Where is Charleston Hip Hop Headed?

Yo it’s doj. I wanna hear some opinions on the direction of the local hip hop scene. Also, Any advice?

Hey man thanks for joining!

I think the local hip-hop scene overall is trending in a positive direction. It is way more visible now than it was just a few years ago. Venues that never booked hip-hop are doing it now on a regular basis.

Advice-wise, just generally speaking. I’ve talked to the boys in Rhodium about this, and Kaizer. I think a lot of local hip-hop artists could benefit greatly by being more calculated about the moves they make.

For example, instead of making as much noise as possible about each individual release, I think it is better to have each release, show, and everything you do be just one piece of an ever-evolving puzzle.

If you have a solid song, use it as a vehicle for promoting your career, and start a chain reaction. The song can be the driving force behind getting people to show up at your concert, and you can use it to roll the momentum forward after the show to release a music video, which you promote for several weeks with a series of photos or stills from the video.

I see a lot of spontaneity in the hip-hop community, which I really think has a lot of value in its own way. But looking for sustainable growth, and creating an overarching story that surrounds yourself as an artist, is the way to truly make an impact.

Truth.  The more calculated and intentional the hiphop community moves here in Charleston, the more we get closer to being able to function like Atlanta, Texas, New York, and even Florida. They have made their underground circuits the premiere mix in these areas , and have come together to turn them into funnels for artists to really pop out of the city. There’s so much unconscious segregation in charleston hip hop, but i slowly see it starting to shift. Things like Cultura coming back in to the yearly circuit of hip hop festivals, has definitely added to that sauce. Hip hop is everywhere in Charleston now, from DT to Summerville, its receiving engagement like never before. However, we have to keep it special and not oversaturate the system with it-this is where that intention plays its part

I think the local hip-hop community is doing an amazing job of being a community, displaying perseverance, and unity, and innovation. It seems like a lot of other artists are concerned with the business side of things – or the bottom line being a huge factor in decisions they make – and rightfully so, but the primary objective – or priority – of the hip hop community right now seems to be putting on the best show possible, regardless of the money.. And I think that’s pretty dope.

Coming back to this post, I think a lot of the recommendations y’all gave have been kinda coming to life. Y’all agree?

@killdoji I think some of it is coming to life for sure. @kaitheczar has been taking his time promoting his I Exist album, with multiple music videos released from it. The show we just did at the Music Farm with the Wu-Tang / Rage tribute was epic and UnHeard did a great job with promotions for it, especially with showing up at Wu Wednesdays to cross promote. That said, it was a Wu-Tang Tribute, and marketing originals would have led to a much smaller turnout.

Nowadays I think the problem with our entire music scene, not just hip hop, but all original music being played at the local level. We struggle with a small community of people who care. We need to find a way to reach a lot more of the people who live in Charleston and get them interested in what’s happening.

Otherwise, the scene will remain small.

Part of this is absolutely building a story behind yourself as an artist, but some of it also has to be done in another way. Social media becomes an echo chamber of all the same voices sharing the same things, but there aren’t as many new faces.

One example of how to do this is what I’ve seen the local rock band Easy Honey doing. They’re sponsoring Beach Cleanups in cities they stop through on tour, including here in Charleston. This exposes them to an entirely new group of people who would have never known they existed if they didn’t hear about the beach cleanup.

They’ve also set up on the site of the road during a busy traffic day and jammed, with a sign in front of their setup that reads “Traffic Jam” with ways to follow them.

This kind of stuff can be adapted for other genres of music and types of events, it’s just a matter of finding the ways to do it. I’m trying to do it for Extra Chill as well, but it takes some creativity and lots of effort.

[aideyfanaccount]

Does anybody think the local hip hop scene will end up doing anything? The past few years not much has really popped off aside from the Wu Tang Tribute show. Bar shows are dope but this city has no venues that are really doing anything for any rappers. All the spots are just kind of echo chambers.

I’ll pull up to a show and it’s just rappers and producers. It’s good that there is a community and it’s supportive and everything don’t get me wrong, but there doesn’t seem to be any intention of going beyond. Only mf really doing that shit is dollamenu.

I feel like all the fliers I see are the same shows at the same places as last year. Half the guys performing don’t have music on major streaming platforms. If they do they’re not promoting it well, shit me too lol. The only good crowds are on the peninsula and it’s usually a pretty similar crowd depending on who’s performing.

I’m not saying that people aren’t actively creating opportunities for new gigs to bring in new crowds, I just don’t think it works and I don’t know what everybody wants to do. I feel like the only way to get the attention everyone wants is the internet, which is gay and difficult but makes sense.

