$500 on a rap record: who’s buying?

13

  Comments


  • mylatencymylatency 10,475 Posts
    10 years

    I hear ya, dood. Great collectros are born every minute!

  • jamesjames chicago 1,863 Posts
    White label major label rap promos are the new funk 45s

    You really think so? I'd question whether or not funk 45s were as consciously collected and documented in their time--that is, the time roughly contemporaneous to their release--as major-label rap promos are in this blogged-the-fuck-up age.

    And I'm sure that rap shit will continue to balloon in value, but at the same time, I'm sure that a lot of other folks are sure of that, too, and it seems like the shit that always ends up fetching the really dumb money is the stuff that nobody was expecting. It seems like a pantload of folks--talkative folks, at that--are just waiting for the market on this major-(and minor-) label stuff to blow, so I can easily see it flaming out pretty quickly and hitting its saturation point much sooner than, for example, the funk 45 market, which I think benefits from having had many more years with a much higher percentage of people just not giving a shit.



  • I've never seen the record game played so badly




    Sup James!

  • mylatencymylatency 10,475 Posts


    I've never seen the record game played so badly




    really?

    Anyhow, to anybody who has read this whole thread, I salute you.


    No, no hip hop/rap raers.

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    White label major label rap promos are the new funk 45s

    You really think so? I'd question whether or not funk 45s were as consciously collected and documented in their time--that is, the time roughly contemporaneous to their release--as major-label rap promos are in this blogged-the-fuck-up age.

    And I'm sure that rap shit will continue to balloon in value, but at the same time, I'm sure that a lot of other folks are sure of that, too, and it seems like the shit that always ends up fetching the really dumb money is the stuff that nobody was expecting. It seems like a pantload of folks--talkative folks, at that--are just waiting for the market on this major-(and minor-) label stuff to blow, so I can easily see it flaming out pretty quickly and hitting its saturation point much sooner than, for example, the funk 45 market, which I think benefits from having had many more years with a much higher percentage of people just not giving a shit.

    Well, to the extent that we can draw any parallels between things issued thirty or more years ago and those that are coming out today in a market that is much more self aware than ever before and in which little dudes are whispering on the internet about what, excatly, "the funk 45s of the future" are going to be.

    I don't expect all of these white labels to really appreciate (one precondition is that somebody, somewhere, has got to think that they're good), but some of them definitely will... in particular those that were thrown out in support of an album that was never issued, an increasingly common phenomenon.


  • the stuff that nobody was expecting







    That title you stripped 500 copies of for the outer sleeves...

  • jamesjames chicago 1,863 Posts
    I've never seen the record game played so badly



    Dude, to peep record game, you only need go back to your roots like Lamont Dozier and make like them Bay 'strutters: For every one post that talks about the content, quality, or style of Bay-area rap, there are, like, ninety-nine posts that revolve around the impossibility of actually acquiring Bay-area rap. I'm not familiar with "The Elements" of Bay shit, but from what I've read here, I'm guessing that at least one of them is "Unattainability."



    I kid, I kid...





    ...mewstly.

  • I think there's a certain amount of tastemaking that will play into this.

    Look at today's dealers and DJs... when a Keb Darge or a Dmitri makes a record big, everyone follows. I think this will happen with hip-hop too...

  • I've never seen the record game played so badly

    Dude, to peep record game, you only need go back to your roots like Lamont Dozier and make like them Bay 'strutters: For every one post that talks about the content, quality, or style Bay-area rap, there are, like, ninety-nine posts that revolve around the impossibility of actually acquiring Bay-area rap. I'm not familiar with "The Elements" of Bay shit, but from what I've read here, I'm guessing that at least one of them is "Unattainability."

    I kid, I kid...


    ...mewstly.

    Well, that's all collecting right there... peep the CTI vs. unattainable spiritual electric jazz thing...

