[audio:Mood_PeddlersOfDoom_96kbps.mp3]
Download Peddlers Of Doom by Mood ft. Talib Kweli
Lauren from Asita Recordings points us to a conversation on the la2thebay forum, in which two acclaimed yet struggling artists discuss some of the reasons why trying to stay independent with bills and no steady paper is a bitch. 2mex and Subtitle sound off a bit on their point of view. As some additional background, 2mex stirred a slight controversy earlier this year when he decided to auction verses on ebay (unverified). But he’s definitely not the only example of a hustling mc. I think we all know how Sean Price gets down. Not to mention recent mysp*ce moves by legends such as Kool G Rap and Craig G.
Should musicians be able to live off of their creations? Is it a moral necessity? Is it unethical to sell verses? Sell beats? Nah. But, if artists do not disclose what they do or talk sh*t about selling out and then fall back to selling verses or pushing Pepsi, then there’s an issue with insincerity and integrity. But I guess not everyone is looking for sincerity in their music anyway, so whatever. Oh yeah, the quote I used for the title is from a song from one of my favorite albums, Doom by Mood. Link (via Asita)