2011 has proved, yet again, that Hip Hop will be here to stay for some more years to come. We can not help but notice the overwhelming trends that are developing today's rap music marketplace, which continues to captivate the youth of America.
For example, as a matter of fact, you can take many examples that decorate this new medium, where Bloggers & Webmasters have ripped away the "tastemaker" title from conventional DJs(2dopeboyz vs. Funk Flex, YouHeardThatNew vs. KaySlay, RapRadar vs. DJ Drama; reaching?). I know that's a little disheartening to some, but follow along with me. Within this last year, ask yourself what artist profile has developed these die-hard fan bases, who in this era, helped them "go viral" online? This trend will continue to grow as you see more and more artists worrying about how many songs they sold on iTunes, rather than in the streets. You'll hear more and more artists talk about building their twitter and Facebook profiles, rather than talking about selling out club venues. It is ever so prevalent that an Ethernet and a budget are the only tools that the artists of today require to play on the same field as the Majors. So ask yourself, if you can remember; within the last year if there has been a need for "street credentials" to make a hip hop artist successful(of course unless that's his lane, and he winds up getting beat up for a tattoo on his face, but that's another story). See Lil B, Tyler, the Creator, Big Sean, Kid Cudi, Wiz Khalifa, Yelawolf, Mac Miller, and the latest addition, hate it or love it, Ms "Gucci Gucci" herself, Kreayshawn. So I hope you "the1990s were the best" enthusiasts get the picture. Things have CHANGED, and obviously for the best.
Now figure this equation, ok? A change in the marketing tactics(internet marketing for music is eating up way more budgets than it use to 10 years ago), and put that next to the "Hipster" craze; therefore you have a whole new demographic where the artists can possibly go gold, maybe even platinum just off an online following alone(definitely single sales). So with that being said, the internet has really leveled the playing field for everyone who wants a shot at living "The American Dream". I applaud this kind of "invisible hand" for the market, and I refuse to hate on that.
