I still think Blowed has done just as much to sabotage their own careers as all the forces against them (biters, the industry, white rappers[/b], etc).
Damn, that's an interesting idea... is the thesis that (mostly white) listeners that are looking for an ultra-abstract fix and who previously might have turned their ears to the Blowed are more inclined to go with rappers that resemble themselves now that there are a bunch of white dudes doing that type of thing?
I can buy that--I think the Blowed guys were peculiarly positioned to be hurt by the presence of white rappers in the marketplace.
It has been my basic thesis (and I think it was even discussed briefly during my first spat with Archaic on this board) that, for better or for worse, folks like Anticon and the Living Legends and other white abstract rappers helped facilitate "the death of the Blowed" for precisely those reasons. Not to mention the white abstract rappers were infinitely more productive than the Blowed heads (at least as far as making ACTUAL PRODUCTS) and had both the foresight and means (i.e. financial, computer literacy, etc) to put the products in a place where their mostly white, middle-class fan base would have access to them (i.e. the internet). To a degree, I don't think the actual quality of the music had much to do with it, but I do find some of it to be particularly interesting and creative stuff, especially given the climate of the time.
So, to some degree, I can understand why Blowed dudes hate Anticon and white abstract rappers like them... but I also tend to hold the Blowed dudes responsible for their own fate. Back before Anticon really saturated the market, there was a huge buzz for Blowed shit online and none of those dudes could really capitalize on that shit before it peetered out and ended up in resentment and scape-goating.
It is sort've depressing though that some white boys who had more money and computer literacy were able to come along and take control of a market that was just waiting to be exploited.
So it goes.
-e
This is that dumb shit that screams how disassociated you are with anything even closely resembling Project Blowed.
First off, the death of Project Blowed??? Aside from overdramatic, that's an absolutely false statement. Thursday nights continue to pop off. Tours continue to happen. Albums continue to be released.
I don't think the goal of Project Blowed has ever been to ascend to the throne of mainstream rap respectibility nor to the dunce chair of internet nerd rap.
I will never get how anyone could ever think that someone is listening to Sole instead of the Badstads. Maybe they're listening to C-Bo or Z-Ro or Freeway instead. But Anticon?
Point being, the Blowed already has a gang of white fans. That's why their tours in Canada, Germany, and Australia are often more successful than their tours stateside...although I know that here in Austin there seems to be at least one Blowed show in town every week, be it Jurassic 5 at Stubb's, CVE at Emo's, 2Mex and Busdriver at Flamingo Cantina, Shapeshifters at Red Eye Fly, etc.
I think the big problem is how the reality of the Blowed being a community-based, almost-entirely black, adamently gangsta cultural outlet has morphed into most thinking of it instead as a frat house of abstract space nerd rappers.
Some of that has to do with the Anticons who have run with Blowed ideas and twisted them into some truly dumb shit that they even have the nerve to advertise as superior to other forms of obviously less-contrived rap.
And lets not let Lyricist Lounge and those Rawkus folks off the hook either. They were so quick to sell their bitten concept that it played the whole concept out for everyone way too quick.
Anyway it's my belief that thanks to the efforts of biters, which compounded the problem of so many Blowedians going in and out of jail/not really going after corporate routes to success, that it has turned much of the Blowed actual target audience - black people - away from their stuff.
But much of that is just perception stuff rather than faulty art. You play the right Blowed tracks in the hood and the response is there. You go to a Blowed concert and you will see showmanship. You listen to a Blowed release and you will hear pure originality/aptitude. You put Blowed MC's in a battle and they are unbeatable.
But there's always some other thing that Blowed critics require. I just don't get it.
Great thread...I don't know why, but every time Archaic really gets going, I read the words and imagine a guy in a second-hand Ronald McDonald costume, yelling at traffic, nowhere near a McDonalds.
I really don't think we need to rehash...but sweeping, false, negative generalizations are hardly the territory of critical thinkers.
For real, I dare any little dude on here to go tell any gangsta rap-oriented producer of nearly 20 years to their face that they need to go read "Home Recording for Dummies" and then we'll see what happens.
Dude, but the point is, just because some guy will beat you up for saying it doesn't mean it is or isn't a legitimate criticism. I haven't heard the pieces in question so I can't say shit about whether or not I think the shit sounds good, but if Noz thinks it sounds like shit I don't think the fact that Riddlore will beat him up for saying that either legitimizes or doesn't legitimize how good the recording sounds.
And I know you know something obvious like that.
-e
OK, we do need to rehash.
"Tracks a, b,c, and d on this album could have used some further mastering." - That sir, is criticism.
