The most telling stat in the article is that hip-hop accounts for a lower percentage of overall music sales, so its not just an issue of all cd sales dropping. I agree that the genre seems stale and lacking in exciting new ideas.

NoVideo said:

It's because some hip-hop that's released for ringtone purposes are GARBAGE.

I don't see why people feel to debate a known fact, a fact that's been known since the mid 90s. There's demographic tracking on extremely sophistcated levels and there has been for decades. Not only is it done by tracking outlets of purchase, but by focus groupings. Almost noting in America is simply put on the market w/o serious research. If anything is killing music and it's diversity (as well as other aspects of life), it's the focus group.

LOL@ at there are "white people here"...yeah, so what? Logically, nothing could dominate a market in the US w/o their majority participation. It's a numbers game, simple as that.

NO longer fooled my behind. I went to a party recently and ((being the only black person there) was stereotyped as the guy who would love the popular rap music, and when I told them I didnt like it I was the one who got the weird look..as if I did something wrong. I says, "I like old school r&b and pop mostly"..then they asked me, "oh yeah you like Jodeci and Boys II Men"? I just

I cant blame the person that wrote the article though. In a way I almost agree, however..they should do some extensive research before disputing a claim.

- As has happened many times, when black folks come up w/ something that white folks realize they can profit off of, it becomes exploited and watered down

- Black rap artists w/ real rap talent can't even get a record deal

This is part of what happens when black folk let others control something they know nothing about

- It's time for a new genre of music and this time no leeches

paisleypark4 said:

And some black guy thought that all I listened to rock music because I was white. Prejudice and ignorance goes both ways people!

paisleypark4 said:

And some black guy thought that all I listened to rock music because I was white. Prejudice and ignorance goes both ways people!

I says, "I like old school r&b and pop mostly"..then they asked me, "oh yeah you like Jodeci and Boys II Men"? I just

paisleypark4 said:

baby, that's just because you look so young that boyz ii men should be old school to you

and who doesn't like jodeci! they weren't that far off.

Cinnie said:

I was 7 when they both came out so by today's standards, yeah they're "old school". If you mention you like music from years before THEM, they may think you "ancient". Luckily I only hear "old soul" (which I take as a compliment).

paisleypark4 said:

And some black guy thought that all I listened to rock music because I was white. Prejudice and ignorance goes both ways people!

NO longer fooled my behind. I went to a party recently and ((being the only black person there) was stereotyped as the guy who would love the popular rap music, and when I told them I didnt like it I was the one who got the weird look..as if I did something wrong. I says, "I like old school r&b and pop mostly"..then they asked me, "oh yeah you like Jodeci and Boys II Men"? I just

I cant blame the person that wrote the article though. In a way I almost agree, however..they should do some extensive research before disputing a claim.

Timmy84 said:

Yeah I was about 12 when Jodeci came out. I am one of the ones who hated Jodeci though...ugh them played out drum patterns and voices..they were just as sickening as it was to hear Silk and H-Town on the radio EVERY DAY for years.


I guess 27 is old

paisleypark4 said:

Keep in mind, this is the age of YouTube and MySpace and Facebook and iPod, of course they're gonna think that's old.

And some black guy thought that all I listened to rock music because I was white. Prejudice and ignorance goes both ways people!

Timmy84 said:

Like I've said before, 30-something is the new "too old".

The music industry has done a wonderful job turning their crappy business into a real-life Logan's Run. It's ageism at it's worst.

That's because the industry is now run by college MBAs who are my age or older. They only know accounting (and cheat off artists on that) but music, not so much. They're the same assholes that be like "he's the new MJ" or "she's the new Madonna". GTFOOH! That's why the older artists are creating their own labels saying "fuck y'all!"

I'm still a bit confused here.

