While I'm a fan of Jay-Z the rapper, I'm no fan of Jay-Z the Def Jam President. So far under the Carter Administration Jay-Z has released some mediocre crap with the exception of Kanye West. Personally, I don't see why people are so excited to see Jay as the head of Def Jam. This is the same nigga who signed Memphis Bleek on the strength of some childhood friendship bullshit.
Now a current trend in rap is rappers are trying to sign a lot of throwback groups. I've heard The Game is trying to sign Kool G. Rap. 50 signed M.O.P. and Mobb Deep. And Jay is trying to sign The Lox. As nice as all these groups were, they are done. They aren't doing big numbers in this day and age. If they do big numbers it won't be the same group you loved years ago. With M.O.P. and Fox shucking and jiving in that Tony Yayo video it should be evident that this ain't the same group we loved years ago.
If they must sign older groups for some sense of 'reaching back' atleast sign groups that will move some units. So before Jay attempts to sign Saucy Money and Big Daddy Kane, here are 5 artists that Jay-Z SHOULD sign.
The Clipse - These guys are free agents. They've already dropped a classic album. The streets have been waiting for these guys.
Remy Ma - Yea, she's signed to Terror Squad and her boss and Jay don't get along but after SRC Records/Universal drop the ball, Jay will be able to get her for pennies on the dollar. Plus she's a fan of Jay. She quotes him almost as much as Foxy. [How come she doesn't quote Joe?]
AZ - We know AZ loves his home at Koch, but with the right label he could easily move 500,000. Jigga and him go way back to the Dead President's video. With the right singles this guy could be a major threat - AGAIN.
The Smith Bros. - Also known as Smooth Da Hustla and Trigga The Gambler. Face it, these guys are better than that other Brownsville Duo who signed with G-Unit. Check the Tony Touch mixtapes for prove of this. These guys are STILL doing it - unfortunely, they are STILL doing it with Ice T.
I think that Jay-Z should sign the Clipse. They could benefit from that deal and so can Jay-Z. I believe with the right production the Clipse can go platinum. (MAYBE) I think Jay-Z should also put his ego aside and sign Nas as well. Nas is still tight and a major label can help push Nas over the recent slump he's been on. (Commercial wise). I think Jay-Z should sign Rakim as well. Rakim would sell more units than Young Gunz and Memphis Bleek put together. Just my opinion though.
LOL, @ Mobb Deep “throwback groupâ€. LOL @ Clipse, classic album??? Sorry I must have missed that one. LOL @ M.O.P dancing in lame ass Yayo’s video. No one quotes Fat Joe, besides Remy needs her own lines and Foxy would have to get dropped from Def Jam first. Ms. Brown wouldn’t want to be under the same umbrella, she is too small headed to see the big picture. AZ should stay at Koch, I love this guy and why even if the major label gets him “Goldâ€, you can get the same money with
Don't C-Block my post Mr. Irreverent...you are one of the only bloggers that inspire me to respond - don't trash my comments. My employer would go nuts if they knew I spent this mush time reading and responding to this ish, lol.
I think JZ should sign Big Daddy Kane to Def Jam, Naughty by Nature( the first group to ever have their own clothes, and mad hits. their the rap game new edition) and he should try and sign Az who could really hold shit down and he could rest. Those other rappers he signed couldn't let him rest. Kanye west is a hip hop fad. he's done after this album rapping. hes not hot at all.
Stop saying Bleek was a mistake he's hot. It's Just that Jz is so much better that bleek don't get his props like he should have been getting. if anybody was under JZ the would be lost under the spotlight. like Pippen was to Jorden. Bleek has skills thats all i got to say.
"And Jay is trying to sign The Lox. As nice as all these groups were, they are done"
nigga check da credentialz, da LOX been on da rap scene for 10 yrs. and any loyal fanz kno dey hot in da streetz, infact, if u think about dem boyz r better than when dey first came on....
