UNDERGROUND they have anything in common, aside CROSSROADS Continued from page 38 from the fact that they are both Continued from page 36 immensely talented," Myer concludes. At times, the sound of what is Kevin Wales, CEO of Worldwide underground to some is quite differ- MORE NOISE, LESS MUSIC Entertainment, agrees that the hip - ent from what is an underground Chris Schwartz, CEO of Ruffnation/ hop community itself has to be sound to others. Jarret Myer, co- Warner, pinpoints the elements that responsible for the type of music it founder /president of Rawkus Enter- make a song underground. "I think it's puts out. "What kind of message are tainment, notes the variety of artists the stuff that's really raw," he says. we sending to our community and our who emerged from the same under- "It's more sparse, has less music. It's listeners ?" Wales asks. "It's not very ground scene. "Eminem was part of got a lot more energy to it. It's a raw- often that a young black man can that scene, Mos Def was part of that ness of the track, the lyrical content reach the world overnight. I want to scene, but you can't really say that and the delivery. I think it's also the take full advantage of that and be very positive with the messages I'm putting out." The playas who took 'ou on a PLAYERS HOLIDAY ATTENTION- GETTING MESSAGES Others in the industry feel that there is a method to some of the madness. Beat -oriented energy: Method Man (left), Redman As harsh as some of the lyrics are, at times there are messages that some young people need to hear. "The only THE WHOLE DAMN YEY production approach -it's grittier, it's tional hip- hop -what hip -hop is sup- way a kid is going to listen to what you drop their new album noisier. It's not as musical. It's more posed to be. Anything else is not hip - have to say is if you first get their beat -oriented and high -energy. It's the hop. Guess it would be rap." attention or their respect in some way, Method Man, Redman, DMX -type of The bombardment of materialism in shape or form," says Joe Nicolo, repertoire." rap lyrics and video imagery has also CEO /founder of Judgment /RCA With the emergence of gangster rap led traditionalists to broaden the term Records. "[Judgment artist] Ced Sina- and acts like N.W.A, "hardcore" and underground to include low -key, true tra is a perfect example. He was in "street" became terms associated with and "for- the -love-of- hip -hop" vs. "for- prison for three years for running the underground as this market blos- the- money" attitudes. drugs. He lived that lifestyle; he talks availablE JULY 2000 somed outside of mainstream record "As it's grown, underground has about that lifestyle. Once he gets that labels, radio, television and retail come to mean not really flashy. It's a point across, the real message is chains. humble type of group, "Lyricist 'There's nothing heroic about that April 2000 fresh Prior to that, innovative approaches Lounge's Marshall suggests. "Like lifestyle. Chiram' - to creating the music had defined the Redman. His music has been certified Jermaine Dupri, CEO of So So THIS IS FOR THE hap Straight term underground. Artists experi- gold, but he is still grimy. He's not pol- Def/Columbia, reminisces about the 1. Homes - Slow Pain from the Hood mented with jazz. Rules of song struc- ished. He's still under the dirt." time when young people listening to 2. Raz Park - Latino Velvet 3. Just Like Mexico - Cisco ture were bent. Lyrics provoked the radio had the option of Kurds Blow, 4. Confessing A Feeling - Smoke Serrano thought and were no longer a mere ANTI -FLUFF STUFF Run DMC, Whodini and the Fat Boys - - Beesh 5. Drop Top Heaven Baby very rap "Everybody 6. Love vs. Hate - Lawless and A.L.T. invitation for the audience to sing For many traditionalists, under- all different acts. 7. Go Ahead - Mr. Shadow along to a James Brown loop. The suc- ground is still synonymous with knows that we all can't be that thug," 8. Here's To You - Lawless cess of artists like De La Soul and, groundbreaking and progressive. An Dupri says. "Everybody can't be that 9. My Coupdavil - A.L.T., Slow Pain 10. Latte Soul - Funky Aztecs later, Digable Planet proved that artist labeled underground is excep- killer. Everybody can't be the greatest 11. WhY? - P -Pham underground did not mean "lacking tional in his or her skills. "There are MC. There's got to be more to you. 12. Hest - Proper Dos commercial