Do you think Will cares too much about sales?

[Lerkot]

Will would have answered the same thing no matter what rapper they asked about. Will aint afraid of conflicts, but he doesnt like to dive into them like.. overhyped rapper #1 for example.

[Jazzy Julie]

turntable u were the one that brought up 50 in the first place, i only mentioned rap as a whole these days which i think is very safe to say Will does not like, only 12 year old wannabes like it.

The music he makes is from the heart and thats what i take as the truth, he doesnt shout out wack rappers in his rhymes. i dont take everything i read in magazines and things as gospal bcoz as we have seen in the past are taken out of context. But like ted said im not that bothered who Will likes. Everybody here likes different things.

[Lerkot]

Everybody here likes different things.

I dont!

Edited August 22, 2006 by Lerkot

[Turntable]

turntable u were the one that brought up 50 in the first place, i only mentioned rap as a whole these days which i think is very safe to say Will does not like, only 12 year old wannabes like it.

Rap as whole these days? Define that please. You know that there arent much Mc`s that wack. Guys like Kanye, Talib etc. are all Mc`s of these days. Rap is much wider these days then back then. And fcourse I brought up 50, caus thats who ya`ll are thiking of you ya`ll talk about nowadays Rap (Which to me also is very wrong, considering how incerdible much new good Mc`s are out there).

By the way, I saw Will saying it on Tv, and not in a magazine or something like that. And they didnt ask him what he thinks about 50, they asked what he is bumping right now. And he also likes T.I. He called him "A very talented and hard working artist". He likes allot of todays Mc`, alos diffrent ones. In songs like "Lost & Found", I think, he basicly just says that there isnt enough balance. That some artist get controled to much by what theyr labels want. He doesnt say that they are wack. He isnt the Will he was back in 93. He appreciates gangsta rap now, if he sees that the artists actauly used to life like they say they did.

But like I said. Will does nothing for sales. He just wants peopel to have a good time, and thats why he mostly chooses party singles. He said that himself. But I actauly dont give a damn about any of this stuff, as long as he drops its like its hot.

[ant1]

i don't think will wouldn't talk about wishing he did tracks like lean back or drop it like it's hot on i wish i made that, if he didn't care about sales a little... but he's got so much money from movie's now i don't think he has to worry about the sales of his albums to much like he said he does music because he loves it.

[ash trey]

I agree with Turntable whaen he says that "rap as a whole" isn't dying we still have some great rappers - upcoming (Rhymefest, Lupe, Papoose etc.), underground (Masta Ace, Dead Prez, Black Thought,Mos and Kweli) and veterans (Will, LL, KRS, Rakim,Common etc.). We had so much great hip hop this year- maybe it wasn't played on the radio but it was sure there, infact there was so much that I feel like have enough time to listen to all of it fairly.

Will just wants respect and love - so he likes having high record sales but he would much rather have cats on allhiphop.com talking about how dope he is than having a pop fan buying Lost and Found and only listening to tracks like "Switch" and "If you can't dance".

[bigted]

I think it's starting to turn around on a mainstream level a lil' bit too, just think over the last couple months we've had albums from Busta, Ice Cube, Rhymefest, DMX, and now Outkast coming out this week, hip-hop is still alive, I really think the balance is starting to turn around quite a bit, even in the golden era we had Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer selling millions when a lot of the most credible mcs like Rakim and Big Daddy Kane barely went platinum, and of course "Code Red" didn't sell much while gangsta rappers were selling millions, sales never measure quality, good music does and there's still plenty of good music out there today, hip-hop is far from dead

Edited August 23, 2006 by bigted

[JumpinJack AJ]