"And Jay is trying to sign The Lox. As nice as all these groups were, they are done"
nigga check da credentialz, da LOX been on da rap scene for 10 yrs. w/o fallin' off. and any loyal fanz kno dey stay hot in da streetz, infact, if u think about dem boyz r better than when dey first came on....
Word to the Mutha, Word to tha Mutha. That is so true about everything you said Irreverent, especially about my boys Eclipse they will definitley move Units.
What about Young Jeezy? He also signed a young cat out of Houston that from the mixtapes I've heard is pretty raw.
I agree he should go after the Clipse and I heard he trying to bring the LOX over to da house that Russell built.
"The Smith Bros. - Also known as Smooth Da Hustla and Trigga The Gambler."
Yes! Exactly! Please somebody bring back Smooth!
Im so tired of people talking about selling units makes you a better rapper or MC! IF that's the case then MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, Young MC, and Will Smith are the best MC's to ever grace the mic. They all sold over a few million albums alone. Matter of fact Will Smith has sold more albums than 50 Cent has and is still around after 10 or 15 years. I dont think 5O will be around in 10 years form now still saling cds. So you cant say that selling units now a days counts for anything. Hip Hip wasnt as big is it is now. Lil White kids werent buying Hip hop cd's when Big daddy kane was out or when Yo! Mtv Raps was the best show on MTV! Big daddy kane can still run circles around these cats today. All the singing on Hooks and being a ladies man, he started all that. He was one of the first MCs to sport a suit and people called him soft. Jay-Z wears a suit and hes a fly business man come on. Kane and Kool G rap were ahead of they time and you know it. Kane got ill on that Little Brother Mixtape. He held his with two of the best Mcs TO COME OUT IN THE LAST few years on that song. I'd buy a new Kane album if he had the right people push him and Jay-Z can do that. If Bleek can go gold Kane can do better than that cause Bleek and Young Guns suck but they still on the ROC!
Young Jeezy is one of the realest and most successful artist to come out on Def Jam in a while. Jay signed him. So I'll say he doing alright fo himself. Kanye is overrated but he moving units, so it all adds up. The Lox is a real good look for the label but it all starts with Atl thats where the money at right now. A-town down, Southside stand up.
Def Jam is that deal. What about Mariah Carrey's LP? I don't fukk with it, but its the 2nd best selling album of the year so far. Kanye will be in the top 5 sellers. Jeezy is selling. He's at about 600 right now. Okay Okay, I'll give you Bleek and Young Guns, but he got Ludacris, too. He got some white groups that's selling good. I 4got the names, though. Beans is still on Def Jam, just not the Roc. Rihanna's song topped the charts at a point. DON'T SLEEP ON BUDDENS NIGGAS!! HE GONNA BLOW ONE DAY!! He should grab The Clipse. And The Lox is old and tired, but not individually. He would get the new Styles and Jada albums, too. Goof ass.
The Smith who? Nigga please. Be for real. Stop all that lame stay true to hip-hop shit. Even hip-hop heads never heard of these dudes.
Yeah him and the rest of the decision makers need to get off their butts and do some signingng for young talent. Bu the majors only look @ tthe bottom line and artists with following cause that is guaranteed money or sales. Plus it all about what you spend/recoup.u They need to be keeping there ear to the ground.
