Dear Letters Series Returns: Dear Al Sharpton
July 3, 2009
I am happy to say to all followers that I am bringing my “Dear Letter” series back. If you are not familiar, it is a series where I address certain people on issues, concerns, recent happenings that may be going on with certain celebrities. Some of you may remember my “Dear Kanye” letter in which I addresed the platinum selling artist on his use of auto tunes in the entire “808′s and Heartbreaks” album. Unfortuantely Mr. West never got my letter, much to my dismay he released an album entirely recorded in auto tune. I can honestly say it some what worked and some what didn’t work for him. I say it was too repetitive! But who am I really? Exactly! Lol. Thank God Jay-Z recently released “D.O.A”(Death of Autotune) which should have come at least a year earlier, yes I was tired of it then. Anyway back to the subject at hand in my latest “Dear Letter”…….
Dear Al Sharpton,
Greetings Al! I won’t take the time to address you properly by calling you Mr. Al Sharpton, its not that I am trying to be rude….well maybe I am. Who cares! Anyway! I have been meaning to write you for a very long time. Your recent appearances on tv following the death of the late great Michael Jackson reminded me why I have been wanting to holla at you. Well I cannot speak for all my people but I for one can say I am tired of you popping up in the media every time I look around. Whenever there is something major going on within the arena of famous African American(black) people you find a way to get in front of a camera. When The King of Pop passed I thought for sure maybe this time you would butt out and sit your ass down and let the family and fans mourn. But no you just had to find a camera and mic to add your penny of a thought to the situation at hand. I am still at this very moment trying to figure out where do you fit in this whole scenario, oh I know you don’t. Your just a crooked ass tired black negroe political pimp who wants to be seen and heard all the damn time. It makes me sick to my stomach every time I see your tired gray permed ponytail on the television butting into the latest news within the black community. Al we do not care for your opinion. You do not speak for black people what so ever, I do not know why they try to make you the voice of us. Jay Z said it best on his “American Gangster” album by saying, ”And If Al Sharpton speakin’ for me// Somebody give him the word and tell him I don’t approve”. Al for decades now you have found a way to swindle yourself into the eye of the media to give your opinion like you truly care for your people. You have led several news conferences, rallies, protest, ect. Why don’t you shed light on why you do this Al! You do it to get paid. I am aware that everything you do its a dollar amount behind it. I am sick and tired of you using your own people to put money in your own pocket. Here is my word of advice Al: Cut the damn perm off and keep your ass away from the camera. You need to just fade to black and go somewhere far off and let us forget your existence. What Black America needs is someone who truly cares for us and is not in it for the money. Someone who truly cares to uplift our community and you Al are definitely not that. I am hoping our nations president Mr. Barack Obama can be that but its still alot of work to do before we fully determine that. You on the other hand are a Phony Black Fake Pimpin’ Wanna Be Reverend. So I am saying goodbye(singing:nah nah nah nah oh Al! Al! Good Bye!), I am expecting you to stay out of our(Black America’s) business. I expect you to step away from the mics and cameras immediately. Thanks!
With Pleasure,
CB aka Lou Alcindor
PS: Ay Jessie! I got my eye on you!
Internet Downloads:Is The Platinum Selling Era Over?
June 2, 2009
Is the day of platinum selling records over? Its obvious the music business has changed drastically over the last 10 or more years. This change is due mainly because of the internet. With the internet providing absolutely everything at your finger tips, it is very easy to obtain music. This makes it nearly impossible to have sucess as a music artist putting out an album. Music has been bootleged for years, dating back to cassette tapes…so this is not a new issue at all. Today it seems so acceptable to just simply download your favorite artist album and you get to listen to it before the product is released. There was a day when unsigned artist could sale their mixtapes on the streets for the typical five dollars, that day is gone now. If you want sucess in that regard you have to give your mixtape(in which you paid to have mass produced and pressed) away and also make it available for free download online. If consumers do not want to buy mainstream artist music, ten times out of ten they will not buy an artist they have never heard of music. As a result the only artists who still reach platinum sales are the heavy hitters. Once upon a time good artist who was not regarded as a “mega star” in the music business but still made equally good music would reach platinum status.
