HipHopMusiq.com

“I use to give a fuck, now I give a fuck less, What do I think of Success it sucks too much stress”
Jay Z - Success

Earlier this week there was an video floating around on the internet with Ghostface Killah making a mea culpa to his fans to buy his last album “The Big Doe Rehab”. Now I haven’t listen to this album so I am going to talk about the artistic reasons that you should buy or not buy this album. No, what I am going to discuss is the reluctance of an artist to understand that the game is change and if you really want that money from music you are going to have to work for it. The genies is out the bottle and it is not coming back in. All of the government regulation in the world will not stop downloading so you have to add to your hustle.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am a huge capitalist but I also understand that the writing is on the wall. I believe that the artist and the people behind the scenes should get paid for their album sales and their hard work. Guess what, they will still get paid. It’s just that the revenue model has changed. The first people to take advantage of this was the so called ringtone rappers. They found the first in what will become a hundred new ways for artist to get paid. These new revenue streams will be extra beneficial for second tier artist by a long shot. In today’s market if your not going platinum then you are paying back that advance money. The system right now only works for artist that are huge pop stars. So we get less street albums and more albums that are carefully crafted to a formula that targets all markets at the same time. Club song here, Street song here, Love song here, mix and stir. I want the artist to be able to go into the studio and put out what his soul feels.

I am waiting for the Master P of the internet. Along time ago when nobody was checking for the south a hard headed hustler named P decided that he was going to make his own market. There were other rappers that had come from the South but he started a movement and showed the big record companies that being country can get you paid. And guess what people were boot legging his albums as well but he got over that hump and brought his music to the masses. You can argue that downloading is a lot worse than boot legging. But guess what, You also get ten times the exposure on the internet than you do anywhere else. You yourself can become a brand on the net. Your name alone will get you bigger payday for shows, merchandise and club appearances. I believe that if you have a good product then you will gain such a good following on the internet that somebody will find you and invest money into you.

It might be coincidence that at this very moment that C.R.E.A.M. by Wu Tang Clan came on Last.FM at this very moment. One of the truest songs that has ever been made. I respect and can feel it now more than ever.