Saturday, June 10, 2006

What if Rakim had the Internet?

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If Rakim had the internet in 1990 Hip Hop would arguably be different. I think that people like us, who adore music from the back pack, boom bap era would have a constant cycle of music to listen to and tours to attend.

Think about it. The problem isn't Hot 97 or KMEL. The problem is how a few artists are played over and over again and how their artistic range is tied to Universal Music's shareholders dividends *[more on this in the next post].

If Rakim had the internet in 1990 perhaps:


1. Eric B could have e-mailed beats to Rass Kass.


2. We would have an online distribution network of emcees and artist.


3. You Tube in 1990 would have circumvented the power of MTV. N*ggas could just put their videos up on YouTube.


4. VIBE arguably would not have been as powerful, as there would be OTHER sources to get hip hop from and consequently Biggie and Pac would not have been murdered. Nah. That prolly would have happened. With Rapcointelpro and all:(

5. Doom woulda been doing jawns with Del and Souls of Mischief.

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That you are getting paid for your images does not make you powerful. That is my argument regarding the popularity of Buffie the Body. But I think that it can be extended to hip hop also. Getting paid is one thing. Being in control of your images is another.


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Nahright has the Jay-Z HP commercial. I don't know how I feel about it. Watch it and tell me what you think.

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I have been away blog family. I missed 'yall. How do you think HH would be different today if Rakim had the internet in 1990?

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20 comments:

Fletch said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Fletch said...

What don't you know about the Jay-Z commercial? I'd like to see it on TV, not just a a Youtube rip (still haven't been to the official site). Beyond that, and the fact that my own HP (before I switched operating systems) gave me a hard time and is really weirdly constructed in the back, it's cool to me. It's Jay plus a kind of deadpan charisma, as usual, and he makes it work, as usual. Interesting concept too, that it's just from the neck down and all. My favorite word to describe Jay-Z: "sly" meaning "playfully mischievous."

M.Dot. said...

You are so right about Jay.

I think in addition to sly he quite subversive and a words-smith. Despite the looks, because at the end of the day what a person is like on the "inside" is what matters, I can see how he could snag The 'yonce as his chica.

Anonymous said...

"Think about it. The problem isn't Hot 97 or KMEL. The problem is how a few artists are played over and over again and how their artistic range is tied to Universal Music's shareholders dividends"

treal talk, although clearchannel is a big part of what's wrong with the music industry. it recycles the same watered down bullshit over and over n got the least talented muh fuckas on top being revered as legends n shit. bringing me too jay-z...

jay-z is one of the most overrated MC's out there. on mommas. great businessman, fine lady, gotta give him his props, but hova doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as rap's greatest. if biggie, big L were still around this muh fucka would be jus another rapper. but we love blowin things outta proportion in the music industry and slap the "icon" label on anyone who can get their videos on TRL. and u already be knowin NY gotta have it's shine and share of "icons", meanwhile the west gets shitted on in spite of all the talent out here. jay-z is a slightly above average rapper at best, i'm sure he get love on the eastcoast but out here it's only the suburbs n rich folks who b feelin' him. and a hp commercial, jus make the muh fucka more candy. imagine dreezy or messcalen doin' that shit, some bay hittaz on that shit mayn talkin' bout playin' chess online n shit. haha, fuck that. n fuck that stupid ass diamond he throw up too, is that really a set or some shit out in NY? muh fucka get his chin checked w/ the quickness for throwin' up some bullshit out here mayne. jay still better than 50 tho, wu-tang clan the muh fuckas i really be feelin' outta NY. how is ghostface not runnin that shit after fishscale?

the prisoner's wife said...

if Rakim had the 'net...

we coulda done a collab on SOHH back in the day.

(i used to be a SOHH star *lol*).

imagine a Rakim vs. Nas vs. Jay-Z vs. Cool G Rap vs. Biggie text battle tourney?

vik said...

regional hip hop would be trumped by hip-hop.

crate diggin would be taken over by rapidshare, megaupload, and music blogs.

rakim would have a hp commercial.

the prisoner's wife said...

lol@vik...

isn't that happening now?

(aside from Rakim & HP...but i'm sure that's coming soon)

The Sarccastik Variable Why said...

i think if rakim had the internet...it would've expanded his artistry beyond imagination....he could do anything....wow...didn't think of that..good post..