In the world of hip hop only certain artist reach platinum like a Lil Wayne, Kanye West, or a Jay Z. Then you have good rap artist like a Common or a Jadakiss who do not always go platinum which is not due to the quality of their music. This brings on a conspiracy. Despite internet downloading why does that not effect certain artist? This really makes you wonder what does it take to get to that level where you are considered one of the top mainstream artist. I have a theory of my own. If you want to sale platinum records you have to make a well rounded album. Meaning you have to make some tracks that reach the masses. Unfortunately the urban community is responsible for this bootleg craze and they are not the ones purchasing albums. The non urban crowds are the ones willing to go to Best Buy, Target, purchase on Itunes, ect and obtain the music for twelve to fifteen bucks. Since they are the audience who actually pay for their music, you must appeal to them. I.e Kanye West makes music that all would love. On his “Graduation” album he had hip hop, pop, and rock sounds all through out the entire album. Kanye made people want to go out and purchase his album which is why it did well.
My advice to the up and coming artist or fairly unknown new artist is market yourself. The internet is a gift and a curse, so use it as a gift. Get yourself a video camera and record everything you do. Record anything from video blogs, your studio sessions, everyday random footage, and also record you own music videos and have them video and edited profesionally. Once you have video content you need to flood the internet by uploading your video on sites such as youtube and place your embed code on the social networks i.e thefacebook. The next step would be to promote to any and every one you can. Doing this can create a buzz which may get the right peoples attention. Once you have a huge internet presence this gives you a start(just ask Souja Boy) and may get you a record deal. But having a record deal does not guarantee anything, I think it is very important to make creative, innovative , and timeless music that reaches the masses. This improves your chances of going platinum but if you do not reach that platuea you always have your shows.
Alot of artist make a ton of money touring. This may even help an artist eventually reach platinum because they may gain popularity from people who become fans from going to their show and falling in love with the music. As far as platinum sales coming to the point they were with the internet I do not see that happening. Unless laws become stiffer and more strictly enforced. This only means that artist must work harder and find more innovative ways to sale records and get signed to deals.
Jay-z Inking again… contractual i mean… | Kanye talks Blueprint 3
May 28, 2009
Jay-Z at it again, never the one shy of a business deal, Mr. Carter (not the lil one) is in the works to sign a new deal to expand his Roc Nation and have it distrubuted by Song/Epic:
Jay-Z is reportedly close to signing a deal with Sony with that will see him distribute all new material via the company’s Epic leg.
The rapper last week announced his departure from Def Jam, a move that cost him $5 million in order to retain control of future master recordings, reports Reuters.The deal with Sony is “95% complete”, and the deal is expected to be confirmed within weeks.
Last year, he signed a $150 million deal with Live Nation that included touring, publishing and albums.
Jay-Z’s new album ‘The Blueprint 3’ is expected to be the first album on his Roc Nation imprint to be distributed by Sony/Epic.
-courtesy of NME
And while thats on the drawling board, Kanyeezy is talking Blueprint 3.
Super producer, Kanye West recently spoke on the making of Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3 and promises fans the album will be “amazing”.
“He’s just been working on it, and it’s gonna be amazing when he drops it.”, West says. “I think it’s good he’s taking his time to give people the best product possible and not being rushed by this fast-food, media-outlet, Internet, everything-is-getting-leaked, people-stealing your-songs-before-you-can-mix-them-and-put-them-online world we’re living in right now.”
Earlier reports had said that there had been a delay with release BP3 , because they wanted to make changes regarding the use of Auto-Tune.“We actually removed all the songs with Auto-Tune off of his album”, Kanye said, “to make the point that this is an anti-Auto-Tune album, even though I released an album that has all Auto-Tune!”
NEW MUSIC | Jay-Z and Kanye West, T-Pain and Dj Khaled – Go Hard Rmx | HipHop
December 28, 2008
“HOT SSHHHHH!” (in my best nelly voice). New from the Jigga Man and Kan-Yeezy Go hard Remix. You expected anything less? This duo is like the Shag and Kobe of the Lakers Dynasty. They argue (big brother) but they get it in on the court (tracks). Check it Out (Thanks to BlogXilla for the heads up). I wonder what possesed Khaled to say “We the best Def Jam, Def Jam South” …. and even still he refuses to let go of the “We the Best” … someone needs to let go of Khaled, im bout tired of him…
Jay-Z + Kanye West – Go Hard Remix | DOWNLOAD
Bang this for a while, we’ll be back soon with more….
New Music | Jay Z – Brooklyn Go Hard | DOWNLOAD
December 2, 2008
Another heater! Jay never ceases to amaze me. Brooklyn We Go Hard, featuring Santogold, and this definitely goes hard. Produced by Kanye West, this is a great follow up to Jockin Jay-z. In my Ipod already, i suggest you do exactly the same. And can i add the track is bananas. Maybe im being a Jay stan but this is heat.
Jay-z – Brooklyn Go Hard clean | DOWNLOAD
Jay-z – Brooklyn Go Hard dirty | DOWNLOAD
Good looking out to www.OnSMASH.com
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