i'm do not agree on the constant money fixation of hip hop, but i'm not surprised by it .... once something gets even remotely popular in this country, it always falls victim to capitalist goals of greed and money, we have a history of making money off of art, most of the time throwing the true essence of the art to the wayside .... i don't like it, but it was destined to happen to hip hop once groups started movin serious units ...

imo, the only way that it can't happen is if hip hop remained what it originated as .. an artform celebrated and practiced by people in mostly urban communities simply for the love of that art ... simply to have fun and / or express one's feelings on a certain subject .. once it went from the streets to the stage, corporations got involved, and yada yada yada ...

this is one of the reasons why i prefer lesser known artists within hip hop ... groups such as the alkaholiks, who can have fun and bug the eff out even though they don't have huge sale ... groups like mop, who bring mad energy without the sales to back it up .. artists like j-live, who can make albums that cover just about every piece of the hip hop spectrum and still struggle to push 100,000 units ... groups like company flow (even though they're broken up) that don't give a shit about how abstract their shit may sound cause they're doing it for themselves ...

i'm also happy that some of these lesser known acts are now getting recognition ... i've been following mos def and kweli since "fortified live" in 97, been following common since "ressurection", and been following the roots since "do you want more" (yes, i was down with each of these artists before i even knew about okayplayer), and i'm very happy that these artists can go on tour and sell respectable amounts .. still, we have a long way to go ...


----
IM and ICQ name: reefdogg1 (number one at the end)

where my Jersey heads at?!?!?!

okayivyleagueplayer reppin Brown University and NSBE region ONE !!!!

"you're either part of the problem or you're part of the solution .. what's your contribution to life?" - J5

"the rule of allah is god's equality / i desire for my brothers, the same that i desire for me / but when my brother's stay dying, of everything else but old age / my heart fills up with what, RAGE!!!!!" - J-Live (thanks d_dog)