This Ain't Back In The Day

You know how people romance about how Hip-Hop used to be when people paid dues to get on? You know how they say people had skills back then in The Golden Era? You know how they say music had more substance back then? Well, there was a lot of greatness back then but people's judgment gets clouded in mediocrity. The reason people paid dues most of the time to get on was because the big homies or people in position had the resources. A lot of those people in Hip-Hop then would've probably got out on their own if they had the resources to do so. For example, some people believe there are too many rappers and not enough fans because everybody thinks they can rap. Ok, do you think you were the only person influenced by your favorite rapper? True anybody with the resources to buy a real mic, ProTools, a session board or inbox and some insulation can record at home. However, it's what you do with those recordings that make you a professional. People knock novice rappers all the time. I tell them to do their resarch, keep working and stay humble. Once you swim in the real waters, people will try to eat off you so put yourself in the best position to eat off them as well.
Lenny S told me your internet presence has to be respected and known. Your street presence musically has to be known to if you're in Hip-Hop or at least get millions of people in non-urban areas to like what you do and acknowledge it. I know real DJs that support good music that's presented professionally. However, there are $50 dollar deejays that mess up the art of deejaying. $50 DJs don't care about mixing, blending, scratching or loving music. They'll play for $50 a gig and charge independent artists $50 to play a record once. I despose $50 deejays because they're culture vultures. Everybody gotta eat but respect the game and I'll respect your hustle. After meeting Kool Herc in Miami, I despise $50 deejays even more. You have your beat makers vs producers. Beat makers just make beats and try to sell them to anyone. Producers will sit down, create a track for you and with you based on how the music FEELS. I work with producers. I will beat jack a beat maker and be proud of it. GTFOH. See, there are more avenues in Hip-Hop than ever before but one has to be smart with it. Back in the day people had backing from record companies to develop. A&Rs scouted talent and developed it. Now they sign someone with a buzz, peep their hustle then decisde whether or not to try and put The Machine behind it. We can romance anout back in the day all we want but it's exactly what it is: The Past. Take what you can from it and build your future from it. Peace. Praise God. Moolah.