actually i agree with Archaic. I get more requests from texas heads for us to carry Z-Ro and Cham product than Paul Wall. Most of the swishahouse stuff we have ran through has been sent to areas outside of Texas. But that's just my own experience. I am not in Texas so can't speak on what is or isn't hot down there I just know what people are coming at me with.
I jsut wish I could get ahold of Z-Ro product because its impossible to get through distributors.
Coupla points that you may not have considered:
1. You might be getting Z-ro requests due to the fact that "Z-Ro product because its impossible to get through distributors." Paul Wall's shit is readily available in far more spots than Z-Ro's.
2. Why would anyone in Texas or surrounding states leave their hometowns to get Swishahouse stuff? All we gotta do is go to flea markets or the local mixtape shops to get em.
But as far as who's hotter in Texas, especially in these guys own hometown, I think I'm in a greater position than either of you to speak on it.
It was a lot of white dudes wearing glasses, and a pretty big crowd of folks that moved up from Texas. Devin the Dude ain't big in the hood up here. if it was Scarface, Slim Thug, Paul Wall or Mike Jones the crowd would look different. but those dudes tend to price themselves out of doing shows, from what I hear.
No doubt, However when i get cats from texas asking me why we only carry Paul Wall and Mike jones and we should be carrying Z-Ro and Cham because they are doper, then I tend to come to the conclusion that while certain artists are having great commercial success ie. paul wall/mike jones/slim thug that locally the opinon on who is beetter is different and who they feel represents them is different than what MTV is pushing. But I agree I am not there, not from there, so I can't even really speak on it beyond what I am told through customer, and distribution contacts I am working with down there.
So it's pointless to inform ... that in Texas Z-Ro is much more popular/important than Paul Wall?
Ummm yeah. It's pointless because it's not true. Paul Wall is both more popular here (Houston/Texas in general) and more important.
You might be able to fool non-texans with that though. Nice try.
Here in Austin, Z-Ro is WAY more popular than Paul Wall. Case and point...just last night Z-Ro did a show up here at Paradox. There was a GIGANTIC fervor buzzing about town the week leading up to the show. Later this week at the same club Paul Wall and Mike Jones are doing a show. There is VERY LITTLE fervor about it despite "Sittin Sideways" and "Back Then" currently getting so much radio play. The greater point being that Texas is MUCH BIGGER than just Houston.
So it's pointless to inform ... that in Texas Z-Ro is much more popular/important than Paul Wall?
Ummm yeah. It's pointless because it's not true. Paul Wall is both more popular here (Houston/Texas in general) and more important.
You might be able to fool non-texans with that though. Nice try.
Here in Austin, Z-Ro is WAY more popular than Paul Wall. Case and point...just last night Z-Ro did a show up here at Paradox. There was a GIGANTIC fervor buzzing about town the week leading up to the show. Later this week at the same club Paul Wall and Mike Jones are doing a show. There is VERY LITTLE fervor about it despite "Sittin Sideways" and "Back Then" currently getting so much radio play. The greater point being that Texas is MUCH BIGGER than just Houston.
Have you ever heard of the law of supply and demand? How many times has Z-ro been there as opposed to Z-Ro?
I guess AUSTIN is the definite authority on Texas hip hop then?
I guess AUSTIN is the definite authority on Texas hip hop then?
Isn't 'Chid all the time talking about how Austin is the nation's number one market for Project Blowed and how they can sell out every venue in the city?
If accurate, I'm thinking that be a clue that the tastes of Austin rap fans are not quite in alignment with the rest of Texas... and the South.
I guess AUSTIN is the definite authority on Texas hip hop then?
Isn't 'Chid all the time talking about how Austin is the nation's number one market for Project Blowed and how they can sell out every venue in the city?
If accurate, I'm thinking that be a clue that the tastes of Austin rap fans are not quite in alignment with the rest of Texas... and the South.
I should instead just sit back and watch outsiders get these stories wrong, because unlike me they have already fallen headfirst down a slippery slope of "there's no such thing as authenticity"?
