Thanks for the comments!!! here are some more morcels for ya!<P>>Ummm...Hot97 has not always existed. The same <BR>>types of people from around the <BR>>way that managed to find <BR>>good hip hop pre Hot97 can <BR>>find it again IF it is <BR>>accessible to them and IF it <BR>>appeals to them. <P>First off I'm 27!! The Hip-Hop game has changed COMPLETELY over the last, let's say, six years ( I believe that HOT 97 went all hip-hop and R&B in 93). The level of exposure that multiple hip-hop artists are getting now is unprecedented. Puffy in GQ with Seinfeld, Jay-Z at Madison Square Garden getting louder applause than, Spike, Woody, Tyra, and Billy Baldwin. Sting and everyone else tyrying to do stuff w/Puffy, L-Boogie everywhere, Missy producing everyone, the way MTV plays so much hip-hop. <P>These things are light years different from the way things used to be with regards to hip-hop. The only group in the past that got mad mainstream play was RUN DMC and they were not running things behind the scenes like Puff, Jay-Z, Missy, L-Boogie, etc. <P>In the past if you wanted to listen to ANY hip-hop you had to work to hear it. You had to stay up late and listen to Mr. Magic or Marley Marl and make a "pause" tape to get what you need and satisfy your fix. <P>TODAY, you get hip-hop the second you step out your door, turn on your radio or TV. It might not be the hip-hop I want to hear all the time, but it's infinitely more accessible than it was even 7 or 8 years ago And as far as "accessible music" goes, the Roots make music for headz that love hip-hop and are into music. I firmly beleive that they would be more popular if outlets like MTV and the HOT97s of the world would play them more. Kids would be more exposed to them and would have more options besides money, hoes, scrubs and pigeons. <P>>Hot97 plays what they're paid off to <BR>>play and also what is "hot" <BR>>which tends to be party type <BR>>tracks. Hip hop has a foundation <BR>>in party music and its clear <BR>>that those songs (whatever style of <BR>>music) are the first to have <BR>>pop (meaning popular) appeal. But Hot97 <BR>>is not the only avenue available <BR>>to artists and demand (radio is <BR>>a business) will make them play <BR>>whatever is popular. Also groups <BR>>like NWA and all of No <BR>>Limit blew up without major radio <BR>>support @ all in the beginning. <P>Again, the game has changed, NWA and Too Short did their thing without radio because they didn't need it and had such a strong local following. However, they were not competing with MTV playing Jay-z, Puffy, jermaine Dupri, Destiny's Child, TLC, Brandy, and Naughty by Nature back to back all day. tehre was no BOX TV and stations like HOT97 playing hip-hop all day did not exist. The climate was completely different. Radio Stations were completely anti-hip-hop during the day. So that made groups like NWA that much more appealing. No Limt blew up with a strong regional following, but look at them now, I can't get away from them.<P>>>"roundtheway" types don't have msucial influences <BR>>>outside of HOT97, the chances they would be into the Roots is slim anyway! <P>I said (or I meant), IF (please check the post) "roundtheway" don't have musical influences outside of mainstream music....And I firmly beleive this. I am from "roundtheway" and I grew up with a multitude of musical influences. I'm around these kids everyday and if you asked any of these kids to identify Donny Hathaway, Parliament, Patrice Rushen, Bob James, Herbie Hancock, etc. they wouldn't have a clue, but they know every song that used one of their samples. When we grew up we were exposed to more music than these kids because radio wasn't as segmented. I feel, and it's pretty much proven by the posts on this board, that headz that dig the Roots, Common, Blackstar, etc. have many musical tatses and influences. The Roots, I feel, reflect their musical influences in what they do.<P>>Don't sleep or underestimate people aroundtheway. <BR>>They are the ones who gave <BR>>us hip hop in the first <BR>>place. There needs to be more <BR>>balance & diversity in the types <BR>>of music we ALL listen too. <P>I don't sleep on the "folks" but they are being brainwashed their avenues of choice are severely diminshed and they are presented with few options. When hip-hop wasn't as mainstream the headz that really loved it had to work so hard to get it, the music kinda checked itself. but now it's like going to the supermarket and buying bread. If you can go around the corner and get bread, why would you walk three miles and wait for five hours to buy bread? That's human nature!