January 28, 2015 Music » Yes, Yes Y'all

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Holding out hope for hip-hop 

A quick list of resolutions for the local scene

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The new year is upon us. It's a year in which Back to the Future 2 has prophesied us to use hoverboards and self-lacing Nikes — that next ish. What will Queen City hip-hop do to reach the next level? Hopefully there's already big plans in the works. Here are six basic things I, as a longtime fan, would like for my local hip-hop artists do differently this year. Let's start these new habits ... fresh for 2015, you suckaaaaas.

1. Get paid

The only time you should ever perform music "for exposure" is when your significant other won't get naked until you give them a private show. Everyone else who books you needs to be paying something. As a fan, I don't want to spend my hard-earned dollars in a venue that isn't paying the artist I'm there to support. I damn sure don't want to pay a cover charge to a promoter if you're not getting a percentage of it. Your art is valuable — act like you know. And almost any venue in the city will book you for a paying gig if you have a reputation for consistently bringing a crowd with you. The best way to accomplish this? ...

2. Entertain us

Work on your stage show like it's an album. Cultivate an audience experience. Unless you're making an impassioned plea for armed revolution or telling the most riveting love story of our time in your raps, you standing on stage rapping is only going to captivate an audience for so long. Introduce a visual element to your set, like projections or dancers; show off other talents or abilities in your repertoire; interact with the crowd (and no, telling us to put our hands in the air does not count). Put in real effort to engage us, and we'll follow you to every show you have.

3. Live vocals only

Rapping over a vocal track should never happen again. I can't even count how many times I've seen established local acts do this. I don't care if Wu-Tang did it on the Daily Show. They sounded bad, and so do you. It's awkward and confusing to the audience, and it looks like you don't care at all about your performance. If you haven't taken the time to get some instrumental files made, perhaps you should sit this show out and give your stage time to an act that is ready for it.

4. Let it play

DJs — this one is for you. I'm really glad Charlotte has so many mix-masters and beat-jugglers, but when you're spinning a classic track and everyone is singing along, don't cut out the second verse or the hook. You will be guilty of murder because you killed our vibe. And if we've made it all the way to the end of "The Next Episode" and you drop a new track before Nate Dogg says "smoke weed every day," you can bet your sweet Serato that everyone hates you now. Don't be that guy (or girl).

5. Stand up

Why would people who can regularly be seen and heard onstage be silent and invisible in their community? Last year required us to take a stand and make our voices heard against police brutality, and the hip-hop scene's lack of presence at local marches, rallies and forums was both duly noted and hugely disappointing. You, MC, or you, DJ, or you, bboy, or you, writer, because you have the gift of expressing yourself in a powerful way. A way that gets attention and invokes emotion. Lend that gift to your community when it needs you. In case you're too young to remember, that's kinda how this whole hip-hop thing really took off in the first place.

6. Go vegetarian

No more beef. Unless you're going to turn it into an epic showdown battle or at the very least some hot dis tracks. It's boring, pointless and does nothing but hold you back.

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