what matters more to an artist?

[sonic1988]

since we have some music artits in the forum I wanna ask:

what matters more to you?

selling 9 million records?

or changing the culture of a country?

the reason why I pose this question is that 50 cents album sold 9 million (the massacre album) but nobody really cared that much. However, Green Day's American Idiot album sold (I assume) less, and it put rock back on the map, and you saw kids all over wearing t-shirts, buttons, and hoodies with the American Idiot logo on it.

[bigted]

I think making music that people will respect for a long time is much more important than selling millions at a certain point and getting no respect in the future, 50Cent might be one of the highest selling music artists but he has no credability and his music won't stand the test of time, if you're gonna sell a lot of albums you have to make sure you make an impact, selling millions off of gimmicks is not smart for credability, I'd rather be putting out an album that gets a lot of high reviews and is inspiring music rather than putting out an album that sells 10 million that gets trashed on as a gimmick, I'd wanna release an album that'd get compared to Nas' "Illmatic" as a timeless classic rather than being compared to 50 Cent's "The Massacre" as a gimmick album that outdates quickly since it has no substance, the only advantage 50 Cent has over everybody else right now is his record sales and once that's gone he'll be laughed out of the industry, I feel this way since I care about the songs I write but if I was chasing the money I'd say I wanna sell 10 million like 50 but I don't feel that way, to me respect is more important than money, if I could have it my way I'd have both, although if I had to choose one over the other I'd choose respect 'cause I don't wanna be called a sellout, making something that people will be proud of and inspired from is something all artists should strive for but I just don't see that and that's why the industry's messed up...

Edited May 23, 2006 by bigted

[mfuqua23]

Between those two, both are a big deal. If the person(s) sell 9 million and change a culture but in a negativity way, that's a questionable proposition. Sometimes, changing a culture isn't always a good thing, nor needs to be. I doubt I'd do either, but I'd like to righteously change a culture if need be. I don't think I'm the type of person for it though. It's something about making music, that I almost can't explain it at this point.

50 Cent's millions sold effect seems to have been only for the moment to put money in his pocket. 50 isn't even running things right now. It's the "Dirty Souf" right now.

[bigted]

Yeah 50 Cent's the highest selling rapper but he really ain't really the one with the most impact on a commercial level, the dirty south rappers get more credit than 50's getting right now, although their music ain't that great either but anything seems better than 50 at this moment, you could see the decline in 50's popularity on the G Unit albums released after "The Massacre", not to mention that his movie didn't do 1/5 of what "8 Mile" did at the boxoffice when he predicted that it'd be bigger than "8 Mile", 50's losing fans, lol, 50 Cent on his 1st 2 albums has sold as much as LL's sold in his career, although going platinum in 1985 is like going diamond now, they've both sold 20 million albums worldwide but I don't think many would consider him on the same level as LL since he don't make great albums like LL, "Get Rich..." was ok, "The Massacre" was wack, plus basically all the rappers 50 Cent disses make better music than him while LL crushes his peers, 50 proves he can't do that, he actually lost credability when dissin' other rappers 'cause "Piggy Bank"'ll never be compared to any of the all time legendary battle songs like "Mama Said Knock You Out" and the way things are looking now odds are that LL's still gonna be platinum and 50 won't be around in 10 years: Nas/Jadakiss/Fat Joe/Ja Rule>>>50 Cent, they all been in the game longer and make better music than him, his only argument on anybody he disses is that he makes more money than them but he's gonna have a short lived career if he keeps thinking that way, G Unit is on a decline right now, and if "Lost and Found" sold as much as "The Massacre" it'd been groundbreaking and something that could've changed the game for the better and Nas wouldn't have to make an album called "Hip-Hop Is Dead"

"The Massacre" is one of the major reasons why hip-hop on a commercial level is on life support, with all the spotlight that's been on 50 Cent over the last couple years he could've been bringing a stronger message in his music and have a long career but that's something he's gonna regret later on once he ain't in the spotlight in a few years,like Will said here rings true: "Lost is when you're a slave to the biz/No care or cost of what you're saying to kids/Found is when your lyrics are a test of time/And your mom sees how your soul is blessed divine", I think it's easier for me to try to make great songs than it is to try to go platinum, there's only a handful who could go platinum but there's even less that make great music, those who actually care about great music will check for you if you make great music, the problem a lot of times is that the masses eat up gimmicks, that needs to change in order to get better music on the radio....

