(Q) Hi Tolu, I enjoy your articles on AllHipHop.com and it is a pleasure to do this interview with you. Can you please tell the DH readers about yourself?
(A) I appreciate that very kindly, Shawn. I write a weekly column for All Hip Hop (every Monday) as well as other sites like TheDailyVoice.com and BlackCommentator.com. My work is primarily centered on culture and the ways in which a society makes meaning of the many factors it consists of—music, education, sports, politics, entertainment, and so forth.
(Q) You have some very insightful articles about Hip-Hop. What do you think the current state of Hip-Hop is; not only in the U.S., but globally, specifically regarding Africa?
(A) Good question. I caution people not to adapt their same views of North American Hip-Hop when assessing the global framework. (1) Because different contexts produce different results. (2) Because the artists are not all the same and, from history, all attempts to address Hip-Hop artists, of all stripes, as a monolithic entity have always proved worthless—there’s just too much diversity involved. (3) Because the sociological factors are much different from each other and are bound to account for radically dissimilar causes and effects.
In North America, we have a dominant media obsessed with commercial junk and disposable records. The same, however, cannot be said of Europe or Africa—or even of Canada!
Earlier this year, I wrote a piece on the emergence of Hip-Hop made in Africa and what it means for the future of the culture (“African Artists: Stormin’ Into The Hip-Hop World,”30 July 2009, All Hip Hop). From many of the comments and responses, it appeared fans in the U.S. are too stuck on parochialism and provincialism in their conception of Hip-Hop.
I think on a global scale Hip-Hop is doing much better than what folks in the U.S. are exposed to; but the Hip-Hop community is one body, so we all suffer, internationally, when any sector fails to live up to its promises.
(Q) What are your feelings on making music totally free online to music fans especially regarding the current state of the record business?
(A) I think it’s inevitable. Artists would have to come to terms with this, on their own terms, sooner or later. It’s simple: Fans have stopped buying records. Sure, every now and then, a Raekwon, or Jadakiss, or Busta Rhymes defies conventional wisdom with great opening weeks sales, but, by-and-large, most fans aren’t interested anymore in paying $10 for something they can get for free. A study was conducted by the University of Reading a few weeks back, in which 10,000 students were interviewed on the issue of music downloading. A stunning 75% announced they preferred to download music rather than buy it or even stream it. That says plenty enough. So, the smart artists would begin looking into various avenues through which adequate revenue can be made even if CD or mixtape sales are longer part of the picture. But I don’t think it should be the labels making these decisions. I think artists deserve that opportunity.
(Q) You know, Tolu, you could say a lot of people that were raised on Hip-Hop, especially during the 90’s, have lost a lot of faith in the current state of Hip-Hop. Can you offer some suggestions to people that want to improve the current state of Hip-Hop—especially in quality of music?
(A) I think more fans should start boycotting the mainstream outlets that insist on promoting misogynistic, hedonistic, and materialistic values to young people. It’s that simple. Just a few days ago, HOT97’s DJ Enuff was questioning colleagues why Jay Electronica’s smash single, “Evidence C,” arguably the hardest-hitting record of the year, wasn’t being circulated more on mainstream radio. He wrote on his blog: “Why is it not spinning on the radio? At least during my time slot? Is it because there’s no dance tied to it?” To his credit, Enuff ended up selecting it as the “Heavy Hitter pick of the week.”
I also think fans should demand more of their artists. No more should fans function as Yes Men for artists. When the music is creative and complex, they ought to be rewarded. When it isn’t, they should feel the pinch from fans.
Most importantly, fans need to rethink a lot of the values we currently work with. Most of us have very warped perceptions of artists—as deities and demiurges, or as irredeemable savages—and I think it’s about time we start seeing artists as legitimately flawed human beings not so different from us.
(Q) Hip-Hop is truly everywhere. As a cultural critic, what are some things you would improve on to make it better?
(A) I would put more power in the hands of the consumers and performers—that way the middlemen would be cut off, and Hip-Hop artists wouldn’t have to worry so much about side-hustles to keep the lights on. When an artist has to engage in 20 other business deals just to maintain a lifestyle, the music takes a considerable hit. And this is why once giant labels are currently crippled and collapsing.
(Q) Tolu, I definitely see the death of the record label, but what do you think should replace the record label, and can you give some advice to artists who do not want to go the record label route?
(A) I think the labels will be replaced by what a former major label marketing department executive once described to me as “Music/Entertainment Firms.” I would go into greater detail, but it’s laid out perfectly in the interview (“Interview: Did the Marketing Department Kill Hip-Hop?” 31 August 2009, All Hip Hop).
For further reading, see also:
“The Death Of Record Labels: Artists: Take Charge!” 6 September 2009, All Hip Hop.
“When Will Rap Artists Stand Up For Their Rights?” 9 November 2009, All Hip Hop.
“Why the Music Industry Can’t Save Itself” 7 December 2009, All Hip Hop.
(Q) It seems like causal fans of Hip-Hop only focus on one element—the MC. Do you think in the next decade we will show love to the other 3?
(A) I hope so. And, in fact, I raise this issue in my latest editorial (“Hip-Hop: We Bid One Decade Adieu & Welcome Another” 28 December 2009, All Hip Hop). I think the decade calls for some seriousness and maturity from artists; and I, for one, can’t wait to see greater collaboration, greater unity, and greater humility amongst Hip-Hop performers and consumers. It might start off a bit bumpy, but we should coast on just fine as the decade proceeds.
