Ellington on Music

"It's a record selling business."

I mean, how could I have not gotten that? It seems so simple.

Frontman, hustler, rapper, member of Detroit-based rap duo (City Council), Mayor Wills. I feel as if I'm taking HIP HOP Sales 101, taking notes.

For some reason I use to think that it was all about the music, it was about the message, the soulful journey lyrics take you...but apparently I had the game twisted. Janet said it, "Just give me a beat."

My mind wonders back to my father preached on the Devil in the beat ... sucking in the "young people". Is it wrong to say that I quickly snap back to reality ... Wills makes another point, there's nothing wrong with having a message, but its the catalog that gets you on the charts... you gotta appeal, to the market, and then to your audience. His method of rhyme isn't generic, Detroit-bred, knowledgeable, and the way he describes his music shows This is what he does.

Marketing methods for rappers hasn't changed, some people feel that all the best rappers, those with a message, aren't necessarily popular ... thlose rappers need to sit in on this conversation.
The "market" is the trend, its the mindset of the majority, its like black leggings in fashion - what everyone likes, "a good beat, catchy hook, a little comedy and bullshit"...apparently. Jeezy did it, Mike Jones, Gucci Mane, Tupac, Biggie, Diddy (especially Diddy) all captivated audiences by talking about themselves...how gangsta, how paid, how respected, how feared, how ... dumb, I mean, radical. And they've gone on to make a great fortune, with tons of screaming followers.
And Jay, Luda, Nas, Em and I wanna say Ghostface did the unthinkable...they broke out of market conforming traditions...although entertaining have begun to provide a message in their music.

Now, the question is, with all of the new fad rappers we got? what will their message be?...when will they realize that we'd rather hear "the message"?

MMMmm, marketing, music, messages and the whatnot. What are your thoughts on the future of the record-selling business?