    But, as for Bay shit, something like "White T Shirt" is not only unattainable but also an essential classic for the fact that it is HOARD

  • this makes a lot of sense to me:

    I think the price spike of certain rap records can largely be atributed to the canonization or "blessing" of records that has happened through the publication of Freddy Fresh's book, Wax Poetics, Ego Trip, Spine Mag's former rarities section, etc. Records that were rarely seen/heard were suddenly deemed "rare/good" and were instantly sought-after "pieces."

    people generally need to be told what is good for them to desire it. Look back to a historical precedent: the "rare" wall at Times Square Records. To summarize, that was the genesis of all record collecting. The owner took the doowop 45s he had that were scarce and started charging more for them. And now you are down to like 10 to 15 big doowop collectors in the world. They are dying off, do we see a collapse of the price of a doowop 45? Probably, unless someone younger is really interested in a red Prisonaires 45 just because it was considered a $10,000 45. My only point is that prices and markets fluctuate. As we see more hip hoppers come to middle age, and better the white middle class of parallel age that seeming has driven the hip hip market, rap 12"s will continue to be increasingly valuable.


  • mylatencymylatency 10,475 Posts
    rap 12"s will continue to be increasingly valuable.






    My major problem with this is records themselves are being phased out by things like ipods and digital copies. Why would a raer record be worth more if nobody has the equipment or means to play it?



    I honestly think these pieces of plastic (actually vinyl is closer to latex) will be worthless with the oncoming apocalypse (peak oil, neocon death marches/camps, etc).





    Have a great life collecting rap and talking about it on Soulstrut!

  • rap 12"s will continue to be increasingly valuable.


    My major problem with this is records themselves are being phased out by things like ipods and digital copies. Why would a raer record be worth more if nobody has the equipment or means to play it?

    I honestly think these pieces of plastic (actually vinyl is closer to latex) will be worthless with the oncoming apocalypse (peak oil, neocon death marches/camps, etc).


    Have a great life collecting rap and talking about it on Soulstrut!

    So why are you becoming a dealer then?

    Honestly people who are buying records now listen to music on ipods and cds and stuff. They still collect, because it might as well be baseball cards. Many, many collectros I know just get the vinyl, rip it, and file it away...

    CDs will become obsolete. Vinyl will remain collectible. In my opinion, anyways. This collecting thing continues to grow despite record companies constantly undermining vinyl as a medium and despite technology continuing to replace itself with better, newer, faster, stronger media. At least, that's how it's trended for the past 10 years and I don't see it changing really. If MP3s didn't kill this what will?

  • jamesjames chicago 1,863 Posts
    I've never seen the record game played so badly

    Dude, to peep record game, you only need go back to your roots like Lamont Dozier and make like them Bay 'strutters: For every one post that talks about the content, quality, or style Bay-area rap, there are, like, ninety-nine posts that revolve around the impossibility of actually acquiring Bay-area rap. I'm not familiar with "The Elements" of Bay shit, but from what I've read here, I'm guessing that at least one of them is "Unattainability."

    I kid, I kid...


    ...mewstly.

    Well, that's all collecting right there... peep the CTI vs. unattainable spiritual electric jazz thing...

    Yeah, but CTI and Spurtchull are decades-old genres. To hear any current music discussed so frequently in terms so focused on acquisition is...displacing.

    And let me make it clear that I'm not picking on Bay shit: I've only heard a little, but what I have heard has a whole lot of character. I don't know why people don't talk more about said character.

  • I think there's a certain amount of tastemaking that will play into this.

    Look at today's dealers and DJs... when a Keb Darge or a Dmitri makes a record big, everyone follows. I think this will happen with hip-hop too...

    It's been happening.

    There are many dudes out there right now trying to hunt down every single record in the Ego Trip "rap favorites by year" lists. UK folks are clamouring for the latest DJ Ivory or Edan mix to tell them what's what. I am definitely not hatting, I think it's only natural. For every dude out in the field listening to early 90s "Jus Gangsta" texas rap 12"s to see if they're any good, there are scores of collectors who are willing to pay $$$ for something mutually fetishized by their hero.