Edited May 23, 2006 by bigted

[JumpinJack AJ]

True artists don't care about money or sales. They care about their art. That's why people so many old school artists are still releasing music...YEARS after their career is commercially over. They do it cuz they love it. Someone like Puffy or 50 Cent is not an artist. They don't make relevant music...they just care about fame and sales.

[Vipa]

In the NBA, once you get too old, and can't perform at a high level to attract potential fans with flashy highlight reel dunks, OR they feel you can't contribute to anymore to make the team a winner...OR they see a potential deal that makes them younger, in the process, they take. they trade you, they cut you, they drop you, and get younger/bring in what they feel "the people want", or what's best for your team.

The Rockets traded scottie pippen on that. The pacers traded dale davis (Who was an all star the year before), for a young jermaine O'neal. The Lakers traded shaq.

same with music. Not just Hip Hop. Look back..5 or 6 years. Nsync? the Backstreet Boys? Britney Spears? They were some of the highest selling artists back then. What happened to them? their fans grew up and stopped caring..so now what? You can't just close down the label, move on to the next big talent. Hilary Duff? Lindsey Lohan...Of course. They're younger, and will draw in the younger kids again. The same kids who wouldn't really like a 30 year old backstreet boys group.

Contracts are worth more. You can't spend a 2 million dollar pay roll on an artists project if you aren't CERTAIN it's what the people want. You take a risk with every new artist.

50 cent for example. Columbia records dropped him before releasing his first solo album. I'm sure they wish he was back there, pulling in the paper he's getting now. Hit or Miss.

It's a business. Sad but true.

Edited May 23, 2006 by Vipa

[Guest Da Triptic]

as long as i am makin music it dont matter

[Da Brakes]

I say both. I want to make music that will have an effect on peoples lives and make a difference culturally but also I want to sell millions and millions of records. I want to know that my music is good enough to appeal to a wide range of people and it envokes them to want to go out an but my album.

I don't think there's nothing wrong with people being in the game to sell records. Not everybody has the love of it and wants to make a change. They just want to have fun and make music! I don't think there's nothing wrong with both scenarios just as long as they are done right and in a positive way!

[bigted]

Music is different than sports, there ain't no age limit for making great music and still selling albums, music is a mental game, not a physical game, you use your mind and soul to make music and as long as you have your wits you could keep going, you can't tear up your knee making a song, lol, I mean look at Stevie Wonder, Rolling Stones, and Isley Brothers they've lasted 'cause they ain't watered down like NSync, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, 50 Cent,etc., they make credible music for all ages to enjoy, they don't have to worry about their fans outgrowing them, real music artists last forever even beyond their lives too 'cause people still talk about Elvis and 2Pac as much/more than current artists, JJFP and LL Cool J have a chance to be the rap generation's Stevie and Isley Brothers,and it's like Public Enemy might never go platinum again but they have more respect than any of these platinum rap groups today will ever have, a lot of people might not know they still record but they still like their earlier albums more than anything out now 'cause they make timeless music, now if Def Jam actually cared about real hip-hop they'd resign Public Enemy and I think they still might be able to go gold and maybe even win some Grammies, they have fans but they don't get exposure

on the independent route they went after Def Jam contract expired in '98, I'm sure there's a lot of people who like them but don't know they still make music 'cause it ain't marketed that well, Def Jam would give them the opportunity again to shine as they should...

Puffy's different than 50 Cent since he has expressed love for the game, now 50 Cent says he looks up to Rakim but he don't have the talent or the respect for the game that Rakim has but Puffy looks up to MC Hammer and Run-Dmc to make fun music for people to dance to, in fact he brought out MC Hammer at the MTV Awards last year, I can't see 50 swallowing his pride like that and bring a legend on stage with him,Puffy does fun music on the most part, he might not be as great they were but he don't go around and diss everybody in his songs, he's an artist, now some of the things that he's done with the record label has been questionable but people can't take away respect for him since he wasproducing Biggie's 1st couple albums and that he's a great stage presence whichis something that is more impactful than what 50 Cent has ever done. Columbia might regret that they got rid of 50 Cent now but 10 years from now when Will's still out there with hit songs on the charts and 50's gone they'll regret that they got rid of Will even more, without Eminem and Dr. Dre I doubt that 50'd sell 20 million on 2 albums, they'll probably regret that they kept Bow Wow which'll get dropped soon probably since he's getting too old for lil' girls, he can't even go platinum which is a flop for somebody that young, they'll be looking for the next 10 year old rapper, lol, every artist should have love for the game and love for the music that they make, there seems to be more love for the money than there is for the game and that's why a lot of pop music is watered down and generic...

Edited May 23, 2006 by bigted