Rawkus Appreciation

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  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    Was it Vitamin that came up with that "Rawkus was more influential to hip hop than Bad Boy was" shit?

  • DocBeezyDocBeezy 1,918 Posts



    They never had the transdemographic appeal that you claim they did.


    What is interesting about this is the people who claim Rawkus had that appeal are ONLY white kids who enjoyed that shit while in college. Never a "thug" or anyone else. Backpackers are very self important and it is clear that you cannot debate with them intelligently.

    Lets face it. Around the same time Bad Boy was big, they are the ones that had the lasting influence in rap. Backpackers dont want to admit to that.

  • HAZHAZ 3,376 Posts


    Vitamin dude, you are a revisionist historian and someone who clearly knows nothing about hip-hop. As the new director of business affairs/A&R at Rawkus, I look forward to putting out as much music you will hate as possible.

    Stay clueless,
    Zvi


    If you really are who you claim to be, then you are a numskull. Even if you don't love Rawkus as much as I do, you don't know the first thing about your job. Here is an internet forum discussing the relaunch of Rawkus and the one guy arguing about how the label is classic is put on blast by the label's director of business and A & R. To call you a fool is an insult to foolishness.

    Nope, I'm a businessman and I think Rawkus is a great and viable brand name, that I plan on turning toward the future and using as a vehicle to put out good music. I said nothing negative about Rawkus, I said something negative about you. You know nothing about hip-hop and your perspective is so skewed as to be invalid.


    Let's recap. I'm on this board saying your label was culturally significant, put out classic material, influenced rap today and should not be dismissed as backpacker chic. You go out of your way to say I'm clueless, a "revisionist historian" etc... This is the equivalent of Hugh Heffner going to a porno convention and saying people who like his magazine are sick perverts. A smart businessman would either keep his opinions about his vocal fans to himself or use those unsolicited opinions to create buzz for the new label. At the very least, you might say, hey this guy may be nuts but he's probably gonna buy my product, so I shouldn't dis him in public. Instead you decided to mimic the overrated opinions of the self appointed hip hop elites. Anyway I can't help you and it's a shame because I love the old Rawkus and I want to see the new one succeed. Too bad they hired a child to run their business operation.

    I'm not mimicking anyone's opinion you troll and again I haven't said ONE bad word about Rawkus. HOWEVER, unlike you I'm a lifetime fan of hip-hop and I refuse to sit by and watch you insist that certain records are vastly, ABSURDLY, more important than they actually are, just because they meant alot in your tiny little college-rap world. My problem is not just with you, but with the whole phenomenon of "internuts", in which faceless know-nothings get all bold behind a computer keyboard and posit baseless theories about subjects that they know absolutely nothing about. Stick to your strengths: Jamiroquai appreciation and being an apologist for a horribly corrupt regime run by religious nuts and predatory capitalist swine.

    i don't know the whole history here, but it seems like vitamin isnt' making a case that different from everyone else, and he's getting picked on for some of his past opinions or sumpin' (whats this religious talk?). rawkus had an impact. that much is agreed upon. it seems like drama to attack this guy just cuz you disagree on the amount of that impact.
    allow me to add two things:
    1) there were a lot of folks - white, black, college-educated, street thugs, and all - who got hyped when they saw the poster for soundbombing ii posted all over your respective towns. the line-up was exciting to everyone at the time. beyond that one compilation, the label (re)introduced a bunch of artists who have no doubt become a solid chapter in hip hop history.
    2) even if rawkus did just have a lasting impact on white college kids, it seems like you're discounting THEIR impact on hip hop. like it or not, suburbanites make up a good portion of the population that listens to and buys hiphop. in other words, respect that scrawny, enfranchised, and, yes, knowledgeable population of hiphopheads.




    Rawkus's marketing genius was in fucking nailing a very narrow demographic: college age and younger (mostly) white kids who were uncomfortable with the shifts that were then occurring in rap music and who found the illusion of belonging to a movement particularly appealing. They never had the transdemographic appeal that you claim they did.