What exactly had white kids "fooled" they they no longer are fooled about?

paisleypark4 said:

You know yo ass sings along whenever End of The Road comes on

CelibateMushroomCanopy said:

You know what I get really tired of SOME black people blaming everything on the white men or white people in general. Not everything is the white man’s fault. Take some responsibility for your own actions. You have these black rap artists coming out and making these vulgar songs…no one is putting a gun to their head and making them do this. You also have many black owned record companies that produce ignorant rappers like that. As well, as many of black youth that buy and listen to that mess. So it is not all the white man’s fault, ok? And just remember to there are white people on this forum as well.

brooksie said:

hahahaha, my ass. you didn't read what i wrote. I know the dominate group that buys hip hop/rap are white males...I heard that statistic 10 years ago. I'm responding to the person who blames the white man for ALL of their problems. Maybe some of your people should stop putting out this type of music and protest it. I know you may not like white people but you can still be respectful.

bragging and dissing women, Imagine how many stinkin times they play that Baby Got Back Song on the Radio,

Hip-hop sales decline, "white kids" no longer fooled
by Joel Cusumano

In a Time magazine article published this week, Ta-Nehisi Coates speculates on the rapid decline of hip-hop record sales, down 44% since 2000 and moved from 13% of all music sales to 10%. She tracks the rise of 1990s rap entrepreneurs, which arguably reached its apotheosis in 2001 during the height of enterprises such as Roc-A-Fella, No Limit and Bad Boy, through to the industry's current diminution. The article interviews some insiders, such as Steve Rifkin, the CEO of SRC Records, who stick to dubious platitudes about rap music needing to "get more creative." It mentions Russell Simmons, who recently made an admittedly half-assed call for rappers to start censoring themselves as well as cut down on the flaunting of their wealth.
Maybe a bit more convincing is the Roots' manager Richard Nickels, who claims that hip-hop has lost some of the excitement it gained during the 1990s' gangsta rap. "You had these black guys who came out and had guns. It was exciting to white kids ... It's collapsing because they can no longer fool the white kids." Q-Tip suggests "In rock you have ... all these different strains. And there are different strains of hip-hop, but record companies aren't set up to sell different strains." Coates' overriding paradigm is that rap is a product that needs to be updated. What do you think '' is this correct way to think about the hip-hop problem? Does the term 'gangsta rap' even apply to today's rap? Would ditching the bling-blang and foul language or 'maturing' boost sales?

I welcome this decline, I soo hate bling-bling rap. It's awful.

Kanye West is a true pioneer. No gansta but hipster. He did much for rap music, I mean, he even went pop on 808s.

I just think that hip-hop in its current form - baggies, hos, drugs, money - will decline but that's not bad. Hip-Hop started out as a fun thing with funk samples.Why not have fun again and let those damn gangsta rappers shoot each other. I would not miss one of them.

Also: What did people think, how long can one thing last? The next generation wont be attracted to hip-hop as we know it, like the MTV generation did not "live" Elvis etc.

Hip-hop sales decline, "white kids" no longer fooled
by Joel Cusumano

In a Time magazine article published this week, Ta-Nehisi Coates speculates on the rapid decline of hip-hop record sales, down 44% since 2000 and moved from 13% of all music sales to 10%. She tracks the rise of 1990s rap entrepreneurs, which arguably reached its apotheosis in 2001 during the height of enterprises such as Roc-A-Fella, No Limit and Bad Boy, through to the industry's current diminution. The article interviews some insiders, such as Steve Rifkin, the CEO of SRC Records, who stick to dubious platitudes about rap music needing to "get more creative." It mentions Russell Simmons, who recently made an admittedly half-assed call for rappers to start censoring themselves as well as cut down on the flaunting of their wealth.
Maybe a bit more convincing is the Roots' manager Richard Nickels, who claims that hip-hop has lost some of the excitement it gained during the 1990s' gangsta rap. "You had these black guys who came out and had guns. It was exciting to white kids ... It's collapsing because they can no longer fool the white kids." Q-Tip suggests "In rock you have ... all these different strains. And there are different strains of hip-hop, but record companies aren't set up to sell different strains." Coates' overriding paradigm is that rap is a product that needs to be updated. What do you think '' is this correct way to think about the hip-hop problem? Does the term 'gangsta rap' even apply to today's rap? Would ditching the bling-blang and foul language or 'maturing' boost sales?

man, don't make this into a black-white thing.

a)CD sales are down across the board...

graecophilos said:

You REALLY need to lay down before you hurt yourself.