<P>> Also, I don't claim to <BR>>know the agenda of the Roots <BR>>but if education of our people <BR>>is what is important then wouldn't <BR>>you agree that preaching to the <BR>>converted is not what's needed? The <BR>>people that may need to hear <BR>>it most are not being exposed <BR>>to them. <P>The Roots don't need to teach (go get KRS for that), they need to contine to make good music and that'll talk for them. I don't feel that they're preaching to anyone! Do you suggest they change what they do and add some references to money and hos? I don't get it! people have to want too learn oe want to have varying experiences. I'm a jazz fiend! When I go to Sweet Basil or the Vanguard or to Small's or Dharma to see a traditonal jazz act, it's nothing but asian and white folks and me. But if I walk by the Blue Note and George Howard or Kenny G or some other smooth jazz act is at the Blue Note, I trip over black folks. If they want to listen to Kenny G bullshit it's on them. Not Ron Carter or Roy Hargrove or Greg Osby, etc.<P>Tramps is <BR>>not known to be a "black <BR>>club" in NY - I would <BR>>bet the average black person in <BR>>NY doesn't know where it is. <P>We must go to different shows! Because I've never been to hip-hop shows in NY, regardless of who's performing, where the crowd wasn't majority or overwhelmingly black. Yeah headz in the Bronx know the fever, but not many headz are going there period! headz come throough the Apollo every once in awhile. Where are the places that teh Roots don't play but everyone else does? help me?<P>1.) What is a black venue in NYC? Nuyoricans? The Beacon Theatre? The only BLACK venue in NYC that I know of is The Apollo! This is NY, headz play anywhere and everywhere. Is the garden a black venue, the paramount? Headz know the garden because it's Madison Square Garden. <P>> The location and where its <BR>>promoted does not lend itself to <BR>>being a high profile spot in <BR>>the black community. The Village <BR>>Voice simply isn't going to cut <BR>>it since you can't get the <BR>>voice @ most stores in BK, <BR>>the Bx or uptown in the <BR>>black neighborhoods. I don't know <BR>>where you live but I live <BR>>in Bedsty, if westindian acts on <BR>>bullshit labels & those clubs can <BR>>put fliers in damn near every <BR>>chinese food joint & garbage can <BR>>on Malcolm X - and sell <BR>>out shows, then I'm sure there <BR>>are different tactics besides Hot97 available <BR>>for promotion. <P>You can't be comparing Tabou Combo or Stone Love or some local heroes' promotions to the Roots. Very segmented audiences and hell Stone Love better put posters up in Bed Stuy if they want anyone to show up! <P>>A lot of the kids that go <BR>>to the tunnel don't live in <BR>>the projects (shit a lot of <BR>>them aren't even kids). I'm <BR>>over 25...I'll put it like this, <BR>>I saw Eric B & Rakim <BR>>@ Union Square (they shot up <BR>>the spot) so my club experience <BR>>goes waaayyyy back..... <P>Again, the game has changed so much!!!!<P>I think <BR>>we have a problem when different <BR>>types of black people can't find <BR>>a way to come together and <BR>>each "crowd" feels better than the <BR>>other...we have enough disunity. If I <BR>>can't be around my own kind <BR>>then what's the point? I <BR>>think hip hop is supposed to <BR>>be what bonds us and there's <BR>>a way to satisfy a variety <BR>>of different tastes without breaking off <BR>>into different cliques. <P>This is not cliquish! If someone wwants to hear Bone, thugs , Harmony, more power to them, but I'm not paying money to see them (hell, I wouldn't go for free). If someone thinks that smooth jazz is crap, there's now ay too make that bond. Folks decide what they like and don't like. Ofcourse, the differences won't always be so severe.<P>>That's why I asked the question...I was <BR>>hoping to get some idea of <BR>>how it works. So here's my <BR>>question, is it the responsibility of <BR>>conscious black artists to make sure <BR>>their work reaches the grassroots people? <BR>>Not necessarily saying that the Roots <BR>>are "conscious", claim to be, or <BR>>should have that agenda. Are <BR>>you saying that black artists like <BR>>the Roots have no control over <BR>>where they play, who they are <BR>>marketed to, and who gets to <BR>>hear them? <P>The only way the Roots are gonna be able to completely control where they play is to become promoters and book their own tours. Some folsk do that. Thier names are Whitney, Micheal Jackson, etc. the Hard Knock Tour was that as well. Jay-z put his shit together and took like six other acts with him. Could the Roots do this? I guess tehcnically they could, but it probably wouldn't make good business sense for them (I dunno). Record companies run the marketing, unless you are a big shot that can fuss and tell them what, whenn and how. The Roots were supposed to have another single and the label told them that the album was dead. That's it. you're album is dead. Have a nice day!<P>This is too damn long! Sorry y'all! <P>"Just because I'm cool with you, dont mean I gotta help you if your music sucks" - Nazdak<P>"It's a cold world, dress proper!" - Prodigy (Mobb Deep)<P>