Hip Hop Blogs: The Long Tail of Hip-Hop

So far this year T.I. is the only hip-hop artist to reach the platinum mark, with his near classic album, KING. That's a big difference from just a few years ago, when Black artists took up the entire Billboard Top Ten list, and even Chingy could push millions of units.

So, what does this mean? Are there no more compelling rappers in this game? Is piracy killing music sales? Is hip-hop dead?

Nope, no, and I hope not.

I have a hunch that even though there are fewer big hit albums, the total amount of hip-hop music consumed this year has stayed the same, or gone up. I think hip-hop is just feeling the long tail effect, where demand in a market shifts from the hits to the niches.

Part of the cause of this change is the sheer amount of new hip-hop available now'days, on and off the sales counting radar. It's no longer rare for a rapper to have "100 songs on lock stash, like Pac had", to quote Juelz Santana. An artist like Lupe Fiasco has an official album out this week, but he's also released three LP's worth of material on mixtapes. Good material. Same thing with Ghostface, the Clipse, Lil Wayne, and many others who have gotten into the habit of releasing so-called street albums.

The music also isn't bi-coastal anymore. The old NY and LA lock on things is long gone. Now we have an avalanche of artists releasing mainstream and indie albums from Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, London, Miami, New Orleans, and Memphis. Oh yeah, and The Bay. Oh yeah, and Baltimore.

Remember when you only had to follow one hip-hop family per city? Those days are over.

I think two changes - in production and in promotion, has allowed for the increase of music in hip-hop.

First, the ability to make beats has become ridiculously easily. So is the ability to make a decent recording and mix of your music. Where before million dollar studios and equipment kept "amateur" rappers out in the cold, now it's simple to grab a quality beat from the local producer's laptop, and lay down something hot in his bedroom (no homo).

Secondly, the new self-publising tools on web has enabled people to get the word out about their own music in a way that wasn't possible just a few years ago. Even with SOHH and Allhiphop around, it was hard to get a write-up on the web and gain fans. Now, you can set up a MySpace page and earn your own buyers, without major mag coverage. This opens up the game to mini-celebrities, who are the superstars in their own city, or the sub-genre of hip-hop.

That's why I think a weekly hip-hop mag is such a solid idea. The ability to ride the wave of a rapper's hot single, and not have to predict the who will be able to carry a cover three months from now, is not just better, but essential in this niche driven climate. Cuz it won't get better from here - it only gets worse.

Comments

I think the biggest factor here is that there haven't been any major label established artist releases this year. No 50, No eminem, no Game, no Dre, no Jay-Z, no Kanye, no Missy, No Nelly and Ludacris just came out.

Outkast put out a non-traditional concept album. Gnarls Barkley is alt-hop at best. Rhymefest came out a year too late.

The highest profile release was probably Ghostface right? And he's never sold numbers like that.

Common's Be did finally go platinum in 2006, though.

But this is a growth year in hip hop. We're talking about next level stuff and the focus has moved really profoundly back towards dance. I think you'll see artists that just started showing out this year to really push ahead next year.

It's good for the industry.

Posted by: Jason Toney | 2006.09.22 at 08:50 PM

I think the ability of a weekly hip hop publication to respond to changing events will be a crucial factor in Hip Hop Weekly's success. It's going to be very interesting.

Posted by: Clyde Smith | 2006.09.22 at 09:38 PM

"But this is a growth year in hip hop."

Hmm, that's interesting. I wonder what will happen with these new artists.

Posted by: Hashim | 2006.09.23 at 09:50 PM

And don't forget Europe! Don't forget the whole world man!. It's not only about the States. You're right, now you gotta follow more than a family per city and you, americans, should follow what's happening in the old country too. I mean, France got lots of good groups and mc's (IAM, NTM, Fabe...)and there are more countries making good beats and rhymes. Some of them have made collabos with american groups. Remember IAM with Wu-Tang, Tommy Tee productions for american rappers, O.C.'s last album beats, Madlib producing swiss bands, The Herbaliser albums, mixtapes and session albums...

Posted by: Grey | 2006.09.26 at 01:53 AM

Okay so I didn't mean to submit that. LOL but anyways, what makes you call T.I's album a "near classic"? Just wondering. That one threw me for a loop.