"Every song that this group has ever recorded has the vocals going into the red" - That sir, is an irresponsible, false, hateful statement.
And fuck the day that beatdowns aren't hanging over people's heads when they are considering the critical words they are about to utter.
Point being, the Blowed already has a gang of white fans.
That last tour itinerary looked like they just cut & pasted a JAM BAND tour itinerary from 1996...we are now rocking with the best, in fucking Montana,baby.
Merle Haggard sings: "turn me loose, set me free, somewhere in ... the middle of Montana... give me all I've got coming to me... keep your retirement...and your...so called SOCIAL SECURITY.
BIG CITY! turn me loose, and set me free."
Blowed so damn ganksta right now in Missoula & Billings.
Everybody having a gun out there but do CVE can ride a horse?
almost-entirely black, adamently gangsta cultural outlet
And lets not let Lyricist Lounge and those Rawkus folks off the hook either. They were so quick to sell their bitten concept that it played the whole concept out for everyone way too quick.
Never in my ife will I defend Rawkus, but please, delusional dude, leave Lyricist Lounge out of your mouth. They in no way, shape, or form, bit the Good Life. Why is it so inconceivable to you that more than one group of people might come up with the not-exactly-revelatory concept of creating a space for up-and-coming musicians to perform? Shouldn't you be applauding folks with similar intent? Does Project Blowed pay your rent? Do they rock your ass to sleep every night? Because if they're not giving you some serious love or money you have no excuse to act all venomous toward anyone that doesn't share your bordering-on-psychotic mania for these folls. But that's your problem. However, as far as folks like Lyricist Lounge who I came up with and who did a GANG more for struggling artists than you do by sucking them off in a free newspaper or whatever, be my guest and shut the fuck up.
This is that dumb shit that screams how disassociated you are with anything even closely resembling Project Blowed. First off, the death of Project Blowed??? Aside from overdramatic, that's an absolutely false statement. Thursday nights continue to pop off. Tours continue to happen. Albums continue to be released.
...And this to me shows how disassociated you are with the reality of Project Blowed fandom. Every single person I've encountered that will ride or die for Project Blowed in the same manner that you will (and believe me, there's a lot of 'em... or at least WAS a lot of 'em) is a nerdy white boy. And, as far as I'm concerned, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that... but I think it speaks to the type of audience that these fools were cultivating at the time. To be sure, not everyone that listened to Blowed shit was a nerdy white boy. All I'm saying is that I think a part of the reason Blowed wasn't as succesful in the underground hip-hop market (of which the consumer is mostly white), is because folks like Anticon came along and saturated the market. I'm not saying Blowed was marketing itself towards white folk or that they made abstract emo white boy rap or anything. Their music is obviously stylistically a great deal different than Anticon folks (except for people like Bus Driver and xinxo, etc). All I'm saying is that there was a significant white boy underground buzz surrounding the Blowed at the time, but when groups like Anticon came along, a lot of the folks that would've been buying Blowed albums in mass quantities wound up buying other shit. Again, this has nothing to do with the type and/or style of music Blowed intended to make or the type of audience/community they intended to cultivate or were cultivating in LA. I'm just talking about where I think these motherfuckers dropped the ball as far as having an oppurtunity to actually sell some motherfucking records.
Obviously, my "Anticon stole the Blowed market" isn't based on any empirical evidence, but more just anecdotally being a part of the underground community at the time. But, let's be honest, all we have our own theories and our own little anecdotal histories. I'm assuming there's a bit of truth to both of our versions of the history, and I trust your history is on-point since I know how into this shit you are, but I really think you're underestimating the white boy factor here.
Anyway it's my belief that thanks to the efforts of biters, which compounded the problem of so many Blowedians going in and out of jail/not really going after corporate routes to success, that it has turned much of the Blowed actual target audience - black people - away from their stuff.
I'm not understanding this. How did these "biters" drive away black people?
You play the right Blowed tracks in the hood and the response is there. You go to a Blowed concert and you will see showmanship. You listen to a Blowed release and you will hear pure originality/aptitude. You put Blowed MC's in a battle and they are unbeatable.
That's all well and good but has very little to do with what I was addressing. I was more or less talking about the demise in their popularity which, as far as I'm concerned, is undeniable.
And lets not let Lyricist Lounge and those Rawkus folks off the hook either. They were so quick to sell their bitten concept that it played the whole concept out for everyone way too quick.