    I thought the above would have been more true of a label like Anticon than Rawkus. I thought that Rawkus had some big commercial hits. Ah, who knows.

    h

  • kennykenny 1,024 Posts
    some of my most loved Rawkus:

    -Kool G Rap "First Nigga"

    one of the hardest Primo beat!

    -Big L "Platinum Plus"

    -Blackstar "Respiration"

    the Pete Rock remix is just criminally slept-on.

    -Shabaam Sadeeq "Soundclash"
    -Mos Def "Universal Magnetic"
    -Sadat X, Sir Manelik "7XL"



  • mordecaimordecai 2,204 Posts
    I thought that Rawkus had some big commercial hits. Ah, who knows.
    Chart positions for Black Star's Album

    Billboard Music Charts (North America) - album
    1998 The Billboard 200 No. 53
    1998 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums No. 13

    Billboard (North America) - singles
    1998 Definition Hot Rap Singles No. 3
    1998 Definition Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks No. 31
    1998 Definition The Billboard Hot 100 No. 60
    1999 Respiration Hot Rap Singles No. 6
    1999 Respiration Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks No. 54

    http://www.free-definition.com/Rawkus-Records.html

  • mordecaimordecai 2,204 Posts
    But seriously, I own and like the first Mos Def 12" and the first Reflection Eternal 12"--I have both of those guys' albums, too, although it's been a long time since I've listened to either one. Used to have the Company Flow album and some of the 12"s.
    so does this mean you're not really feeling any of rawkus' releases any more?

  • magneticmagnetic 2,678 Posts


    They never had the transdemographic appeal that you claim they did.



    That may be true for the US but here in Jamaica,the singles "Simon Says" and "Ms Fat Booty" got a lot of "forwards" from various venues(dancehall sessions to dancehall concerts)that they were played at.I remember Bounty Killer brought Pharoahe Monch down to perform for his birthday bash which was a large outdoor pay session event,and the response was a lot of people cheering[/b] and some people looking on in awe[/b] over his stage presence.This is much different in contrast to what happened to BIGGIE[/b] when he performed at STING(Jamaica's largest outdoor concert)that's held here every "Boxing day".He was bottled [/b] off stage and he was in a wheelchair[/b] at the time,picture that DOGGIE!!. . and he's part Jamaican right? One would've thought his "thug lyrics" would go over well with the ghetto patrons[/b]

  • Young_PhonicsYoung_Phonics 8,039 Posts
    As a someone who's studying marketing -That whole Rawkus campaign was fucking genius (Zvi: Where you handling that), those dude did that shit right.

    They came in at the right time and knew how to hit the right places. It seemed like a whole new generation of kids where getting into hip-hop and they had that whole "down with the system" bullshit mentality so Rawkus came in and just ate those kids up. I knew maaaaaaaaaaaaad college kids who ARE still bumping "black on both sides" and believing in that shit (A lot of suburban college kids of ALL RACES).


    Overall Rawkus had some good stuff, but I think they'll be remembered for what they tried to do then what they actually ended up doing.

    Personal picks:

    Respiration
    A lot of the joints on the Black Star Album
    7XL
    Black Attack "Correct Technique"
    DJ Spinna "Rock"
    1-9-9-9
    Certain cuts from the hi-tek and talib joints


  • magneticmagnetic 2,678 Posts
    Here's some of my personal favs








    and the Reflection Eternal 12 inch "Fortified Live"

  • kennykenny 1,024 Posts






    DJ Spinna "Rock" thought that was on on Up Above? different version you got there?[/b]


  • magneticmagnetic 2,678 Posts

    They never had the transdemographic appeal that you claim they did.

