was made to celebrate Hip Hop’s 20^th anniversary; highlighting the impact of rap music and its affiliated culture. The 12 page cover story examined many legend rap artists including Sugarhill Gang’s 1979 hit “Rappers Delight”. Yet they choose Lauryn Hill to represent Hip Hop.

It was during that time period when she realized her position. The resounding success of her empowering album, Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, put her in the position to lead the masses. It was evident that she would lead a new generation of rappers that were intent on stepping beyond explicit and misogynistic status quo and to emphasize person and conscientious themes.

But then things went all downhill. Her career took an unexpected turn.  People were wondering when she will return. Than they began to wonder if she would ever return at all. Rumors surfaced that Hill had bipolar disorder, received spiritual misguidance, and underwent paternity disputes. She denied nearly every interview. However in 2002 she finally made an appearance doing her live album, MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 which clearly showed her disillusionment. To make matters worse in June 2012 she was charge with tax evasion. She pleaded guilty to file tax returns on more than $1.8 million between 2005 and 2007. 

Before she went in, Hill made issued a statement to the public:

“…I entered into my craft full of optimism (which I still possess), but immediately saw the suppressive force within the system attempts to maintain its control over a give paradigm. I’ve seen people promote addiction, use sabotage, black listing, media bullying and any other coercion technique they could, to prevent artists from knowing their true value, or exercising their full power. These devices of control, of no matter how well intentioned (or not), can have a devastating outcome on the lives of people, especially creative types who must grow and exist within a certain environment and according to a certain pace, in order to live and create optimally…It became increasingly obvious that certain indulgences and privileges were expected to come at the expense of my free soul, free mind, and therefore my health and integrity…Individual growth was expected to take place unnaturally, or stagnated outright, subject to marketing and politics. Addressing critical issues like pop culture cannibalism or its manipulation of the young at the expense of everything, was frowned upon and discouraged by limiting funding or denying it outright” (click here for full statement).

Hill states that it were these conditions that led her to not be able to file and pay her taxes. “Someone did the math, and it came to around $600 million,” she said. “And I sit here before you trying to figure out how to pay a tax debt. If that’s not like enough to slavery…”. The question rises of why. Why the record were labels putting her in that position. It is because she resisted. She refused to “sell her soul”. But Hill had brought in an overwhelming amount of money that exceeded all expectations. During the week Miseducation hit shelves, Hill sold more than 420,000 copies, breaking the record release-week sales by any female artist. The Record Industry Association of America certified the album Gold a little more than a month after it came out and the record spent 81 weeks in the Billboard 200. They did not want to let that go.

Lauryn Hill is my favorite artist. Her outspokenness and positive outlook on situations makes her admirable. The soul that she put into her music captivated the world. She honest and intimate. She opened the doors for female artists who aren’t materialistic and flashing. It’s sad to say with the destruction of Hill, it tore the road she built. Yet the bridge that she made connecting Hip-Hop to mainstream stayed strong. 

Hopefully by now you can see how the greed of money that some record labels possess, can truly destroy people lives. 

There have been many articles stating the how record labels and corporations exploit black culture. However Hip-hop isn’t the only genre to be exploited. Is there a difference between the exploitations? Stick around and find out next week. Love and Peace.

Your Choice of Music Is An Illusion

Jay Woodson, organizer of National Hip Hop Political Convention (NHHPC), said it best : "What our options are in this political economy are options for profit, which benefits large corporations. This includes the entertainment industry". America is the master of illusion. Last week I explained how hip hop artists with a message gets over looked by major corporations and record labels for artists who discuss topics such as drugs, violence, misogyny and destruction. For those who primarily consume large doses of corporate media may find what this article reveals to be shocking.

The shocking truth is that big business control the types of music and artist that get exposure and become popular in our society. The Music industry is a $14 billion dollar business. There are 5 major record labels; Sony, Universal, BMG, EMI and Time Warner whom dominates 85 % of the market. Since 2012 the "Big Three" record labels include Sony, Warner, and Universal Music Group. They control the artist and set what percentage of the sale they keep. Since they are already a monopoly they try to keep competition between them at a bare minimum.

There was a time when radio companies could only own up to 40 stations nationwide and only four in a particular market. Then the Telecommunications Act of 1996 came and now Clear Channel, a large radio company, owns 1,170 radio stations nationwide! A lot of larger media bought up smaller markets and it has narrowed the choices for smaller media to have access to cable programming or local radio stations.

This amount of control over the Industry makes it almost impossible for underground artist to get exposed to the masses, which is what the Industry likes. It's no coincidence that big name rappers who are known throughout the world are sponsored by the biggest corporations in the world. These type of rappers promote business agenda's for the music industry where advertisements and propaganda takes over young minds. The majority of rappers are used by major labels to sell propaganda. Singer Cee-Lo Green had said " At one point in time, there was a code of conduct: creed and credential...hip hop was once an Ivy League institution, and now it's become a community college--you don't need qualifications to come on in".

Corporate America has infiltrated and corrupted Hip Hop for their own personal gains. They took the truth out of hip hop to keep the truth out of the youth. If you have a nation that is focused on topics that does not matter, it leaves room for the corporate to operate how they please. It gives them ample enough room to make money in all area, not just music. If you find this information to be unconvincing, be sure to stop by next week. I will give examples of artists who have benefited from this system and artists who have nearly been literally destroyed by this system. Love and Peace.