Oh, come on. You know damn well that it's obviously not as simple and/or black-and-white as that. The whole issue of "authenticity" isn't one that is as basic as "for" or "against" it. I have no problem with you championing certain artists and "informing newbies" and studying the geneaology of styles and what not, but it becomes extremely complicated when you start throwing around words like "outsiders" and "wrong" as if you are in this privileged position of "authenticity" where you are an "insider" that has all the "right" answers/readings/interpretations.
It's an extremely complicated issue that isn't an easy one to negotiate.
Of course, I don't have a "solution" for any of the questions that the concept of "authenticity" poses, but it's not hard to see how infuriatingly cyclical and unproductive the logic of "authenticity" is.
And Faux, PB fans here are pretty much from that campus community. Yet that's not the same crowd that attends a Z-Ro show.
Well, if nothing else, I am glad to see that this thread has provoked that admission from you.
I would have said that all along. The point I have made is that in LA, on their hometurf, PB is as hood-based as it gets. Outside of LA is where the Birkenstocks come into play.
I guess AUSTIN is the definite authority on Texas hip hop then?
No, but Austin is where the beats for Still Tippin, Sittin Sideways, and Back Then all came from.
So what? You got ONE hot producer!!!
And I'm familiar with all sides of Austin, but seriously, you think that Austin is more clued on Houston shit than Houston?!!
You are the fool then!!!
Rapid Ric is pretty clued in, I would say.
Okay, so your tally is now: 1 hot producer + 1 clued in DJ?
As an impartial observer, I gotta say that I am now convinced that Austin is the authority on Houston!
Sure, it's not THE authority but it's not to be dismissed either.
Again, the scene is much bigger than just Houston. UGK is originally from Port Arthur so we'd have to consider what goes down there. ESG is originally from Shreveport, correct? Shit, even going back in time, which speaks to a point I made responding to the MTV piece about the deeply entrenched connections between NOLA and Houston, Big Mike is originally from New Orleans as is N.O Joe. Recently saw JD talking about Ron C's Trendsetter being a natural transition between a normally pitched and screwed set...so don't forget Dallas either. Yet Houston folks now want to act like the hot shit is only coming from within their own territory. So even from within, depending on who you talk too, you're gonna catch favoritism and stereotypes. Thus why this stuff needs to be weeded out...and not by an NYC resident.
Matt is definitely doing a great job, but he's got his biases and tunnel vision just like anyone else.
And please don't think that I'm saying that I'm the end-all-be-all. I'm just one of many voices that needs to be reckoned with.
Comments
Coupla points that you may not have considered:
1. You might be getting Z-ro requests due to the fact that "Z-Ro product because its impossible to get through distributors." Paul Wall's shit is readily available in far more spots than Z-Ro's.
2. Why would anyone in Texas or surrounding states leave their hometowns to get Swishahouse stuff? All we gotta do is go to flea markets or the local mixtape shops to get em.
But as far as who's hotter in Texas, especially in these guys own hometown, I think I'm in a greater position than either of you to speak on it.
It was a lot of white dudes wearing glasses, and a pretty big crowd of folks that moved up from Texas. Devin the Dude ain't big in the hood up here. if it was Scarface, Slim Thug, Paul Wall or Mike Jones the crowd would look different. but those dudes tend to price themselves out of doing shows, from what I hear.
don't know. i went there to see devin, not the crowd.
nas and kelis are hipsters, no?
People take you seriously? dam...I didn't know
send out a pawn (mike jones) - moderate success... gets people talking and/or looking and sending money to houston.. it's great.
because we have a ton of artists that the average joe doesn't even know about.
sacrifice the pawn.. send out the heavy hitters. seems logical to me.
educate me please
Here in Austin, Z-Ro is WAY more popular than Paul Wall. Case and point...just last night Z-Ro did a show up here at Paradox. There was a GIGANTIC fervor buzzing about town the week leading up to the show. Later this week at the same club Paul Wall and Mike Jones are doing a show. There is VERY LITTLE fervor about it despite "Sittin Sideways" and "Back Then" currently getting so much radio play. The greater point being that Texas is MUCH BIGGER than just Houston.