Never in my ife will I defend Rawkus, but please, delusional dude, leave Lyricist Lounge out of your mouth. They in no way, shape, or form, bit the Good Life. Why is it so inconceivable to you that more than one group of people might come up with the not-exactly-revelatory concept of creating a space for up-and-coming musicians to perform? Shouldn't you be applauding folks with similar intent? Does Project Blowed pay your rent? Do they rock your ass to sleep every night? Because if they're not giving you some serious love or money you have no excuse to act all venomous toward anyone that doesn't share your bordering-on-psychotic mania for these folls. But that's your problem. However, as far as folks like Lyricist Lounge who I came up with and who did a GANG more for struggling artists than you do by sucking them off in a free newspaper or whatever, be my guest and shut the fuck up.
Kudos to Lyricist Lounge for attempting to build a community ala the Goodife/Project Blowed around an open mic night. But again, fuck them for commercializing that shit as fast as they possibly could. That all-freestyle sketch show on MTV was nothing short of an abomination.
This is that dumb shit that screams how disassociated you are with anything even closely resembling Project Blowed. First off, the death of Project Blowed??? Aside from overdramatic, that's an absolutely false statement. Thursday nights continue to pop off. Tours continue to happen. Albums continue to be released.
...And this to me shows how disassociated you are with the reality of Project Blowed fandom. Every single person I've encountered that will ride or die for Project Blowed in the same manner that you will (and believe me, there's a lot of 'em... or at least WAS a lot of 'em) is a nerdy white boy. And, as far as I'm concerned, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that... but I think it speaks to the type of audience that these fools were cultivating at the time. To be sure, not everyone that listened to Blowed shit was a nerdy white boy. All I'm saying is that I think a part of the reason Blowed wasn't as succesful in the underground hip-hop market (of which the consumer is mostly white), is because folks like Anticon came along and saturated the market. I'm not saying Blowed was marketing itself towards white folk or that they made abstract emo white boy rap or anything. Their music is obviously stylistically a great deal different than Anticon folks (except for people like Bus Driver and xinxo, etc). All I'm saying is that there was a significant white boy underground buzz surrounding the Blowed at the time, but when groups like Anticon came along, a lot of the folks that would've been buying Blowed albums in mass quantities wound up buying other shit. Again, this has nothing to do with the type and/or style of music Blowed intended to make or the type of audience/community they intended to cultivate or were cultivating in LA. I'm just talking about where I think these motherfuckers dropped the ball as far as having an oppurtunity to actually sell some motherfucking records.
Obviously, my "Anticon stole the Blowed market" isn't based on any empirical evidence, but more just anecdotally being a part of the underground community at the time. But, let's be honest, all we have our own theories and our own little anecdotal histories. I'm assuming there's a bit of truth to both of our versions of the history, and I trust your history is on-point since I know how into this shit you are, but I really think you're underestimating the white boy factor here.
Anyway it's my belief that thanks to the efforts of biters, which compounded the problem of so many Blowedians going in and out of jail/not really going after corporate routes to success, that it has turned much of the Blowed actual target audience - black people - away from their stuff.
I'm not understanding this. How did these "biters" drive away black people?
You play the right Blowed tracks in the hood and the response is there. You go to a Blowed concert and you will see showmanship. You listen to a Blowed release and you will hear pure originality/aptitude. You put Blowed MC's in a battle and they are unbeatable.
That's all well and good but has very little to do with what I was addressing. I was more or less talking about the demise in their popularity which, as far as I'm concerned, is undeniable.
-e
You can't even begin to address Project Blowed fandom until you spend enough time in LA to see the community that supports it. Any fan beyond that inner circle is incidental. The point being Blowed caters to the Blowed first and foremost and then makes due with whatever else attention falls its way. And that's the beauty of the scene that loses itself on a lot of folks...that here is hip hop in its own little sub-culture answering to noone but itself. Yet instead of keying in on that, so many outsiders would rather pigeonhole Project Blowed as inadequately commercial, inept in the studio, victims of white rap, etc. when it's obviously so much more than all of those things.
Record sales aren't everything, and as long as you attempt to judge Project Blowed based on a standard that frankly doesn't apply to them, the more you will be off-base in your conclusions. Again, PB has all the white fans it needs. The Anticon's didn't steal shit except their concept.
Seriously, celebrate the longevity of Project Blowed rather than speculating on why they haven't become the next Wu Tang Clan. Be happy about all of the things that Ben Caldwell and Kaos Network have been able to do educating kids in the arts. Bump the plentitude of Blowed songs that are hype rather than wallowing in their occassional misstep. There's just too many positives there for everytime the Blowed comes up to have some so-called fan jump up and give a dissertation on why they're now wack/dead/losers.