Posted by: Reckless | 2006.10.02 at 11:48 PM

Actually saw T.I. at the for sisters only weekend here in atlanta and trust me he is one of the best we have in hip hop right now!

Posted by: CD Hill | 2006.10.21 at 08:07 PM

I think it's the whole Quality Vs. Quantity issue.

Remember the documentary "Supersize Me!" Remember how when dude ate Mickey D's to the point he was on the point of liver failure and all that shit? Same thing folks.

Garbage in, Garbage out.

The quality of music we once grew to expect is now considered non-existient. The Ipod age allows folks to pick and choose your personal banger and trash the rest .99 cent at a time.

Posted by: Curt McGirt | 2006.10.27 at 08:56 PM

Today its much easier to produce your own music, its true. But this also floods the market, so its a double edge sword instead of a cloud with silver lining as you suggest. The quality of the music out today is FAR below the average of what we all grew up with. I think commercialization is the worst thing to happen to hip hop or ANY music genre. Taking something that means something from someone else and deriving MASS INCOMES from such endeavors is the lowest of low. Its selling your soul. I refuse to listen to the radio by choice and every time I am forced to, I remeber why I hate it. If I played "3 blind mice" 9 times a day on 4 different stations, of course it would go platinum. Look at "Laffy Taffy" (God am I glad Starks said something on his album!) Its psychology that no one recognizes. Its why you MUST buy Sean Jean or Roccawear or have 24" rims! You are being programmed to waste your time and money on useless things. America has lost touch with whats real and righteous, and hip hop currently is the one with the dick in its mouth.

The reason that hip hop is lacking this year by your estimates is because you are measuring by all the wrong standards. Look underground and you will find a thriving community. Not the glamour driven pop fest that you see on MTV, with anorexic demi-divas, and thugged out morons all fixated on the all mighty Dollar....."Its all about the Benjamins baby!" Because the real heads know that anyone doing it for the money will 99.9% of the time end up S.O.L.
Like anything else in this fucked off world its not what you know but who. These clowns that command so much respect and idolatry from the quasi-thinking masses didn't get there because they are talented. (Plz as if the crap nowadays could ever pass for talent) Its because their uncle or dad's friend is some A/R for a big label.
Most of the "stars" are sons or relatives of past "stars"....yeah ones with REAL talent. Look at family trees and associations, and you will see alot you didn't know.

Who gives a Fuck about sales? Are you making the money from it? Then you are probably contributing to them. I want a leader...someone who speaks truth to power, like Kanye w/o the arrogance. Alot of these wannabe thuggs comin thru the radio actually have Degrees. Ice Cube is a great example. Why would you hide the fact that you have a degree? So you can appear like an ignorant thug? Brilliant. Like I said its all twisted and they got ya'll fooled and duped....worried about how much money THEY are making...and how much you'll give them.

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Posted by: GREAT ARTICLE ON HOV.... | 2006.11.12 at 08:19 PM

Urban Elements sells 1900 loops not one shots for $29.99 that's a $99.99 value.
check out http://www.appleloop-store.com

Posted by: Loop master | 2006.11.13 at 04:42 AM

The apple loop economy is in full swing. Garageband has brought music making to the masses. Anyone with a mac can now make original music. The only problem, not enough loops.
There are a lot of 3rd party apple loop makers out there. Garageband has created a whole new business. I mean jam packs are ok but if you wantto go off the reservation you need to go to one of the third party companies out there.

There are quite a few, But I'm going to talk about a new company I discovered in my quest for loops. The compnay is call Urban Elements http://www.appleloop-store.com. It's a small company with about 15 loop packages for $9.95 and a large 1900 loop package for $59.99.
They seem to be dedicated to Urban music, hence the name. The packages are available for download so I purchased a couple. I was blown away, there are virtually no fillers with this company. Finally I ordered the 1900 loop package and I must say it is very hard to run out of material. I'm not saying it's the last loop package I will buy. But if you are a urban producer it would cost you over $1000 to get this many sounds. This company is definetly worth a look.

Posted by: Looperman | 2006.11.13 at 08:46 AM