Thanks for the reply, I appreciate other povs....<P>>It's not the Roots fault that the "roundtehway" type doesn't listen to their music. HOT97 is the <BR>>offical station of "roundtheway" types here in NY and with the exception of You Got Me (Flex played <BR>>Adrenaline on the mix for a little bit before TFA dropped), they will never play the Roots. <P>Ummm...Hot97 has not always existed. The same types of people from around the way that managed to find good hip hop pre Hot97 can find it again IF it is accessible to them and IF it appeals to them. <P>Hot97 plays what they're paid off to play and also what is "hot" which tends to be party type tracks. Hip hop has a foundation in party music and its clear that those songs (whatever style of music) are the first to have pop (meaning popular) appeal. But Hot97 is not the only avenue available to artists and demand (radio is a business) will make them play whatever is popular. Also groups like NWA and all of No Limit blew up without major radio support @ all in the beginning.<P>>"roundtheway" types don't have msucial influences <BR>>outside of HOT97, the chances they would be into the Roots is slim anyway! <P>Don't sleep or underestimate people aroundtheway. They are the ones who gave us hip hop in the first place. There needs to be more balance & diversity in the types of music we ALL listen too. Also, I don't claim to know the agenda of the Roots but if education of our people is what is important then wouldn't you agree that preaching to the converted is not what's needed? The people that may need to hear it most are not being exposed to them. <P>>Tramps and the shows have always been sold <BR>>out and been AT LEAST 80% black! Tramps is one of the best venues in NYC to see shows, period! <P>I've seen the Roots twice and Blackstarr once (definetly not an 80% black crowd). I also saw the outkast & the mob and Black moon, and I'll have to sit & really think about who else because I've seen a lot of shows in my life. Tramps is not known to be a "black club" in NY - I would bet the average black person in NY doesn't know where it is. The location and where its promoted does not lend itself to being a high profile spot in the black community. The Village Voice simply isn't going to cut it since you can't get the voice @ most stores in BK, the Bx or uptown in the black neighborhoods. I don't know where you live but I live in Bedsty, if westindian acts on bullshit labels & those clubs can put fliers in damn near every chinese food joint & garbage can on Malcolm X - and sell out shows, then I'm sure there are different tactics besides Hot97 available for promotion. <P>>Well maybe it's an age thing cause you couldn't pay me to go to "Frank Perdue Appreciation Night" <BR>>at the Tunnel! Black kids in the projects are not the only Black folks that listen to hip-hop and come to shows (I know that's not what you're trying to >say). The range of Blacks that listen to hiphop and go to shows is broad! <P>A lot of the kids that go to the tunnel don't live in the projects (shit a lot of them aren't even kids). I'm over 25...I'll put it like this, I saw Eric B & Rakim @ Union Square (they shot up the spot) so my club experience goes waaayyyy back....<img src="http://www.okayplayer.com/dcforum/Images/happy.gif">. I think we have a problem when different types of black people can't find a way to come together and each "crowd" feels better than the other...we have enough disunity. If I can't be around my own kind then what's the point? I think hip hop is supposed to be what bonds us and there's a way to satisfy a variety of different tastes without breaking off into different cliques. <P>>THE ROOTS ARE NOT CONCERT PROMOTERS (?uest <BR>you can thank me later)!!! People ask them to perform. They do not put on tours! <P>That's why I asked the question...I was hoping to get some idea of how it works. So here's my question, is it the responsibility of conscious black artists to make sure their work reaches the grassroots people? Not necessarily saying that the Roots are "conscious", claim to be, or should have that agenda. Are you saying that black artists like the Roots have no control over where they play, who they are marketed to, and who gets to hear them?<BR>