I don't really consider roc-a-wear, sean paul or Phat Farm the same thing. I don't think I ever seen a Tip, KRS, or many other artist merchendise.
Off the top of the head I think Run Dmc, Wu, Snoop, Hiero, Roots, may be the only major Hip hop artist's tour shirts I ever seen someone rock. I think Jedi Mind Tricks may do a better job of merchendising.
Is there no market? Is it that the culture isn't receptive to wearing tour T-shirts? Am I blind? I might see some being sold at some shows. Maybe I am just old and don't see enough young bucks to see what they are rocking.
Now that I think about it, not a lot of modern artists seem to merchandise that much. More likely I will see a Guns n Roses shirt then any new rock band.

I am not sure if this should be in the lesson as it is not actually music related but whatever.

Rhymesayers is heavy into merch as well. Ditto Def Jux (when they were still around).

I'd say most middling underground acts on up try to sell t-shirts and such when on tour. These artists/groups make a large share of their money off of touring and the merch that they sell at their shows, so it's worth the cost to print them up.

?

Instead of just going after just the die-hard fans, they go after the whole target market. I bet there's plenty of ppl who aren't the biggest Jay-z fan but will get Roca-wear.

.

Maybe back in the day you'd want to look like your favorite rapper by buying Adidas and Lee jeans rather than wear their name on your chest.

But after Public Enemy in 1989, everyone (label or artist) should have hired some graphic designers and put together logos for stickers and t-shirts. Wu Tang and Hiero seem to be the only folks who thought about that during the last Golden Age...and today it seems like only folks that sell to skateboarders do it now.

one
k. orr

http://www.fifthelementonline.com/rhymesayers?limit=30

I just saw a video with kids lined up around the block to buy shirts and stuff.

~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." © Jay Bilas

http://www.last.fm/user/NodimaChee
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
http://rateyourmusic.com/list/Nodima/run_that_shit__nodimas_hip_hop_handbook

I know a lot of underground rappers can make more from merch sales at a show than they get paid for actually playing. They need that money, it's how they make their living. If you're a major artist getting paid five or six figures to play a show, making more money probably isn't the highest priority.

And since you brought it up, the only major acts in all of music that I see doing well with tour shirts are country music artists. But they're also the only ones still doing well with album sales, so that makes sense.

No lie dude has everything. Tshirts, shoelaces, neckties, blankets...


http://youtu.be/2R2ADdaWd6s

These kats do well when it comes to shirts & shit, I hear that they sell out of clothing, cds, & even vinyl almost at every show they go to.

lank: http://www.LaCokaNostra.com