    That may be true for the US but here in Jamaica,the singles "Simon Says" and "Ms Fat Booty" got a lot of "forwards" from various venues(dancehall sessions to dancehall concerts)that they were played at.I remember Bounty Killer brought Pharoahe Monch down to perform for his birthday bash which was a large outdoor pay session event,and the response was a lot of people cheering[/b] and some people looking on in awe[/b] over his stage presence.This is much different in contrast to what happened to BIGGIE[/b] when he performed at STING(Jamaica's largest outdoor concert)that's held here every "Boxing day".He was bottled [/b] off stage and he was in a wheelchair[/b] at the time,picture that DOGGIE!!. . and he's part Jamaican right? One would've thought his "thug lyrics" would go over well with the ghetto patrons[/b]

    I know Young Phonics didn't see what i wrote,so i highlighted the key parts. THEY BOTTLED BIGGIE(NOTORIOUS B.I.G.)DAWG!![/b]

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    But seriously, I own and like the first Mos Def 12" and the first Reflection Eternal 12"--I have both of those guys' albums, too, although it's been a long time since I've listened to either one. Used to have the Company Flow album and some of the 12"s.
    so does this mean you're not really feeling any of rawkus' releases any more?

    I don't dislike those records, but it's been a long time since I actually wanted to hear any of them.

    I listened to the Black Star album about a year ago at Ross's urging and remember thinking that about two thirds of it was pretty good and that the other third was seriously corny... which is about what I thought of it back when it was released.

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts

    They never had the transdemographic appeal that you claim they did.

    That may be true for the US but here in Jamaica,the singles "Simon Says" and "Ms Fat Booty" got a lot of "forwards" from various venues(dancehall sessions to dancehall concerts)that they were played at.I remember Bounty Killer brought Pharoahe Monch down to perform for his birthday bash which was a large outdoor pay session event,and the response was a lot of people cheering[/b] and some people looking on in awe[/b] over his stage presence.This is much different in contrast to what happened to BIGGIE[/b] when he performed at STING(Jamaica's largest outdoor concert)that's held here every "Boxing day".He was bottled [/b] off stage and he was in a wheelchair[/b] at the time,picture that DOGGIE!!. . and he's part Jamaican right? One would've thought his "thug lyrics" would go over well with the ghetto patrons[/b]

    This is certainly information worth having...

  • magneticmagnetic 2,678 Posts

    They never had the transdemographic appeal that you claim they did.

    That may be true for the US but here in Jamaica,the singles "Simon Says" and "Ms Fat Booty" got a lot of "forwards" from various venues(dancehall sessions to dancehall concerts)that they were played at.I remember Bounty Killer brought Pharoahe Monch down to perform for his birthday bash which was a large outdoor pay session event,and the response was a lot of people cheering[/b] and some people looking on in awe[/b] over his stage presence.This is much different in contrast to what happened to BIGGIE[/b] when he performed at STING(Jamaica's largest outdoor concert)that's held here every "Boxing day".He was bottled [/b] off stage and he was in a wheelchair[/b] at the time,picture that DOGGIE!!. . and he's part Jamaican right? One would've thought his "thug lyrics" would go over well with the ghetto patrons[/b]

    This is certainly information worth having...

    Thanks man, i was starting to think you were trying to purposely negate the info i was dropping.

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts

    They never had the transdemographic appeal that you claim they did.

    That may be true for the US but here in Jamaica,the singles "Simon Says" and "Ms Fat Booty" got a lot of "forwards" from various venues(dancehall sessions to dancehall concerts)that they were played at.I remember Bounty Killer brought Pharoahe Monch down to perform for his birthday bash which was a large outdoor pay session event,and the response was a lot of people cheering[/b] and some people looking on in awe[/b] over his stage presence.This is much different in contrast to what happened to BIGGIE[/b] when he performed at STING(Jamaica's largest outdoor concert)that's held here every "Boxing day".He was bottled [/b] off stage and he was in a wheelchair[/b] at the time,picture that DOGGIE!!. . and he's part Jamaican right? One would've thought his "thug lyrics" would go over well with the ghetto patrons[/b]

    This is certainly information worth having...

    Thanks man, i was starting to think you were trying to purposely negate the info i was dropping.

