bigted

The music industry has turned into prostitution, the labels are pimping the artists who shake their ass in videos and most of them don't last long... Think about how many artists who were platinum plus 5, 10, 15 years ago are still platinum now? A lot of these artists end up having to find other jobs for the rest of their lives, that's why some go into depression and you hear them becoming drug addicts and alcoholics 'cause they can't handle the pressure anymore, not many artists are strong enough to handle it but really they gotta realise whilethey're there they should try to have some integrity so that way people'll remember them for something inspiring when their career's over... There's no integrity, just money greedy bastards, it's more of a dirty buisiness than it is about music, I wrote about this in one of my songs: "Music should be about the artform/But these fools only worry about burning up charts more"... Now the way that the music industry could change though is if there's somebody to show these kids that there's more music out there than what's played on the radio and that those artists on TV ain't as rich as they look so don't think you could drop out of school and get a record deal and live a comfortable life, not everybody in the world could be playingfor the Lakers orhave platinum records but that don't mean you can't survive, there's more to chase than a pipedream...

U lucky bastard :jusmindyabizness: Glad to hear u enjoyed the shows man...

Well yeah really we always want to point the finger at the artists like 50 and say that they're dragging down hip-hop but really it's more than just them, it's a combination of things, on the most part like Turntable said is the millions of kids who go out and buy these albums and of course what happens to everybody else that don't fall into that teen fanbase? I thought hip-hop has generations of fans, a lot of them complain about the state of the game and what they kids listen to, they don't be supporting the true artists out there like they would if they really love hip-hop, what happens when they get past their teen years they don't listen to it or buy it anymore? How could we seriously expect the music genre to expand and be diverse if only teenagers make up the consuming audience? Record companies deserve some blame for being greedy and monopolizing off of it.. And yes this 50 and Game beef is dragged out like fuq mentioned, Game needs to focus on making a great album and needs to ignore 50's immature antics 'cause it seems like 50's just doing anything to get attention but with most of hip-hop's audience being arround his age as far as maturity is concerned this is why he acts this way 'cause these kids could relate to that, lol, he acts like those punks in grade school who always wanna start fights for attention 'cause they get ignored at home, 50's got insecurities...

Record labels ain't gonna change their ways 'cause not many people check for the artists that're true at the present time, people only buy into the trends so that's what gets promoted by the labels, it's supply and demand, and really a lot of these artists on TV ain't as rich as they say they are either, the people who work at the record label as executives make more than the artists do,you can't believe the hype... I understand what you might mean Turntable, some people talk about being true to themselves but then they'll turn around and act like they'll sell their family for a million dollars the next minute, they'll sell their souls but that's not smart 'cause once the money runs out they have nothing when they sold their integrity, there's other ways to make money instead of selling out for a quick buck, if people applied themselves hard enough they'll get what they want gradually anyway so why rush and do something stupid?!

Exactly what I've been trying to say, if we get another album like that I don't think we'd complain that much whatever it's called!! :smart:

Jazzy Jeff was also in both "Will2K" and "Freakin' It" videos and the album was executive produced by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, the only thing missing was it being said on the album cover, really it's been the closest thing to a JJFP album since "Code Red"...

Yeah well if you compare her last album to her previous ones then it's a flop but she's still one of the most popular singers, it's hard to sell the same amount all the time 'cause times change and a lot of fans come and go...

So how did it go man? Tell us all about it!! :wiggle:

He was performing the song during the BET Awards a couple weeks ago and just as you mention that I just turn to BET and see that they just played the video now...

Yeah Janet's last album didn't flop, I think it sold around as much as Will's "L&F" did, like AJ said it's hard to be popular for such a long time, she's been an artist that stands the test of time, not many singers from 20 years ago are out now with hits, btw I saw the premiere of the video for this song on 106 & Park last night...

Lupe had no choice to push his album back 'cause his album was leaked 2 months before release date which is rare, it's normal for it to leak like a week or two before but not 2 months so basically with thousands downloading the album 2 months before scheduled release means they gotta start from scratch, when the album comes out it's gonna be a whole new version, btw he's on Atlantic Records not Interscope NowRobin Thicke's getting pushed back 'cause he's not getting much buzz, he don't have a single in major rotation right now so they ain't gonna release the album till he does, they've even been pushing Lloyd Banks back 'cause his new single with wack rapper #1 ain't doing anything right now, even wack rapper #2's right hand man Obie Trice's getting pushed back since his singles ain't doing what they expected, so if they're gonna push somebody back from supposedlythe most popular groupsin the rap game they won't have problems pushing back an unproven artist like Robin Thicke, you gotta remember that these people at record companies work on releasing whatever'll give them the most profit, it's not about quality music, if fans requested good music to get played record labels'd release it faster, blame them, the record companies are just doing their job and responding to what people like...

