Hip Hop is back on top in Tinsel Town . Like one of the game’s most consistent summer seller’s, rapper/actor Will Smith is now Hollywood ’s most powerful actor. For many years, “The Toms” (as in Hanks and Cruise) have claimed the top slots, but in an MSNBC article, Smith has been dubbed the “4 Billion Dollar Man. ” “Will Smith is the only thing in this business—the only thing—that represents a guaranteed opening weekend,” one unnamed industry insider states in the article. “Let’s put it this way,” says another, “there’s Will Smith, and then there are the mortals.” Another victory for Hip Hop.
With everyone weighing in on the state of Hip Hop these days, it’s no surprise that former member of Little Brother, 9th Wonder offered up his take on what the game is missing as well. In an interview with Urban America News Network, 9th says the game is missing “soul” and that grown men need to stop catering to teenagers. He also took time out to address artists and the situation of stalling music sells in the age of digital downloading.
“You have to understand that there’s a generation that grew up under you that still wants to hear you but is now upset because you’re trying to cater to a kid as an attempt to make more money. The truth is we have the most disposable income. We make the most money and we have nothing to spend our money on. Case and point, Jamie Fox did 500 or 600 thousand his first week, Mary J Blige did 700 thousand the first week; Jay-Z did 600 thousand … because they cater straight to their audience. The problem with kids is that this is a downloading generation. So, how could you sell music to a generation that downloads? When Mary J Blige sold 700 thousand her first week, it was all of her fans since What’s the 411?. And all of her fans are past the age of 30. But the problem is that’s probably the only album they bought in the past 8 years because nothing is speaking to them right about now.”
To read the interview in it’s entirety, check out http://www.uannetwork.com
Everybody’s favorite funkee homosapien is back with a new album. Del‘s 11th Hour, the follow-up to the critically acclaimed Both Sides of the Brain, is basically done. The only thing left to do is the artwork.
“The long wait is finally over, and I can assure you it’ll be worth it,” Del wrote in a MySpace bulletin. “Like the title implies, God has a plan, and things will come when it’s their time to.”
He added that he just finished an EP with Compound7 titled L.E.D. or “Del” backwards. Del said to be on the lookout for that after the 11th Hour drops.
Reported By: A-Plus & Andrew Martin
