Rap Myths You Probably Believe (Thanks to the Media), Part 2

6) Underground=Unknown.

With all the complaining about Mainstream, Modern Rap, you always have those people who scream "UNDERGROUND IS BETTER!!!" You say would say to yourself or out loud "Dude, nobody cares about Underground Rap. Why should I listen to somebody that nobody knows or cares about?"

Of course, you would be wrong again. Check out this video of the song "Mastermind" by Deltron 3030. Or even the songs "Positive Contact" and Deltron 3030. How about "Accordion" by Madvillain, "Raid" by Madvillain, "Rhinestone Cowboy", and "All Caps". There's "Doomsday" by MF Doom, "Chief Rocka" by Lords of the Underground, "Put it On" and "Street Struck" by Big L, "Definition" and "Respiration" by Blackstar, and "Dance with the Devil" and "Point of no Return" by Immortal Technique.There's even songs such as Acid Raindrops by People Under the Stairs, and Coastin' by Zion I. And don't even get me started on Atmosphere, with songs such as Trying to Find a Balance, Guarantees, Freefallin', The Best Day, and She's Enough, among others.

Let's look at Little Brother. Most people (at least in America) don't know about them. But you know who does? Jay-Z, Drake, Lil' Wayne, and Kanye West.

You still think that nobody knows about the underground?


7) Rap is still pretty young.

How many times have you heard someone say "Rap is a young man's game."? I mean, with people like Kendrick Lamar in the spotlight, everyone that's popular must be young.

That's true. 20 years ago, that is.

Look at the birthdays of some of today's most popular rappers (at least for now) :

Young Jeezy (born October 12, 1977)

Rick Ross (born January 28, 1976)

2 Chainz (born September 12, 1977)

Nicky Minaj (born December 8, 1982)

Lil' Wayne (born December 27, 1982)

DJ Khaled (born November 26, 1975)

Wait, they're all over/at least 30. But Rap is supposed to "a young man's game," right? Wouldn't that make them "old"?

Pictured: who's dominating the Rap charts today.

If you notice any list of the greatest rap albums of all time, you will notice that:

a) most of the time, the rappers rose to stardom in the 80's/90's.

b) if not then, they came on the scene in the underground.

c) praise was regardless of sales thresholds.

d) some rose into stardom in the 21st century mainstream (ex: Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West)

e) and this one is important: most were between the ages of 18 and 25. 

Above: actual examples of "young man Rap".

Some people even consider Hip-Hop music as a genre "young". And it is. If you consider a person who is almost 40 "young". 

I don't know who says that and actually believes it, but they're wrong.

8) Rap nowadays is more popular than ever.



Hey, in spite of all of the myths, people are still flocking out to buy Rap albums. All of this has no impact on sales.

Well, not exactly.

You see, when you've staked your reputation on this, this, this and this, and end up with this, this, this, and this, you're bound to lose viewers. "But that's what's hot man. If you look at the charts, they're doing fine." You can believe that, but research doesn't back up your point. It's an illusion. "But it's the record labels who control everything." Yes, they do. But, they are really desperate and have proven to be full of crap. Even Hip-Hop publications have proven (see #5) to be shady (see #9). But in spite of this, the look as if they are doing fine, when the opposite is true. Think about this: why does someone who has taken an embarrassing fall get up and walk away as if nothing happened? To avoid the humiliation, that's why. They know that they're desperate and they got it wrong, so they play it off as if nothing happened.



What the mainstream Rap industry is full of nowadays.

Look, music executives. Stop fronting as if everything is all good when it isn't. Instead of constantly promoting garbage, why don't you actually promote something that is worth listening to? I bet it would help sales recover, a lot.

Oh well, some people have to learn the hard way. If there is anything that you can take from this, it is the lesson that things aren't always what they seem. Oh, and if it ain't broke, then don't fix it.

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