    DJ IVORY EDAN FASTRAP SHADOW DIMINISHING MIX

  • jamesjames chicago 1,863 Posts
    I think there's a certain amount of tastemaking that will play into this.

    Look at today's dealers and DJs... when a Keb Darge or a Dmitri makes a record big, everyone follows. I think this will happen with hip-hop too...

    Too true. The increasingly widespread monomaniacal pursuit of records that are unknown but not too[/b] unknown--lest their cachet not be recognized--depresses the fuck out of me. Many such afflicted walk among us.

  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts
    This phenomenon is not exclusive to hip-hop. The same thing is going on with indie-rock records. Pavement & Beck lps that you could buy boxes of cut-outs of in 1998 are selling for over 50 bucks on eBay now. These are records you could not give away in the mid-late 90's. The price of any decent music pressed on vinyl is rising, it would seem.

  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,902 Posts
    CDs will become obsolete. Vinyl will remain collectible. In my opinion, anyways. This collecting thing continues to grow despite record companies constantly undermining vinyl as a medium and despite technology continuing to replace itself with better, newer, faster, stronger media. At least, that's how it's trended for the past 10 years and I don't see it changing really. If MP3s didn't kill this what will?


    All good points.

    Side thought: I'm surprised that record companies don't move to a vinyl only test press/promo attitude.

    Sure you can still rip vinyl and trade your mp3's, but you don't give people a 99.9% exact digital copy of your newest rls before you drop it to the consumer. Radio stations should be made to play vinyl. Giving an advance on CD is just begging IMO to have that ripped and shared/bootlegged

  • mylatencymylatency 10,475 Posts

    All good points.

    Side thought: I'm surprised that record companies don't move to a vinyl only test press/promo attitude.

    Sure you can still rip vinyl and trade your mp3's, but you don't give people a 99.9% exact digital copy of your newest rls before you drop it to the consumer. Radio stations should be made to play vinyl. Giving an advance on CD is just begging IMO to have that ripped and shared/bootlegged


    I think they did this with the White Stripes album before the one that just came out. I think it was recorded from the record onto a computer in a matter of days, hah.

    Some companies are resorting to playing the CD for people in person and leaving with the CD and player. It's getting a bit extreme.

  • mylatencymylatency 10,475 Posts
    This phenomenon is not exclusive to hip-hop. The same thing is going on with indie-rock records. Pavement & Beck lps that you could buy boxes of cut-outs of in 1998 are selling for over 50 bucks on eBay now. These are records you could not give away in the mid-late 90's. The price of any decent music pressed on vinyl is rising, it would seem.



    This is interesting to me, but I think this is another "bubble" example. After these 90's artists are no longer deemed hott by the hipsters, this trend will also diminish. I think less and less rock vinyl is being pressed today, anyways.



    I do kick myself hard for not buying multiple copies of Wilco's Summerteeth when it was like $8 a piece, hah. Sadd.

  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,902 Posts

    I think they did this with the White Stripes album before the one that just came out. I think it was recorded from the record onto a computer in a matter of days, hah.

    I'm not implying that it will stop it mind you. Just not give an exact copy when you rip it.

    I know you can get a pretty clean rip when going from vinyl. But it's never going to be close to a CD rip.

  • I think there's a certain amount of tastemaking that will play into this.

    Look at today's dealers and DJs... when a Keb Darge or a Dmitri makes a record big, everyone follows. I think this will happen with hip-hop too...

    Too true. The increasingly widespread monomaniacal pursuit of records that are unknown but not too[/b] unknown--lest their cachet not be recognized--depresses the fuck out of me. Many such afflicted walk among us.

