Do you support Independent Artists?

[RuffDraft]

To be honest, it's difficult for me to support independent artists, w/o having to pay over the odds. I don't like downloads, as I like CD's, I have touching on 250-270 CD's (including about 40 mixtapes), all of which that I paid for... basically whatever is in my local HMV I have. But buying online and paying over the odds for CD's (due to imports) is annoying to me. But the ones I can get and that I truly like, I buy. Like, even though I don't like downloads, I downloaded Kendrick Lamar's LP to show him some love because I love what he's doing right now. Props on you supporting Illus like that :tu

I like to think I spread the word pretty well too, and agree it's an important aspect of being a fan. I would obviously support all independent aritsts at local gigs, but I don't live anywhere close to where they visit for tours. Dilla said that Amazon are selling them at nicer rates now though, so I'm going to start picking more up, but obviously I've supported a lot of independent artists over the past 6 or 7 years or so.

 

[satyrone]

theres a music store here in the bay called Ameoba Records. they usualy have a dope underground hip-hop section and i can usually find alot of shit there but some artist that i listen to like Debaser,Josh Martinez,Sleep,Grayskul,Twin Perils its hard to find there shit unless i download it of itunes. i musch rather buy a physical copy of an artist music but if i cant find it then i have to try itunes. i never think of buy shit of Amozon which i might start doing. as far as shows ive been so out the loop about whats goin on i dont know whats goin on witht he Dubstep scene out here let alone the hip-hop scen. but i do try and support the artist as best i can.

 

[RuffDraft]

theres a music store here in the bay called Ameoba Records. they usualy have a dope underground hip-hop section and i can usually find alot of shit there but some artist that i listen to like Debaser,Josh Martinez,Sleep,Grayskul,Twin Perils its hard to find there shit unless i download it of itunes. i musch rather buy a physical copy of an artist music but if i cant find it then i have to try itunes. i never think of buy shit of Amozon which i might start doing. as far as shows ive been so out the loop about whats goin on i dont know whats goin on witht he Dubstep scene out here let alone the hip-hop scen. but i do try and support the artist as best i can.

That's dope, I'd love to have a music store close by with a good independent section, I would never be out of the store.... so maybe it's a good thing there isn't one.. ha.

If you can p.m me with some dubstep stuff, I'd appreciate it, I wanna know what it's like. Or make a thread if it's independent related, here.

I think it's unfortunate for artists as it is for us that we are in an economical downfall and there's less money for us to throw at artists nowadays. Now the cost of petrol has gone up so much that it's like refilling my car costs me 2 additional CD's that I may have bought had the petrol price been down (per week).

 

[skeep]

Yeah I agree that I like to buy cds but the reality is because there are not enough of us buying cds the only way the artists can get the music out there is by releasing it digitally- and now people won't even pay for that. Pretty wack. Ultimately these artists are going to have to do other shit and won't be able to have the time to make music or tour. I bought the Illus cd directly from his site and it arrived like 2 days later signed with an original piece of art he drew. That was dope. I also got the new J-Live directly from him and try to purchase directly from all artist sites when possible to cut out the middleman.

Of course the economy plays a big part. I cant but all that I would like to that is for sure.

 

[skeep]

I guess the best thing we can do is spread the word when we can' support financially.

 

[satyrone]

damn none of my posts are working

 

[skeep]

That sucks. Probably the mods censoring real talk. If we have a discussion about Drake it would get stickied.

 

[traestar]

I've supported independent music since 1997 (I'm 25), alot of the rap that was in the 90's golden era most of it I was watching most of these on the Box, MTV, BET, and whatnot!

When that split happened, I stayed on the conscious rap side and gotten into underground hiphop in which I've been listening to now for 10+ years.

I've support any format of independent music whether it's download or CD, honestly when I was younger I had no knowledge of artists' material until I listened to a track from them
(from Music Choice, The Box, radio, etc), then I would go out and look for that track and find other tracks that that artist made and thats how I learned about that artist. So with downloads today,
most of the artists offer the music to you through a variety of different venues, leaving the audience to make a decision to cop the album. Believe me I definitely have a monster CD collection that
I really can't expand until I get my own spot but the same also goes to my downloaded albums ( straight from the artist or from venues) so there's support out there believe me.

But you are not going to get platinum records like the mainstream counterparts, because their support is tied into with radio, video, commercial and all that jazz. An underground artist's sources of advertising
is more physical, tours, shows, more in house signings, and many more. And it's their money too, check out that Young Guru video of him talking about the mainstream, he speaks truth!

[video=youtube;TIejhzwpndE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIejhzwpndE[/video]

But anyway, the independent will get his/her support, just do what they do honestly and put heavy work in...in fact listen to Large Professor's interview towards the end

[video=youtube;Y9efS0bDkFk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9efS0bDkFk&feature=player_embedded#![/video]

 

[traestar]

Just wondering how many people here actually go out and buy indie cds or at least buy the digital downloads and go to indie shows?

In order for there to be some balance we need to 1. support indie artists financially by buying their music and 2. spreading the word about them.

On that note- I just made a pledge to help fun the new Illus album. I've been a fan since I saw him open for Public Enemy on tour. Real dope emcee. Now he's got a new album coming out with Freddie Foxxx, Gift of Gab, Wordsworth, Eternia, Reef the Lost Cauze, Craig G and more.

If you dig his music show the brotha some love- Get a pair of limited edition sneakers designed by me by making a pledge to support my new 2011 album-http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1726788789/executive-produce-the-brand-new-illus-album-and-co-0

Yea I've heard of Illus
You mean this album
http://www.undergroundhiphop.com/st...-R.A.-The-Rugged-Man-ILLUS-Media&UPC=ILLM10CD

 

[traestar]

And Amazon is like bridge to practically everything, I use Amazon pretty religiously for everything and when it comes to music, they do sell independent music as well or point to that direction!

