I’ve been listening to a few artists who went from major to indie and didn’t sell. After listening, my theory is they slacked off when they went to the indie labels. The quality of the albums has to be there to justify folks supporting you if you make that transition.

It is too difficult.

The minute the labels see true talent in an artist… they offer them a deal. And most likely, an artist does not turn down a million dollar deal. Gone are the days when you could put out your own records and sell 100k-400k units (i.e. Master P, Cash Money, E-40, etc) to become a millionaire. But even in those instances where the artists were already millionaires – they all signed to labels.

Money rules the world. Baby and them, P, E-40 – they were all millionaires. But when Universal comes along and gives you 30 million, 70% of the split, and allows you to keep and own your masters – you’re going to sign.

Labels have the money it takes to make things happen. It’s hard for artists to take money out of their own pocket to shoot videos, get radio play, and promote themselves – which are necessities.

And that’s really what it all comes down to.

;)

I just don’t see Eastcoast rappers fitting in on Westcoast beats, alongside Westcoast rappers.

I guess on a track like “Lyrical Gangbang” or a posse cut like “Some LA Agginz,” but not on any of the singles. And the buzz from those singles are what would help raise the mainstream status of guys like Rae and Ortiz, and eventually get their albums out.

For Dre to put out your album, a lot people have to know your work and want your album. Not just the hip-hops heads, but more importantly the crossover fans. It sucks, because they won’t know of these artists unless Dre laces them, but that’s not his problem.

Dre gets paid to put his fingers on anything, so why would he waste his time with something he thinks people don’t want to buy?

As far as Diddy’s verse on that remix…he did kill it. I was actually impressed how he fliped some of Biggie’s lines from the “Only You Remix”, where he flipped Milk D’s rhymes. Better than I expected.

@ Beware
As for Rae, why couldn’t you see him on detox? I’m sure he could pen a rhyme about smoking weed, drinking, or fucking. Almost any rapper could. Signing to the math wasn’t his best move, but with busta supposedly ex. producing it. it did make some sense at the time.