THE CONFESSIONAL: Most Hip-Hop Blogs Suck
They say confession is good for the soul. Today we offer another installment of The Confessional, an ongoing feature on Your Favorite White Boy, where your man B-Double will be confessing certain things that he would not dare bring up in the company of his hip-hop brethren.
Bless me Reverend Run, for I have sinned.
It’s been 14 days since my last confession.
I’m tired of mouthing off subliminally, so I’m just going to come out and say it: most hip-hop blogs are unoriginal clones that really contribute nothing to the online rap community. What do I mean by that? I mean that ever since the New Music Cartel started to provide the majority of new music and video content out in the raposphere, there have been a million Nah Right Jrs and OnSMASH orphans that popped up to clog our bandwith.
As a blogger that strives to bring new content, fresh ideas and relevant opinion to the table, I get heated when I see “authors” promoting the same videos, the same music and the same content as about 400 other blogs out there. For the life of me, I have no idea how they get any traffic. Why would I go to your stupid-ass site when I can go to one that posted it in the first place?
Blog readers and viewers should respect and support websites and blogs that bring new ideas or offer their views on artists and their music. It is an incredible challenge to post new ish day after day. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not complaining - I love doing this. It’s not work to me. And sure, I’ve been known to post up a song or a video if it catches my eye. But that’s the minority of posts. Other sites? Not so much.
There is some fantastic content out there from people who love hip-hop and post thoughts and opinions worth being part of the ongoing dialogue of this thing called rap. These sites have given me a different and often hilarious and/or dope perspective of their own hip-hop experience(s). We need more of these kinds of sites.
But too often, site administrators just grab code from whatever big site they visit and then post it on up. In fact, in compiling the list above I saw the same damn video and downloads again and again and again. Just so we’re clear:
- If the video you post can be found on 50+ other sites, STOP BLOGGING NOW.
- If your site looks like an unofficial member of the NMC, STOP BLOGGING NOW.
- If you post any download you find regardless of whether you like it, STOP BLOGGING NOW.
- If you been blogging for 6 months and have never written an album review, STOP BLOGGING NOW.
- If you can’t string a coherent sentence together, STOP BLOGGING NOW.
- If you don’t comment on other sites and add to the general discussion, STOP BLOGGING NOW.
- If you’re offended by this post, STOP BLOGGING NOW.
So, in summary: if you just post videos or zshare links that you took off of other websites, your blog sucks, my dude. We all know there are a lot of rappers our there that shouldn’t be rapping. The same goes in the raposphere: just because you can create a website, doesn’t mean you should. Do us all a favor and delete that thing. Leave it to real hip-hop writers.
Wow. I feel a lot better.
In the name of God’s Son, the Father MC and the Holy Ghostface.
I couldn’t have said it better. Bless you, my child (no Pope)
One.
Yeah to be honest the only blog i check out are yours a couple on ur blog roll and everyonce and a while something for twitter. this comment is just more a i know what u mean and im feeling ur pain.
I appreciate that. Actually, I think regular commentators like yourself add a real value to sites.
I have something coming up that may expand your list – and you get an invite, just because you have such great taste in blogs. Check your Inbox i the next while.
Yeah, Dart is one of those dudes who you need to train your eyes and mind before reading his blog. He’ll straight wear you out. And a damn fine writer to boot. Thanks for the comment, my dude.
Nice post! I couldn’t agree more.
The whole blog scene is saturated to the point of near uselessness.
I appreciate your efforts with what you’re doing with this site.
It’s now the main place I go for hip-hop knowledge which really says a lot.
Keep on keepin’ on.
Amen
High praise. Appreciate you visiting – and commenting. I never imagined how many sites were out there until I started blogging hip-hop.
I even started YFWB 1.0 doing the same thing as everyone else – just posting what was on other sites. Then I finally realized the only point of doing it is if was going to be original.
I appreciate the support.
So let it be written, so let it be done.
do you like me?!!?!?!
I’M RONIN . I DO W/E!
Excellent post, my dude. I remember having a similar rant like this about a year ago. There are too many hip hop sites out there who post the same damn thing. You said it well.
LMAO. Well said.
I don’t even know what W/E is. And I certainly don’t do those types of things with people I hardly know. LMAO.
You hit the nail on the head. But isn’t imitation the sincerest form of flattery?
Oops. I KNEW I’d forgotten someone and its you, Vincent. *Adds Thimk* Yeah, imitation is flattery, but its not the idea – breaking exclusives on the net – they copied. Its just taking their idea and trying to redo it. So, these suckers aren’t “copying” Eskay and them, they’re “cloning” them, if you get me.
@B-Double – I get you now. I’m not a fan of the clones either.
I hope this starts blogger beef …… on twitter. it would be so sad but so hilarious. I already got 140-character punchlines in the stash. Who want some?
Oh yeah, it’d be on. You think I’m a sarcastic pr*ck when I blog, you should see me when I’m in beef mode. And judging by the comments and reactions to this post, my side would be pretty deep. Who want some?
P.S. I saw that “25 things” post. Puff Daddy? For real? LMAO.