DMX is one of the most consistant rappers of all time no doubt about it, he puts his life into his music, it ain't just about making songs to make songs and that's why people've been able to relate to him, the amazing thing about him having 5 straight #1 albums is that he never sold himself short just to sell more, he's always stayed true to himself, now that's inspiring to see in a watered down music industry... I like the idea of having this reality show on BET to connect more to the fans, "Lord Give Me A Sign" is a relevant single to release now with all the troubles in the world too...

Yeah "L&F" basically outsold all the other rap projects on that label last year except the wack rappers, lol, like I said earlier going gold these days is an accomplishment for any artist, if they drop Will that means they'll be cleaning the labels, lol, I'm sure they didn't expect it to sell 5 million by only releasing 1 single in 6 months, the best thing for Will'd be to use Will Smith on the credits of his movies and on the album covers he should go as Fresh Prince and I don't want somebody like Chingy to executive produce this album either...

Well I think "Willenium" probably originally was supposed to be an official JJFP album considering how much they worked together on that album, Will went to Philly to record most of it with Jeff and TOJ, Columbia probably had different plans though considering how much "Big Willie Style" sold, I think it was probably more Columbia's idea for Will to use his real name than it was Will's 'cause it'd gain some of his movie fans to check out his music for the first time, Will says at the end of some concerts "on behalf of Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince...", I don't think he really has a problem with his mc name, I think it's more of a thing with his films, he could keep using his real name for films, he should try to seperate music and film images, now that'd be the ultimate wack thing if the album's associated with one of Will's films, we want it to be all about the music here, well if you check Interscope's site it still has Will on the roster, there hasn't been any news of Will leaving the label or them dropping him, you figure a year after the album came out they'd say something by now, more than likely he probably has more albums on his deal...

You didn't like "The Great Depression"? That was one of the best albums that I've heard over the last few years, it's basically close to the same level as "It's Dark And Hell Is Hot" too, with great tracks like "Who We Be", "I Miss U"(this track right here came out when around the time that my grandmom died so this holds a special place to me, one of the realest tracks ever), "You Could Be Blind", "Bloodline Anthem", "We're Right Here", "Shorty Was Da Bomb", "A Minute For Your Son", etc... I could understand if you didn't like "Grand Champ" 'cause it had too much filler tracks on it but it was still better commercial release than most albums in 2003, and what I thought brought that album down was there was too many guests on it and they didn't fit DMX's style, which was probably Def Scam's idea just like what they're doing to Uncle L now, this one has much less guest appearances, even though I ain't big on Sytles and Jada I think that they have great chemistry with DMX, I enjoy most of the tracks DMX worked with the Lox, Amerie's cool too, it could be a lot worse considering that this album's released on Columbia, some people heard it being leaked and they're saying that it's one of DMX's best albums in a long time, can't wait to buy it on release date after work...

All major labels suck so that's why the music industry is in a funk right now..

You wouldn't believe that I found a on going thread that's been going on a hip-hop website for the last year over "Mr. Nice Guy", the last comments were made by me, people really are idiots to still be dragging this out, they love beef, they're the reason why the rap game is the way it is right now, they only care about tabloids and don't check for the great albums, btw I don't think anybody really defended Will for wack rapper #2 dissin' him, nobody really commented on it all when the song was made, wack rapper #2 wasn't really taken serious for dissin' Will, it was taken more as a joke in a comedic song, nobody supported wack rapper #2 specifically for the line in that song either, I think it was just the media and the fans that took this out of hand as usual... http://www.hiphopmusic.com/archives/000803.html

Yeah really it's about the music, I just hope that the record label doesn't force them to water down their style by working with a lot of wack commercial rappers and singers just to be relevant on the Billboard charts, that's my main concern...

1. Intro - n/a 2. We In Here 3. I Run S** feat. Big Stan 4. Come Thru (Move) feat. Busta Rhymes 5. It's Personal feat. Styles P. & Jadakiss 6. Baby Motha 7. Dog Love feat. Jance & Amerie 8. Wrong Or Right (I'm Tired) feat. Bzr Royale 9. Give Em What They Want 10. Walk These Days feat. Kashmir 11. Blown Away feat. Jinx & Janyce 12. Goodbye 13. Life Be My Song 14. The Prayer VI 15. Lord Give Me A Sign

JJFP do got love for Kanye, I read an article last year on the Live 8 concert that they were dancin' and cheerin' backstage like fans during Kanye's performance

Hey viber I just noticed that we both have the same quote in our signature :2thumbs:

I just came across this, he talks about working with Kanye on "Jesus Walks", his view on the rap game, politics, his childhood, his favorite rap songs when growing up, and he even drops a dope freestyle in between, I advise everyone here to check it out, it's great stuff: http://music.aol.com/artists/just_stopping_by/rhymefest

Well really if it's called Will Smith featuring Jazzy Jeff or DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince or how much it will or won't sell ain't really that major of a deal in the scheme of things, the most important thing is that a quality album'll from them get released within the next year or so...

