Year 2005 Predictions for hiphop, blogs, and hiphop blogs

I still don't like doing year end wrap-ups and lists. Predicting the future is sooo much more fun. So here's what I see in my crystal ball fo 2005:

1. Some rap mogul (Dame, Russell maybe?) will co-opt the Street Lit genre that's just about ripe for mainstreaming.
2. Every three months a new hip-hop blogger will find popularity by being funny, crass, and disrespectful until they get shunned off the blogrolls by the very people who boosted them in the first place. (Kris Ex, watch out!)
3. Rakim's album will be forced into being officially released after some saint mercifully leaks it on the internet.
4. Hip-hop bands and producers will find a market for instrumental albums, and the press will label this "Rap music for grown folks."
5. Online hip-hop mags both big and small will incorporate the style and technology of blogging but ignore the community aspect (outside linking, open comments), and fail.
6. Every major hip-hop label will produce a webfeed (whether RSS or ATOM) that tracks news of their artists, like Sony already does for Nas and Beyonce.
7. Someone will make real money off of blogging, but it will be so easy to do everyone will join in and kill the golden goose.
8. Indie artists will offer free ringtones to fans as promotion.
9. The Fugees and Tribe Called Quest won't reunite, at least not this year.
10. Video dj'ing will get popular in the trendy clubs and find a place in concerts, yet no one will remember DJ Shadow.
11. Mixtape DVD's will completely overshadow mixtape cd's. Completely.
12. "Can't Stop, Won't Stop" will be the must read of the year (I peeped the excerpt in Vibe and it's incredible).
13. Dave Chapelle will fall off, but won't be replaced.
14. Um...I'll finish my own book. Yes, I have a book in the works.

What are your predictions?

Comments

[Jay Smooth]

Good call on #1, somebody should trademark "Def Literature" now and just wait for Russell's check to come in.

I won't touch #2.

[Hashim]

yeah, or maybe Roc-a-Books

[Bol]

>I won't touch #2.

LOL. I wouldn't recommend it.

Mind explaining to me how Clyde Smith is going to make any money from blogging this year?

[lynne]

Um Clyde is definitely gonna' make some money - I gotta' get up w/dude by the way.

And y'all r mad funny crackin' on rush like that.

can't stop won't stop will be that book of the year - anyone who doesn't purchase it will get berated by me, personally. lol.

and from what i hear, chappelle ain't even tape a next season, so ish may be dead already.

[Jay Smooth]

Haha, I was actually holding back from taking a swipe at the other guy, not you Bol.

FTR I still enjoy your blog, it's just gets too far out there sometimes for me to have a link up. My mom reads my blog...

[Bol]

I don't think you got my "#2" joke.

Also, my mom reads my shit everyday. You think I'm scary...

[Jay Smooth]

Oh god lol. See I'm just not lowbrow enough.

[Amayn]

15. Big butt booty shaking videos will go the way of the dinosaurs in favor of snoop & pharell like videos with cute fun good girls... just a thought also there are already bloggers making money they just aint hip-hop i.e. wonkette

[Amayn]

Also you heard it hear first.
16. stupid lines like blow you away like the Tsunami will replace 911 & WTC references in raps. Cameron will be one of the first to try one of these clever lines.

[Q.Rock639]

El Q Tha Gr8's Hip-Hop Predictions 2005!

Blog civil wars will break out in record numbers.

Tupac sightings will increase.

Aftermath record sales will decline.

Russell Simmons will begin to take his political possibilites more serious.

Jay-Z will take Def Jam to the cleaners.

[Royalty Free Beats For One Dollar]

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