Pooch
I just got notice that one of my more preferred music writers, Henry Adaso, just released an article chronicling the 100 ways to save hip-hop. I’d love to give thanks to PremierLife’s very own Julie Green for sharing this article with me, but I have my own reservations with what he wrote, as I have developed a sound set of my own beliefs with regards to the hip-hop industry that, according to Nas, “Is dead.”
1. Listen to satellite radio
2. LISTEN to what you haven’t heard before
3. Change the channel when last week’s favourite song comes on the air, but play your favourite song from grade 9 on repeat on iTunes
4. Listen to British rap
5. Stop blaming Diddy
6. Stop playing Diddy- Dirty Money
7. Start listening to Diddy and the Fam
8. Stop auto-tune (8.5. Stop T-Pain)
9. Stop weed rap
10. Stop Wiz Khalifa
11. Stop associating Amber Rose with hip-hop
12. Start more free concerts
13. Start more free festivals
14. Save singing for singers
15. Save rapping for rappers (Justin Bieber [aka. Enemy Number 1])
16. Start listening to conscious rappers (Talib Kweli, Nas, Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch, Common, and Jay Electronica)
17. Learn your history, honour your predecessors
18. Love Kanye West as an artist (CBEAR LOVES this point)
19. Stop hating Kanye West for his opinions
20. Start listening to MF Doom, King Geedorah, and Viktor Vaughn
21. Stop sending impostors wearing masks to “perform” concerts for you (MF Doom)
22. Stop “Hype-men”
23. Stop tagging mixtapes
24. Keep making mixtapes
25. Make many mixtapes
26. Stop caving into record labels
27. Love the music, not the money
28. Write stories (“Trapped in the Closet” by R. Kelly is GOLD)
29. Stop the sexism
30. Stop the racism (Nas, I am not a racist white guy, so stop making me feel like I am)
31. Stop the homophobia
32. Mos Def is a gold-standard
33. Stop weekly release programs (“GOOD Friday,” “Any Given Sunday,” etc.)
34. Pay more attention to production
35. Give producers more credit
36. Learn from J Dilla, The Ummah, The Neptunes, Timbaland, 9th Wonder, DJ Premier, Dr Dre, RZA, Lex Luger, Just Blaze, RJD2, and Rick Rubin
37. Encourage your fans NOT to tattoo your name to their foreheads
38. Make “real” hip-hop by making hip-hop real
39. Don’t be beefing
40. Don’t make backhanded comments
41. Rap disses/attacks tend to backfire
42. Stop hitting your fans at concerts (OFWGKTA)
43. R&B IS hip-hop
44. Oldschool R&B is better
45. The Weeknd and Frank Ocean pass for oldschool R&B in my books
46. Your city carries you, you owe it to them
47. Can’t we all just get along?
48. Don’t be like Chris Brown (many interpretations)
a) Don’t hit women
b) Stop mess with cult leaders (OFWGKTA)
c) Stop dying your hair blonde
d) Stop trying to be Michael Jackson
49. Stop rapping about the hood if you’re not from the hood
50. Continue giving back to your family
a) Stop letting spats split you up (Q-Tip and Consequence)
51. Continue giving back to the community
52. Stay close to your roots and learn from The Roots
53. Use your commonsense and rap like Common Sense
54. Stop swagger jacking
55. Start your own #swag
56. Listen to good production on vinyl
57. Start bridging the gap and try different styles of production
58. Start collaborating more
59. Collaborate with your heroes, contemporaries, and proteges
60. Start taking young rappers under your wing
61. Start inspiring good music
62. Stop preaching about alcohol
63. Stop preaching about drugs
64. Stop getting face tattoos
65. Start being witty again
66. Start being tasteful with album artwork again
67. Stop wearing jeggings
68. Start as a hipster’s favourite rapper
69. Stop with gangs
70. Start your own crews (OVO and XO)
71. Start making friends with other crews (OVOXO)
72. Start your own label with your crew (MMG and GOOD Music)
73. Stop wearing batting and wide receiver gloves in music videos
74. Start hiring Rex Arrow
75. Stop producing unless you are a producers (unless you’re like Kanye West, J. Cole, MF Doom, etc.)
76. Stop carrying guns
77. Stop carrying marijuana
78. Stop getting arrested (T.I.)
79. Stop Lil’ Wayne
80. Start listening to the ghostwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
81. Stop listening to those who use ghostwriters
82. Start caring for your baby mommas
83. Stay classy
84. Stop beng unnecessarily crude (Mystikal)
85. Start making progress in the industry
86. Stop over-saturating the market with your scrapped projects (learn from Shad)
87. Stop freestyling over others’ beats
88. Start using good singers for hooks
89. Pay your dues
90. Pick your battles and know your opponents
91. Start bridging over to indie-samples
92. Start believing in your talent
93. Start getting involved with musical divas (learn from Swizz Beats and Jay-z)
94. Stop dreaming about starting clothing lines and making fragrances
95. Start grooming yourself
96. Stop bragging about cars and homes
97. Listen to and learn from your haters
98. Stop letting your cockiness hold you back (Astro as seen on “The X Factor”)
99. Don’t leave music until the music has left you
100. Hip-hop is an artform, make it your own and it will never need saving