You can't even begin to address Project Blowed fandom until you spend enough time in LA to see the community that supports it. Any fan beyond that inner circle is incidental. The point being Blowed caters to the Blowed first and foremost and then makes due with whatever else attention falls its way. And that's the beauty of the scene that loses itself on a lot of folks...that here is hip hop in its own little sub-culture answering to noone but itself. Yet instead of keying in on that, so many outsiders would rather pigeonhole Project Blowed as inadequately commercial, inept in the studio, victims of white rap, etc. when it's obviously so much more than all of those things.
Record sales aren't everything, and as long as you attempt to judge Project Blowed based on a standard that frankly doesn't apply to them, the more you will be off-base in your conclusions. Again, PB has all the white fans it needs. The Anticon's didn't steal shit except their concept.
Seriously, celebrate the longevity of Project Blowed rather than speculating on why they haven't become the next Wu Tang Clan. Be happy about all of the things that Ben Caldwell and Kaos Network have been able to do educating kids in the arts. Bump the plentitude of Blowed songs that are hype rather than wallowing in their occassional misstep. There's just too many positives there for everytime the Blowed comes up to have some so-called fan jump up and give a dissertation on why they're now wack/dead/losers.
Frankly, I don't disagree with most of this. The whole "white boy" spiel I articulated was in response to faux's "this is interesting" note (which, admittedly, might've been sarcastic).
But none of this changes the fact that I don't feel a lot of the music they do these days and I am very easily put off by their fanatical fans who think that everyone is biting them and conspiring against them. Frankly, I think you need to heed a bit of your own advice and just "celebrate their longevity" before you get into a huge argument about how everyone bit them and how they're not getting their due and blahzay blah. After all, if "any fan beyond the inner circle is incidental" what are you doing on the internet arguing on their behalf?
You can't even begin to address Project Blowed fandom until you spend enough time in LA to see the community that supports it. Any fan beyond that inner circle is incidental. The point being Blowed caters to the Blowed first and foremost and then makes due with whatever else attention falls its way. And that's the beauty of the scene that loses itself on a lot of folks...that here is hip hop in its own little sub-culture answering to noone but itself. Yet instead of keying in on that, so many outsiders would rather pigeonhole Project Blowed as inadequately commercial, inept in the studio, victims of white rap, etc. when it's obviously so much more than all of those things.
Record sales aren't everything, and as long as you attempt to judge Project Blowed based on a standard that frankly doesn't apply to them, the more you will be off-base in your conclusions. Again, PB has all the white fans it needs. The Anticon's didn't steal shit except their concept.
Seriously, celebrate the longevity of Project Blowed rather than speculating on why they haven't become the next Wu Tang Clan. Be happy about all of the things that Ben Caldwell and Kaos Network have been able to do educating kids in the arts. Bump the plentitude of Blowed songs that are hype rather than wallowing in their occassional misstep. There's just too many positives there for everytime the Blowed comes up to have some so-called fan jump up and give a dissertation on why they're now wack/dead/losers.
Frankly, I don't disagree with most of this. The whole "white boy" spiel I articulated was in response to faux's "this is interesting" note (which, admittedly, might've been sarcastic).
No, it was definitely a sincere expression of interest.
Frankly, I think you need to heed a bit of your own advice and just "celebrate their longevity" before you get into a huge argument about how everyone bit them and how they're not getting their due and blahzay blah. After all, if "any fan beyond the inner circle is incidental" what are you doing on the internet arguing on their behalf?
Real spit. Honestly, Archaic how much of this is about your ego vs. how much you care about the Blowed? It's pretty fuckin' obvious that your rants have turned more people off to the Blowed than on to them.
You should see this, but it seems like your motivated to argue obsessively rather than preserve the Blowed's reputation. If you really cared about them, you'd veil your fanatacism for them a bit more. At least try to come off as reasonable whenever someone has some Blowed criticism. Until then, everybody on the net (not just this board) will associate the Blowed with your incessant idolism. But I guess you'd want that, right?
Frankly, I think you need to heed a bit of your own advice and just "celebrate their longevity" before you get into a huge argument about how everyone bit them and how they're not getting their due and blahzay blah. After all, if "any fan beyond the inner circle is incidental" what are you doing on the internet arguing on their behalf?
Real spit. Honestly, Archaic how much of this is about your ego vs. how much you care about the Blowed? It's pretty fuckin' obvious that your rants have turned more people off to the Blowed than on to them.
You should see this, but it seems like your motivated to argue obsessively rather than preserve the Blowed's reputation. If you really cared about them, you'd veil your fanatacism for them a bit more. At least try to come off as reasonable whenever someone has some Blowed criticism. Until then, everybody on the net (not just this board) will associate the Blowed with your incessant idolism. But I guess you'd want that, right?
I've been affiliated with Project Blowed since 95 when I was named Southwest rep of B-Boy Kingdom. Afterlife is my crew, that's all there is to understand about that.
