First Person Op-Ed #5: El Gant
Is 30 the new 20?
I guess I could start by saying I hope so…its a few years away now and it would be a nice consolation prize for the stress, drama, and excessive partying I endured throughout my 20s. Listening to the Jay Z record last week in between a barrage of music that is targeted towards a completely different audience made me think: is the record industry ignoring this demographic when it comes to hip-hop?
Most acts signed to major labels are clearly designated to a certain audience and there is good reason for that….these are the people that are buying records up. Young listeners stand outside of TRL for 3 days to see acts that sometimes don’t even last in the spotlight for a season…but that’s how the industry works. It always thrived on what’s fresh and exist with teens in a reciprocal relationship of sweating each others style.
But is it possible at this point that the industry could be ignoring an entire demographic of people that helped financially propel the urban industry into the giant that its become? It seems that there could be millions of listeners in their late 20s and 30s that have grown up on hip-hop, yet can’t identify or be into the current trend. Yet they still love the music.
Is it possible that if labels pumped some money into targeting this audience with older notables it would pay off? If Rock music is any indication that older audiences buy in huge numbers, it definitely is. Any time the Rolling Stones, The Eagles, or Bob Dillan drop an album, sales smash their much younger competition. But can it work for hip-hop?
It’s tough to say, but it’s a good bet that if a label spent a considerable amount on a quality Tribe Called Quest reunion album, or maybe even Redman’s upcoming release instead of just putting it on the shelf and crossing their fingers, we might be onto something.
Message El Gant and tell him what you think
By El Gant on 3/13/2007
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[7 comments]
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posted by: kent (prettymuf) on 03/13/2007 at 8:29 am
i agree because when method man albumb came out there was no marketing on him at all and then when the other artist on the same lable came out they had more marketing and just for the hell of it i bought 11 of his cd’s and then got ice cube’s from nwa to the present and i spent over 100.00 but didnt care because it was giving them units
posted by: the feet guy on 03/13/2007 at 8:29 am
The lack of intelligent and educated reps at the labels is what’s killing the music industry. Once these artist and street dudes started getting label jobs that’s when the music started dying.
posted by: dubs on 03/13/2007 at 8:29 am
hmmm…why do we have to depend on labels for everything? They aren’t our parents when it comes to music. I’ll support any good artist. 2nd, anyone in their 30’s should be a trailblazer when it comes to Hip hop. You define and shape the future.
posted by: Sharly on 03/13/2007 at 8:29 am
As a former promo person for EMI my opinion is that the labels expectations tend to be highly unrealistic. The role of the record exec is often too emphasised. I saw a lot of favoritisim and personal taste as opposed to objectivity when it came to projects. The promo budgets are often misspent, backward, unrealistic as well as poorly planned. I have “wasted” soooooo much time promoting worthless material that were sure flops while being forced to ignore credible material. We were actually discouraged from “working” material that would definitely have had a place on the charts for one hit wonders like Houston. And don’t get me started on the whole Payola thing… The record industry is getting what it deserves by way of digital music IMO.
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posted by: Meso on 03/13/2007 at 8:29 am
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