Yeah, I’m in total agreeance here.
People act as if good music sours like milk if you don’t listen to it the day it leaks…
Agreed. I saw that in full effect with the Budden Padded Room album. People had reviews done and up before the album was even released. (No shots at the reviewers – just a fact).
For me, it takes 3 listens before I can formulate an opinion. I usually don’t like it the first time through, no matter what it is. Not sure why that is.
“If you don’t comment on other sites and add to the general discussion, STOP BLOGGING NOW.”
It’s like you’ve never tried to read Nahright or Smokingsection comments. There’s no topic. and it’s mindless, jobless people arguing like children.
Currently, I refuse to even read those hip hop blogs. If the epitome of hip hop blogging is posting diss videos of Joe Budden, Ransom, Rick Ross, and Fifty Cent, you can have this currently bullshit culture.
I’ll read Pitchfork and Stereogum to let me know when a new Clipse or Raekwon song drops.
Vincent well, imitation may be a form of flattery, Flattery will get you no where fast. And these clowns are on a information High way this aint no cali shit. go fast.
*gives half-hearted fist raise while slumping back down from long birthday weekend*
Hey lets keep it real. No Way Out = classic album. If you assume that Biggie probably ghost-wrote nearly everything, it shouldn’t be too surprising.
And just to be clear:
Puff Daddy > Asher/Hamilton/Drake
AND he’s got no acne. WHUT!!!
Happy born day, my dude.
The comments section of NR has become a community, rather than a response to the post itself. I don’t comment there as I’m not there enough to know what the hell they’re talking about. I have to disagree on TSS, though – most of the comments are on point, although they do get a lot of off-topic spammers looking to promote their music.
I visit a lot of blogs and try to add value in my comments where I can. I’m not always successful, but I try.
Nah, it is. I’m just giving your purist ass a hard time. And he Twitters while having tantric sex, so he’s my hero.
Word to the post. Great points you make with cats who drop links and give no heads up to how they feel about the track. *Tsk Tsk* People, this blogging thing is not for everyone (or..is…it??!!!). Maybe this be the issue??!!!
I think you’re spot on with this. I can’t tell you how amped I am, coming to a new site and having this be the first post I see.
I can’t stand the re-posts. I mean, at least add some comment to the damn thing before putting it up. You could say that blogging has gone the way of producing in that now that it’s so readily accessible, even to people who don’t know jack shit about the internet, that it’s become diluted. How many average producers have you heard? Anyone can spend an hour on the web, download a pirated version of Ableton and make some cheap beats. It’s easy, and fun. It’s the same with blogging.
The problem is when people start taking it to the next level. It’s one thing to blog (or produce for that matter) for fun, for yourself, for your friends and whatever, but it’s another to advertise your work as something new, innovative, or — at least — worth reading.
I’m going to give this site some serious shine over on my page soon. I’ll hit you up!
This is legit. And it goes for every type of blog, not just rap blogs. I have a question though…what do you guys think about blogs that don’t post downloads? Can they contribute with out illegally bringing you the music or video they are talking about? Or is it just a waste of your time? I think yes because like B-Double has pointed out, you can get that ish everywhere–quality commentary and original ideas are what’s hard to come by.
“For me, it takes 3 listens before I can formulate an opinion”
thats you, though. i don’t find my opinion varying on listen 5 as opposed to listen 1. plus, when i write reviews (which i havent done for my blog since, damn, tha carter III), i like posting my initial ideas. first listen, track-by-track.
i think you come with some great points in this post; i do think, though, that even though WE know that the NMC is probably posting stuff there first, not everyone who reads about hip-hop online goes to those sites. there’s still heads who know fuck all about what 2dopeboyz.com is or does, and they’ve seen a significant increase in their hits. just the nature of the game.
i really just don’t like sites that will just post the link with NO KIND OF COMMENTARY. but again, cats like that have ulterior motives (primarily to drive funds to their adsense), and can be spotted a mile away.
Yeah, I’m starting to think it IS the problem. People are damn lazy. But on the bright side, the response to this post has been ill, so there is clearly an audience out there for real, original content. Bloggers, listen up.
Thanks for visiting. I hope you become a regular. Dope blog, by the way. You’re right that there is no barrier to entry in the blogging world OR the producing world, but I think that the cream still stands out. You can produce 1,000 tracks a month, but if they all suck, its only a matter of time until you no longer can do it for free. Same with blogging. It takes effort, a lot of it. You figure out who’s really down for it after about 6 months. Most just fade after that.
Thanks for visiting and commenting. I hope you become a regular. I agree – but as Khal from Rock The Dub pointed out after you, you need to give thought to the people who DON’T go to the big blogs for music – only yours. I try to post stuff that represents who I am as a hip-hop head. It doesn’t go up unless I co-sign it. However, I know I can’t compete with Nah Right or 2DopeBoyz and I don’t try to. Also, if you’re ONLY going for commentary it really has to be on point – ’cause that’s all you’ve got.