Supa said...

If Rakim had the internet, he'd have still be ruling the hip-hop world.

You know that's my husband, right? Um yeah.

One of my girls caught Rakim doin a set in NY a few weeks back. She said it was meh.

Blasphemy, I told her. Haven't spoken to her since! She hurt my feelings.

What up, MM!

M.Dot. said...

Mac jay.

You know you like my play cuz right.
Please believe when I say this.

Jay is REALLY good at what he does.
Really, really good.
The beats. The out the trunk gulliness. That from the streets to the boardroom jawn. Fa real, fa real.

yes, we may hear about him a lot, perhaps even too much, but guess what, it is because he is SOOOO influential.

I don't expect to change your mind. I wanted to bring attention to the fact that he is EXCELLENT at what he does.

I mean those, lissen to it three times to peep the lyrics versus. He is super fresh at that.

M.Dot. said...

@ TPW SOHH hunh.

On'nere arguing about Nas hunh.

I think I usta see you there.

j/k.

M.Dot. said...

Hey Vik.

Ra would have a Ipod Commercial and The Dallas Mavricks soundtrack, instead of that Hennesy jawn right!?!?!?!

M.Dot. said...

@ sarccastik
Glad you liked the post.

I heart nerdy inneret posts.

M.Dot. said...

Supa you crazy.
Gurrrl.

My brother look like Rakim.

Next time you inna bay I hook 'yall up:)

the prisoner's wife said...

nah,

i was never arguing. that was so childish.

i was in the cyphers

M.Dot. said...

@ TPW

I see you.

I have been a childish magnet lately.

I think it is the advocacy training.

I be locked and loaded by the time I leave Bushwick gurrrl.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

"You know you like my play cuz right.
Please believe when I say this.

Jay is REALLY good at what he does.
Really, really good.
The beats. The out the trunk gulliness. That from the streets to the boardroom jawn. Fa real, fa real."

i stay on ya hype girl, don't trip offa that. these last couple posts been straight crack. that's why it got me really thinkin when i write my comments.

about jay tho, i was harsh on him earlier. but i'm from the bay mayne, n we was born w/ a chip on our shoulder out here mayne. yadadimean? i feel u on a businessman hype, off top. can't argue w/ jay-z's dead presidents. i do like some of his stuff, mainly the older shit. "big pimpin'" was classic n he got alotta hits. it's not as much that i don't like him [he's got talent], it's more that mtv tries to force feed him to us as an icon to the point where i don't like him. i think he's a very good artist n a great businessman. with that being said, i could name 20 rappers who i feel more and his lyrics game definitely doesn't deserve to be among the best. he lucky if he top five in his city [big l, biggie, rakim, method man, big daddy kane, nas, raekwon... yameen?] that might be different for others, that's jus how i feel.

the out the trunk? eh, i mean u talkin' bout how pretty much every bay rapper got their start out here. i got homie sellin' their mixtapes as we speak or maybe tomorrow mornin', but u kno what i'm sayin. everywhere folks is out the trunk, that's how it starts. imagine if mac dre was from ny or e-40, he woulda done the same jump from trunk to trump mayne. specially forty that foo already doin' it out here w/ hella fatburger restaurants n a club n shit we need him to get the niners next or warriors. i dunno if u coulda ever got dreezy out the hood. haha. but yea, i'm not knockin' his hustle n don't wish anything bad on hova, i just think he's a tad overrated.

M.Dot. said...

Mac Jay,
Man. If Hov rocked with the Warriors?

Dude, if Dre Rocked with the Warriors, for that matter.

I will concede that it is fair to say that his music is pervasive. You just CAN'T get away from it.

His confidence is seductive.
And pac said, once you get the beeches, the n*ggas are right behind.

MTV can be the anti-truth when it comes down to it.
Their goal is to sale Ad's not provide good programing. So, if you look at it that way, the force feeding of Jay_Z makes sense.

There are hella emcees that are as tight as if not tigher than him. However, the subtlety, and sheer poetry of his music is wonderful.

Anonymous said...

Well we have the internet now. And artists need to educate themselves and people need to be ture to the real music instead of complaining and not cdoing anything about wht's currently happening with media.

Music business is exactly that. A business and if you do it you need to be acclimated with it's history and takover it's future.

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