    Yup - people want something obscure, but also with a name-brand stamp of approval. It's some depressing shit. It may be obscure, private press and good, but unless it's lighting ebay on fire, they're not interested. It's creepy.

  • I think labels will continue to press vinyl on hip-hop, but in increasingly small quantity. It's nuts, big dude DJs out here get serviced with memory sticks now - my dude walks into the club, plugs the stick into the DJ's laptop, DJ throws it on Serato, my dude leaves with the stick and heads to the next spot. Crazy.

  • I think labels will continue to press vinyl on hip-hop, but in increasingly small quantity. It's nuts, big dude DJs out here get serviced with memory sticks now - my dude walks into the club, plugs the stick into the DJ's laptop, DJ throws it on Serato, my dude leaves with the stick and heads to the next spot. Crazy.


    see, theres no fun in that though. Saves record labels alot of $$ though!

  • drewnicedrewnice 5,465 Posts
    my dude walks into the club, plugs the stick into the DJ's laptop


  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    my dude walks into the club, plugs the his stick into the DJ's laptop


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    [VRS2:]
    I wanted to link up with you, baby at first sight
    With you I get to use my f keys
    I can???t wait to give you mega bytes
    I got all the memory you???ll need
    Let my fingers do the talking

    [VAMP:]
    Please, baby I got to see you
    And I really wanna please you
    So get on my laptop so I can download

    [HOOK:]
    Online, I love the way you log on
    We can do it all night
    I???ll make you dot com

    Baby, if you sign on
    I???ma make you lights off
    Ooh, Baby, if you log on
    I???ll make you dot com

    [BRIDGE:]
    Ooh, baby you want this I know
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    You got to say yes,
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    [VAMP:]
    Please, baby I got to see you
    And I really wanna please you
    So get on me baby, get up on me, oh

    [HOOK:]
    Online, I love the way you log on
    We can do it all night
    I???ll make you dot com

    Baby, if you sign on
    I???ma make you lights off
    Ooh, Baby, if you log on
    I???ll make you dot com

  • intimate club

    USHER LYRICS

    "Dot Com"

    [VRS1:]
    Ooh, I love the way you dirty type
    I can take you home on escape
    Ooh, I need your backspace in my life
    Thank God you don???t have a flat screen

    [VAMP:]
    Please, baby I got to see you
    And I really wanna please you
    So get on my laptop so I can download

    [HOOK:]
    Online, I love the way you log on
    We can do it all night
    I???ll make you dot com

    Baby, if you sign on
    I???ma make you lights off
    Ooh, Baby, if you log on
    I???ll make you dot com

    [VRS2:]
    I wanted to link up with you, baby at first sight
    With you I get to use my f keys
    I can???t wait to give you mega bytes
    I got all the memory you???ll need
    Let my fingers do the talking

    [VAMP:]
    Please, baby I got to see you
    And I really wanna please you
    So get on my laptop so I can download

    [HOOK:]
    Online, I love the way you log on
    We can do it all night
    I???ll make you dot com

    Baby, if you sign on
    I???ma make you lights off
    Ooh, Baby, if you log on
    I???ll make you dot com

    [BRIDGE:]
    Ooh, baby you want this I know
    I can???t wait to give you my hard drive
    My moonlight
    If It???s alright, baby

    I???m always at your window
    Ready to shift and control you
    If you want me to
    Say yes, baby
    Say yes, baby
    Say yes, baby
    Say yes, baby
    Got to say, ooh

    Say yes, baby
    Say yes, baby
    You got to say yes,
    Yes

    [VAMP:]
    Please, baby I got to see you
    And I really wanna please you
    So get on me baby, get up on me, oh

    [HOOK:]
    Online, I love the way you log on
    We can do it all night
    I???ll make you dot com

    Baby, if you sign on
    I???ma make you lights off
    Ooh, Baby, if you log on
    I???ll make you dot com



  • jamesjames chicago 1,863 Posts
    I have never seen the entendre game played so badly.

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