After watching this video I think this is one of the best songs ever made in Hip Hop. Hailing from the Bronx, NY Camp Lo exploded on the scene with this first single, Lucini, from their classic debut album, Uptown Saturday Night (1997). I was at the green age of 15 when it came out and, interestingly enough, even though none of the content in this song applied to anything I was doing at the time, I felt I could totally relate. In my mind I was actually IN Camp Lo. 

Camp Lo consisted of two MC’s, Sonny Cheeba and Gicci Suede, both of whom were sick MC’s.  Cheeba’s rhyme patterns were nothing short of incredible and Suede’s charisma and - oft used term - “swagger,” are totally apparent in this video. The two of them had great chemistry together and as a result the dynamic duo managed to carve out a cool and unforgettable niche for themselves in rap. 

Camp Lo is still at it and I always check for them. They are one of very few acts from that era who still manage to be dope and stay Hip To The Game (in reference to last months post). In fact, The Lo is closer to home (Def Jux) than you may know. They are featured on Aesop Rock’s song Limelighters from the Bazooka Tooth LP and in case you didn’t know Aes also sampled Gicci’s voice from the same song for the Getaway Car chorus on his None Shall Pass album. Years later I’ve come to find out via Twitter that Sonny Cheeba has a mutual respect for yours truly.  It’s always a good feeling when someone that you hold in a high regard for something recognizes you for the same reason and let’s you know.  Real recognize real as they say.

So this is it, meaning this is the end of the road for physical music sales and therefore a lot less Lucini falling from the sky. Music is no longer something that people are willing to shell out some coin for. We’ve been getting it for free for so long that most people feel like they are entitled to it, myself included. It’s really nothing new and a rather stale topic by now but I’ve been reading several articles with soundscan numbers, trends, graphs lately. 

So what are people willing to buy nowadays?  In my experience, everything ELSE that has to do with the music BUT the music itself. “You Can’t Download a T-Shirt” is a phrase I first heard a few years ago in a conversation I had one night with Amaechi Uziogwe (Co-founder of Definitive Jux Records) about the future of the music industry. We discussed how the business model is changing and must be restructured by record labels and distributors in order to continue making a profit.  Merchandise is one thing that people will still buy and that was the point he was driving at.  

Here’s a great example of that concept put into action; Eminem recently released his worst album to date called Relapse. You can buy a deluxe edition of the album off his website for $129.99 which includes an 24x24 print hand signed by Marshall himself, a collectable Relapse pill bottle, the CD with “full-color“ album artwork, and a download of one of the his new music videos.

Sounds like it’s definitely worth every penny and THAT my friends is taking it to a new level because, and quote me on this, you can’t download a bottle of pills…or a lot of people I know would be dead by now.  So if you’re killing time on the job, spending priceless minutes of your life reading this, thank you for that but there are so many other things you could be spending your time and money on...Like this next brilliant merchandise idea come to life!

The official Weathermen x Ewok T-shirt