I heard this song a few days ago on the radio and I think it's great, it seems that Nelly got more skills as a singer than he does as a rapper too, lol, btw she got contest on her website where the fans could decide what her album cover for the album's gonna be: http://designme.janetjackson.com/

Yeah that's basically what I was saying just now, btw here's an interview I found with Lupe mentioning his thoughts about the leak: http://www.allhiphop.com/features/index.asp?ID=1416 Lupe Fiasco: Leaks & Patches By Archna Sawjani Hip-Hop loves a leak, for better or worse. Whether it’s a crowned veteran or the proclaimed leader of the new school, early access to albums is always in demand. Even if the response is overwhelmingly positive, the labels aren’t as enthused as the fans. For example, Ras Kass’ Van Gogh and Large Professor’s The LP remain some of the most talked about, shelved albums. These events have affected Hip-Hop royalty such as Nas with I Am and Jay-Z’s Vol 3...Life and Times of S. Carter. Incidentally, Jigga Man once referred to Fiasco’s music as a “breath of fresh air,” but the leak of Food & Liquor is akin to an invigorating stream of spring water to many. Reacting, gasping fans have discovered Food & Liquor for themselves in unrecorded masses. In turn, the feedback has been resoundingly positive. Two months ahead of schedule, a disappointed Lupe speaks to those that have the unfinished work and those who patiently wait as planned. AllHipHop.com: How did you first find out about the leak? Lupe Fiasco: I found out about the leak, ironically, on the Internet. Actually, the news popped up on AllHipHop. AllHipHop.com: So what did you first do after hearing the news? Who did you contact? Lupe Fiasco: I first started to try and verify what got leaked, and where it went. And then it was all about what actually was on there: how much of the album was leaked. So that was the first thing I did. Then, it was all about containing the situation. So I think I must of found out around 10 or 11 [o’clock] and by 12, there were already people working on shutting it all down. AllHipHop.com: What was Atlantic Records’ viewpoint? Did you have any de-briefing or crisis management meeting? Lupe Fiasco: No, they were just about shutting it down, and trying to contain it as best as they could. There wasn’t really any specific type of meeting or sit-down. You know, it was already out, so there so wasn’t anything we could really do about the leak. The main concern was just trying to make sure the album didn’t get bootlegged and that it didn’t hit the streets. It’s still too early to tell on that. It’s only May, and the album isn’t due out till mid June, so only time will tell. AllHipHop.com: Did anyone in particular reach out to you and give you any advice? Lupe Fiasco: Yeah, you know, loads of people were calling me with advice and support. T.I., Little Brother, and loads of other people too. But for the most part, you know, there really wasn’t anything people could do or say, you can’t undo what’s already done. But you know, it wasn’t as bad as it first seemed. We still haven’t got an exact number of the amount of downloads, but it’s around the tens of thousand mark. So hopefully it wont hurt the album sales that much. AllHipHop.com: All sorts of speculations surfaced, such as that this was a PR stunt, that you overreacted, that Atlantic leaked the album. What do you have to say to these statements? Lupe Fiasco: People talk, and the more they talk, the more controversy is caused. I can clear that I didn’t do it. And if Atlantic did it, then that would be an illegal situation, would they really risk doing that? As far as people saying I was overreacting on the situation, well if you work on something for five years and its like the bread and butter of you and your company, and something like that happens, then they would be pissed too. But it was definitely not a publicity stunt or anything around that route. If it was anything like that, then I would have leaked it like a month from now, around June the 1st. That would have been fine. Advance copies come with the territory, but this really was something else, this was more than two and a half months before the release date. AllHipHop.com: So how do you feel about all the feedback you’ve received? Lupe Fiasco: Well, you know the reviews are what we always planned for the album. And that’s what it achieved - even in that state of being less than 50% done. So it solidifies that we are heading in the right direction. But at the same time, the Internet is only one place, no one outside of the Internet community knows that it’s leaked. I didn’t get any extra press from it except on the Internet. AllHipHop.com: How do you feel about the internet craze of downloading? Do you think its taking away from the experience of owning a great album? Lupe Fiasco: Yeah, I do think it is definitely taking away from the experience - especially, the experience I had planned for this album. You know my project wasn’t completed, there’s all a lot of other things I had orchestrated and arranged for the album. The leak kind of takes away from the experience I had planned for myself and for the experience I had planned for my fans. But at the same time, that’s just on the Internet though. You see the kids that have downloaded it from the Internet and s**t, that’s them. They’re not going to experience it