It's May 31, 2024, 10:26:55 PM
Think about it..Look at the buzz Banks, The Game & 50 was generating before their albums..They pump out dozens of freestyles, remakes and remixes, they're on every hot beat imaginable, they're all over Kay Slay, Big Mike, Whoo Kid, Green Lantern, Cutmaster C, Envy, DJ L, Capone, even on the Westcoast mixtapes like DJ Warrior, Wreck, Vlad, Muggs..They're everywhere, they're featured on practically every mixtape out there, the G-Unit radio series is the most popular mixtape series ever..Didn't Banks say that 50 Cent had the number to over 50 mixtape DJ's, and that he would send tracks to all of them..The Game even flew to New York for his own money to make tracks with a dozen Eastcoast artist, and hosted 2 Kay Slay mixtapes..All Rakim did, was feature on "Addictive".. and have a track on the 8 mile soundtrack..Maybe that's what Dre meant when he said that their work ethics was kinda different..Rakim didn't do much to put himself out there.. imagine how easy he could have made 10-15 freestyles, sent them to Kay Slay, Whoo Kid, Big Mike, etc. and get the buzz buzzing again after all these years..I BET there's no mixtape DJ who would say "no thank you" to some exclusive Rakim freestyles or tracks, and he's already in New York, where all the biggest mixtape DJ's & radio stations are.. 2 years on Aftermath and all we hear is 1 track and 1 cameo verse, I'd say he's lazy..Maybe that's the reason why Hittman had to go as well..
The Mixtapes, now, are for Up and comers and to generate buzz or to gain street cred. Ra is a Vet, his name along is a buzz and he has a GANG of street cred. He doesn't need the Mixtapes. I highly doubt that's the reason. I highly doubt Game funded his trip to NY. LMAO @ The thought of that. 1 call to the label and they'd fly him out. Rakim is a legend, what does he look like putting out tons of free material? People like 50, Banks, Game, Fab, Budden, etc. they're NOT legends. They still need that exposure. Ra has had his exposure. I just think him and Dre had different ideas. Dre probably wanted Ra on more commercialized tracks, while Ra more than likely wanted to keep it gutta.
i completely agree with SGV Is Hip Hop. this guy is well known. Yea theres buzz with 50 and the G-Unit... but Rakim has been buzzin' more than anyone in the game right now... read more about the history man...
I feel what you're saying SGV, but Dre's prolly looking at is like this:Hes got artists like 50, Lloyd Banks, Game ect that are working there asses off, making tracks every day, showing up on radio, magazines, tv ect...Creating a buzz for themselves.And then hes got Rakim, who is a legend in his own right, but Rakim is just sitting around back in New York prolly expecting Dre to just toss him an album full of beats and then hes out.Now Dre is thinking why am I gonna give dude a) an album full of beats for nothing when dudes b) c) and d) are putting in mad work for my label and not only creating there own buzz, they are creating a buzz for myself aswell.People (for the most part) who post on this board are knowledged hiphop heads who know about Rakim. But the majority of people buying albums today (ages say 12-20) dont know shit about Rakim, arent feeling him anymore, or think "wasnt he that guy way back then"...Now this is no disrespect to Rakim in anyway, but I can understand why his album on Aftermath didnt drop.
Storm, you've got it EXACGTLY right man, props. Who wants to hear all those garbage mixtapes anyway, or freestyles over the "hottest beats"......that shit does nothing for me, i'd rather them really take some time making some quality music, but i guess thats too much to ask nowadays