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February 19, 2006

Hip Hop Violence

I want to back track for this blog and address the discussion of violence in our community of hip hop. I see alot of people saying "hey Lighty aren't you helping sell the same violence inducing music etc...". I want to make it crystal clear that I personally and my company doesn't condone these acts of violence and think that our community as a whole has to be responsible for its actions and not blame hip hop regardless of the idiots that might run amok in it.

Hip Hop doesn't make anyone pick up a gun, knife, fist and go out and do acts of violence or stupidity. Stupid and callous people do these things. There are just as many acts of violence by individuals that don't listen to hip hop and aren't part of the minority of this nation. Look at the idiot that murdered his family (wife and child) and then ran to England. Did he listen to hip hop? Unlikely but he is just as much as a degenerate as the individuals that do acts of violence around hip hop.

The difference is hip hop is giving an opportunity for our community to rise above it and if we don't act like we are in a special situation when we get the opportunity to be in this brand of entertainment than the system will figure out a way to take it away from us. If your in this business and your friends come around make sure you tell them " hey this is my life don't fuck it up for me because if you do who is going to help you?

Maybe the greed will overcome the stupidity! We have to rise above the bullshit! When the rock stars go back to their old neighborhoods they arent considered the next "vic" because they are doing well! That is unfortunately what most rappers ,actors,ball players face in their own community. How many sports players, rappers, etc have been robbed going back into their community just because they made it and than the haters come out?

Our community has to be better than the others just to be recognized in society so we have to break this vicious chain of violence. I will never be a believer of the music made me do it? Every week a violent movie comes out, a comic book with violence comes out ,the damn newspaper puts an actual record of violence in our face daily. Noone said "The new york times article made me go crazy and kill that person." Hip Hop has to take the next step and protect our culture or we will go away like the dinasours except it will be the government that wipes us out.

I love gangster movies as much as I love gangster records..but as I was channel surfing last night I realized I also love a good story as I watched the last hour or so of "The Titanic". Our music has many forms and I love hearing 50 tell tales of crime as much as I like "21 questions" but neither made me go crazy to do acts of violence why would it do it to you? My favorite album is "Criminal Minded" by BDP I listen to it 20 years later but it doesn't make me do a drive by. To top it all off I love to hear the Ceo and President of Def Jam rhyme about how he is/was the best hustler but it doesn't inspire anything more than the thought to work harder.

This is entertainment just like hollywood and if you can't decipher that than please turn off your radio! KRS said it best "rap is like a sport, alot of games, alot of suckers with colorful names,I am so and so I am this and that but there all just wick wick wack." Its like a sport,a game not an order of violence,not reality its a fantasy. So please "Stop the violence."

Posted by chrislighty at 11:38 AM | Comments (42)

February 17, 2006

Back to blog business.....The other shoe is about to drop.

I have been runnning crazy for the last couple of weeks due to different events in my management company, my record company duties,the grammys and after having a few insightful mtgs while in los angeles I found myself pondering what is the new face of the truly revolutionary record company going to look like?

I find myself in a place where I believe for the survival of our music and brands not only are the record companies going to have to change their thought process so are the management companies. We as black people and executives can't sit around and wait for the shoe to drop like our counter parts do because lets face it we are the minority. Whether its a hip hop world which it is how many of us truly have power?

That being said, I see everyone wondering why this one artist is successful or that one has a perfume or a sneaker deal. The reason being is those individuals arent waiting for the other shoe to drop they are grabbing it and putting it on.The record companies constantly complain that "hey I am the seed money". Clearly they are but then they dont invest into building the artist brand outside of an mtv/bet world.

What if the artist sells records only if he/she has a viable tour out there ? 99 percent of the time the record companies what for the manager to create that situation? What happens if the manager can't? What if their intentions as a new manager are great but their reach is too limited? Our industry is at a major crossroads where artist/manager/record company are going to have to work more as one because where is the next motown brand? def jam brand? uptown records? remember that? We have to build a better union between all the parts to succeed.

The "lil scrappy brand" is just as important as the "ludacris" brand but if we aren't smart as a management company in growing it and the record company doesnt chime in wewill never know!! Where is the next frank sinatri,elvis presley,marvin gaye,tupac shakur? I am not a fan of the first two brands i have mentioned but damn we just cant seem to shake them and they have stood the test of time.

The record company blueprint that is doing the robbie williams and korn deals are more to the future of our business than the lets wait and hope someone calls me and wants my artist in their commercial approach that we as a business have been taking. I know there are departments being formed but who has a marketing department that is strategic in all the aspects of touring, endorsements, merchandise, etc and has a great artist management relationship. Hmmm.

I could go on and on but the model of our business has to change or we will be put out of business and I am the first to say I love my job!!! My next blog will continue on this rant of changing the model but will address the manager's dream and nightmare: Touring!

Posted by chrislighty at 02:43 PM | Comments (12)

February 06, 2006

i am sorry i kept you.....

I promise i won't let this slip again and go for weeks without an entry unless i get busy again!!!I want to start off by saying that its a great day when the Pittsburgh Steelers win the super bowl.I am a huge steeler fan and this has been a long time coming.I now unfortunately have to address the black community and say a few things.
I have to hope that my children or their children will one day know hip hop without the violence.I am sorry and send out my regards to the family of Israel Ramirez. I don't know what happenned as i wasn't on the scene so i won't comment but it is a sad day when violence erupts and takes anyone's life.We have to come together as a people and try to rise above the conflicts we have on the streets of our neighborhoods.I know it sounds corny that the we have to unite as black people,as minorities ,as people of color but sooner or later we will have to do this to survive. I am sure that everyone has a comment and the press will blame hip hop and rappers but none of that is the case.Hip hop gave the opportunity for all these great stars to come together for this

Posted by chrislighty at 04:09 PM | Comments (29)