Age as a factor - Should rappers in their late 40s still be taken seriously?

  • Thread starter Thread starter WatchWhatHappens1204
  • Start date Start date
WatchWhatHappens1204

WatchWhatHappens1204

"Now you's can't leave."
I ask because I know someone, and he's had issues in life, but he has that passion (some of you know what I mean) and his heart is set on trying to enter the music biz one way or another. He's an old school cat, obviously, and his flow mirrors that. But he's spent money, has equipment, and is serious about the game.

Should I work with this cat? I'm tight with him, but in the back of my mind, his age worries me when I think about the current state of Hip Hop. I need some advice on this, and to me it's kinda a good topic too anyway...

... DISCUSS! (please lol)
 
If he ain't handling his personal everyday real business and claiming the rap game is his way.....don't mess with him. If he got his life under control.....why not....run that shit.
 
Should posters like Big Rome and J. Troup be taken seriously? They're in their later 40s
 
Talent is talent, at the end of the day it will be found, no matter how it's looked or dressed.
 
I think 30 is too old to be just starting out rapping with no following or buzz... hell, 30 is too old to even still be just having a buzz.

Yeah, yeah the top emcees are over 30 but they started out under 30 or just smashed into the game and got on top in a few years.

On the mic is one thing, being behind the person on the mic is another.

Tell him to wear a mask like MF Doom or something.... or you learn his lyrics and bring back lip syncing. He can be your ghost-writer / puppet master or something. I'm joking.

... but with everything being on the internet now... he can build a fanbase without having to be out there in people's faces but eventually he's going to have to perform somewhere.

That's the luxury of being behind the scenes... you don't even really have to be there. CD's feature an artist on the cover, all of the other people are on the inside on the booklet in size 2 font... gettin' paid.

Saying a producer has to be young is like saying the manager or label owner has to be young. A producers sound may have to appeal to young people but producers can pull a Vybe Beats and be on top of whatever and have people discuss what they might look like on message boards. (TPOM). Average consumer don't know producer names unless you're Dre, Timbaland, Neptunes status. Ask a random person who BattleCat is and they'll reference He-man or something.

Think of it like a boxer and his trainers and corner men... one has to do the real work "the artist / boxer" the other people are his supporting cast. They just want him to win so they can get paid, it's his name in the headlines.... when he loses... it's still his name in the headlines. The supporting cast can just jump to the next hot prospect.

You said you were tight with the dude... why would you ask a question like this? Don't answer.







P.S.: Post one of his songs... that would make things a little more clear.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Should teenage jazz musicians be taken seriously? what about children who play classical music under the age of 13?

I rest my case.
 
Depends what he raps about, if this guy is doin songs bout poppin bottles and goin to clubs i don't think it will work out.
 
WatchWhatHappens1204 said:
I ask because I know someone, and he's had issues in life, but he has that passion (some of you know what I mean) and his heart is set on trying to enter the music biz one way or another. He's an old school cat, obviously, and his flow mirrors that. But he's spent money, has equipment, and is serious about the game.

Should I work with this cat? I'm tight with him, but in the back of my mind, his age worries me when I think about the current state of Hip Hop. I need some advice on this, and to me it's kinda a good topic too anyway...

... DISCUSS! (please lol)
Click to expand...

I'd ask you, what would you be missing out on by working with him?
 
Last edited:
Lil more detail. He lives in Harlem, NY. I currently reside in Pittsburgh. We're not really that tight either, I met him last year. We were involved with other people, that movement is no more.

Basically I'd be traveling out to NY by bus to spend time working with him, and age aside, he might have the money (he has good equipment, doesn't know how to use it), but he has no buzz at all too. I'll basically be playing manager/AR rep/producer/beat maker for him, let alone whatever else. He's also kinda hot too (as in trouble hot). There were jail and court issues related to a girl he was messin with around that same time.

I don't know if it's worth it at all. Positively, I'm just trying to look at it business-wise, as far as making money off him and the potential that he might be able to do something. Everything else on the other hand speaks for itself, including his track record (legally).

Oh, he has no recorded songs that I know of... lol...

