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When sales control status... · by Sach O
Can 460K make a shitty CD worth discussing?
One of the reasons I’ve been phasing out the rants recently is that nothing truly interesting has happened in Hip Hop for the past 6 or so months. No new “movements”, no new emcees to break out (or at least none worth writing about) and no memorable rap related crimes. Truth be told, I don’t know if anyone cares to read about Huey singles or Foxy Brown getting her ass whupped, but I don’t want to write about it. I got into this shit for Premo beats and soul loops: that other shit ain’t in my contract.
Of course, while I’ve come to terms with the suck, nature and the blogosphere abhor a vacuum and a fuck ton of people both talented and not will gladly pick apart whatever headline happens to grace Nahright.com in an effort to give it some context no matter how unneeded that may be. Still, I have to admit I’m pretty shocked at the attention getting heaped on T.I’s latest soundscan numbers: does this really make a difference all things considered? When the album leaked, it was universally panned, guilty of the crimes of conceptuality, shitty singles and general laziness. Personally, I found it sounded the same as any other T.I album (couple of hot beats, lots of filler, lazy rapping) but people really hated it so I figured something must have made it his worst in a while. A couple of weeks later however and everyone’s uncomfortably back peddling in the face of the numbers and T.I is no longer the guy who dropped the ball with a wack CD: he’s the guy who can still actually sell CDs. At the risk of sounding obvious, this isn’t much of an accomplishment. For most of the past ten years, the top selling rap album of the year has either been average or just plain wack. Nelly, Ja Rule, 50 Cent, Eminem anyone? I’m pretty sure T.I vs. T.I.P is better than Encore based on the two listens I gave it before I got bored and went back to bumping Styles P’s slept-on release but then again, what isn’t?
No one’s really changed their mind about the music but those soundscan numbers have people talking (or in my case, talking about their talking). At the end of the day though, another bad CD gets bought, more people get tired of sub par music and the industry (plus everyone mooching off of it) gets weaker. Now if it were up to me, we’d all be on strike until something worth listening to hit the racks. Think of all the bandwidth we’d save on posts like this.
Comments for "When sales control status..."
you could probably group r&b and rap these days and call it the “rap & bullshit” genre. glad it’s on the decline although it’s neither here nor there in the grand scheme of things.
i’m still optimistic that all the 5%-ers will drop albums this year. after all, isn’t it the year of the Gods????
— sooch Jul 13, 04:06 PM
Theres something missing there, “At the end of the day though, another bad CD gets bought, more people get tired of sub par music and the industry (plus everyone mooching off of it) gets weaker” Its not like people pick this album up and think, damn 12 dollars down the drain rap sucks these days. The problem, or maybe it is a problem im not trying to backpack, is they picked up the album wanting a certain type of rap, most people who bought this probably love it. The question to consider is how did we get to the point where this is the rap that sells as opposed to be DLed. (Pantom sessions is probably plat in terms of people whove heard it. And Im not judging TIs album I havent heard it but TI has been interesting at some points in his career in my opinion.) But the fact remains that bullshit is the only thing left that REALLY sells.
— Abe Beame Jul 14, 03:32 AM
“T.I is no longer the guy who dropped the ball with a wack CD: he’s the guy who can still actually sell CDs.”
excellent point.
— khal Jul 14, 10:24 AM
I’m surprised anyone can actually make it through a whole T.I. album.
I sure can’t…
— coolout Jul 14, 12:03 PM
For some reason I seem to be able to listen to all the bullshit that I first got introduced to when I was younger. Im 18 now if 24s came out now I probably be like wtf but I could still bump that Trap Muzik. Not copping this one though. We have the right to say its not hip Hop but if 500000 ppl grabbing it then it has to be good music to them.
— blieve Jul 14, 01:16 PM
would be interesting to know how many of the 500K sold were purchased in the south
— voo Jul 15, 02:00 PM
I guess Remy Ma heard what you said about crimes…
— sam Jul 15, 06:14 PM
i dunno man. dude dropped a genuinely great CD that got unfairly shat on for whatever reason, and proved that big names could still move units with rap on a commercial decline. it’s been the first real test of the sales climate this year.
honestly though, i don’t know what’s supposed to be so mind-bendingly awful about this one. it’s leagues ahead of Trap Muzik (Tip stans say that’s his classic?) as far as beats and rapping technique go, and more consistent than King, which was cool for the bangers, not so much with the for-the-chicks tracks.
really, if washed-up Eminem didn’t eff the eff up like he did, every song’d be worth listening to here. i really don’t get where all the “this is the worst thing ever” (both from “I was there from day one!” stans and critics who were on King’s testiculars) is coming from. i can see “disappointing” maybe, but i think some people’ve been reachin’.
— T.R.E.Y. Jul 16, 04:08 AM
another thing about the Tips and Jeezys of this rap shit, like ‘em or not, they know how to make good singles. not “This Is Why I’m Hot” types where kids get the ringtone, actual good ones.
think certain rappers need to step their game up in that aspect and get in touch with deh times before they complain ‘bout who’s on top right now.
— T.R.E.Y. Jul 16, 04:15 AM
Constructive criticism for ohword: instead of being the 4080th blogger to say “rap sucks in 2007”, you could:
1 Dig for new isht that is getting much love. There is plenty of good new releases if you look. Blue Scholars, Hell Razah, J Medeiros, Calle 13, Polyrhythm Addicts, Wax Tailor, etc. If you say there’s not enough good new stuff, you’re not looking hard enough.
It’s OK, you don’t have to wait for some “middleground authority” like Bitchfork Media, Byron Crawford, etc to give an Artist props before you can listen to it/evaluate it/possibly give props to it.
2 Even if you reject the premise of #1, you can highlight old slept on great albums. In fact doesn’t ohword already have some experience doing this?
3 Even if you reject the premise of #1, you can highlight good new stuff in other genres, such as instrumental rap (Thes One), electronica/nu jazz (4hero), latin/funk (Ozomatli), afrobeat (Antibalas).
In summary: Stop bitchin, start diggin!
— NoMamesBuey Jul 19, 10:18 PM
I appreciate the feedback NoMamesBuey.
Funny that you post this today as we posted three album reviews yesterday. They’re on the homepage.
We agree that being all doom and gloom is not a good way to live but neither is thinking it’s all beer and skittles. We are planning to add reviews (positive, negative and mixed) on a regular basis and we’ll be fixing the site’s interface so that people won’t miss the reviews if they skip the homepage. Three of the artists you named (blue scholars, polyrhythm addicts, madeiros) are among those we’ve already discussed reviewing in the future.
Also check the Around the Horn where I frequently link to cool shit that I’ve dug up on other blogs.
By the way I should also add that similar to your suggestion #2 about highlighting great old stuff… this post Sach wrote also came in a week where he did a crapload of dope themed mp3 drops (Muggs, Dre, Mary J Blige, Wu, Gravediggaz, etc).
— Rafi Jul 19, 11:34 PM
Yeah we’ve reviewed tons of old shit, Buey, stay for a awhile and peruse the site before you pop off at the mouth, nahmean?
— R.H.S. Jul 19, 11:41 PM
@ Rafi & RHS
OK props for your existing work suggestion #2. Great encouragement on your plans to do suggestion #1.
By doing this, IMHO you’re miles ahead of blogs that just bitch & hate 24/7, ala byroncrawford.com
— NoMamesBuey Jul 21, 12:09 AM