Got Hip-Hop?
So I was talking to this lady at work who happened to be a DJ. We talked about Hip-Hop and I realized something, I don’t buy as many albums as I used to. Funny since I still occasionally work with rappers (see pic) and go to shows. 
But compared to a couple of years ago I am buying less albums. Now before you say bit torrent, I’ll counter with this. I rarely download albums. I did get a bootleg of the 50 and Ye albums and I basically was curious as to see if the albums lived up to any of the hype (not so much). But aside from that I don’t download music much, even on the iTunes/Zune.
One factor is Tower Records (RIP) closing and the death of the music retailer. As much as I complained that their older albums were over priced ($18.99 for a 5+ year old album while new albums run $13 the first week) I miss their selection and convience. Currently if I want to go buy an album I have to:
A) Go to the local Circuit City - Mostly newer stuff and mostly gangsta shit. Prices are ok (11.99 - 13.99). Or Best Buy which has a slightly better selection (I got MF Doom CD/DVD there).
B) Go to a bookstore - Borders got CD’s but not a wide selection of Hip-Hop.
C) Drive my ass down to a Hip-Hop shop - I should but usually don’t. There are a few spots in L.A., Burbank and the Valley.
D) The Virgin Megastore - I think there is one left in Hollywood (parking sucks though).
Another factor is my lack of interest in a lot of new artists. Now I know that Souljah Boy is more for the kids but really how many artists are releasing non club centric albums these days? The Hip-Hop albums that I listen to the most right now are Snoop’s Blue Carpet Treatment, the last two Ghost albums, the last Roots album and the Kidz in the Hall record. so I don’t listen to a lot of mainstream (i.e. radio) Hip-Hop and I am out of the loop on some of the newer underground stuff.
So where exactly does that leave a 35 year old B-Boy?