I don't think FP cares 2 much about sales. I just think he has a better perspective on the game than i do...ha ha. As a long time Hip-Hop, i allow myself 2 get annoyed by the fact that the music that used 2 be my life is playing a much smaller roll these days. Partly cuz my favorites like Whodini, Run-DMC, Kid N' Play, MC Hammer, TLC, Salt-N-Pepa, either don't record anymore, can't record anymore, or don't do it nearly as much as they used 2. Times have changed. I support there being different styles of Hip-Hop, cuz there are all kinds of different people who live it and make it. But let's remember that musically, Hip-Hop has always been about being real, being yourself. Since i don't like 2 have 2 always dig for good music, i like it 2 be accessable thru' the mainstream. But for over a decade...the mainstream has been more and more commerical rap. Commerical rap isn't real and it isn't about being yourself. That fake, phoney, immature, and irresponsable. Young kids listen 2 that poison and the younger generation things it's cool 2 worship jewelery and material things. They think it's cool 2 disprespect females and other people. They think it's cool 2 cuss like it's nothing. They think it's cool 2 do drugs, get drunk, and carry guns. Sure, it's a parents responsiblity 2 raise their kids...but by the time u are 10, u do whatever u want...i should know. Most of those commerical rappers also happen 2 have no talent. I'm not naming names cuz we've done that b4. But there's alot of people on this board who need 2 check what u listen 2. Cuz some of your favorite artists are like this and u are supporting the commerical/TV/radio decay of Hip-Hop and Rap. It's much more deeper having an opinion.

Now that i've just typed way 2 much, let me say that FP has 2 feel out of place becuz he is real and he does stay true 2 himself. He understands that he's outnumbered and that he's gonna have 2 work twice as hard 2 get half the success of idiots like Young Joc. Of course he wants hit records, but he's not gonna sell his soul 2 do it. He's not gonna neglect his family, personal life and his movie career 2 do that. After all, there are more people who support his movies than there is who support his movie. I think he's adjusting 2 the changing times and i personally think he's doing it really well. Rakim rarely releases music. Ice Cube is the same. LL keeps things moving but him and Cube have lower sales than what they used 2 have. It's just the way things are. Hopefully things will change, becuz i know alot of look at the charts and think "can it get any worse?" And then a month later, we hear a G-Unit, Lil' Jon, or Young Dro and thing "wow, it can get worse." Hopefully young music fans will get real and demand more from the artists they listen 2 and hopefully record labels will support and promote music vets more.

All we can do as fans is support FP and the music we like personally.

[Turntable]

Young kids listen 2 that poison and the younger generation things it's cool 2 worship jewelery and material things. They think it's cool 2 disprespect females and other people. They think it's cool 2 cuss like it's nothing. They think it's cool 2 do drugs, get drunk, and carry guns.

I simply dont agree with that. In the 80`s positive Hip Hop was on Top.. How you explain the uprsing crack problems ine ths US? How do you explain the big youth drug problems, & prostituion Middle Europe had? How do you explain the biggest suicide quote ever, begin til mid 90`s? I just odnt think kids get infleunce that easy. I mean, I look at myself and allot of kids around. I listen to some of that stuff, and I think I turned out pretty damn well. Whne I listen to Ja Rule, I`m smart enough to only take the good things to hart and not the crapy stuff he talks about. I mean, do you think I`m not a good kid, as far as you know me? I know some kids that only listen to stuff like that, and they dont act stupid caus of that. If parents raise theyr kids right, they wont get influence by stuff like that. And also.. You like R. Kelly, you like N.W.A.. I dont see much of a difrence. Especaly R. Kelly. Shure, he made some inspirationl stuff, but lets get real.. 90% is about showing of and jumping from woman to woman. I love R. Kelly, but I dont see myself doing that, nor do I see you doing that. I someone is raised right, he wont get influenced.

Edited August 23, 2006 by Turntable

[Jazzy Julie]

totally agree with AJ.

Some people here think rap is good these days? Ok wack rappers:

Ja rule

bow wow

chamillionaire

wack rapper #2

50

wack group #1

all the rappers that begin with lil

all the rappers that start with young

There are too many too mention, i dont know about other countries but here these are the rappers that sell. People like talib over here do not sell. If i was to ask an average person on the street who he was they wouldnt know, if i were to mention lil wayne im sure they would know.

When was the last time anyone here heard a song that has inspired them or really make them think that is mainstream (obviously not counting Will). There isnt any, its the same old stuff i dont want to hear about that i cant relate to. Thats why i rarely buy rap albums these days and buy older stuff from the 80's and 90's.

