Topic: Rhymesayers: 'Honest' rap and fan-friendly efforts
- Aug 16, 2006 04:38am by NRG - livin the art that is life !
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[size=9:65f34e923a]nrg note: ran cross this while I was out surfin[/size:65f34e923a]
TRAVIS COLEMAN
Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS - For Cristalle Bowen, balancing a well-paying job as a food chemist and nightly gigs at Chicago hip-hop clubs was too tough.
When she decided to go with rap full-time in 2004, there was only one label for her: Rhymesayers Entertainment. She loved their commitment to touring and the freedom they give their artists, she said.
"I was really a fan of what they were doing," said Bowen, who performs as Psalm One. "They have come to be really respected in the game."
It's a formula that Rhymesayers has used to evolve from peddling cassettes in the early '90s into one of the few independent hip-hop labels capable of selling more than 100,000 albums. Now they're banking on Bowen and others to broaden their appeal to fans who know them best for Atmosphere, MF Doom and Brother Ali, their top artists.
Rhymesayers artists tend to produce a more thoughtful brand of hip-hop than stereotype rhymes about drug dealing, shootings, and spending lots of money. Brother Ali described it as a "Midwestern" kind of hip-hop, and he said it connects with teens who feel socially isolated.
"In the Midwest, we have a way of speaking and expression that's really unique to us," he said. "50 Cent, I love him, but he may not be giving them what they want."
Bowen was a fan when she sneaked backstage to meet Brother Ali at a 2001 concert in Champaign, Ill. The southside Chicago native eventually collaborated with him and with Ant, of Atmosphere, for "Standby," which appears on her Rhymesayers debut, "The Death of a Frequent Flyer."
"She is just who she really truly is and she loves to rap ... more than anyone I know," said Brother Ali.
Bowen, who sounds like a cross between Lauryn Hill and Twista, will try to match the success of Atmosphere, whose last two albums, the 2005 "You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having," and 2003's "Seven's Travels," either approached or eclipsed 100,000 sales.
Brent "Siddiq" Sayers, the label's co-owner and chief executive, was quick to challenge the idea that Rhymesayers is a one-band label.
Siddiq said MF Doom has done business as big as Atmosphere, and other albums can turn profits after selling more than 10,000 copies.
Blueprint's 2005 album "88" and his Soul Position side project with Definitive Jux's RJD2, "Things go Better with RJ and AL" sold around a combined 24,000 albums and were both well-received by critics.
A reissue of local artist POS' first album "Ipecac Neat" and the follow-up "Audition" did similar numbers.
That doesn't mean execs aren't looking for more. They recently signed a distribution deal to increase their presence in major stores like Tower Records, Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Borders, Siddiq said. Their goal for follow-ups from Brother Ali and Blueprint is between 30,000 and 50,000 in sales, he said.
After that, the label's only formal growth plan is to keep finding new talent, Siddiq said.
"We don't force a lot of things," he said.
The Rhymesayers' playbook has depended on heavy touring, often to smaller markets such as Fargo, N.D., and Missoula, Mont., the same way indie rock bands do, said Rob Weitzner, director of membership of the American Association of Independent Music in New York City.
The label has always looked to its fans. Jason "J-Bird" Cook, vice president of operations and tour management, recalls nights when he replied personally to hundreds of fan e-mails.
That's no longer possible, but bands on the label still try to keep albums, merchandise and shows affordable.
Last November, Atmosphere decided to take less money and do three separate shows at Minneapolis's First Avenue rather than one big show. That meant ticket prices near $20, and more tickets were available, Cook said.
Siddiq said the label's continued success depends on quality.
"I don't personally listen to every album we put out religiously. I like some albums more than others," Siddiq said. "But I feel (all of our artists) have something to say or are worthy to be put out."
Bowen's album has been getting good reviews. She got three and half stars from Rolling Stone, four stars from URB Magazine and four 'fros from underground hip-hop site Okayplayer.com.