 

[ninjasenses]

I have to admit that im not the best at supporting the artists that I listen as well as I should be, but I do purchase around 10 physical copies a year I would say. Most I end up giving to friends who havent heard of anything like what I am giving them. My logic that in giving them the album im kinda planting a seed I hope will grow and spread. My favorite artists I definately buy the download at least, Im more inclined to get the DL but the physical copy is nice to have too sometimes. I need to step my game up but at the same time, cd's can get to be expensive.

 

[traestar]

I have to admit that im not the best at supporting the artists that I listen as well as I should be, but I do purchase around 10 physical copies a year I would say. Most I end up giving to friends who havent heard of anything like what I am giving them. My logic that in giving them the album im kinda planting a seed I hope will grow and spread. My favorite artists I definately buy the download at least, Im more inclined to get the DL but the physical copy is nice to have too sometimes. I need to step my game up but at the same time, cd's can get to be expensive.

Because of me being busy with school and work and having to pay bills, I end up getting about 10-15 copies of albums too! And because there's always a nice release that comes out every week
I can't keep up, thats why I make a list of albums that I want to attempt to get and decide from there! One album that will be on my list is Eternia and Moss's album, I've been trying to cop that for
a while!!

 

[RuffDraft]

Because of me being busy with school and work and having to pay bills, I end up getting about 10-15 copies of albums too! And because there's always a nice release that comes out every week
I can't keep up, thats why I make a list of albums that I want to attempt to get and decide from there! One album that will be on my list is Eternia and Moss's album, I've been trying to cop that for
a while!!

That got a lot of love over at UGHH. My last purchase was Kendrick Lamar but I'll be looking to pick up some more releases at christmas, particularly some k-os and other older releases.

 

[skeep]

I'm on a tight budget as well so I buy both physical and digital to save loot. I just got the new Freddie Foxxx from Itnes and the new Apathy. Bought the new Illus cd from his site because I like getting cds signed when I can and I am ordering the new J Live on Vinyl even though I got the digital as well.

It's hard when you don't make a lot of money which is why I said the best thing I can do is hype the artists I love in order to "plant seeds". Sometimes I do it to a fault a little too much (bored at work) where I have even been accused of working for artists but fuck it...whatever I can do to help I will. The indies have major odds stacked against them. Least I can do to support.

 

[skeep]

On that note- Check the Illus cd on itunes if you want something different- http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/feel-good-music/id349574650

I also recommend looking up GodAwful and if you want some old boom bap check the Beatmonstas

 

[rip.dilla]

I recently attended two events (one on Nov. 9 and the other on Nov. 19, 2010) called 'Suite For Ma Dukes' here in London. Ma Dukes being the late J Dilla's mother.

The first one was a screening of Dilla's music played by a live orchestra. This was recorded in early 2009. I also copped the DVD/CD to boot.

The second which was last night was a gig by ElZHi, Phat Kat and DJ Dez all from Detriot. Kat and Elzhi are now a group known as Cold Steel and Elzhi made a comment which made me quite sad regarding the eventual fall out of Slum Village.

He said because of some shit he couldn't perform any Slum songs. He rocked the show though. Tha D has made a MAJOR impact in hip hop for real.

I just got this album today and gave it a listen with a blunt and its a straight no-nonsense grimy NY BOOM BAP RAP... with very cold production. SOLID album.

 

[nujerz84]

I aint been to shows but I mos def copped the CD when they drop in stores.. If I can find them...

 

[traestar]

That got a lot of love over at UGHH. My last purchase was Kendrick Lamar but I'll be looking to pick up some more releases at christmas, particularly some k-os and other older releases.

It deserves it, shit even the features on there are on point, they got a new It's Funny remix with Rass Kass thats even better. The Album is solid from the tracks I've listen to.

Collected and Yes! I do not have but K-Os previous albums were very top notch!!

 

[traestar]

I'm on a tight budget as well so I buy both physical and digital to save loot. I just got the new Freddie Foxxx from Itnes and the new Apathy. Bought the new Illus cd from his site because I like getting cds signed when I can and I am ordering the new J Live on Vinyl even though I got the digital as well.

It's hard when you don't make a lot of money which is why I said the best thing I can do is hype the artists I love in order to "plant seeds". Sometimes I do it to a fault a little too much (bored at work) where I have even been accused of working for artists but fuck it...whatever I can do to help I will. The indies have major odds stacked against them. Least I can do to support.

How's that Bumpy Knuckles album??

Most of the digital LPs, Albums, mixtapes, I look for free downloads! There are some I do cop, but if there's a free download I'm on it!!

 

[traestar]

I recently attended two events (one on Nov. 9 and the other on Nov. 19, 2010) called 'Suite For Ma Dukes' here in London. Ma Dukes being the late J Dilla's mother.

The first one was a screening of Dilla's music played by a live orchestra. This was recorded in early 2009. I also copped the DVD/CD to boot.

The second which was last night was a gig by ElZHi, Phat Kat and DJ Dez all from Detriot. Kat and Elzhi are now a group known as Cold Steel and Elzhi made a comment which made me quite sad regarding the eventual fall out of Slum Village.

He said because of some shit he couldn't perform any Slum songs. He rocked the show though. Tha D has made a MAJOR impact in hip hop for real.

I just got this album today and gave it a listen with a blunt and its a straight no-nonsense grimy NY BOOM BAP RAP... with very cold production. SOLID album.

Word @ Elzhi!! That shit is terrible, man!! Slum Village's legacy is very well tainted!
I respect anything Phat Kat and El forreal!!

That Roc Marciano is a definite candidate for album of the year, thats another album I gotta cop!