what happened to the "anti-mainstream" hip-hop?

[WestCoasta]

I was thinkin, I remember back to a long time ago

what happened to the people who used to be all against having a video on TV and radio play?

I remember when the outlook was like if u had a video you're a sellout, I didn't feel this way, but I'm sure u guys remember that kinda shit

but there are some people that 6 years ago, even earlier, that u would never think they'd be mainstream

Common, Talib Kweli, Hi-Tek, Xzibit  (those come to mind, can't think of any others at the moment)


I like Kweli and Tek and Xzibit still, but it's kinda weird how they used to rap about bein underground and shit and never blowing up and Xzibit talkin  bout fuck Hollywood "only in it for the money and the fame" well he sure as hell is in it for that, wouldn't u say?

and didn't Common diss Ice Cube for bein in Friday movies and shit?  in that one diss song he did?

look at Common now, he never was a favorite of mine, I like a couple of his old tracks, but wasn't that dude anti-mainstream?

now he's in videos and has been in commercials....

I just remember that kinda shit and now the whole outlook on rap is just to get payed

anyway u can get a dollar as a rapper u do it now, it didn't seem like it used to be like that with a lot of people


and once again, this isn't a thread where I'm asking what happened like I miss those days or I'm against mainstream

I'm just really wondering if anyone else noticed how some guys changed like that, and how the whole mentality it to just get that money and it wasn't always like that

[UKnowWhatItIs: welcome to my traps....game over]

Yeah, like someone pointed out in the Black Eyed Peas thread, it's always the ones who are super underground that change within a sec once they get some money.

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Guys like Common and Talib Kweli didn't go commerical, they just got a little recogniztion by the mainstream. People seem to be confused the terms sellout, mainstream, and commerical. People tend to use all 3 words as synonyms because they so often go hand in hand, but being mainstream isn't always a bad thing. It just means a more general adiuence is hearing your music. They were able to get exposure, but there albums (at least Common's) wasn't commerical and he wasn't a sellout, he just went mainstream. If you can reach a wider audience without compromising anything, why not go mainstream? The way the music industry is, of course they're saying they won't go mainstream becuase usually the means of doing it is to sell out or become comerical.
I can't really explain what Xzibit is doing, but his music is still tight.

For a comparison,
Common: Went mainstrem, didn't sell out.
Black Eyed Peas: Went mainstream, sold out.

[WestCoasta]

^^ nah I hear ya, it's just that for instance, what Common is doing woulda been considered selling out, ya know?


and I really gotta stress the fact that this thread isn't ME saying "fuck them for selling out" "they're sellouts"

I'm just asking if anyone notices the changes in time

[QuietTruth]

People are way too money hungry.

It used to be you get the money and you give it back. Give it back to your city, your family, your friends, your neighborhood. And of course yourself..but

They make a hell load of money off of records but they need their own Clothes, Sneakers, Jewerly, Chips, Rims, Liquor, Movies, Shows, TV Series, Cars, etc. etc.

Hip Hop has turned into a world of Hollywood itself.

Remember way back when the music videos showed how people was really living, grimy as hell, now its just flash your bling for the camera BUT still rap like you got nothing.......Say you got nothing, Act like you got nothing.....

Look at half these rappers they so greedy. Hip Hop was supposed to be the REAL REAL. They ain't real! Rappers supposed to make music for the LOVE of making music and the lyrics is supposed tell the TRUE LIFES & TRUTH we living.............At least that's what I thought  




NOTE: Nothing is wrong with tryin to get money 
BUT: Theres things called Sell Outs, Greedyness, Selfishness

[WestCoasta]

^^^ well, that's a different thing kinda, bein fake is slightly different but u make some good points

I'm mostly talkin about the guys that had the underground "title" and eventually shook it

[QuietTruth]

I'm mostly talkin about the guys that had the underground "title" and eventually shook it

Money hungry.

They hold it down until they see that contract. Money just changes it all      (IMO)

[Teddy Roosevelt]

^^ nah I hear ya, it's just that for instance, what Common is doing woulda been considered selling out, ya know?


and I really gotta stress the fact that this thread isn't ME saying "fuck them for selling out" "they're sellouts"

I'm just asking if anyone notices the changes in time

I think the reason Common said the stuff he said is becuase he thought he had to go commerical to get mainstream success (he made the mistake of using "commerical" and "mainstream" as synonyms). But just look what happened when he hooked up with Kanye West. His first 2 singles for "Be" were far from commerical. I haven't listened to his whole album so I can't say whether he compromised his style or not, but from what people are telling me it was a crazy album.
Guys like BEP when they decided to go mainstream they compromised there style and they would be seen as sell outs for doing what they did to go mainstream.
And yes times are changing. That's what time does.

[Eihtball]

Trying to be "anti-mainstream" is stupid - that basically means you're either a backpacker these days, and backpackers piss the hell outta me.  This whole business of trying not to be mainstream is stupid cause everyone wants to make money - that's why you make a career out of music in the first place.  Yeah, there are cats who sell out, but that's when they ain't being true to themselves, not failing to be true to other people's judgments of what they should be.  If music's good, that's all you should be concerned about.

People are way too money hungry.

It used to be you get the money and you give it back. Give it back to your city, your family, your friends, your neighborhood. And of course yourself..but

That's just idealistic.  The cats that make it to the top ain't obligated to give back shit to anyone.  You want money?  You put in your own work, get your own career going.

[QuietTruth]

People are way too money hungry.

It used to be you get the money and you give it back. Give it back to your city, your family, your friends, your neighborhood. And of course yourself..but

That's just idealistic.  The cats that make it to the top ain't obligated to give back shit to anyone.  You want money?  You put in your own work, get your own career going.

Didn't say I wanted money but who doesn't want to help their hood?

[Leggy Hendrix]

i think the whole point with common and kweli is that they didnt compromise their integrity in order to get mainstream recognition, which is what they were opposed to in the beginning...like Dat Nigga Ted said, they didnt change their style or whatever, they got a little mainstream recognition doing what they've always done...