Smart & Angry

2010 has ushered in a new era where the artist can cut-out the middle man from the picture,  and deliver music straight to the fans. No longer is it needed for DJ Clue to feature your mixtape and  it to be sold near bodegas. With just one click, it goes out to the internet via all social outlets that most people check on too often.

So in this era, you might ask where is the hard part now? Well I believe it lay in the balance between the hype and execution.

Case in point is artist Jay Electronica. Gather all his freestyles, and features and maybe you can fill the time limit quota for a mixtape now. However, somehow there are way no current shortages of interviews, trailers, promos, him taking photos with celebs, and Hip-blog hype about the man. Although he has released the critically acclaimed Exhibit C this past year, his other projects are no where to be found. Setting launch dates that aren't met, mostly talking during perfomances when he should be rapping, or him being plain scared,

“I’ve been afraid to release Act II because I feel like it’s not gonna be good enough. I know the people expect so much from me. — Jay Electronica on Aug. 9th, via Twitter for the iPad


This makes me lose a lot of respect for a man that has so much talent, and just squanders it away living in hip-Hollywood nonsense.

Case n Point #2: Ski Beatz 24 Hour Karate School was supposed to be the underground hit of hip-hop. Blogs were loving it like it was the next iPhone. But just like how the new iPhone 4 has no reception, 24 Hour Karate School has yet to be released to any reception. First announced in November 2009, now arbitrary dates are chosen as the new "release date". Do a quick Google search and you'll see how this date changes yourself:

Maybe they should call the album 24 Year Karate School instead::zing::

Case and Point #3: Just over a year ago Charles Hamilton was the promising act of 2007. Yet he did the opposite of what the other two examples did and instead, OVER delivered:

Official Projects and Mixtapes

• The Binge Vol. 1 (Staring at the Lavalamp) (2006)
• American Gangsta: Who Is Charles Hamilton? (2008)
• American Gangsta V. 2.0: Where Is Charles Hamilton (2008)
• Crash Landed (2008)
• Outside Looking (2008)
• Death of the Mixtape Rapper (2008)
• And Then They Played Dilla (2008)
• Staff Development (2008)
• It's Charles Hamilton (2008)
• The L Word (2008)
• Sonic the Hamilton (2008)
• Intervention (2008)
• Well Isn't This Awkward... (2009)
• My Brain is Alive (2009)
• Every Charles Hamilton Ex-Girlfriend's Worst Nightmare (2009)
• TakeMeToYourLeader (2009)
• The Dead Zone (2009)
• At Most I'm Just...(2009)
• Dope2Go (The Halo+The Hamilton Project) (2009)
• Shut Up Already (3 Song Mixtape) (2009)
• This Perfect 3 Song Mixtape (2009)
• The Binge Vol. 3 (Charles Hamilton's Last Mixtape) (2010)
• Well This Isn't Akward (Winner Takes All) (2010)
• Autumn Harvest (2010)
• Gynophobia (2010)
• Atlantis And A... ('08, '09, '10)(2010)
• 10 Things I Hate About Me (2010)
• The L Word II (INcomplete) (2010)
• Segahamilton.blogspot.com (2010)
• Grow Wing Pains (2010)
• The Charles Hamilton Project (2010)
• Hamiltonstrumentals (2010)
• Where is Charles Hamilton? (2010)
• Spelling Bee (2010)
• Starchaser Radio (CH/H2) (2010)
• (for your locker) 3-Song High School/Campus EP (2010)
• Sonic the Hamilton 2: HD (2010)

This created an over-saturation of music, and pretty much fried his common sense, driving him crazy. Not only were there too many releases. The earlier projects had horrible quality mixing(which he now claims was intentional), as if someone mastered it with a butter knife. By the time he regained his senses and tried to clean up his act, people like me stopped caring.

However a few months ago Kanye West joined Twitter and decided to use it not only for 20 tweets banters, but G.O.O.D. Friday releases that people are seemingly happy with. While the idea of releasing a new song every week isn't new, what Mr West is doing is breaking the current mold of milking the blog hype with trailers, behind-the-scenes videos, pics, and interviews. Instead Kanye posts the song right away without snippets allowing the blogosphere, and social media universe, to talk about it and create the buzz there after.

Granted the fact that Kanye has a lot more money, as well as industry friends that can jump on a track in a minute, and more clout in to deliver his projects quicker than the other two previously mentioned (wait, Jay Electronica has all the industry friends and Eryka Badu supporting him so F**k Him). You gotta still give respect, for staying true to his word for five-weeks straight so far (I don't count that Justin Bieber remix).

So whats to learn about this? Its balance. Make the product first, then release at a pace where people can digest and grow to love it over time. 

Bonus

Favorite G.O.O.D Friday Kanye Release so far:

Kanye West - Runaway Feat Pusha T

Whats missing in this picture that has been a staple of Hip-Hop Music?

THE OUTLANDISH CHAINS! Why isn't Asher Roth supporting a Keystone Medallion? Where is Charles' Blue Diamond Sonic Chain?

Look at the previous year's XXL Freshman. They are hunched over and pissed off cause their chains are so heavy (Lupe isn't wearing any chains, but then again he has 30 pounds of cloth on his neck). But hey they are Ballin (using buzzwords from that era)

So what does this mean?

1. Maybe Chains are a literal form of slavery chains that make us unhappy and less Photogenic

2. The recession is real bad to where outlandish jewelry is not affordable

3. Outlandish medallions causes major theft. Looking at you Mike Jones, Tyga, and Yung Berg

4. New acts are dropping the ego of wealth

Hmm who knows?

New Music

Chester French - Nerd Girl Feat Janelle Monae

Charles Hamilton - Barbra Walters

Clipes - Kinda a Big Deal Feat Kanye West

Justa and I (Bobojojo) had a discussion on "Hate On of the Week" Charles Hamilton online. I pulled a Will Ferrell and black out as I discovered that there is a Formula to the madness: