If you want to get into brains behind Mobb Deep, GET USED TO CAPS LOCK HOMEY.

http://hiphopnews.yuku.com/topic/770

THE MUSIC AND VIDEOS THAT I LEFT FOR THE WORLD ARE 200% DOPE. EVERYBODY SAY THEIR MUSIC IS GOOD, BUT EVERYBODY AIN’T A VETERAN LIKE PRODIGY. THE REASON WHY I’VE LASTED SO LONG IS BECAUSE I’VE BUILT A RELATIONSHIP WITH MY FANS. I HAVE OVER 16 YEARS IN THIS INDUSTRY AND MY FANS TRUST AND BELIEVE IN MY MUSIC.

TRUST IS SOMETHING YOU EARN OVER TIME. AFTER A WHILE THE FANS DON’T EVEN QUESTION IF THE ALBUM IS GOOD. THEY JUST PICK IT UP SO THEY CAN HAVE THE COMPLETE PRODIGY OR MOBB DEEP COLLECTION. WHEN RAPPERS CHANGE THEIR STYLE OF MUSIC THEY LOSE THAT TRUST CAUSE NOW YOU SWITCHING UP ON THE FANS (SUPPORTERS). NOW, THEY MUST QUESTION YOU. THAT’S WHY I STICK TO MY FORMULA. PRODIGY/MOBB DEEP IS A NAME BRAND THAT HAS UNIQUE FLAVOR AND INGREDIENT THAT THE CUSTOMER LIKES. WHY CHANGE IT? WE ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF WHAT IT TAKES TO HAVE LONGEVITY IN MUSIC. THAT’S WHY I’M STILL POPPIN.

I’M GONNA TELL YOU A STORY THAT’S GONNA HELP YOU SEE WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY OF TODAY. IT WAS MAYBE AROUND 5 OR 6 YEARS AGO, WHEN HAVOC AND I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT RAP MUSIC AND WHERE IT WOULD BE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. HAV WAS MAD AS HELL, HE TOLD ME THAT THE PEOPLE WHO OWN ALL THE MAJOR MUSIC COMPANIES, RADIO STATIONS, AND VIDEO CHANNELS WERE TRYING TO END RAP MUSIC.

HAVOC IS EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT AND HE HAS AN UNCANNY GIFT OF SEEING INTO THE FUTURE. HE CAN LOOK AT A SITUATION AND PREDICT THE OUTCOME AND MOST OF THE TIME, HE’S RIGHT. BUT, WHEN HAV TOLD ME THAT THE ELITE POWERS IN CONTROL WERE TRYING TO END RAP MUSIC, I DIDN’T AGREE AT THE TIME. I THOUGHT, YES, OF COURSE THEY WANT TO END IT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I TOLD HAVOC, “THE DEMAND FOR RAP MUSIC IS TOO CRAZY. AS LONG AS WE KEEP MAKING HOT SHIT THE FANS WILL DEMAND TO HAVE IT.

BUT, HAV SAW THE BIGGER PICTURE. I SIMPLY COULDN’T UNDERSTAND WHAT HAV WAS SAYING AT THE TIME. ALL I KNEW WAS, HIP-HOP IS FROM THE HOOD AND NO MATTER HOW BAD THEY WANT TO END HIP-HOP; RAP MUSIC AND THE HOOD IS TOO POWERFUL TO END.

SKIP FORWARD TO 2008 AND NOW I SEE WHAT HAVOC WAS SAYING YEARS AGO. NOW, I SEE THAT NO MATTER HOW POWERFUL RAP MUSIC IS AND NO MATTER HOW POWERFUL THE HOOD IS-- THE PEOPLE WHO CONTROL OUR MUSIC ARE THE MAJOR MUSIC COMPANIES, DISTRIBUTION, RADIO AND VIDEO CHANNELS PLUS ALL MEDIA OUTLETS LIKE MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS. BECAUSE THEY ALL SHAPE PUBLIC OPINION OF THE MASS MAJORITY.

THE WORDS “HIP HOP IS DEAD” ARE DEADLY SEEDS PLANTED IN TO THE MINDS OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION AND INTO THE FABRIC OF THE UNIVERSE.

FOR ANY INDUSTRY HEAD TO SAY THAT TO THE PUBLIC IS HELPING TO KILL RAP MUSIC.

THE ELITE POWERS THAT CONTROL THE INDUSTRY ALREADY WANT IT TO END. THEY ONLY LET VIDEOS WITH BUFFONARY, PIMPS, SOFT PORN, AND R&B;STYLE INTO HEAVY ROTATION; LOTS OF JEWELRY, GRILLS, RIMS AND MONKEY DANCING. NOW, ALL THESE LABEL OWNERS, DISTRIBUTORS, MAGAZINES, RADIO AND VIDEO CHANNELS WITH FUEL FOR THEIR FIRE TO CREMATE RAP MUSIC. AND, NOW YOU HAVE “HIP HOP IS DEAD” BURNT INTO THE CONSCIOUS AND SUB-CONSCIOUS MINDS OF THE MASSES.

LABELS DON’T WANT TO SPEND MARKETING / PROMOTION DOLLARS ON ALBUMS THAT DESERVE IT. THEY USE THE EXCUSE THAT “THE GAME HAS CHANGED,” “THE CLIMATE OF THE INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED,” AND MY FAVORITE “SALES ARE DOWN.”

THIS IS ALL BULLSHIT. FIRST OFF “THE GAME HAS CHANGED,” YES, BECAUSE YOU HAVE THREE MILLION PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE RAP MUSIC, SO IT’S OVER-SATURATED. THE FANS AIN’T BUYING ALL THE BULLSHIT THAT THE ELITE IS TRYING TO FORCE FEED THEM. THAT’S WHY YOU SEE “ARTISTS” WITH HEAVY RADIO AND VIDEO PLAY, BUT THEIR ALBUMS DON’T SELL. FANS ARE NOT DUMB. JUST CAUSE YOU FOOLING SOME WITH THAT RADIO/VIDEO BULLSHIT DON’T MEAN YOU CAN FOOL THEM ALL.

NEXT “THE CLIMATE,” SAME ANSWER. NEXT “SALES ARE DOWN,” NO, CD SALES ARE DOWN--GET IT RIGHT. WHEN RECORDS WERE NEW, 8 TRACK SALES WERE DOWN. WHEN CD’S WERE THE NEW, RECORD SALES WERE DOWN. NOW DIGITAL IS THE NEW, SO CD SALES ARE DOWN. THIS DOESN’T MEAN RAP MUSIC SALES ARE DOWN, IT JUST MEANS PEOPLE ARE BUYING THEIR MUSIC IN NEW WAYS. SO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOUNDSCAN THAT IS ONLY TRACKING CD SALES, NOT DIGITAL.

50 WAS RIGHT--PERCEPTION IS A MUTHA!