Over The Underground

I don't hide my disappointment with commercial music. I learned long ago that the industry looks only to make a quick hit as opposed to cultivating and supporting unique and great art. It's a failure on all levels as labels promote elementary music, radio stations spin the records for their own profit, and silly fans sing along with whatever they hear over the air.

My realization of this process drove me towards underground and indie music. As a Rap fan, it's where one is most likely to find emcees that still practice hip-hop in its finest form: clever rhymes and infectious beats.

Witnessing the talent on that level makes me wonder why these artists aren't getting commercial exposure. Why are the singers with the most to say given the least air time to actually say it?

J. Cole and Drake collaborated on the track "In the Morning"

That question is answered by three recent rap acts that have crossed over to the mainstream. Drake, J. Cole, and Wale.

By all means, these are above average artists, although they've all emerged from the mixtape circuit to be accepted by the masses. But at what cost? Drake and Wale both turned down record deals with Jay-Z. As a result, the quality of their music diminished because of labelmate features and shifts in style. J. Cole took the deal with Jay-Z, but his album was continuously pushed back, and upon its release just couldn't match up to the work on his mixtapes.

In each case, the music suffered over time. Is it me? Or would all of these guys have been better off staying underground? There's no doubt that there is money to be made, but can it really be worth it to change your art for a slightly better check? By the time I got through all of the hype and really heard Drake, he had already traded his east coast flow for a Lil Wayne imitation and generic southern beats.

I used to cheer for unknown artists to get a chance to blow up, but not anymore. Appreciate your favorite emcees while they are still doing it for the love, because it can end at any instant.