    Nope, not at all. And this doesn't really surprise me. "Simon Says" was by far the biggest hit Rawkus ever had--it was the only one of their records that I ever heard on commercial radio in my city (I assume some of the black star/mos def stuff made it onto the radio in NY), and I remember hearing a couple of different Jamaican artists deejay over the rhythm at the time.

  • VitaminVitamin 631 Posts


    I'm not mimicking anyone's opinion you troll and again I haven't said ONE bad word about Rawkus. HOWEVER, unlike you I'm a lifetime fan of hip-hop and I refuse to sit by and watch you insist that certain records are vastly, ABSURDLY, more important than they actually are, just because they meant alot in your tiny little college-rap world. My problem is not just with you, but with the whole phenomenon of "internuts", in which faceless know-nothings get all bold behind a computer keyboard and posit baseless theories about subjects that they know absolutely nothing about. Stick to your strengths: Jamiroquai appreciation and being an apologist for a horribly corrupt regime run by religious nuts and predatory capitalist swine.

    You are comedy. You think you know me, Zvi. I'm from Germantown. Where you from? You can swing on my "religious nuts." Oh, and one more thing. It's a poor choice of cliches to accuse me of apologizing for predatory capitalism. Aren't you about to become business director for a record label?

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts


    I'm not mimicking anyone's opinion you troll and again I haven't said ONE bad word about Rawkus. HOWEVER, unlike you I'm a lifetime fan of hip-hop and I refuse to sit by and watch you insist that certain records are vastly, ABSURDLY, more important than they actually are, just because they meant alot in your tiny little college-rap world. My problem is not just with you, but with the whole phenomenon of "internuts", in which faceless know-nothings get all bold behind a computer keyboard and posit baseless theories about subjects that they know absolutely nothing about. Stick to your strengths: Jamiroquai appreciation and being an apologist for a horribly corrupt regime run by religious nuts and predatory capitalist swine.

    You are comedy. You think you know me, Zvi. I'm from Germantown. Where you from? You can swing on my "religious nuts." Oh, and one more thing. It's a poor choice of cliches to accuse me of apologizing for predatory capitalism. Aren't you about to become business director for a record label?

    You can't stay away can you, Young Stephen?

  • noznoz 3,625 Posts
    (I assume some of the black star/mos def stuff made it onto the radio in NY)



    not commercial radio, if my recollection is correct.



    maybe mixshows and shit.

  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts


    I'm not mimicking anyone's opinion you troll and again I haven't said ONE bad word about Rawkus. HOWEVER, unlike you I'm a lifetime fan of hip-hop and I refuse to sit by and watch you insist that certain records are vastly, ABSURDLY, more important than they actually are, just because they meant alot in your tiny little college-rap world. My problem is not just with you, but with the whole phenomenon of "internuts", in which faceless know-nothings get all bold behind a computer keyboard and posit baseless theories about subjects that they know absolutely nothing about. Stick to your strengths: Jamiroquai appreciation and being an apologist for a horribly corrupt regime run by religious nuts and predatory capitalist swine.

    You are comedy. You think you know me, Zvi. I'm from Germantown. Where you from? You can swing on my "religious nuts." Oh, and one more thing. It's a poor choice of cliches to accuse me of apologizing for predatory capitalism. Aren't you about to become business director for a record label?

    You can't stay away can you, Young Stephen?

    D****l, I will be very mad if you choose to try and play peacemaker.

    This has the potential to be better than Archaic Vs. Vitamin...don't fuck it up

  • youngEINSTEINyoungEINSTEIN 2,443 Posts
    DOES ANYONE KNOW ANY A & R CONTACT PEOPLE AT RAWKUS? THANKS, stein. .

  • noznoz 3,625 Posts
    DOES ANYONE KNOW ANY A & R CONTACT PEOPLE AT RAWKUS?

    i wonder....