This thread didn't start out as a rant, but please do tell exactly what issue I should be backing down from here?
By my count I'd have to turn off at least a few more thousand folks before reaching the number of people I have helped attract to the Blowed. Seriously Austin is the Blowed's #1 market outside of LA and while the artists deserve all of the credit for that, I certainly had a hand in making that happen.
Admittedly I am an egotistical Leo, but even I doubt that I have any sort of power as this:
Until then, everybody on the net (not just this board) will associate the Blowed with your incessant idolism.
That's the most ridiculous statement in this whole thread.
I've been affiliated with Project Blowed since 95 when I was named Southwest rep of B-Boy Kingdom. Afterlife is my crew, that's all there is to understand about that.
waving around some project blowed badge of honor to legitimize your constant outbursts only solidfies your groupie status
Blowed caters to the Blowed first and foremost and then makes due with whatever else attention falls its way
waving around some project blowed badge of honor to legitimize your constant outbursts only solidfies your groupie status
We, bomb BLOWED first when we ride Please, reconsider 'fo you die We ain't even come to hurt nobody tonight But it's my life or yo' life, and I'ma bomb BLOWED first We, bomb BLOWED first when we ride Please, reconsider 'fo you die We ain't even come to fight tonight But it's my life or yo' life, and I'ma bomb BLOWED first
I've been affiliated with Project Blowed since 95 when I was named Southwest rep of B-Boy Kingdom. Afterlife is my crew, that's all there is to understand about that.
waving around some project blowed badge of honor to legitimize your constant outbursts only solidfies your groupie status
Am I supposed to be insulted by this? I'm down for my crew. That used to be a good thing. Nowadays everyone is too hipster-doofus to ever actually stand for something and stick with it. As far as they've ever told me, my Blowed folks actually enjoy these "outbursts" of mine. In fact they used to pay me to make such proclamations (by way of curbserver.com).
You should now go to the Public Enemy site and call Harry Allen a groupie.
Blowed caters to the Blowed first and foremost and then makes due with whatever else attention falls its way
waving around some project blowed badge of honor to legitimize your constant outbursts only solidfies your groupie status
We, bomb BLOWED first when we ride Please, reconsider 'fo you die We ain't even come to hurt nobody tonight But it's my life or yo' life, and I'ma bomb BLOWED first We, bomb BLOWED first when we ride Please, reconsider 'fo you die We ain't even come to fight tonight But it's my life or yo' life, and I'ma bomb BLOWED first
Admittedly I am an egotistical Leo, but even I doubt that I have any sort of power as this:
Until then, everybody on the net (not just this board) will associate the Blowed with your incessant idolism.
That's the most ridiculous statement in this whole thread.
It isn't a compliment. Be real. This online underground hip-hop shit is small and every worm reads and posts on the same boards. People know they can count on you to pop up if anything Blowed related is being discussed.
It's Pavlovian even. I wouldn't equate that with any kind of power on your end.
I've been affiliated with Project Blowed since 95 when I was named Southwest rep of B-Boy Kingdom. Afterlife is my crew, that's all there is to understand about that.
waving around some project blowed badge of honor to legitimize your constant outbursts only solidfies your groupie status
Am I supposed to be insulted by this?
i don't know, apparantly you're the type of dude that takes "groupie" as a complement?
Nowadays everyone is too hipster-doofus to ever actually stand for something and stick with it.
i stand for liking good music and not liking bad music. it's nuthugging yes men like you that keep talented artists like these complacent. consequently they spend what could've been a fruitful career languishing in obscurity because they're too proud to take constructive criticism.
You should now go to the Public Enemy site and call Harry Allen a groupie.
right and i'm sure harry allen is gonna jump out of the bushes and call me a knownot outsider if i say i wasn't feeling "he got game".
and as for the issue that music critics should live in constant fear of beatdowns from artists, and thus should only give positive reviews- what's hillarious is that this imbecilic theory is coming from a "journalist" (aspiring?). i just saw a review you wrote on the new 50 cent record where you accuse him of wasting his talents recording "guttural idiocy" - WOULD YOU DARE SAY THAT TO HIS FACE?!! DON'T YOU KNOW THE BEATDOWN YOU'D BE SUBJECT TO?!
i'm a pretty big guy. i think i could take riddlore in a fight. if not it'd make for a good story me and my hipster buddies could laugh about at the coffee house.
i stand for liking good music and not liking bad music. it's nuthugging yes men like you that keep talented artists like these complacent.
Believe me, I could critique the Blowed with the best of them. It's only y'all's imaginations that tell you that I view them as absolutely perfect in every way.
consequently they spend what could've been a fruitful career languishing in obscurity because they're too proud to take constructive criticism.
