All destinations are arrived at via a path. In most industries studying and adhering to these paths serve as blueprints to achieve similar success. Learning from the missteps of predecessors and taking advantage of a paved road, should lead to growth in a given field.
It is common to forget how young the hip-hop genre is, as much of its history is still being formed. So much so that Jay-Z can arguably be described as its first true businessman. Yes, there are other pioneers such as Puff Daddy, Dr. Dre and Ice Cube. Yet, these men - all multi-millionaires - paused their rapping careers in the face of their rising business profiles. While Puff is still the head over at Bad Boy, he hasn’t released an album since 2006. As for Dre, we’re STILL waiting for Detox. Besides comprising his role as mega-producer, the Aftermath founder cashed in after Apple acquired Beats by Dre in 2014. Dre’s N.W.A bandmate Ice Cube hasn’t had a RIAA charting album since 2006’s Laugh Now, Cry Later but has been busy as an actor, screenwriter and director since starring in the 1991 film Boys n the Hood as well as running the popular 3-on-3 basketball league, the BIG3. Jay-Z has laid the blueprint - pardon the pun - for rapper-turned-businessman while continuing his career as a top-tier musician. Many after have followed suit whether creating their own record label imprints, scoring endorsements from alcohol brands, or entering into sports management. But it was Jay-Z who taught us best from The Blueprint 3’s “Reminder”: “Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t” Besides the success of his own career, perhaps this line was also inspired by the Great Battle of 2007 between 50 Cent and Jay-Z protege Kanye West; where the artists duked it out over which September 11th release would sell more records. Mix in a change of scene with the ushering out of physical albums and the industry has truly become a game of page views and streams - the new currency as I would lament in my recent article about longevity in hip-hop today. In a world lived entirely on the internet nowadays the name of the game is attention. One of the casualties of this new normal is the extinction of the gangsta rapper. What was once a Turnitin.com-level of authentication of the life an artist rapped about, a musician’s connection with a gang is no longer good enough to capture the focus of fans. Today’s act must be able to gather as many as possible to their Instagram Live stories, not for music but for entertainment. Brooklyn rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine had a plan to merge the two in a way no other rapper, suddenly associated with a gang, had done before. Adorning himself with numerous “69” tattoos and sporting rainbow-colored hair, Tekashi was obnoxiously loud and abrasive to any and everyone. Backed by Treyway Entertainment founder Shotti and a sect of the Nine-Trey Bloods street gang, Tekashi moved with reckless abandon making countless enemies in his year of stardom following 2017’s introductory track “Gummo” until his November 2018 arrest on racketeering charges. Ultimately, this was a contract. Tekashi would provide the gang with capital to fund their operation while Shotti and the gang gave 6ix9ine credibility in his persona. We have seen this trick plenty of times with musicians under the same premise, yet it seems obvious these predecessors were smarter about the terms of their agreement. In retrospect, what transpired was Nine-Trey's own doing; allowing an unknown entity to have a level of access that would be used against them when Tekashi agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors. Fast forward to today, a year-and-a-half later, Tekashi 6ix9ine made his first “public” appearance on Instagram Live upon his early release from prison amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. With fans and foes alike eager to hear 6ix9ine address his rationale for testifying against his co-defendants, a record-breaking 2 million viewers tuned in to hear the braggadocious emcee explain his experience with the Nine-Trey Bloods as well as the large fanfare he returned to. In addition to the live session, the rapper released new music shortly before the appearance. the song, “Gooba”, attaining a whopping 15 million views within its first eight hours on YouTube. Understandably, many within the hip-hop community were not pleased that the artist mockingly-labeled “Snitch9ine” had been welcomed with such a warm embrace. Besides the condemnation snitching has usually enjoyed, it has been the subject of increased controversy coming off the killing of LA rapper Nipsey Hussle and the incarceration of fellow Brooklyn emcee Bobby Shmurda. Hence, there is little surprise at the shouts of how seemingly unfair it is that Tekashi would not face public shame for his selfish actions. Yet, between the insatiable craving today’s music scene has for entertainers and an illogical expectation of honor amongst thieves, this is a move many should have anticipated. Typically, gang membership requires an initiation or a vetting process. Current members need to gauge one’s loyalty and comprehension of what it truly means to part of the syndicate. As it is theoretically easy to sensationalize the perks of gang life, membership is advertised as for life and despite inconveniences. The prospective gang member is taking an oath to uphold these expectations levied upon him or her, giving oneself to this enterprise for whatever they may gain in return. In other words, a contract is entered. Usually as the recruit has sought out the gang, and not the other way around, it can be surmised the person has already internalized this oath and its responsibilities. This is not the same contract nor terms that Tekashi made with the Nine-Trey Bloods, so to have expectations of compliance while not under similar circumstances of “vetted” gang members is baseless. Nevertheless, gang life and culture are and have been intertwined with hip-hop. For an artist that may have previously been involved with “street dealings”, the combination of legal, relatively stable income and the pressure of being a target amongst have-nots may lead an artist to slowly divorce him or herself from this lifestyle. Look no further than the case of rising podcaster Taxstone, whose online beef with rapper Troy Ave turned into an altercation that led both men to be imprisoned - severely halting the progress in their careers. Even for the street figures operating in the shadows, they have adapted to a new playing field with new rules. When called to action, these entities ensure their involvement is not public knowledge, something certainly not applicable to Tekashi and the Nine-Trey Bloods. I don’t fault any hip-hop fan that desires to boycott Tekashi 6ix9ine on moral standing - in fact I’d welcome it as I often question the presence of individuality in today’s game. If anything I am requesting that logic be applied in understanding Tekashi did not create this situation by himself. In the streets, one mistake or miscalculation can be the difference between life or death, whether gang affiliated or not. Shotti and the Nine-Trey Bloods made a mistake in dropping typical vetting measures with Tekashi and they paid the price for their miscalculation. While it is a weird sight indeed for someone to take pride in being a snitch, it is further proof that entertainment is king in this era. Don't hate the player, hate the game. |
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Ty FosterQuestion everything. WQHC Archives
June 2020
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