    As the new director of business affairs/A&R at Rawkus

    -Zvi

  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    Rawkus's marketing genius was in fucking nailing a very narrow demographic: college age and younger (mostly) white kids who were uncomfortable with the shifts that were then occurring in rap music and who found the illusion of belonging to a movement particularly appealing. They never had the transdemographic appeal that you claim they did.

    in terms of rawkus's importance, wouldn't this have happened even without rawkus?

    afaik, rawkus didn't invent the backpacker movement. they certainly made it easier and sped things up, but there were plenty of white college kids looking for rap they didn't have to feel bad about. the great illusion of underground rap is that it professed its ethical and artistic superiority to so-called commcercial rap, and thus was ripe for white college kids to grapple to. even w/o black star and company flow, blacklicious, j-live, dilated peoples, the arsonists and a whole slew of non-rawkus artists were there.

  • youngEINSTEINyoungEINSTEIN 2,443 Posts
    I NOT SURE IF HE'S LEGIT. MIGHT NOT BE BASHING IN PUBLIC FORUMS. stein. . .

  • VitaminVitamin 631 Posts


    The way you try to claim "that much is agreed upon" reminds me of Vitamin's use of "UNDISPUTED".

    And lol at your claim of "street thugs... who got hyped when they saw the poster for soundbombing ii posted all over their respective towns"

    Were you personally privy to any of these expressions of thuggish hypeness?

    "Son! It's gonna have the n***a El-P on it! R.A. The Rugged Man!"

    Rawkus's marketing genius was in fucking nailing a very narrow demographic: college age and younger (mostly) white kids who were uncomfortable with the shifts that were then occurring in rap music and who found the illusion of belonging to a movement particularly appealing. They never had the transdemographic appeal that you claim they did.

    Here is your argument: People who don't agree with me, don't know anything about hip hop. I'm fucking dazzled. There is no use countering someone who restates his own delusions of what was popular with whom as an objective measure of taste. It's like attacking someone for saying they like pancakes more than waffles. "No one in the hood likes pancakes, you don't know anything about food." Anyway that's the real comedy. Your ridiculous self opinion. Besides which, your implied equation of whackness and white college kids suggests you are letting the hegemon do your thinking for you. Do you only like music that was popular in poor neighborhoods?

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    (I assume some of the black star/mos def stuff made it onto the radio in NY)

    not commercial radio, if my recollection is correct.

    maybe mixshows and shit.

    Yeah, that's what I meant--night time mix shows on commercial radio.

    When I said the Pharoah Monche record made it onto commercial radio on ATL, I didn't mean that it got any further than the mix shows.

    I do remember hearing that Nate Dogg/Mos Def/Monche terd on Hot 97 the summer I moved up here, though.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    (I assume some of the black star/mos def stuff made it onto the radio in NY)

    not commercial radio, if my recollection is correct.

    maybe mixshows and shit.

    Yes, the big song was the Mos Def "reggae beat song" what ever it was called- got alot of shine.Regardless, Rawkus will not,will not contribute to the game again in the manner they did in the past.
    It reminds me of the Charlotte Hornets of the mid 90's.

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    Rawkus's marketing genius was in fucking nailing a very narrow demographic: college age and younger (mostly) white kids who were uncomfortable with the shifts that were then occurring in rap music and who found the illusion of belonging to a movement particularly appealing. They never had the transdemographic appeal that you claim they did.

    in terms of rawkus's importance, wouldn't this have happened even without rawkus?

    afaik, rawkus didn't invent the backpacker movement. they certainly made it easier and sped things up, but there were plenty of white college kids looking for rap they didn't have to feel bad about. the great illusion of underground rap is that it professed its ethical and artistic superiority to so-called commcercial rap, and thus was ripe for white college kids to grapple to. even w/o black star and company flow, blacklicious, j-live, dilated peoples, the arsonists and a whole slew of non-rawkus artists were there.

    Nobody's saying that they invented it, only that they capitalized on it more effectively than anybody else. And they did sort of give it a face by marketing themselves almost like a lifestyle.