There are artists that are keeping rap alive but basically they arnt mainstream besides the odd few.

[Turntable]

People like talib over here do not sell.

So what? They still release. That means they are a part of todays, not mather how much they sell. And they sell enough anyway. Besides that, the reason they dont sell much is that nobody buys it. You cant blame the "wack" rappers that they sell. "I dont make the hist, dont be mad at me".-Jigga. You got your nice lil list there of new wack rapers.. Well Julie, I can name you at least as much good new mc`s or at least as much wack Mc`s that used to sell back in the day.

Edited August 23, 2006 by Turntable

[ash trey]

Who cares as to what sells or not? As long as good music is being released why should we care about who else is listening to it.

[bigted]

Who cares as to what sells or not? As long as good music is being released why should we care about who else is listening to it.

Exactly man, I only give a damn personally about if the album I buy is gonna have songs to listen on, I don't worry about how many others are gonna be listening to it but like I said earlier the great artists like Busta Rhymes, DMX, LL, Ice Cube, Rhymefest, Outkast, Kanye, and Pharrell are all currently selling all about the same amount/more as most of those people that Julie mentioned that're wack right now, G-Unit hasn't had a hit record in over a year it seems, Bow Wow as well, he lost most of his fans when he dissed FP, lol, if you told me in the beginning of the year that'd be possible to see the mainstream level turn around like this I'd thought you were crazy

Hip-hop on all levels is going back in the right direction and with albums from Nas, Lupe Fiasco, The Roots, Common, Papoose, CL Smooth, Rakim(????), Kel Spencer(if he gets a deal right?!!) Talib Kweli, etc., 2006 looks a lot like a great year for hip-hop, it's turning around from the last couple years

that's for damn sure...

Btw there was as many rappers rapping about cars, jewlery, sex, and violence 15 years ago as there is now, keep it real AJ, it's not like every rapper was doing gospel music then but you make it sound that way, "oh my god they're rapping about guns, explicit sex, jewlery, it wasn't like that before now" is the way you're putting it, even the G.O.A.T. LL Cool J was instrumental in inspiring the bling bling era with his "Walking With A Panther" album cover, Nelly's wearing grillz 'cause of LL,KRS-ONE inspired 50 to put a gun on the cover of his movie, Dr. Dre named an album called "Chronic" then a lot of rappers started rapping about smoking weed after that, a lot of these ol' school heroes inspired the music that's out today, now the difference between back then and now is that the artists were more talented then I agree, plus record companies promote one style of rap more than another now but really there's not that big of a difference, why is it ok for Ice Cube to hold a gun but then you want to put 50 on the cross for holding a gun? Come on now, in reality neither are strong role models for kids if you think about it, of course I'll listen to Ice Cube over 50 anyday 'cause he's more talented but I don't really look at him as a role model all the way either, some things he does I don't agree with,and yes turntable brought up a great point about how even with all that positive rap from Run-DMC and JJFP 20 years ago it was still the crack era, btw you really need to read this article done on allhiphop.com:

"Hip Hop: Still All The Way Alive.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everyone needs to calm down. Everything is going to be okay. Hip-Hop is alive and well, and here to stay.

I know I'm not the only one who is tired of people complaining about the "State of Hip-Hop." Hip-Hop is doing just fine. Actually, it's doing better than just fine.

Why is it that every interview with an artist, in every Hip-Hop publication and every blog, consist of someone crying about the state of this culture?

When asked "How do you feel about the current state of Hip-Hop?" you hear answers like, "White corporate America is destroying Hip-Hop," or "Hot 97 is destroying Hip-Hop," or Jimmy Iovine and the powers that be are destroying Hip-Hop," or "wack rapper #1 is destroying Hip-Hop." Enough already!

No one is destroying Hip-Hop! There is nothing wrong with Hip-Hop's current status. If you look back at any musical genre or culture you'll find that the people who were there in the beginning and who have watched it grow will favor the beginning. They'll say it was more creative and real, and artists just had more passion and love of the art than the artists of today. You know what? They might have a point, but things change. Times change, people change, power changes, taste changes, money changes, and the world changes.