Ok I guess I posted this cuz I thought it was a good topic in general, but thanks though :D just gotta figure it out and play by ear too.

P.S. What would I be missing out on by working with him... well, I'm taking a huge chance if I do agree to travel out there in general just for that, including the money spent on the trip and putting the plans I have that I'm working on in Pittsburgh to the side. Time is money kinda thing.
 
WatchWhatHappens1204 said:
Lil more detail. He lives in Harlem, NY. I currently reside in Pittsburgh. We're not really that tight either, I met him last year. We were involved with other people, that movement is no more.

Basically I'd be traveling out to NY by bus to spend time working with him, and age aside, he might have the money (he has good equipment, doesn't know how to use it), but he has no buzz at all too. I'll basically be playing manager/AR rep/producer/beat maker for him, let alone whatever else. He's also kinda hot too (as in trouble hot). There were jail and court issues related to a girl he was messin with around that same time.

I don't know if it's worth it at all. Positively, I'm just trying to look at it business-wise, as far as making money off him and the potential that he might be able to do something. Everything else on the other hand speaks for itself, including his track record (legally).

Oh, he has no recorded songs that I know of... lol...

Ok I guess I posted this cuz I thought it was a good topic in general, but thanks though :D just gotta figure it out and play by ear too.

P.S. What would I be missing out on by working with him... well, I'm taking a huge chance if I do agree to travel out there in general just for that, including the money spent on the trip and putting the plans I have that I'm working on in Pittsburgh to the side. Time is money kinda thing.
Click to expand...

Gotcha. Yea it's different now that you mention the traveling and all. Me personally I wouldn't spend the time just based on my own situation. That's a lot to take on. I would probably try to find someone younger AND locally.
 
I think thats a major problem within hip hop. every other genre can perform until they are old as dirt. hip hop seems to abandon those over the mid 30's. i think thats awful. at the same time tho hip hop is constantly changing. but it still saddens me that bands like the stones and aerosmith can sell 3X platinum if they put out a new album but an old rapper would have a tough time doing so.
 
That is messed up about Hip Hop. It's such a f*ed up thing, and even more so that people just take it as "it is what it is" when it shouldn't be.

On the other note, not just age, but taking personal experience into consideration, yeah I shouldn't even really offer like that... travel alone, sheesh.
 
What does age have to do with it? When you hit a certain age, do you spontaneously lose your ability to put words together?? Does a walker and a hover round start growing out of your ass at 30?


It's about the music. When the songs get played on the radio, they don't say "and the new joint of the day is by 40 YEAR OLD RAPPER, MC DUSTY DUST!!!"

No, they just play the song. If people feel it then they feel it.


But from a business standpoint, you have to look at his shelf life. Cuz he has to appeal to people. Working with him is like signing a 40 year old model. You know she's not gonna appeal to people very long.

Working with him is one thing. If you're getting paid and getting your chops up, then that's great. But all that travelling to work with someone who's never even recorded a song before, that's a wrap.

Because realistically, it's gonna take 7-10 years for him to break through. He's gonna look like Tone-Loc on stage.
 
Bottom line is the magic 5 for ANY ARTIST.

1) Marketing Ability
2) Talent w/ Beats & Lyrics
3) Finance or resources to expand (money for promo, knows a dj very well, buzz from features or shows.)
4)Message that people want to hear good or bad.
5) A legit opportunity. A good show at a reputable venue. State Fair, Opening act for a hot artist ect . . . . .

The few rappers who have not had the first 3 fall into these 2 categories -
A) Put on by another person who had all 3. IE Tony Yayo; D4L
B) One Hit Wonder.
C) Probably both A & B.

There's probably some one your working with now, under 30 that doesn't have all 5. So age shouldn't be the issue. Its the other 5 things.

If the 2 of you cant produce these 5 things or at least 3 out of 5, then there are other creative alternate routes to take.

Video Game Sound Tracks.
Movie/ TV placements
Features on other albums/ mixtapes.
Ghost Writing.
Internet Marketing designed to exclude his age like photos or video close ups ect . . . . .

Just because you cant be in the front, doesn't mean you cant be at the show ! ! ! !
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top