viability." popular artists selling records who are The public doesn't know the diversity 13. Lil' Don Juan - Slow Pain So today, both DMX and the Roots doing music deemed acceptable to of hip -hop. The young kids think rap is receive a FREE Homies sticker in every CD are described as underground. We the underground -based on what the one -dimensional." are defined by the streets," says Dru essence of hip -hop is -good lyrics and Dupri suggests that the current aura May 2000 Ha, CEO of Duck Down Records, an good beats," Domino believes. "Not in hip -hop reflects America's insatiable A TRIBUTE TO independent label considered a leader fluff tailored for the mainstream." appetite for the negative. It is displayed 1. Cali-ornia Love (Remix) - 2PAC, Dr. Dre and Roger in hardcore underground music, with a Myer agrees, using Jay -Z as an in television programming, movies, 2. What About Us - Jodeci roster that includes Smif N' Wessun, example. "As far as the underground videos and, especially, in media cover- 3. Wes: Coast Poplock - Ronnie Hudson RUSER TRUTMAN Boot Camp Clik and Heltah Skeltah. goes, I think he has a lot of love in the age of hip -hop, he adds. "The good 4. Dittt - Paperboy is heard. he is really in this don't the press a collection of sample based joints 5. He's Mine - Mokenstef "That's where our music underground because tal- people game get 6. Kno Da - H -Town I featuring the classic sou ids of the :kin' Boots That's where people know about us. ented," he says. `Jay-Z can walk into we should," Dupri says. "At 19, was a 7. Ain'- No Future In Yo Frontin - M.C. Breed late Roger Troutman As a label, and speaking for my artists, a cipher [a bunch of MCs rhyming with millionaire. I didn't sell dope to get 8. You Sots To Chill - EPMD 9. Boo:i Call - Blackstreet we wouldn't claim that we are under- each other in a circle] and blow every- there. I feel I'm a hellified role model. I includes the hit 10. In The Hood (Remix) - Donell Jones ground. We want our music to be one away with a couple of lines. He don't smoke weed. I'm a clean person "PLAYER'S CITY" 11. Player's City - A.L.T., JV, Cisco, Mr. Gee, heard [everywhere]. We strive to get may be making millions, but under- who's been in this game doing what I'm C -B unt and Baby Beesh featuring 12. Caliliyey - T.W.D.Y. featuring Too Short our music on MTV, to be on BET" neath it all, he's a true lyricist." doing for 10 years. There's a gang of A.L.T., JV, Cisco, Mr. Gee. C -Blunt anc Dolla Will BiggJus cites the Roots as a model people in this business like me. That's and Baby Beesh 13. To Poger, True Love - Chantay Nelson TRADITIONAL HIP -HOP VALUES of progressive, underground hip -hop. the kind of stuff kids should follow." 14. Platers Anthem - Ghost There are traditionalists who con- "They're a perfect example of a group Hip -hop acts like Common, Mos sider underground a scene that is the that's reaching and pushing to the Def, Deadly Venoms and Dead Prez June 2000 epicenter of hip -hop music and cul- next level of hip -hop sensibility," he (Loud's new-millennium Public Enemy) 1. RetL rn Of The Mack - Mark Morrison ture. "It's a group of fans, open mics, says, applauding the use of live instru- are cited as artists whose break- 2. No Diggity - Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre a group of radio shows," says Rawkus' mentation in the genre. "The sound of throughs can interrupt the current 3. I Go: 5 On It - Luniz (featuring Michael Marshall) Myer, who met members of his roster sampling and looping stuff has gotten monotony and usher in a new phase. 4. Tenressee - Arrested Development 5. Funtdified - Da Brat while a fan of New York City's under- stagnant. The future of hip -hop relies Some in the industry feel that these 6. Ghe to Jam - Domino ground scene. "At one point, there on cats going into the past and pick- issues and concerns are necessary 7. I The - Warren G. Shot Sheriff were a bunch of underground maga- ing up instruments." pains for the continual growth of 8. Mr. Venda!! - Arrested Development 9. Everything's Gonna Be Alright - Father MC zines." Meanwhile, a few believe that the rap /hip -hop. 10. The Overweight Lovers In The House Bigg Jus Ingleton, who is chief cre- term underground has been used as "Once a genre of music gets into - He-ivy D & The Boyz ative officer well as an artist a way to excuse professional failure that 10 -to -15 -year age, it has to look 11.