Anyways the local scene is stale and stagnant in my opinion and I want someone to prove me wrong. Apart from that tape ben beam made. That’s the fist time I feel like someone’s followed through with some shit. It’s just not on spotify. Had to rant because I got bored on this beat and pissed off that there isn’t shit going on. The most recent rapper to break out from here is OsaMason and that’s because his music gained traction online. 3 spliffs could prob reach that underground crowd but they’re either not promoting enough or I guess its just a lottery.

Everyone else either isn’t good yet or is pushing an old sound. Obviously that’s broad and I’m not tryna be hateful but you know what I mean. I’ll end by saying I think the current state is great if you wanna keep doing what you are doing hmu if you’d like to discuss

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by aideyfanaccount.
• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by chubes.

@aideyfanaccount I get the sentiment of this. But to call the hip hop scene in Chs stale and stagnant is wild. Theres much more going on off the peninsula than on, from North Charleston to Ridgeville there’s a thriving movement of black clubs, events, concerts dedicated to breaking local talent and putting artists in some form of motion. For example,Keon recently linked with DJ Chuck T at a spot in North Charleston and has been doing showcases out of the city. These are specifically geared for hip hop and RnB and many opportunities I’ve seen and experienced have come out of these RELATIONSHIPS.

The peninsula tolerates, not celebrates hip hop and most black culture. This is just a historical fact. If it’s not fine arts, it’s not respected in the city. No one is visiting Charleston for its hip hop so we have to first understand this and the field we are playing in. There were no hip hop shows at the places we currently frequent, 10 years ago. People like DollaMenu, Slim Soul, Tyrie, Anfernee, Jah Jr, Apollo Valdez, Little Stranger, Damn Skippy brought hip hop to the peninsula. The new renaissance of rappers in the mix are supposed to elevate it. How can we expect people to rock with the scene when WE don’t.

Yes, things can be different if people came together but that’s the point. Theres so much tremendous talent here trapped by ego, point blank. People fear collaboration in local hip hop. People can’t take criticism without burning a bridge in local hip hop. People are extremely divisive in local hip hop. People don’t support each other in this shit or expand themselves outside of their comfort zones. Everybody wants to make it look a certain way on social media without cultivating what WE are creating here in Charleston. That’s why you see stagnation on the peninsula side of Charleston. LongMoney Phil, Kweena Dess, Laylow Lee, all non peninsula performers are 3 of the biggest hip hop artists out of Charleston rn. All three have been national major platforms, putting on for Charleston and shining light on the city.

Wu Tang at Music Farm was a MILESTONE for Charleston hip hop. A show FOR US BY US at one of the city’s most well known venues. But bro this was just last year. I say that so that you understand that, once again, hip hop has historically been tolerated and not celebrated here until the artists themselves started collaborating and creating major situations for the underground (ie Matt Monday, Black Dave, LeFaye, Slim) that made hip hop ‘a thing’ DT, JI, even Folly. These events still thrive and pop off  but who else is working to create avenues for artists to pop? It’s not the venue. It’s not the sound. It’s the lack of know how when it comes to building and communicating in a music community with major talent and the artists becoming comfortable or settling for their market.

I go to, perform at, and have curated hella shows that are more than artists and producers. I have also seen the direct opposite many of times. It’s a process brother and if we can’t exist in this outside of ourselves then yes, this shit will continue to feel stale and stagnant for you. I love and am a fan of you bro and you bring a different style, sound, and community INTO the full network. That’s the point. Thats the reason why it’s not stagnant because all of these factions thrive in their sections but not many have taken the time to expand outside of it and see what’s truly out there. Network, support, collaboration is key. Then we can all get big ass chains like the homie DollaMenu but he EARNED that shit and really put in the work for years to pop like he’s doing.

The last few months have been particularly slow, but to call the scene ‘stale, stagnant’ and judge artists based on meta stats and releases is almost disrespectful to the ones in the community who bust ass BEHIND scenes to make shit shake forreal. People take different approaches that’s why we have studio artists and performance artists, and both. But there’s a difference. Psycodelics is arguably the biggest thing out of Charleston and they just released their debut single. It’s levels. We activated out here and it’s a bigger picture than this downtown, island, beach circuit.

Here’s a list of places and people you should definitely check out: Jungles Bar n Grill, The Ritz , Meeting of the Mindz, Mugga Man, DJ Chuck T, DJ Billy Surplus etc all entities that have packed out rap shows with artists, producers, business owners, fans. Heavy motion

I respect your opinion, but I emphatically disagree family-this shit is bigger than the 5-10 venues down here that we all circulate in.