Id like to start off by saying that the term Hip-Hop Reform has been a baby of mine for the past three years. It is not a movement, its a revolution. Hip-Hop began as a form of expression between urban youth. Then it grew into a way to feed families. Now it is a billion dollar industry, lacking structure, direction and accountability. We are sitting on the most influential culture in the world today. Yet, we have no control or influence over its path? Reform is necessary. So when you hear this term or more than likely begin to hear this term used by others, youll know where it came from. President Obama cant fix everything, right? Just check out this mans plate: two wars, illegal immigration, Wall Street, Unemployment, our slumped economy, Sarah Palin and the Tea Party Express, Dont Ask Dont Tell, and most recently the massive oil spill in the Gulf. President Obama is being pulled in every direction, being told that he is doing too much, that he is not doing enough, that he is too smooth to lead and just about anything else the Republicans could influence Americans to believe. All that matters is how he handles our countries dirty laundry. He is doing a great job for what its worth. Hip-Hop has its own dirty laundry: our female representation is little to none (R&B singers, heavy in swagger have inched their way into the strong woman role that the female emcee once ruled), too many amateurs on the come-up, not enough quality growth on the professional level, limited touring, lyrical altercations for promotional use, Veteran to Newbie emcee disconnect, sluggage record sales, and album leaks, just to name a few. We have a daunting task on our hands as well; time that we talk about them and do something about them. While the President deals with a country that doesnt want the government in its healthcare business, yet criticizes the government for slow rolling in organizing a more immediate stop to the oil spill in the Gulf, Ill take on our spill, or shall I say LEAK. It never fails me. Whenever an album is running wild on the internet, weeks before its official release, I become an angry soul. It doesnt matter which artist it happens to. I cant escape feeling some type of way that we havent fixed this issue years ago. It feels like only yesterday when the industry was in an uproar for albums getting leaked the Friday before its release. Nowadays, a leak can happen up to a month before. Some call the leak a sign of the times. Theyll tell you that record sales have dropped in every genre. However, I have yet to see or hear about any leaked, bootlegged Miley Cyrus product. The new millennium ushered in the Copycat Hustler. If there was money being made somewhere, and the job specs required an elementary school education, everybody was on it. Moving bootlegged (unauthorized) product was one of the hustles. In the mid-to-late 90s, our neighborhood secret salesman was limited to moving mixtapes until there was a price for soon-to-be-released product. We can be honest here. When unauthorized product first hit the trunks of these secret salesmen, the effect on authorized product being sold was at a minimum. Artists like 50 Cent, Eminem and Kanye West were still 500,000+ units in the first week. When those type of numbers are moved, whos complaining? As a matter of fact, some artists admitted to bootlegging their own product as a source of promotion and a quick paycheck from the bootlegger. No harm done? Wrong!!! Because now, supply and demand for soon-to-be-released product shot through the roof. Personal computers came equipped with CD burners. And if everybody is selling unauthorized product, whos buying it? On top of that statement, as Ive said years ago until people began picking up on it, If there are too many rappers, there are not enough fans. Add both of these statements as one, equals the current state of our industry in direct connection to record sales. And thats not even the kicker. Online social networking sites, forums and knuckleheads with access to the music are sharing exclusive information. Yes, a few execs, publicists, journalists and front desk operators have shared their exclusivity with family and friends over the years. Do you honestly believe that your third party pals have any responsibility to not share the goods? Do you see what being a show off gets us? Reasons why the Record Spill spread
People will tell you that albums leak due to demand. Really?! Then why not hold onto the album and build up anticipation for it, against that demand?! Maybe well see lines forming outside of record stores again. Instead, the music gets leaked, ill-fated reviews appear online and potential sells are lost. Older women will tell you, give up the sex too soon and your relationship is doomed. Yes, we need to play hard to get with our music. “Everyone thinks its just the record companies, artists, and producers that are the ones losing because of piracy. The real truth is that we all lose because the lack of money available doesn’t allow for people to take more chances, or time to develop talent the way it should be, which hurts music overall.” – Wayne Wilkins, Producer and Songwriter People will tell you that record sales dont matter; that record labels make more money from other ventures. Yes, that is true. But check out this spill. When record sales suffer, the pool of bankable urban artists decrease. Which results in urban publications receiving less advertising dollars. Weak advertising, results in bills not getting paid, and ultimately, a cut in staff. Did you ever stop to think as to why urban publications closed their doors at a higher rate than any other publication in 2009? Irony is when an industry professional leaks music, […]