See, again out pops your pompous mammaries. One, your "constructive criticism" far exceeded its supposed intent. You made the statements of an asshole hater, and not of a mere helping hand. But yeah, if only Blowed artists had a time machine where they would've heard New Jersey Noz say what he said yesterday 8 years ago. That would have made all of the difference in making Ellay Khule as famous as 50 Cent.
Serioulsy, what makes you think that Blowed artists aren't open to "constructive criticism"?
And what is it about constant worldwide touring and regular album releases that constitutes "languishing in obscurity"? Why is so important for folks like you that Project Blowed blew up like NWA or Biggie? And why do you think they should be subjected to petty criticisms from every random dork with a cd player and an internet connection just because they haven't?
Again, you are applying your standards to a world you apparently know nothing about.
Shit, nobody ever really bought Horace Tapscott albums...but there's no way that he's not a legendary figure for doing many of the exact same things in his community as Project Blowed has succeeded in emulating?
I mean, is Medusa really not that good of an MC because she's never released a proper solo album? Her live shows certainly say she's top notch. Her whipping Eminem in an MC battle should say the same. But hey, why look at those things in her favor when instead we can call her lazy/unfocused/stupid for having never gone the standard route of label deal-solo album-video push? I mean, I know I'm putting words in your mouth, but when can an artist decide his own fate and have it be taken for what it is without a bunch of computer geeks trying to act like they know better?
Comments
This is that dumb shit that screams how disassociated you are with anything even closely resembling Project Blowed.
First off, the death of Project Blowed??? Aside from overdramatic, that's an absolutely false statement. Thursday nights continue to pop off. Tours continue to happen. Albums continue to be released.
I don't think the goal of Project Blowed has ever been to ascend to the throne of mainstream rap respectibility nor to the dunce chair of internet nerd rap.
I will never get how anyone could ever think that someone is listening to Sole instead of the Badstads. Maybe they're listening to C-Bo or Z-Ro or Freeway instead. But Anticon?
Point being, the Blowed already has a gang of white fans. That's why their tours in Canada, Germany, and Australia are often more successful than their tours stateside...although I know that here in Austin there seems to be at least one Blowed show in town every week, be it Jurassic 5 at Stubb's, CVE at Emo's, 2Mex and Busdriver at Flamingo Cantina, Shapeshifters at Red Eye Fly, etc.
I think the big problem is how the reality of the Blowed being a community-based, almost-entirely black, adamently gangsta cultural outlet has morphed into most thinking of it instead as a frat house of abstract space nerd rappers.
Some of that has to do with the Anticons who have run with Blowed ideas and twisted them into some truly dumb shit that they even have the nerve to advertise as superior to other forms of obviously less-contrived rap.
And lets not let Lyricist Lounge and those Rawkus folks off the hook either. They were so quick to sell their bitten concept that it played the whole concept out for everyone way too quick.
Anyway it's my belief that thanks to the efforts of biters, which compounded the problem of so many Blowedians going in and out of jail/not really going after corporate routes to success, that it has turned much of the Blowed actual target audience - black people - away from their stuff.
But much of that is just perception stuff rather than faulty art. You play the right Blowed tracks in the hood and the response is there. You go to a Blowed concert and you will see showmanship. You listen to a Blowed release and you will hear pure originality/aptitude. You put Blowed MC's in a battle and they are unbeatable.
But there's always some other thing that Blowed critics require. I just don't get it.
What are you--weeded out?
Oh yeah: Don't call it the "Civil War" around Archaic. It's "The War of Northern Aggression."
Carry on.
OK, we do need to rehash.
"Tracks a, b,c, and d on this album could have used some further mastering." - That sir, is criticism.
"Every song that this group has ever recorded has the vocals going into the red" - That sir, is an irresponsible, false, hateful statement.
And fuck the day that beatdowns aren't hanging over people's heads when they are considering the critical words they are about to utter.
Good one dude
That last tour itinerary looked like they just cut & pasted
a JAM BAND tour itinerary from 1996...we are now rocking with the
best, in fucking Montana,baby.
Merle Haggard sings: "turn me loose, set me free,
somewhere in ... the middle of Montana...
give me all I've got coming to me...
keep your retirement...and your...so called SOCIAL SECURITY.
BIG CITY! turn me loose, and set me free."
Blowed so damn ganksta right now in Missoula & Billings.
Everybody having a gun out there but do CVE can ride a horse?