And one point on illegal vs legal: there’s a different between posting something an artist sent to you and buying an album, downloading it and posting it on the Internet. My view is, if someone has already put it up there and I link to it, its fair game.
“You figure out who’s really down for it after about 6 months.”
thats so true. I’m going through that with a friend of mine right now, stressing because his hits dipped. I told him its a marathon, not a sprint. Shit takes time. Took me two years before I regularly hit 1K+ hits a day, but you have to find a rhythm, find what works, and what your readers want.
Someone should study that 6 Month Theory. And by study I mean write a dope post about it, lol.
Yeah, you’re right to a point. I think some repetition is inevitable: artists distribute widely and there will always be some overlap. But there are lots of bloggers who intentionally post up a website and then fill it with nothing but garbage that’s on 1,000 other websites. And as you say, no commentary. But I like your site because you always have a different spin on things, often with music that I don’t see anywhere else. Huge difference.
Hmmmm… gives me an idea…. LMAO. Its hard, especially at the beginning. You really have no benchmark to whether you’re on the right track or not. And a whole industry has been created to give bloggers advice on how to build traffic. I was lucky: I had a few bloggers who mentored me a bit and said exactly what you said: “This takes time. You’re on the right track. Just keep moving forward.” And that helped a lot. 2 years is pretty good. Again, when you have dope content, people respond.
well, i’m of the mind that if you’re trying to do something, you have to study up on those who’ve done it before you. i spent a few months getting a list of blogs that i read religiously (nahright, therapup, dallaspenn, ohword, byron crawford), and just started reading. not imitating, just reading and applying what i’ve read to what i was trying to do. i guess i lucked out, i went from being a writer first (reviews and articles on a *few* sites in the past), and started the blog as an outlet for interviews i had going, and it evolved into this bigger thing. def takes time, but i think cats are just like “eskay did it, why can’t i?!?!”, which is the wrong way to go.
It true. And I have to admit that even I fell victim to the whole “I’ll just put up a site and I’ll get hundreds of visitors” initially. So, so wrong. Its a lot of work.
It took you two years – with quality rap blogs established now, its even harder. But as we both know, quality content shines through.
hahaha the 6 month rule is true as hell. How many blogs have you come across that have got 6 posts on them? (and that’s counting the obligatory “well, yeah, I’m starting a blog. I know, I know, so is your mother, but this one’s going to be different” post that everyone’s got. I wonder how true the “its only a matter of time until you no longer can do it for free” point is though. I agree to an extent, but I think the reason blogging and producing have become so popular is because they’re easy to do at an “okay” level on the side of something else. So, the thing that gets me is when — and i find this more with producers than bloggers — cats post their okay side projects like it’s they’re the second coming of dilla (or NMC), and, if you fiend for hip-hop the way I do, you’re tempted to check all of it out. Granted that might be a personal weakness, but the point stands: it sucks that there isn’t a way to more easier separate the pros from the, and i’ll be generous here, weekend warriors.
Anyways, thanx 4 checking the site out, man. I’ll definitely be stopping by here a lot. The fact that you respond to jsut about every comment shows u care a lot about the quality of the site & the discussion it sparks — mmmmaaadddd props for that.
I run a lil feature called “web worthwhiles” where I highlight the dope sites I find. I’ll definitely be running one on this, maybe even hit you up with a few questions if that’s cool. Once that’s up, it’d be sick if we could “trade” links.
Thanks. I think if you’re taking time to make a comment, I should take the time to actually respond. You’re right – a blog is only as good as the value it provides to readers. In this case, I want to generate discussion.
Yeah, people may do this stuff for free, but I think that if they aren’t making any money they need what people call “psychic income”: comments, links, etc. If they aren’t getting traffic (ie revenue) or comments, etc, it won;t be long before they fold up. Same with producers. You can only love producing beats so much. Sure, some would do it for free, but those aren’t the people begging for me (or you) to post their ish on YFWB.
“You’re right – a blog is only as good as the value it provides to readers. ” — Word.
Most of the previous commenters in here have already stated opinions I agree with, but one thing I’d add into the mix is the amount (and kind) of ads on a blog.
I struggle with this because I believe that if a blogger is producing quality content, then they deserve to get ad revenue on a site they’re putting lots of time into. But some of these damn blogs go overboard with the ads. It gets to a point where I start to think they dont give a shit about the browsing experience of their readers.
One of the biggest slaps in the face to me as a reader are interstitial ads. (the ones that display a full page ad and you have to click in the top right corner to make it go away).
If you’re running a free blog hosted by google theres pretty much no reason you should have that bullshit up.
But to touch on something already said earlier…. I dont have a problem with 20 sites posting the same video, I have a problem with not adding commentary or any unique opinion into your post.
Yes.
I’ve been trying to push this idea ever since I first got into hip hop blogging (”Hip Hop Blogging Is Dead”).
Cut & Paste Bloggers < Just about everything
You said it, my dude. But you’re on the right site. HHHead is no cut-and-paste joint, that’s for sure.
FYI, Nah Right comments >>> Life
Or more specifically:
FYI, Nah Right comments >>> YOUR Life