  • noznoz 3,625 Posts
    yeah, that's what I meant--night time mix shows on commercial radio.

    yeah but i mean the underground mix shows. like when stretch & bob were on hot 97 show for like 10 minutes or like bahamadias show in philly. i don't think flex was ever dropping bombs to that shit.

    maybe it's the visuals or maybe i just watch more tv than i do listen to radio, but i think most of my memory of what was a hit is really skewed by what i was seeing on bet at the time more than the radio. not to lend creedence to vitamins (side note is vitamin the poor man's archaic- discuss) wack job argument but all rawkus shit got a ton of burn on rap city as soon as they started making videos (which was also about the time i started to stop caring) of course that was pre viacom and a lot more "independent" shit would turn up on the show, plus rupert and co could very well have been greasing palms over there. i'm not really sure what my point is. oh yeah vitamin, you might be interested to know that i found a video tape of the rap city SOUNDBOMBING 2 RELEASE PARTY ep the other day!

    dude all i can think of when i think of when i think of that album is the high and mighty dude going "JED-I MASTER / MACE WINDU / KEEP EMCEES HEADS WRAPPED LIKE ERYKAH BADU". one of the best lines in the history of hip hop? undisputedly so

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts


    The way you try to claim "that much is agreed upon" reminds me of Vitamin's use of "UNDISPUTED".

    And lol at your claim of "street thugs... who got hyped when they saw the poster for soundbombing ii posted all over their respective towns"

    Were you personally privy to any of these expressions of thuggish hypeness?

    "Son! It's gonna have the n***a El-P on it! R.A. The Rugged Man!"

    Rawkus's marketing genius was in fucking nailing a very narrow demographic: college age and younger (mostly) white kids who were uncomfortable with the shifts that were then occurring in rap music and who found the illusion of belonging to a movement particularly appealing. They never had the transdemographic appeal that you claim they did.

    Here is your argument: People who don't agree with me, don't know anything about hip hop. I'm fucking dazzled. There is no use countering someone who restates his own delusions of what was popular with whom as an objective measure of taste. It's like attacking someone for saying they like pancakes more than waffles. "No one in the hood likes pancakes, you don't know anything about food." Anyway that's the real comedy. Your ridiculous self opinion. Besides which, your implied equation of whackness and white college kids suggests you are letting the hegemon do your thinking for you. Do you only like music that was popular in poor neighborhoods?

    You know what, Young Stephen?

    This is not a revelation--everybody already knows how arrogant I am.

    Everybody already knows that I think people who disagree with me don't know anything about hip-hop.

    Come a little better.

    Also, you've got my "implied equation" wrong...

    It is not: appealing to white college kids = wackness

    It is: failing to appeal to anybody but white college kids = lack of significance within the continuum of hip-hop history


    I'm going to bed now

  • VitaminVitamin 631 Posts
    yeah, that's what I meant--night time mix shows on commercial radio.

    yeah but i mean the underground mix shows. like when stretch & bob were on hot 97 show for like 10 minutes or like bahamadias show in philly. i don't think flex was ever dropping bombs to that shit.

    maybe it's the visuals or maybe i just watch more tv than i do listen to radio, but i think most of my memory of what was a hit is really skewed by what i was seeing on bet at the time more than the radio. not to lend creedence to vitamins (side note is vitamin the poor man's archaic- discuss) wack job argument but all rawkus shit got a ton of burn on rap city as soon as they started making videos (which was also about the time i started to stop caring) of course that was pre viacom and a lot more "independent" shit would turn up on the show, plus rupert and co could very well have been greasing palms over there. i'm not really sure what my point is. oh yeah vitamin, you might be interested to know that i found a video tape of the rap city SOUNDBOMBING 2 RELEASE PARTY ep the other day!

    dude all i can think of when i think of when i think of that album is the high and mighty dude going "JED-I MASTER / MACE WINDU / KEEP EMCEES HEADS WRAPPED LIKE ERYKAH BADU". one of the best lines in the history of hip hop? undisputedly so


    Thinkin they Godzilla when they really Gadzookie. I'd love to see that video. And dude I'm nothing like Archaic, he was like some sort of Lyndon Larouche follower. I like Soundbombing II. Huge difference.
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