Never in my ife will I defend Rawkus, but please, delusional dude, leave Lyricist Lounge out of your mouth. They in no way, shape, or form, bit the Good Life. Why is it so inconceivable to you that more than one group of people might come up with the not-exactly-revelatory concept of creating a space for up-and-coming musicians to perform? Shouldn't you be applauding folks with similar intent? Does Project Blowed pay your rent? Do they rock your ass to sleep every night? Because if they're not giving you some serious love or money you have no excuse to act all venomous toward anyone that doesn't share your bordering-on-psychotic mania for these folls. But that's your problem. However, as far as folks like Lyricist Lounge who I came up with and who did a GANG more for struggling artists than you do by sucking them off in a free newspaper or whatever, be my guest and shut the fuck up.
...And this to me shows how disassociated you are with the reality of Project Blowed fandom. Every single person I've encountered that will ride or die for Project Blowed in the same manner that you will (and believe me, there's a lot of 'em... or at least WAS a lot of 'em) is a nerdy white boy. And, as far as I'm concerned, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that... but I think it speaks to the type of audience that these fools were cultivating at the time. To be sure, not everyone that listened to Blowed shit was a nerdy white boy. All I'm saying is that I think a part of the reason Blowed wasn't as succesful in the underground hip-hop market (of which the consumer is mostly white), is because folks like Anticon came along and saturated the market. I'm not saying Blowed was marketing itself towards white folk or that they made abstract emo white boy rap or anything. Their music is obviously stylistically a great deal different than Anticon folks (except for people like Bus Driver and xinxo, etc). All I'm saying is that there was a significant white boy underground buzz surrounding the Blowed at the time, but when groups like Anticon came along, a lot of the folks that would've been buying Blowed albums in mass quantities wound up buying other shit. Again, this has nothing to do with the type and/or style of music Blowed intended to make or the type of audience/community they intended to cultivate or were cultivating in LA. I'm just talking about where I think these motherfuckers dropped the ball as far as having an oppurtunity to actually sell some motherfucking records.
Obviously, my "Anticon stole the Blowed market" isn't based on any empirical evidence, but more just anecdotally being a part of the underground community at the time. But, let's be honest, all we have our own theories and our own little anecdotal histories. I'm assuming there's a bit of truth to both of our versions of the history, and I trust your history is on-point since I know how into this shit you are, but I really think you're underestimating the white boy factor here.
I'm not understanding this. How did these "biters" drive away black people?
That's all well and good but has very little to do with what I was addressing. I was more or less talking about the demise in their popularity which, as far as I'm concerned, is undeniable.
-e
Kudos to Lyricist Lounge for attempting to build a community ala the Goodife/Project Blowed around an open mic night. But again, fuck them for commercializing that shit as fast as they possibly could. That all-freestyle sketch show on MTV was nothing short of an abomination.
You can't even begin to address Project Blowed fandom until you spend enough time in LA to see the community that supports it. Any fan beyond that inner circle is incidental. The point being Blowed caters to the Blowed first and foremost and then makes due with whatever else attention falls its way. And that's the beauty of the scene that loses itself on a lot of folks...that here is hip hop in its own little sub-culture answering to noone but itself. Yet instead of keying in on that, so many outsiders would rather pigeonhole Project Blowed as inadequately commercial, inept in the studio, victims of white rap, etc. when it's obviously so much more than all of those things.
Record sales aren't everything, and as long as you attempt to judge Project Blowed based on a standard that frankly doesn't apply to them, the more you will be off-base in your conclusions. Again, PB has all the white fans it needs. The Anticon's didn't steal shit except their concept.
Seriously, celebrate the longevity of Project Blowed rather than speculating on why they haven't become the next Wu Tang Clan. Be happy about all of the things that Ben Caldwell and Kaos Network have been able to do educating kids in the arts. Bump the plentitude of Blowed songs that are hype rather than wallowing in their occassional misstep. There's just too many positives there for everytime the Blowed comes up to have some so-called fan jump up and give a dissertation on why they're now wack/dead/losers.
Frankly, I don't disagree with most of this. The whole "white boy" spiel I articulated was in response to faux's "this is interesting" note (which, admittedly, might've been sarcastic).
But none of this changes the fact that I don't feel a lot of the music they do these days and I am very easily put off by their fanatical fans who think that everyone is biting them and conspiring against them. Frankly, I think you need to heed a bit of your own advice and just "celebrate their longevity" before you get into a huge argument about how everyone bit them and how they're not getting their due and blahzay blah. After all, if "any fan beyond the inner circle is incidental" what are you doing on the internet arguing on their behalf?
-e
Drugs and alcohol ruined them. Substance abuse has dictated most of their level of success.
No, it was definitely a sincere expression of interest.