Bowen's taking that in stride.
"I still have to sell these records and make these kids smile at these shows," Bowen said. "I have my work cut out for me but I'm excited."
- Aug 16, 2006 05:15am by Lucidialect
The first time I saw Psalm was doing a show with her in Lawrence. She blew my mind. I've known less than half-a-dozen really sick female rappers. She holds a candle to all of them, and is better than most. I might equate her more to Jean Grey than Lauren Hill though...
- Aug 16, 2006 06:22am by phism
it's a decent article for those who don't know what's up....
i think i generally respect the way rhymesayers does things compared to a lot of labels that got big (i.e. rawkus) and i'm glad they're repping the midwest and try to do more for their fans.
i dig psalm a lot, and brother ali's better than i want him to be sometimes, heh. i can't listen to new atmosphere..
i think it's kind of lame to write as if there's no other label doing underground hip-hop though.
p.s. some guy at scribble jam named rick whispers was trying to peddle his cd to me and he was like "it's got mac lethal from rhymesayers on it"; i'm like "dude, i'm from kansas city"
- Aug 16, 2006 09:15am by NRG - livin the art that is life !
www.64111clinic.com fam
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phism said [quote:7c11d8bd81]i think it's kind of lame to write as if there's no other label doing underground hip-hop though. [/quote:7c11d8bd81]
hey phism, please list some other underground labels for novices like me
I'd like to check um out
peace
nrg
- Aug 16, 2006 02:03pm by Lucidialect
Is Def Jux still considered an underground label?
- Aug 16, 2006 03:43pm by Lucidialect
Gallapagos4 is a pretty strong underground label. Their talent ranges from quite good to really shitty, they tour the US, and have been overseas to tour at least once. I don't know what their distribution numbers are exactly, but they're in the thousands. Two to ten, I'd guess. That's for their front runners though. I'll bet you know who they are Necia. Hmmm, who else?
- Aug 16, 2006 06:06pm by phism
i'd still consider def jux underground. in fact maybe even moreso than rhymesayers because they don't have the same kind of distribution (or maybe they do, i don't know).... i think the quality of a lot of their artists has gone down... i chatted with c-rayz for a short time at scribble and he said he's not on it anymore. but they've still got mr. lif, cannibal ox, and their CEO el-p. plus their newer artists like cool calm pete, hangar 18, and the perceptionists... i even have a guilty pleasure in the weathermen/copywrite/(insert thugged out white guy here)
yeah i heard galapagos4's last show at the recordbar wasn't too good. qwel and mestizo are still among my favorites. my friend flannery actually ran into some of them in france. she heard some people speaking english and went to go see who it was and hung out with them that night.. she had only heard of them through me, and gave me a bunch of the free records and shit they gave her.
other underground labels off the diggity dome (and with the help of the web):
- stones throw
- quannum
- ninja tune / big dada
- fingerprint
- chocolate industries
- lexoleum
- anticon
- sound in color
- mush
- mo wax
- coup d'etat/coup de grâce
- fatbeats
- dirtstyle / funk shit up / thud rumble (for break/skratch records)
there's lots. in fact, i think stones throw might be the best label out right now.
hey, remember hiphopinfinity?
- Aug 17, 2006 04:25am by LouisSkolnick
[quote:f3e40121f3="phism"]
other underground labels off the diggity dome (and with the help of the web):
- stones throw
- quannum
- ninja tune / big dada
- fingerprint
- chocolate industries
- lexoleum
- anticon
- sound in color
- mush
- mo wax
- coup d'etat/coup de grâce
- fatbeats
- dirtstyle / funk shit up / thud rumble (for break/skratch records)
[/quote:f3e40121f3]
Coup d'etat is no more, but Datura will be returning stronger then ever in 2007.
- Aug 17, 2006 10:28pm by MILES - [url]http://www.MilesBonny.com/[/url] Location: KCK
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