• Industrialize niggaz change soon as ya get in
  Throw em on a auction block, CEOs bidding
  Highest price paid, for them wack rhymes made
  It’s over rated, cut off, never reinstated. – GZA

• These days, these DJs get paid under the table Pay the most popular producer on the most popular label Pay for full page ads in the most popular magazine Now you got the most popular new artistGuaranteed – Ras Kass

Being aware that this topic is cliche, it still points out the fact that if you don’t make “Popular music” what are you worth to the music industry? That’s why a lot of underground artists are independent, for creative control. It’s true that some mainstream artists speak from the heart, but they’re still required to meet expectations for the record label.

Dutchmassive would be considered a Conscious Rapper. Conscious rappers are in the minority, especially back when this album came out. Most rappers that are seen in the mainstream aren’t conscious, or deal with issues that affect them or their community.

Battle raps are often written solely for the purpose of impressing people with technically inventive rapping. Seeing how much you can embarrass your opponent, nothing else.

The best example given about Heads get waxed would be the Tupac & Biggie beef. Both of which ended up dying from gun violence.

Skyzoo’s wordplay is using songs that DJ Premier has produced. He also produced this track. DJ Premier’s productions:

1. Friend or Foe is Jay-Z’s song from his album Reasonable Doubt

2. You Know My Steez is Gang Starr’s song off their album Moment Of Truth

3. So Ghetto is off Jay-z’s forth album Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter

4. Represent is Nas' song from his classic LP Illmatic

5. Mass Appeal is the classic song from Gang Starr’s Hard to Earn

6. Royalty is another song from Moment Of Truth

7. Just To Get A Rep is from Gang Starr’s second album Step In The Arena

In 1997, LL Cool J was making his new album Phenomenon. During this time, rapper Canibus was buzzing. With features such as:

• Lost Boys – Beasts From The East

• Common – Making A Name For Ourselves

• The Firm – Desparados

LL recruited Canibus to be on his new album to be featured on the song 4, 3, 2, 1. In the song, Canibus said

Method where the gods at? Redman, where the Squad at? LL, is that a mic on your arm? Let me borrow that.

LL took offense to this and confronted Canibus about it and told him to re-write his verse.

Vast Aire is responsible for instigating LL’s actions, instead of taking Canibus' verse as a compliment

At first, Jive looked like they were signing all “buzzing” white artists.

• Whitey Don was a white reggae artist from Canada. He was first signed to Steely & Clevie Records in 1994, but joined R.A.’s label a year later.

• Insane Clown Posse is a hip-hop duo that consists of, Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, both white rappers. ICP’s 3rd album Riddle Box was initially released by Jive Records, but they barely promoted it. This led to ICP negotiating with other labels and eventually Hollywood Records bought their contract from Jive.

After the white rapper/reggae signings, Jive started signing “buzzing” pop artists.

• Backstreet Boys self-titled debut was a huge hit and put them on the radar. This revived the boy band type groups. Others followed such as ‘N Sync.

• Britney Spears got signed to Jive in 1997. Her debut album …Baby One More Time was also a huge success.

At this point, Jive Records was becoming a very successful record label. R.A., technically an underground MC, was puzzled as to why he’s still a part of this record label.

Capital D could be considered a modern day renaissance man. He’s an MC, producer, author, and runs his own label based out in Chicago, All Natural, Inc.

He’s referencing the song, On The Air by The Nonce that was released in 1995.

This whole song is an extended metaphor for music. It’s not until the end of the song that it’s introduced.

This might seem cliche, as Common, Elzhi, and other artists have done this before. But, this was released in 1994, so it was an innovative concept in terms of hip-hop music.

Also – this particular verse was sampled on the song Romance 1200’s by New Moon in 1998 on the 12'‘ and 2002 on the CD.

#R15

Duo – Seattle, Washington, consisting of the legendary producer Vitamin D, (Source of Labor) and B-Self. They released jazzy, jazzy, quintessential jazz-hop music along with the other Tribal Music Inc. family throughout the 90s.

The duo did not release any albums, but they’ve been apart of many Seattle compilation mixes. Everything they have been apart of would be recommended, but, to keep it concise, if I had to make a top 3 of their songs, it would be:

• I’m an MC
• Elevation
• Hip-hop was?

I can’t recommend these guys enough, this is a group Macklemore, and even Nacho Picasso recognize as pioneers and legends in the Seattle scene.