IF I'M NOT MISTAKIN' SCARFACE SIGNED JEEZY 2 DEF JAM AND JAY JUST PROMOTED JEEZY. I DO THINK THE THROW BACK GROUPS( NOT NAS HE WILL ALWAYS BE THE GREAT THAT OWNS THE OTHER HALF OF THE GAME WITH JAY-Z) ARE DONE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MOBB DEEP AND EVEN THEY SEEM REAL LAZY WITH THE FLOW (PRODIGY!!) iT'S SAD THAT THE GAME USED 2 BE TO BREAK NEW ARTISTS AND NOW THE LABELS JUST WANT TO KEEP PUMPIN MONEY INTO GROUPS THAT ARE DRIED UP LIKE RAISINS. THATS WHY THE GAME IS SO WEAK RIGHT NOW NOBODY WANTS TO BREAK ARTISTS BECAUSE THEY SOUND GOOD THEY JUST WANT TO BREAK THEM BECAUSE HE WAS GOOD 10 YRS AGO OR HIS STREET BUZZ IS CRAZY -WICH CAN EASILY BE MANUFACTURED WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF DOUGH IN A DJ'S POKETS OR PROGRAM DIRECTOR- IT'S SICKENING. AT THIS RATE WE'LL NEVER SEE ANOTHER OUTKAST OR ANOTHER NAS OR SNOOP BECAUSE A&R'S ARE SOMEONES COUSIN OR BROTHER AND THATS HOW THEY GOT THE DAMN JOB. LABELS NEED 2 SIGN NEW NIGGAZ STOP SIGNIN NIGGAZ OFF OF MIXTAPE VERSES AND GO DO SOME REAL DAMN TALENT SCOUTING. OR ELSE RAP MUSIC IS GONNA BE WHERE DO WOP IS NOW DEAD
It's been a while since Kane came out with an album (1998) and now is the perfect time for Jay-Z to sign him to Def Jam. Plus the fact that Jay-Z should do this just to honor him because Kane is a man who gave Jay-Z one of his 1st shots at stardom by taking him on tour with him 15 years ago. I say this because after seeing Kane this past Thursday night for his VH-1 Hip-Hop Honors afterparty, what everybody has to understand is Kane was always here, making guest appearances as well as singles and no one can touch him on the mic, still! He, by far drew the biggest ovation of the night at the awards show. Lyrically, he's better than anyone on Jay's roster, but that's why he is a legendary MC, that alot of the "rappers" on the "ROC" only wishes they can become one day. This isn't even just my opinion, it's the plain TRUTH. I want everyone to watch the VH-1 Honors on Monday at 9pm, and you'll see what I am saying. LONG LIVE THE KANE!
Yeah I agree about Kane. he was here in Boston in early August. He Definitely still has it. HE RIPPED It......
I agree w/drdre74 but I don't feel a BDK(Big Daddy Kane, not b2k, youngin') comeback would be prudent. He had his run during the late 80' & early 90's and did a lot. Yeah his skill is better than most of these kids current favorites but for him to comeback would be like when Jordan came back to play for the Wizards.
I do feel that Jay should grab the Clipse. They too nice to just ride the pine like they have been. Label politics. Remy....her 1st single is trash but the girl got potential. However, I don't feel she'll fulfill it with Terror Squad. AZ should stay where he is for financial reasons. Why go to a major and break your back to MAYBE go gold when you can stay independent, sell about 200,000 and still get paid? Just to get a plaque? Please.
Memphis Bleek will never go platinum. Young Gunz aren't hot at all. They just don't drop anything that makes people want more nor do they write anything that makes people respect them lyrically either. People are expecting Jay to put multi platinum artists at will. No, not every artist is gonna go 5x platinum but every artists he drops isn't or should go double wood either. Lots of people I know have no interest in Bleek, Young Gunz, Teeaira Marie, etc. Instead of reaching back, he or his people need to find new blood. Then again I can't tell that man how to do his job.
BLANK,UR AN IDIOT, IF U DON'T KNOW WHO TRIGGA AND SMOOTH THE HUSTLER ARE STOP LISTENING TO HIP HOP. I'M SAYING THEY THE BEST BUT THEY GET MAD RESPECT. WHEN WHERE U BORN? IS OLD SCHOOL HIP HOP TO U FABOLOUS'S FIRST ALBUM? U AIN'T NO HIP HOP HEAD, JUST A BANDWAGON JUMPER WHO STARTED LISTENING TO THIS SHIT WHEN FITTY CAME OUT. LAME.
