These "underground" rappers need to give it up--its a lost cause

Face it, these guys like MIC,QN5, and even Living Legends need to hang it up, its over. Its a done deal. There's noway they can win. The industry wont even give them a fair shake. I can see if they had a change, but they wont even get a chance to even impress. Chamillionare will make more than 100 underground rappers put together without even dropping an album. The media has a monopoly over the popboppers. With Fitty continueing to get movie roles, and all the mainstream beef they're up against some serious juggaknauts. The days of an underdog rap group like BoogieMonsters breaking thru is more distant in the past then this country's congressmen wearing powdered wigs (he he he powdered wigs). These MS rappers got it locked.

Chamillionaire is an underground rapper now though - making underground mixtapes and such. They need to learn from him.

It would be great if more people saw rap music as an artform they love, that could make them a decent living, or even just be something they do on the side of a career, rather than a get rich quick scheme. I think that's where a lot of underground rappers are right now, they might harbor some dreams of still hitting it big, but they can accept making enough to keep going, because they just want to make music.

That's a great state of affairs to me, since what I'm interested in is good music, that expresses a unique vision, and that's often side-tracked by these "get rich quick" visions.

Underground artist's make a good living. It's not always about going plat and being on MTV. You can live a good life staying true to yourself and your craft.

Good point. Hell, even mainstream artists are having trouble going platinum. The internet is partly responsible, but I think supersaturation and a lack of quality material is just as big a culprit as recording status...

I disagree with nearly everything you say, Trotter.

Qn5 is doing fine. Look how much fanbase CunninLynguists have gained in the last 3-4 years. They're on their hustle, providing a complete product for their fans. Obviously they understand they won't hit pop radio with that group name.

Basically, MIC needs to hit the road and put on some shows. They need to lobby for some investors to put up some dough to get out there. I know a couple of them dudes are college grads, so they must be able to figure out what's lacking. Seems like organization, from the outside looking in, but who knows?

What's up parker! Long time no see. (This is Al by the way.)

Some mainstream rappers aren't living the high life they want though. Their advances aren't as much (ex. Yung Joc), and they don't make that much of going gold or plat anyway. Isn't it true that most artists on major labels get about $.08 on the dollar per disk? If that's the case then that's not much depending on sales. So, they have to keep putting out hot garbage just to keep the money flowing.

The corporate entities of the entertainment industry are slowly dying off.

These are uncreative people who survive by parasitically taxing creativity. The artists are becoming evermore connected to their audience. Distribution is a moot point, and marketing is slowly becoming useless, too.

Look at the viral successes in the last couple years. We no longer have room for these gatekeepers to decide what is or is not viable entertainment.

Put your fists in the air. The revolution will not be televised.

Basically, MIC needs to hit the road and put on some shows. They need to lobby for some investors to put up some dough to get out there. I know a couple of them dudes are college grads, so they must be able to figure out what's lacking. Seems like organization, from the outside looking in, but who knows?[/quote]

Yeah, MIC do need to get their shit together. They have an excellent concept and some hang-time in te rapgame and they have a die-hard fanbase-even though small. I do know Rodan working on another degree--he's one smart muthafucka. But in the grand scheme of things they all are looked at as irrelevant. Back to MIC they do have some serious veteran's in the industry down. Their raster seems to be growing but no product.

"Look at the viral successes in the last couple years. We no longer have room for these gatekeepers to decide what is or is not viable entertainment."

Right. Artists are using their own medium to put out music. Internet is killing the industry right now. Perfect example of this would be Curren$y. Since Cash Money/Universal screwed him over and tried to make him do dumb ****, he decided to take matters in his own hands and release his album independently online through iTunes and his own website.