Wouldn't the pawn have been Lil Flip though?
True! Like out in Fort Stockton, where NOBODY'S checkin' for Paul Wall, Cham, Big Moe, Mike Jones, or Z-Ro.
It's all about Paisano Pete, Beeches:
RUNNIN' THANGS. Por favor beleebit.
Have you ever heard of the law of supply and demand? How many times has Z-ro been there as opposed to Z-Ro?
I guess AUSTIN is the definite authority on Texas hip hop then?
nice try.
who's flip?
Anyway, from Soundscan as of 5-18:
Z-Ro // 28,374[/b]
On the COOL, Paul Wall can sell that many out the trunk, JUST in Houston.
Isn't 'Chid all the time talking about how Austin is the nation's number one market for Project Blowed and how they can sell out every venue in the city?
If accurate, I'm thinking that be a clue that the tastes of Austin rap fans are not quite in alignment with the rest of Texas... and the South.
No, but Austin is where the beats for Still Tippin, Sittin Sideways, and Back Then all came from.
You fools - who even lived here for years - who only think of Austin as its campus community are sorely mistaken.
And Faux, PB fans here are pretty much from that campus community. Yet that's not the same crowd that attends a Z-Ro show.
Again, Z-Ro is much more popular in Austin than is Paul Wall. And yes, I trust my own personal fervometer much more than I do Soundscan.
Well, if nothing else, I am glad to see that this thread has provoked that admission from you.
So what? You got ONE hot producer!!!
And I'm familiar with all sides of Austin, but seriously, you think that Austin is more clued on Houston shit than Houston?!!
You are the fool then!!!
Oh, come on. You know damn well that it's obviously not as simple and/or black-and-white as that. The whole issue of "authenticity" isn't one that is as basic as "for" or "against" it. I have no problem with you championing certain artists and "informing newbies" and studying the geneaology of styles and what not, but it becomes extremely complicated when you start throwing around words like "outsiders" and "wrong" as if you are in this privileged position of "authenticity" where you are an "insider" that has all the "right" answers/readings/interpretations.
It's an extremely complicated issue that isn't an easy one to negotiate.
Of course, I don't have a "solution" for any of the questions that the concept of "authenticity" poses, but it's not hard to see how infuriatingly cyclical and unproductive the logic of "authenticity" is.
-e
I would have said that all along. The point I have made is that in LA, on their hometurf, PB is as hood-based as it gets. Outside of LA is where the Birkenstocks come into play.
LIVING LEGENDS
Rapid Ric is pretty clued in, I would say.
Okay, so your tally is now: 1 hot producer + 1 clued in DJ?
As an impartial observer, I gotta say that I am now convinced that Austin is the authority on Houston!
Wow, you've got a dope dj and a dope producer. Austin is houston2k5.
see: New Orleans
Houston
L.A. (obviously made quite an impression)
suprised he's not bigging up TAD from the sub pop era.
wonk wonk
Sure, it's not THE authority but it's not to be dismissed either.
Again, the scene is much bigger than just Houston. UGK is originally from Port Arthur so we'd have to consider what goes down there. ESG is originally from Shreveport, correct? Shit, even going back in time, which speaks to a point I made responding to the MTV piece about the deeply entrenched connections between NOLA and Houston, Big Mike is originally from New Orleans as is N.O Joe. Recently saw JD talking about Ron C's Trendsetter being a natural transition between a normally pitched and screwed set...so don't forget Dallas either. Yet Houston folks now want to act like the hot shit is only coming from within their own territory. So even from within, depending on who you talk too, you're gonna catch favoritism and stereotypes. Thus why this stuff needs to be weeded out...and not by an NYC resident.
Matt is definitely doing a great job, but he's got his biases and tunnel vision just like anyone else.
And please don't think that I'm saying that I'm the end-all-be-all. I'm just one of many voices that needs to be reckoned with.