on June 27th, but my audience is way bigger than [that]. AllHipHop.com: Was there anything you read about this situation over the Internet that got you particularly angry? Lupe Fiasco: You know, I only really pay attention to one site, I think the site I’m talking about is the most authentic, in the sense that the people who leave messages on the forums and message boards are truly giving their opinions and not just hating. They actually know about the music and the history. So their was only one site that I really went to actually read the peoples opinions and what they thought of the album. AllHipHop.com: Will you tell me what site that it? Lupe Fiasco: Aahhh, I can’t answer that. But yeah, as far as actual editorials were concerned though, I got some great reviews. But at the same time, it actually got me quite mad. You know like, why are you reviewing the album? You’re reviewing an illegitimate release. So that kind of threw me off. It’s the same thing, like when people came up to me and said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry about the album, but it’s hot.’ What you doing? It’s like getting stabbed and getting kissed all at the same time. AllHipHop.com: Yeah, but do you not understand why people downloaded it? Lupe Fiasco: Yeah! Of course. But you know, my only concern was the timing. I understand people downloading it, [but] the only thing that got me so pissed was that it happened so early. You know it was a situation where the label could of actually shut me down. And fair enough, people are saying it’s a classic, but if it doesn’t come out, I have to go back to the studio and spend more money and go through everything again after I’ve just spent five years on this particular project. So that’s why I reacted the way I did. I was just like, ‘God damn!’ AllHipHop.com: What’s the planned release looking like now? Lupe Fiasco: The album, God willing, is still coming out June 27th. There’s some special features that will be on there, and it will definitely have some surprises and songs that will be on their that weren’t on the leak. It’s just improved, so even if you’ve heard the leaked version, this is the final improved version so definitely still go out and get it. AllHipHop.com: Anything else you want to say about the Food & Liquor? Lupe Fiasco: It’s weird, as this is actually an Internet interview. So the same kids that probably downloaded the album are the ones who will be reading this. So what do I tell them? They’re ahead of the game, they way ahead, I can’t tell them anything new. And you know, people are saying to me: ‘It’s perfect, don’t change it,’ but I don’t look at it as perfection, and I’m not listening to that anyway. AllHipHop.com: Just out of curiosity, what would you do if you now found out who leaked the album? Lupe Fiasco: I’d sue them, for sure. What else should I do, punch them? You know, if I had met the dude before he was going to leak the album, I wouldn’t even have taken it from him, he could keep it, but I’d just get him to wait a month and a half. I’d even help him. You know, he got the song titles wrong and s**t. I’d give him the correct song titles and tracklist order. I’d give him everything, just as long as he waited. Everyone seems to think, I’ve gained all this extra press from this, but I would have got the press anyway [on schedule]. So even if the person was trying to help me, they didn’t. AllHipHop.com: What if you found it was one of your friends though? Lupe Fiasco: Ah, I don’t know. I usually keep my friends separate from my music, as they don’t really understand the in’s and out’s of the music industry. They wouldn’t really have access to my album. But yeah, if I found it was a friend, I would have to deal with the situation as best as I could. ILL COMMUNITY QUOTABLES - What people are saying about Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor: 3rd Fire: “This is, to me, far and away, the best album of ’06. [The] only album close is [Ghostface Killah’s] Fishscale. Even unmastered, even unfinished, and withoutany brand name producers, Lupe still succeeds in murking every single track on this album.” Banks05: “With only a slightly unfinished version of the album, I can honestly say this is better than 90% of s**t in the last 12 months. It’s great.” PhillyBul: “This album is a classic....funny how a leaked album that may never drop, may not have the same songs is a classic. It’s ridiculous, the stuff he says. And I like how he f**ks with a track. A dumb dude wouldn’t understand the things he says....he says a lot of stuff that goes over your head. Have you [the] "oh s**t!" [feeling]. This cat is the truth....I'm listening to all his mixtape songs, he kills them too.” Ketchums: “I thought the album was virtually perfect, I hope he doesn't change too much before it comes out. Nobody new is even remotely f**kin' with him, this is the first time in a minute that I've been wowed by a completely new artist. "Real Recognize Real" has what just might be usurping Mos' verse on "Thieves In The Night" as my favorite verse of all time.” A Bathing Ape: “Lupe Fiasco sucks. Leave the ‘I’m a nerd who loves to skateboard’ gimmick to Pharrell. His label is gonna try to push him as being on some "other" s**t, instead of the crack dealin’, women, cars that everybody else is doin’.” Illseed: "This one thing I know: Lupe Fiasco needs Food & Liquor in his catalogue."