Is it true that sales = quality?

[5th Letter]

I have never heard anyone say Biggie's album was a classic because of how much it sold, maybe they it where you're from.

 

[Question Authority]

I have never heard anyone say Biggie's album was a classic because of how much it sold, maybe they it where you're from.

In Fazeem's Biggie thread, I did see someone say something like "how can the nigga be overrated when so many people co-sign him", which to me, alludes to the more numbers an artist has co-signing him/her, the better he is.

 

[ya boi g]

Thats what people like to say, but IMO sales dont = quality.

 

[5th Letter]

In Fazeem's Biggie thread, I did see someone say something like "how can the nigga be overrated when so many people co-sign him", which to me, alludes to the more numbers an artist has co-signing him/her, the better he is.

Yes 10 million people co signed Big, but thats not the reason the album was classic though, the music was what made it a classic not because it sold 10 million copies.

 

[tompetrez3]

no this equation isnt true because bp3 went 1.5 platnium and that was the weakest album of the year in 2009

 

[Question Authority]

Yes 10 million people co signed Big, but thats not the reason the album was classic though, the music was what made it a classic not because it sold 10 million copies.

Now you're getting into subjective territory. Which is cool, because that's what I was asking anyway.

Basically, any nigga that uses sales to advocate why their favorite artist is better or more legendary than another said artist, is wrong?

I just used Biggie as an example because that seems to always be a prevalent thing with his fans. But the same thing can be said for any artist who is successful or was successful.

 

[5th Letter]

Now you're getting into subjective territory. Which is cool, because that's what I was asking anyway.

Basically, any nigga that uses sales to advocate why their favorite artist is better or more legendary than another said artist, is wrong?

I just used Biggie as an example because that seems to always be a prevalent thing with his fans. But the same thing can be said for any artist who is successful or was successful.

the bolded is very true.

 

[koncretemind]

Music is subjective. /thread

 

[Question Authority]

Music is subjective. /thread

That's why a general consensus is important, which is all that's needed to establish a win, I suppose.

It's like an MMA fight. If 1 judge says Rashad Evans won, and awards the fight to him...that's 1. If the other two judges says that Lyoto Machida wins, that's two to one, in favor of Machida. Machida will win because he has the majority vote.

If 10 million people say that LAD is good, hence they purchased it, that'd be enough to outweigh 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 people who say that album is mediocre and nowhere near classic.

 

[Ibex]

No all it takes is for white people to like your shit and you can sell millions (Eminem,Nelly,Will Smith) for example, but when your making music using a certain type of formula instead of creating art it's not quality

 

[usmarin3]

It doesn't equal quality but it does equal impact. Alot of niggas would like to think sales is as simple as marketing and promotion but it's bigger than that, like Jay said "if skills sold truth be told i would be Talib Kweli". Sales are generally a reflection of the audience connecting with an artist, some artist more than another. SALES DOES MATTER, because what's the point of making music if no one is hearing it and it's no coincidence the truly great artists (Pac,Nas,Jay, Big,Face,etc) have generally sold albums. They all were underground at one point and worked their way up, no one gave them a handout so you can use that marketing and promotion excuse either. People connected to them more so than alot of niggas yall praise and who don't sell shit

 

[Pretty Fred]

In Fazeem's Biggie thread, I did see someone say something like "how can the nigga be overrated when so many people co-sign him", which to me, alludes to the more numbers an artist has co-signing him/her, the better he is.

Well obviously a great artist will have great numbers, but like Jamacia said, it wasn't Bigs numbers that gave him the crown, it was the music.

 

[Question Authority]

Well obviously a great artist will have great numbers, but like Jamacia said, it wasn't Bigs numbers that gave him the crown, it was the music.

If it wasn't the sales that gave Biggie the crown and it was primarily the music...then why couldn't someone like Big L have the crown instead?

Sales aside, most hip hop heads will agree that Big L didn't have any shortage of banging music.

What separates him from Biggie is commercial success/mainstream relevance, or lack thereof.

 

[usmarin3]

If it wasn't the sales that gave Biggie the crown and it was primarily the music...then why couldn't someone like Big L have the crown instead?

Sales aside, most hip hop heads will agree that Big L didn't have any shortage of banging music.

What separates him from Biggie is commercial success/mainstream relevance, or lack thereof.

Because Big put out a classic debut album while L put out a mediocre album.

 

[5th Letter]

When people buy albums they are investing in that rapper, rather than the actual single they have put out, so connecting to the audience is first and foremost. However the labels still need to do their job and market and promote their artists and if they feel that artist cant sell then why keep them on the label, and better yet why not start a indy division at the label, for those type of artists?

 

[Question Authority]

Because Big put out a classic debut album while L put out a mediocre album.

What makes Biggie's debut any more "classic" than Big L's?

 

[usmarin3]

When people buy albums they are investing in that rapper, rather than the actual single they have put out, so connecting to the audience is first and foremost. However the labels still need to do their job and market and promote their artists and if they feel that artist cant sell then why keep them on the label, and better yet why not start a indy division at the label, for those type of artists?

That's what Def Jam did with Ghost and the Roots.

 

[5th Letter]

That's what Def Jam did with Ghost and the Roots.

I think it didn't work out though.

 

[The_wraith]

I agree with some of the things said on here and i disagree with a lot. Sales don't mean you are the best because there are times when fans are brainwashed. Most rappers make music that can only last for so long. An emcee/ artist makes music that is timeless

 

[usmarin3]

What makes Biggie's debut any more "classic" than Big L's?

Because it's not, it doesn't stand up to the albums that came out at that time period (Illmatic, Ready to die, Cuban Links, Enter the 36 Chambers,etc and those Boot Camp Click joints). If anyone say that shit is classic is based on him being dead, it even got a 3.5 off of the Source when mic ratings meant something. I don't even think it's in the category of the second teir Wu Tang albums (Tical, Retern to the 36 chambers: the dirty version,etc).