chewwsey said:

If Kanye was just a rapper he probably would not have hit the big time.

He was famous as a producer first, producing the majority of Jay-Z's classic "The Blueprint" and many other hip-hop hits in the years 1999-2004 before his own first solo album came out.

Hell, even his label, Roc-A-Fella didn't support him as a rapper for a long time and he struggled to get them to release his own album.
[Edited 7/15/08 0:37am]

Militant said:

Kanye sold out, if you think he raps properly , you are silly. Listen to his first album, full of controversy. Then listen to his subsequent albums, no controversy at all. Basically, he's getting money for not spewing realness out there, while still remaining safe. He's not a gangster , but he isn't a rabble rouser either. If anything. I really don't like him, lol. He's just full of it, and right now he is doing pop music, not even what I consider hiphop. Hiphop is and will always be an underground-oriented music, much like punk. Once, label heads get their hands on it, its not what it was intended to be.

Rap has been propped up all these years by the record companies because by and large it is a relatively inexpensive and fast product to make. Demand was high and supply seemingly endless. The problem is that the target market has changed the way that they consume music. There was a stat that came out a year or so ago that revealed more than 50% of teens didn't buy a cd in the previous year. So the labels are purely interested in turning a profit..consumers aren't purchasing the product, we all know rappers by and large aren't capable of putting on a live show so they really cant produce a strong fan base without the labels marketing..and lastly the execs and ceo that run the labels don't have a real vested interest in rap other than turning a profit so they really don't take the time to develop new talent. End of story. Hip-hop reduced to its next most easily packaged and profitable medium..ring tones.
Cue the fat lady!

TheMightyCelestial said:

popgodazipa said:

The problem isn't that people aren't buying, it's that the labels go to the trouble of packaging these acts and creating this public identity, story, avatar, and ghost career which is all lost if people just download a random track out of millions rather than eating up all the elements and catching some of the ads. If people stopped DLing, but also didn't really buy they wouldn't care because they'd still be able to sell soda, liquor, and cars off these "artists" just like they don't care that most don't listen to the Clear Channel 5 song rotations.

double post
[Edited 7/31/08 19:07pm]