Chris Rock: Music kind of sucks. Nobody’s into being a musician. Everybody’s getting their mogul on. You’ve been so infiltrated by this corporate mentality that all the time you’d spend getting great songs together, you’re busy doing nine other things that have nothing to do with art. You know how shitty Stevie Wonder’s songs would have been if he had to run a ******’ clothing company and a cologne line?
RollingStone: Plenty of rappers say, “I’m not a rapper, I’m a businessman.”
Chris Rock: That’s why rap sucks, for the most part. Not all rap, but as an art form it’s just not at its best moment. Sammy the Bull would have made a shitty album. And I don’t really have a desire to hear Warren Buffett’s album - or the new CD by Paul Allen. That’s what everybody’s aspiring to be.
We live in a weird time. No one knows who’s smart - we just know who makes money. “Hey, somebody invented Viagra! We don’t know their name, but we know Pfizer, because they make the money.” That guy made a pill that keeps your dick hard, and nobody knows who the **** he is. The pharmaceutical companies are like ******’ record companies. There’s literally the Bo Diddley of medicine walking around, not getting his royalties. He signed all his ******* pill publishing away.
(”Rolling Stone”, Issue 1039, November 15, 2007, page 157)
2007-11-14 15:30:56 · 12 answers · asked by Cloud Nine--Sez YAHH 2 tha hatas 4 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music ➔ Rap and Hip-Hop
To a certain extent, most artists have a history of getting into other ventures. Doing movies, & endorsing products etc, goes back forever.. The rappers who suck, would suck anyway imo. They don't put a lot of thought into their rhymes or music so that leaves a lot of free time for other things-lol.
2007-11-15 06:12:34 · answer #1 · answered by NativeAtlantean 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rappers should be businessmen/women...For years rappers havent been getting paid by these companies...Jay did retire to become CEO even tho he's back at making music...But they were successful because they we business savvy...Rap is a hard genre to have longevity in...You have to do other things or learn other aspects of the business in order to continue to make a living with it...
Chris is a comedian...but he also acts...so does anybody take that away from him...Thats the business side of him being a comedian...He wasnt gonna make it in show BUSINESS by just being a stand up comedian...No he had to move up. Also I guess that he is referring to Puffy with the clothing and cologne line...News flash is Puffy doesnt write or produce anything...he pays up and coming producers up front cash for rights to their music and claims the ish...Everybody knows this and writing also...Puffy is a business man...thats all
Chris is right about the fact that rap is not at its best, tho...But thats only because of the record companies strong hold on what rap should sound like.They wont play talent ...they play CLONES
Also why now since the artist which are mostly black being questioned about being more involved in the business side of things all of a sudden? When most of these white owned corporate businesses have long made dollars off of these rappers and their low/mid class audiences all these years...We have been buying Polo, Liz, Louie...ppl that have said they dont make clothing for us...So why are you questioning when Nelly makes Apple Bottoms or Russ makes Baby Phat...I'd rather buy from my own folk then from ppl that dont care about my folk...Hip Hop style has made a lot of businesses wealthy...So why wouldnt the rappers themselves supply the styles that they promote? Had Bo Diddley been more into the business side as Ray Charles was he would have known better then to sell his publishing rights...The first mistake a lot of rappers have done...Because that money seems so much RIGHT NOW compared to the money they'd make if the song is a hit.
I disagree with Chris Rock
2007-11-15 03:54:42 · answer #2 · answered by Ns@YnE 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't think Chris Rock has been wrong about anything, ever. Remember, he's the guy who said: "If you call you grandma 'mom', and your mother 'Pam'...you're going to jail."
We're a consumer culture. People value wealth and business success more than artistic creativity; this is nothing new. Not surprisingly, entertainers are seeking to meet that demand.
2007-11-14 23:41:23 · answer #3 · answered by edthespartan 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
he's about 90 percent right, there isn't enough rappers with a visible passion for hip hop like the in old days to make inspiring rappers want to make it big for the love of it but for easy wealth and fame...jus a select few rappers still have a passion for hip hop
2007-11-14 23:39:00 · answer #4 · answered by Def Poet {#1 Heat Fan} 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Chris Rock is a hip hop head, and I usually agree with what he has to say about it. Just like I do about this.
2007-11-15 04:08:00 · answer #5 · answered by BDI Thug 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Chris Rock is a genius.What's more,he presents his views in a comic fashion,which makes it acceptable by everyone.
2007-11-14 23:40:15 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Chris Rock is a genius and is always right when he says stuff like this.
2007-11-14 23:37:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Chris Rock is just jealous, he tried to make an album back in the early 90's. It was called "Rollin' wit da Rockman" and he only released one single (which was also called "Rollin wit da Rockman") , but the album was so bad that it was shelved and never hit stores. He's been bitter ever since, look it up if you don't believe me.
2007-11-14 23:40:14 · answer #8 · answered by Smartass 2012 2 · 2⤊ 4⤋
id say chris rock is right and has proved he is smart
2007-11-14 23:35:45 · answer #9 · answered by Must Be The Clouds In My Eyes 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dam right he's right. bout time some one said somethen.
2007-11-15 00:45:13 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