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March 03, 2005
Missy Elliott - Road To Failure
Sure Missy Elliott is a major rap superstar and songwriter, but does she really have what it takes to pick talent? I don't think so. But I eagerly sat watching Missy Elliott's Road To Stardom every week? Probably because it comes on before Kevin Hill so I just leave the channel to UPN on Wednesdays.
Missy has a knack for finding good talent, but has the gift of never developing them. Personally, I thought her best choice was Nilyne from Plainfield, NJ. She was cute, spunky and could hold a note. Doing a little bit of research, I found that Nilyne was actually down with R&B singer Donell Jones and has pursued a modelling career before her Road To Stardom break. However, this isn't about The Road To Stardom, but The Road To Failure if you let Missy steer your career.
Jessica - The latest singer/songwriter duped into Missy's pyramid scam. We'll see what happens.
Little Brianna - Missy's latest sidekick. This would be Missy's attempt to get that Lil Bow Wow cash. Good luck.
Tweet - Tweet just had bad timing. Her debut album dropped on the same day as Ashanti's debut. Silly love song single with Biggie beat wins over risky self-masturbation song anyday. Her second single, Call Me, became the theme song for some major phone company but afterwards, nothing. Tweet is about to drop her second album this year.
Mocha - Female rapper feature on Nicole's debut album (see below). I downloaded her single, Running Shit, which I thought was kinda - cute. Different flow, good beat. She popped up on the Life soundtrack and one of MC Lyte's album, but after that...{cricket, cricket} Here's what she looked like. Maybe you'll recognize her from Walmart or something.
Nicole Wray - She appeared on All N My Grill. A year later she would drop her solo single, Make It Hot, but for some strange reason, the album never dropped. And then Nicole disappeared. Now she's signed to the Roc and that new single, If I Was Your Girlfriend is pretty descent.
Lil Mo - The girl was everywhere. Hot Boyz, Put It On Me, Parking Lot Pimpin'. Then she had Supawoman Part II popping followed by Gangsta and then her album did nothing. Then she dropped another album. Nothing. Now she's rolling with Cash Money. Hopefully Mannie Fresh can get Lil Mo out of the Elliott ditch.
Danja Mowf - Techincally, Mowf was the first artist signed to Gold Mind Records. Mowf already had the classic Word Of Mowf LP under his belt. Missy signed Danja on the strength of the Aaliyah Remix which was bumped nationally. I even heard that Mowf was on the Dangerous Mouths track alongside Redman on Missy's 2nd album but was mysteriously cut. Years later, Mowf has finally bounced back with R&B singer Tara of 'Country Boys' fame.
Why Missy gave Nilyne the heave-ho [no pun intended] is still questionable, but Nilyne should look at it as a blessing considering Missy has the natural ability to stall everyone's career but her own.
Missy Elliott = SOHH Not A&R
Posted by SOHH Bold at March 3, 2005 12:01 AM
Comments
"Danja Mowf...she sat on him"
No pun intended, right?
It's alsways a bad look when our single is competing on the radio for attention against your CEO's single. Guess who wins out in that eqaution?
All of those acts have talent, but Missy and Timbo need better business partners to really make things happen for their artists
Posted by: Hashim at March 4, 2005 03:17 AM
Hi missy i'm 16 years old and a very good singer and in wondering if you could do me a favor by helping me get an demo.
Your #1 FAN Tavi Wilson
Posted by: Tavi Wilson at March 4, 2005 03:35 PM
A label can't make an artist successful, it's the public who make an artist successful. All too often it's easy to forget that a hot song or a hot album doesn't always equal success. A label's job is to give the artist all the tools he or she needs to have the best possible chance at superstardom. This starts with a single that catches on with the public. The reason many artists never get an album dropped is because their single doesn't catch on with listeners. Labels are not going to spend millions on an act for the hell of it. It's a business, and if you don't perform...well you know. You get the Donald Trump treatment. Missy has a successful career. All despite the fact, many record labels continue to feel that a "big boned" or "overweight" artist can't sell. Many label's think that the artist must be a model to succeed. Missy proved that you can just be yourself and make hot music to thrive, look at how despite music in general being down she continues to go platinum. People likely called her many names but she still rose above her situation. I know she goes through a lot of stress with haters showing up to concerts, but she doesn't stress it. For a artist to truely succeed a artist must also develop themselves. If you don't control your life it will control you. Same for careers. Oh yeah check out a hot site called insighturban.com it's hot and you can chat about Missy Elliott's Road to Stardom, Making the Band 3, and even make your own blog. Level up
Posted by: Checkum at March 4, 2005 09:46 PM
You forgot about Miss Jade..
Posted by: blknjiggy at March 5, 2005 04:21 PM
Techincally, Ms. Jade is part of Timbaland's camp. I was going to mention her, as well as TC - Torrey Clark, but oh well.
Posted by: SOHH Bold at March 6, 2005 02:03 AM
Yo, to tell you the truth, i'm not sure alot of you know how the musical industry works. First of all Nilyne was WEAK. She could dance and was far from being the best singer there. Jessica has so much built up emotion that will show when she puts out an albulm. The music industry is about expressing emotions in a creative way(that's what sells records!). And a record label CAN make an artist successful. I agree that the public is PART of it, but a record label does PROMOTION. With out good promotion you will sell nothing. A record label looks to make money off of an artist. And if you hear a single, the albulm WILL drop, bc record labels will not put out singles unless they are putting out an albulm. So if a single flops, it is on the cutting room floor in a meeting at the record label. True record labels look for people who are appealing, but talent is the most of it, look at biggie, he wasn't pretty. Read up on the industry before you post something, so you don't embarass yourself.
Posted by: Kaos at March 6, 2005 02:04 AM
Nicole's album did drop, And it also went gold, as well as the single, "Make It Hot."
Posted by: JT at March 6, 2005 09:17 PM
I feel that it is many factor's taht determine an artist's sucess or lack thereof, timing, image, origianality, promotion, etc. Some artist's have sucess only after failing under someone else, then thrive in another situation. i rooted for Jessica due to the emotion she exhibits in her music, we do not know if the youth will feel that as they are only concerned with image and bling, bling. Nilyne could have been o.k., but competing with the likes of ciara and so on. deltrice wouldn't have been a bad choice, but Jessica has so much soul and emotion and a life story that could be reminiscent of Mary J.
Posted by: The R at March 7, 2005 01:23 PM