Real Hip Hop

[KardiacKids]

Where do we draw the line between Commercial and Underground?

Why do cats think it's cool to be underground and not get paid?

Why do commercial artist make such bad music?

 

[Marval]

Thats a very good question ask anyone in my area what real Hip hop is or listen to what there bangin in there rides the awnser is oviously always gonna be the commercial bs 50 G-unit Em Dre etc... better then the Ying yang twins though lmao
The closest to mainstream i listen to is the Wu Jay and Nas the only one i would consider mainstream really there would be Jay

 

[SketchUp]

Where do we draw the line between Commercial and Underground?

Why do cats think it's cool to be underground and not get paid?

Why do commercial artist make such bad music?

Damn, theyre sum good q's.

1. i think the line between commercial and underground could be the amount of success an artist has in the industry. we all know the units that eminem, jay-z, 50 cent have sold in a certain amount of time, n we can all say they r commercial. underground rappers dont sell as much coz they dont have the amount of promotion that ''commercial'' artists have, ther4 they dont appeal to the 'pop' fans. if a rapper is in the charts, then teeny boppers see this and they wanna listen to it. if the general pop following don't know of an emcee, then they wont listen to it. i think the artists that the pop fans know about can fall into the ''commercial'' category. i know sum1 who listened to Nas, Jay-z, Luda etc. but didnt know who mobb deep were. i dunno....its a tough 1.

2. sometimes its coz they hate. they wudnt giv a shit if they had an opportunity to get paid. it depends the way in which they wud be gettin paid. if it was sellin out like goin against there style to get paid, then its prety obvious why cats wud wanna keep it real and stay underground. u gotta ask wud they stay real/underground and not get paid or go commercial and get paid. its like takin the red pill or the blue pill if u get me....

3. coz they ARE commercial, they have made it big time and it doesnt matter what music they make. they forget about the quality, the thing that got them there in the first place. once they have sold and have a big following, they will keep on sellin no matter what. its usually a case of caterin fo the pop fans anyway.

thats my take

 

[Vince]

1. Uhm, the difference is that a undeground rapper ain't signed to a major label and they hasn't had any Commerical success (they haven't made any money)

2. It ain't cool not to get payed. But it shouldn't be about the money either, it should be about the music.

3. That's a matter of opinion.

 

[The Bastard]

Where do we draw the line between Commercial and Underground?

Why do cats think it's cool to be underground and not get paid?

Why do commercial artist make such bad music?

Question 1: Jay Z | Cormgea
theres the line ^

Question 2: Anyone that says its cool not to get paid is frontin and prolly dont have the skills to get paid

Question 3: no music is bad,it can be unoriginal or it can be repetitive, but quality is like beauty,its in the eyes of the beholder



Quote the raven,nevermore

 

[Svenghali]

Commercial artists (most artist signed to major labels) don't have much control over what they record and what gets released. It's not that underground artist make better music, it's just that they don't have as many restrictions as the commercial artists because there isn't as much interference from A&R's and other label execs. Major labels are about the bottom line not the art.

 

[KardiacKids]

Most of you have stated the most obvious answers , but i was looking more in depth . Like we all pretty much have an idea , but where do u really draw the line????

I am just tired of undergound cats who complain and commercial cats who complain , whatever happened to the strong silent type.

 

[CampO]

I just like what I like I guess But I think Underground Heads are Way more Biased and Less Open Minded Then People Who are More into the Commercial Stuff IMO

I could play underground shit for my boy that really dont no nuttin about it but more times he will still be feeling it but if you try playin some new Commerical for a Underground head moretimes he gonna be like get that shit outta hear .

That dont answer your question but thats just how i feel on the whole topic of underground vs commercial

 

[DJ Hoppa]

everyone wants to get paid.


The people who complain about "being underground" or "selling out" are usually just the fans.

They want to hold their favorite "underground" artist in there pocket, they dont want anyone else to know about them.

Once the cats they love so much start getting some shine and doing bigger shows and actually making some money, the OG fans start hating on their "sellout" artists...

To me, commercial artists get PAID, underground cats are usually BROKE.

Now, if any artist switches up their style/lyrics/whatever JUST for money, they are in a sense, SELLING OUT. Fuck those guys, like Common... he sold out for Coca Cola, and it would be cool, if Coca Cola wasnt such a large evil fucking corporation. That fucking hippy should be advertising knit sweaters or something

 

[Shonsteez]

Fuckin well said Hoppa, I was gonna break down my version, but honestly....U said it the exact same way i woulda.....Respect.

 

[Formant024]

Commercial cats adapt to the industry standards/trends or agree to do what the major desires. They might be saying they dig underground but it's not really a concern because they're in it for everything on their path to mo money.

Underground is all about an individuals perspective upon urban music, with influences from any other genre of music. Money is not the issue (well not the key issue), it's about doing your thing and getting recognition for it. In that there's more tolerance in the underground due to its diversity and creativity, it's also far more progressive.

 

[Steel Side]

1. For the love vs for the dough.
2. For the love vs for the dough.
3. For the love vs for the dough.

 

[Marval]

So in other words the broke emcees are the dopest emcees

 

[Marval]

Underground cats think it cool not to get paid for a few reasons they know for a fact there better they know they put out better music and in alot of cases i would say more dedicated fans

 

[Shonsteez]

1. For the love vs for the dough.
2. For the love vs for the dough.
3. For the love vs for the dough.

I agree, but everyone wants to get paid dog, if u say u dont, yer either frontin, or u got really rich parents so apparently u dont gotta trip....

But like Hoppa and Form said, IMO u gotta reckognize the fact that even underground cats - more tru to themselves and what they believe or not, still want the cash also....I mean cummon, this is a monatary world....its the unfortunate reality i think.

 

[Steel Side]

ha ha Marval. Alot of times yeah. Your average joe schmo underground mc may be the illest around. But if s/he ain't marketable no label is gonna pick em up. Alot of times, they don't even want the doguh. They just wanna be known as the illest on the block and that recognition is worth more than the dough. And if nobody says, "hey ill mc, here's a couple mill for a 5 record deal", they just do what they do for love. Another thing when you introduce the big label's then you have to structure your bars and such, alot of cat's just ain't wit that.
P.S. Off topic. How come people complain when game spits mad bars, but when can-i-bus did it, it was cool? You know that niggaz puttin out ANOTHER album. Perfect example of an mc who should have stayed underground. lol Out

 

[StressWon]

P.S. Off topic. How come people complain when game spits mad bars, but when can-i-bus did it, it was cool? You know that niggaz puttin out ANOTHER album. Perfect example of an mc who should have stayed underground. lol Out

naw man,,,I'm a underground supporter,,yet I listen to some mainstream shit,,,,as far as them two cats,,,I'm not big on either!

 

[The Bastard]

great mcs go commerical but still keep their skill in the music, like my boy jay z

 

[StressWon]

yeah, but Jay switched his shit up too.

I say, if i was asked to record a record wit a major, but have to be on some gangsta bling, bling, krunk,,etc,,then I would have to say no. There a fine line between art and money as well. I couldnt see myself out on MTV on some stupid shit. If I was able to jump on an indy but not change a thing, Imma mos def go wit the indy. Check it, ask anyone you know i the industry,,,indy artists make just as much money as some commercial cats. Its all about shows cousin!

 

[Haze47]

indy artists make just as much money as some commercial cats. Its all about shows cousin!

exactly, fucking cost like £20 ($30) to see someone like DOOM or Madlib in England, thats where the dough is, underground cats charge like £1000 ($1500) per hour to play live....