Now that Hip-Hop is a multi-billion dollar business and dominating everything in pop culture, everyone wants to be a critic. What's funny is I bet the same people who have such a problem with the current state of Hip-Hop would be the first ones crying if rap wasn't being played on the radio, or on MTV, or BET. You know that would be the case. I could hear it now, "Corporate America and the rich white people in the high rise offices are racist and prejudiced against Hip-Hop not allowing it to grow and succeed in the mainstream."

Come on, this is an art form and a way of life, but above all this is a business. For a business to be successful there has to be people with money and people who are in a position to make big moves. It just so happens that some of the behind-the-scenes guys are white businessmen. I bet if you ask Jay-Z if he would have rather continued to sell crack for the rest of his life or have a white dude that may not be very interested in the music pay him millions to be a rap star, he would choose the latter. People need to understand that if it wasn't for the higher ups right now Hip-hop would not be where it is today.

If Jimmy Iovine wasn't in the position he's in, then Dr. Dre wouldn't be who he is today. And If Dr. Dre wasn't as talented he is, Jimmy Iovine wouldn't be getting paid. They need each other. I don't think Jimmy Iovine is going to start rapping if he can't find talented artists. And maybe guys like Jimmy Iovine do like Hip-Hop, and maybe they do truly want it to grow for the love of the culture, but even if they didn't, would it really matter? People say that it's guys like Iovine who determine what's going to be hot. Well like I said, he's not making the music. I would like to think we as individuals have a mind of our own and won't just agree with whatever a guy like Iovine likes.

Interscope and companies like them put out what the people want. We buy these albums by the millions. Hip-Hop is fine. No, it's better than fine, it's great! We have such a variety to choose from today. It's like there are different genres within a genre. If you like hardcore street rap there's some of that. If you like pop-friendly radio songs there's some of that. If you like conscious, in-depth cultural and political-awareness rap there's some of that, too. There is something for everyone and it's all there generating interest and revenue for the culture to grow and expand. And you know what that does? It provides more jobs for the inner-city youth, as well as provide more money and funding for schools in the hood and low poverty areas. Every damn rapper out has some sort of charity that gives to people in need. So why not let it grow and expand?

It doesn't take a genius to figure that artists making a particular type of music won't go on to sell multi-million. So when Talib Kweli speaks on socially conscious issues he's not appealing to the twelve-year-old girl listening to "Country Grammar" in the car pool line. And it's not that Mos Def, Little Brother, or dead prez, aren't all amazingly talented artists in their own right, but they can't complain when they put out an album that doesn't go platinum because the message doesn't reach to the masses. And if they want to reach them, then they have to make a club anthem and a song for the ladies. It's not that the machine necessarily is monopolizing the music industry to be that way, but I don't think little Susie from Ohio cares to hear about the man holding you down. Some artists don't want to sacrifice their artistic expression or sell-out, which is highly admirable but don't complain when your record doesn't reach platinum status. It's not 50's fault, it's just that he makes music to reach a broader audience.

My whole point is that Hip-Hop is doing very well for itself right now and that shouldn't be overlooked. There's so much whining and complaining that I'm afraid that we're going to overlook a lot of good things. We have to remember that Hip-Hop is now a business. There are going to be things that are shady and unethical, but it doesn't mean that we're in any kind of danger. Lets just enjoy what we have and not sweat the small things."

Edited August 23, 2006 by bigted

[Guest Guest]

Wow @ ya'll making excuses for Will liking wack rapper #1. Are you seriously that blind? He only says he likes him so they don't beef? So, you've gone from trying to figure out whether Will loves sales, to calling Will a liar.

"He doesn't want to beef with 50" is an extremely poor excuse to say you like someone, and I HIGHLY doubt that that's the reason. Will doesn't beef with anyone regardless, and at this point in Will's career, beefing with wack rapper #1 will make him look like he's trying to get attention.

I'm a Will fan, but ya'll crack me up sometimes the way you try to justify the things you type.

[Guest Guest]

Simply put, Will stated he likes Jay-Z, wack rapper #1 and company, and there is no possible way for that to be 'taken out of context'. He is allowed to like cats you don't like, you just gotta live with it.