Jay-z should team up with Dre and run Aftermath and move all the big artist like foxy, luda, mariah and maybe jezzy and buddens
irreverent fuck is u talkin bout the
clipse? & AZ them niggaz is corny. AZ
still rap like "lifes a bitch" he
corny now trust me. the clipse aint
neva been that hot they just had hot
neptune beats & signin smooth & trigga
would be the exact same thing as
signin m.o.p. wuts the difference.
@least M.O.P. had more classic cuts
them the smith's. but niggaz do need
2 stop signin these old washed up
acts & find fresh talent. & damn
prodigy from mobb deep got wack. he
used 2 be my nigga. mus b the sickle
cell
And when Jordan came back to the Wizards, there were flashes of brilliance on many occasions. If Kane had "flashes" it's still better work than any of the artists on the ROC or alot of other labels, that could put in work. You said it yourself Black, "Yeah his skill is better than most of these kids current favorites". Isn't that enough? And like I said before (maybe I didn't), he's still putting out a few singles every year, kills it on anyones track as their guest star, and spits relevant to the times!After his performance at the VH-1 Hip-Hop Honors, how can you NOT sign him. Again, I see him all the time when he has shows in NY, at least 3-4 a year, and it's SCARY to see the man, doin' it better than all these young cats in the game. The again that's why he's an MC and one of the greats. Kane said it and did it himself, he gladly stepped aside and let the younger dudes do their thing in the game, 'cause that was him in '87, he has no problem with it, but he'll always sharpen his tounge and will never let up. But the fact is that he had an album due, and Landspeed records folded, and the project was scrapped, it was already done but never made it to the shelves. So I think for the rest of 2005 and hopefully 2006, it'll be a "Big Daddy Thing" again!
"THROWBACK GROUPS" WHAT IS A THROWBACK GROUP? IF YOU STILL MAKE MUSIC HOW ARE YOU THROWBACK. THROWBACK IS SOMETHING THAT IS NO LONGER IN USE. SO GET IT RIGHT. AND D-BLOCK IS KILLING THE STREETS RIGHT NOW. SHEEK IS RIGHT THE REMIX TO KISS YOUR ASS GOODBYE IS THE HOTTEST REMIX OF THE YEAR BEANS KILLED IT EVEN FAB. SO FUCK A THROWBACK TALENT IS TALENT AND IF PEOPLE SOLD ON THAT AZ MIGHT JUST BE KING. AND AS FAR AS SIGNING ALL NEW GROUPS TO BREAK IS THATS EXPENSIVE AND THE NEW ARTISTS COMING OUT ARE LAME AND ALL TALK ABOUT THE SAME THING. YOU WANT REAL HIP-HOP CHECK FOR AZ'S NEW ALBUM AND MY MAN TWAN HILL,ST DA SQUAD REP TERMANOLOGY FROM LAW-TOWN/HELL-TOWN. BRINGING REAL HIP-HOP BACK ASK THE SOURCE. MURDER MASS IS READY SO GET OUT THE WAY OR GET RUN OVER. SIGN THIS HYPE.
Jay Z should really do a collbo with Nas, this would bring New York Back and this would be a very big thing
You absolutely crazy Irreverent, out of your damned mind. First of all it is love and respect that rappers do sign these old cats, high numbers or not, and the audience is interested in seeing older guys get signed than some newer artist no one has ever heard of. Second, why in the hell would Jay sign a Koch artist when 50 don't even like fucking with Koch.
Ya'll name in dez old azz group what bout niggaz like lil'wayne he da most under rated rapper in da game if Jay would have snatch him from baby when wayne was tryin to get with him wayne would have went diamond fuck platnuim
Yo B Kool G Rap is the best lyrisist in tha game dead or alive im not sayen that hes better than Pac im saying that his lyrics r off tha hook and when it comes 2 Hardcore fukin Grimey rap KOOL G is tha don hands down. And 4 those catz that dunt know Kool G Rap u better open tha rap history books cuz he influenced most these rappers 2day.