At what point does a rapper turn underground?!
Question: im not sure i understand the difference between what people label commercial and underground
Answers: im not sure i understand the difference between what people label commercial and underground
When they sell an x amount of albums and become known by the public. If the public like them, the media will expose them more and before you know it they'll be having p diddy produce their album and going triple platinum. Its highly unlikely for a comercial rapper to return to the underground, as they are often considered sellouts by the underground community.
WHEN HE STARTS EATING HIS GIRLFRIENDS LUNG .. NOW THAT'S HARDCORE
They turn commercial, they don't turn underground.
They start off as underground doing small club shows filled with unknown MC's all wanting to get famous if with luck they get signed to a deal, they then become commercial.
underground means you either aren't signed to a label or you're signed to some indie or no-name label
commercial means they're on a big label
people on mtv and the radioare commercial bands/rappers etc.
underground bands and rappers, you can't find on mtv, or the radio. to hear of them you mainly either go to their shows, or hear about them by word of mouth, or the internet, magazines, whatever.
yeah, in rap what goes up doesn't go back underground.
Ice cube tried to by going thru his NWA gangster days to mainstream to are we done yet then he tried to be street again with his why we thugs - whatever eddie murphy wanabe
when MTV,radio and mainstream media doesn't want to play them like insane clown posse,twiztid,kottonmouth kings and Prozac. Because they are too converstal. they way the look and/or what the rap about killing folks and smoking weed
I think its when they get banned.
well they are most likely to be underground before commercial you know like underground not seen can't be heard by many people or some just have the knack of being really good eg, quality rhymes,beats and never quite blowing up. Maybe there not as trendy or good looking or maybe they don't want to run the treadmill to look cool like some.
Underground is not commercial,they usually tend to be better as well
most of he time its usually said when their record sales begin to decline and when they lose popularity example=nas when he first came out illmatic was everyones album then he slowly began to decline he was still loved by his fans he just wasnt loved by mainstream but he began to rise again later in his career and became mainstream again
when he/ she releases albums or mixtapes independantly without being signed to a record company. most rappers started out underground e.g. 50 cent, chamillionaire, paul wall, papoose, slim thug, eminem etc, until they were discovered by a record label
"Mainstream" DOESN'T mean "record sales"... it helps... but, a "mainstream" artist is one who gets mainstream EXPOSURE........ meaning regular rotation play on mainstream radio AND regular rotation play on mainstream music video shows. They usually get PLENTY of promotion for their projects and are just generally part of the 'mainstream' media structure.
"Underground" artists most of the time do NOT get the same exposure.... BUT they have a SOLID, LOYAL fanbase. It's their fanbase that keeps them making albums, keeps them touring extensively and basically keeps them in the 'music game'..... You CANNOT simply be an artist who gets NO radio play and 'claim' to be 'underground'.... you HAVE to have a SOLID & LOYAL fanbase that supports your projects DESPITE the fact that you get little to no radio or video play.
For example Talib Kweli is a perfect "underground" artist. He has made 4 full length albums and a couple of mixtape albums and has been in hip-hop about a decade WITHOUT ever having much 'mainstream' exposure. He still gets some endorsement deals (Ecko)... He still gets interviews in magazines.... even though his music is VERY RARELY giving much play in ANY significant way....... BUT he has a LOYAL fanbase. He OUTSOLD Swizz Beatz the first week their albums came out EVEN THOUGH Swizz Beatz got MUCH MORE 'mainstream' exposure on radio and video!! (That's why I say 'record sales' don't really tell the whole story)
An artist CAN go from 'mainstream' to 'underground' status, if they are no longer part of a MAJOR record company and go INDEPENDENT.... and based off their past 'mainstream' success, continue to make music without getting much 'mainstream' media help... no radio, no video, no big time promotions... etc... But, they can sell albums and tour without all of that on a very successful scale.
usually when the glorious day comes that the rapper dies. Well not usually that day, usually a few days later, he or she is planted six feet under! And then we have one less rapper polluting the airwaves, and there is much rejoicing!
most rappers start out underground before they blow up on MTV and BET