Real spit. Honestly, Archaic how much of this is about your ego vs. how much you care about the Blowed? It's pretty fuckin' obvious that your rants have turned more people off to the Blowed than on to them.
You should see this, but it seems like your motivated to argue obsessively rather than preserve the Blowed's reputation. If you really cared about them, you'd veil your fanatacism for them a bit more. At least try to come off as reasonable whenever someone has some Blowed criticism. Until then, everybody on the net (not just this board) will associate the Blowed with your incessant idolism. But I guess you'd want that, right?
I've been affiliated with Project Blowed since 95 when I was named Southwest rep of B-Boy Kingdom. Afterlife is my crew, that's all there is to understand about that.
This thread didn't start out as a rant, but please do tell exactly what issue I should be backing down from here?
By my count I'd have to turn off at least a few more thousand folks before reaching the number of people I have helped attract to the Blowed. Seriously Austin is the Blowed's #1 market outside of LA and while the artists deserve all of the credit for that, I certainly had a hand in making that happen.
Admittedly I am an egotistical Leo, but even I doubt that I have any sort of power as this:
That's the most ridiculous statement in this whole thread.
Me too.
-e
waving around some project blowed badge of honor to legitimize your constant outbursts only solidfies your groupie status
We,
bombBLOWED first when we ridePlease, reconsider 'fo you die
We ain't even come to hurt nobody tonight
But it's my life or yo' life, and I'ma
bombBLOWED firstWe,
bombBLOWED first when we ridePlease, reconsider 'fo you die
We ain't even come to fight tonight
But it's my life or yo' life, and I'ma
bombBLOWED firstCheerleaders, register here:
projectblowed.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi
Am I supposed to be insulted by this? I'm down for my crew. That used to be a good thing. Nowadays everyone is too hipster-doofus to ever actually stand for something and stick with it. As far as they've ever told me, my Blowed folks actually enjoy these "outbursts" of mine. In fact they used to pay me to make such proclamations (by way of curbserver.com).
You should now go to the Public Enemy site and call Harry Allen a groupie.
Please don't throw me in the briar patch.
It isn't a compliment. Be real. This online underground hip-hop shit is small
and every worm reads and posts on the same boards. People know they can count
on you to pop up if anything Blowed related is being discussed.
It's Pavlovian even. I wouldn't equate that with any kind of power on your end.
I give this thread a million stars.
G A M E O V E R
I need a ROFL copter to Greenwood Ave in 5 minutes
i don't know, apparantly you're the type of dude that takes "groupie" as a complement?
i stand for liking good music and not liking bad music. it's nuthugging yes men like you that keep talented artists like these complacent. consequently they spend what could've been a fruitful career languishing in obscurity because they're too proud to take constructive criticism.
right and i'm sure harry allen is gonna jump out of the bushes and call me a knownot outsider if i say i wasn't feeling "he got game".
i'm a pretty big guy. i think i could take riddlore in a fight. if not it'd make for a good story me and my hipster buddies could laugh about at the coffee house.
seriously
thats the first time I exploded in laughter from seeing something on this site in a while!!
The great fascist leaders of the past century agree with you wholeheartedly!
-e
Believe me, I could critique the Blowed with the best of them. It's only y'all's imaginations that tell you that I view them as absolutely perfect in every way.
See, again out pops your pompous mammaries. One, your "constructive criticism" far exceeded its supposed intent. You made the statements of an asshole hater, and not of a mere helping hand. But yeah, if only Blowed artists had a time machine where they would've heard New Jersey Noz say what he said yesterday 8 years ago. That would have made all of the difference in making Ellay Khule as famous as 50 Cent.
Serioulsy, what makes you think that Blowed artists aren't open to "constructive criticism"?
And what is it about constant worldwide touring and regular album releases that constitutes "languishing in obscurity"? Why is so important for folks like you that Project Blowed blew up like NWA or Biggie? And why do you think they should be subjected to petty criticisms from every random dork with a cd player and an internet connection just because they haven't?
Again, you are applying your standards to a world you apparently know nothing about.
Shit, nobody ever really bought Horace Tapscott albums...but there's no way that he's not a legendary figure for doing many of the exact same things in his community as Project Blowed has succeeded in emulating?
I mean, is Medusa really not that good of an MC because she's never released a proper solo album? Her live shows certainly say she's top notch. Her whipping Eminem in an MC battle should say the same. But hey, why look at those things in her favor when instead we can call her lazy/unfocused/stupid for having never gone the standard route of label deal-solo album-video push? I mean, I know I'm putting words in your mouth, but when can an artist decide his own fate and have it be taken for what it is without a bunch of computer geeks trying to act like they know better?
And y'all want to point out my ego???