Ebro on the Combat Jack Show

[Tetris v2.0]

No i ain't impressed by none of that...dude was speaking FACTS....it's the business homie...it's just the way it is...

So hip-hop is suppose to be about the "struggle"...not about being successful?...or a combination of rising from the struggle to achieve success?

U can get the fukk on out of here with that...

Success comes from struggle tho. We're getting rappers who skipped over the struggle part in their raps and skipped to the successful part. It's easier I guess, but Ebro himself says that he only listens to "art" that has a full vision and different emotions. The funny part is: he's fukking program director for maybe the biggest urban radio station and he plays the card... it's pretty sad. Good for him, he understands basic macroeconomics and social media, but I think he's a hypocrite and no better than any other coward in the industry chasing the bucks at the expense of art

 

[boskey]

Great interview, and its cool to have insight on Ebro. He's definitely someone thats been in the industry for a very long time, and I was pleased to see that he knew his rap shyt basically.

That said, it almost made me think less of him. He's here giving props to the artists and albums that he loves, yet as "program director", he does nothing for them...He's basically telling you how much of a sell-out he is. Its interesting to have the perspective because he isnt some "plant" type business-grad, but someone that seems to truly love hip-hop, yet he tells you that he is running a business that does not have the culture's best interest in mind...

I see his point, and his opinion on the Sean Price shyt makes sense, I dont fault him for chasing the dollars, but then again the whole "hey I'm just doing my job" angle feels like horseshyt from him. A little talent show he puts on that no one knows about for up-and-comers? Thats about it. He plays it safe, and maybe if he wasnt getting that fat check he might actually practice what he's preaching...but hey, thats just me

Didn't listen but this is true of pretty much everyone in the industry. Writers editors, A&Rs, even the rappers.
They're all approaching 40 and all came up right in the Golden Age or whatever u want to call it. So they can talk all day about their deep love for hip hop but then they go to work and try to sell people on how hot Trinidad James is.

So when these dudes talk about the business and what kids want to hear its bullshyt. These people are way older than all of us. But they get paid to push the garbage and ignore even their own tastes...

 

[Harry B]

Great interview, and its cool to have insight on Ebro. He's definitely someone thats been in the industry for a very long time, and I was pleased to see that he knew his rap shyt basically.

That said, it almost made me think less of him. He's here giving props to the artists and albums that he loves, yet as "program director", he does nothing for them...He's basically telling you how much of a sell-out he is. Its interesting to have the perspective because he isnt some "plant" type business-grad, but someone that seems to truly love hip-hop, yet he tells you that he is running a business that does not have the culture's best interest in mind...

I see his point, and his opinion on the Sean Price shyt makes sense, I dont fault him for chasing the dollars, but then again the whole "hey I'm just doing my job" angle feels like horseshyt from him. A little talent show he puts on that no one knows about for up-and-comers? Thats about it. He plays it safe, and maybe if he wasnt getting that fat check he might actually practice what he's preaching...but hey, thats just me

It's a business, he's got to cater to what most people want to hear.
Just like if you're at a party with a diverse group of people 50% women, and most of the people are a certain group of people. Will you play shyt that only you and your other friend with deep knowledge of this genre will play? Or will you play something that everyone can enjoy to a certain extent and the people that are a majority at the party enjoy even more.

For him to play what he and a few thousand others enjoys, is selfish. What about the millions of other people? It's not only selfish, it's bad for business.
The wonderful thing with technology is that you don't even need radio anymore until you wanna take it to that other level of fame..

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

stfu Honda Civic

I drive Ferrari in Tuscany... you listen to Vado at 3AM GMT... what is Honda Civic

 

[boskey]

It's a business, he's got to cater to what most people want to hear.
Just like if you're at a party with a diverse group of people 50% women, and most of the people are a certain group of people. Will you play shyt that only you and your other friend with deep knowledge of this genre will play? Or will you play something that everyone can enjoy to a certain extent and the people that are a majority at the party enjoy even more.

For him to play what he and a few thousand others enjoys, is selfish. What about the millions of other people? It's not only selfish, it's bad for business.
The wonderful thing with technology is that you don't even need radio anymore until you wanna take it to that other level of fame..

So why even have a hip hop station? Its a business and most people want to hear Justin Bieber, Susan Boyle and Katy Perry.

And nobody had even heard of Trinidad James a month ago, but now we're sure that he's "most people want to hear".

Radio will play a 2Chainz song, then Drake song, then a Wayne song, then Drake ft. 2Chainz, French MOntan ft. Wayne etc etc...

You think thats really what most people want to hear? Naw thats just whats easiest to market.

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

So why even have a hip hop station? Its a business and most people want to hear Justin Bieber, Susan Boyle and Katy Perry.

And nobody had even heard of Trinidad James a month ago, but now we're sure that he's "most people want to hear".

Radio will play a 2Chainz song, then Drake song, then a Wayne song, then Drake ft. 2Chainz, French MOntan ft. Wayne etc etc...

You think thats really what most people want to hear? Naw thats just whats easiest to market.

Why do you think its easiest to market?

 

[Pop123]

Ebro thinks like a rational person,


sh!t is madddddddd rare in hip hop, i was feeling alone,


lol @ a bunch of random Rucker players thinkin they deserve to play in the Garden just because they big at the Rucker, FOH. once you start getting acclaim outside of the Rucker then you have an argument. until then, shut up and stay underground, you eatin off that show money good enough to have a nice house and a nice car and support your family, stop f*ckin cryin, minor league n!gga. minor league n!ggas make a decent living overseas, overseas they think these muthaf*ckas are really big deals, ha.

 

[Zach Lowe]

I drive Ferrari in Tuscany... you listen to Vado at 3AM GMT... what is Honda Civic

Enjoy your rental

Again with this time zone bullshyt

You have no idea if I posted in the AM or not you lame

Honda Civic is your name

 

[boskey]

Why do you think its easiest to market?

I think its a lot of reasons. The main ones IMO are:

These are major label artists and the majors have a working relationship with these stations that goes back a couple decades (but that leads to the question of why these specif artists get pushed by the labels over other artists)

These are rappers who have been cosigned by other popular rappers so listeners are already familiar with them.

Simple subject matter nice beat and catchy hooks...can't deny that. These dudes are good for that, the problem is the lack of diversity.

Music is a product and the big media companies that own these radio stations (Clear Channel, CBS, etc) are just like the companies selling cereal or soda or anything else. Their goal is to sell ads so they keep it simple, give you a limited number of choices, push the shyt that appeals to the lowest common denominator and get paid.

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

I think its a lot of reasons. The main ones IMO are:

These are major label artists and the majors have a working relationship with these stations that goes back a couple decades (but that leads to the question of why these specif artists get pushed by the labels over other artists)

These are rappers who have been cosigned by other popular rappers so listeners are already familiar with them.

Simple subject matter nice beat and catchy hooks...can't deny that. These dudes are good for that, the problem is the lack of diversity.

Music is a product and the big media companies that own these radio stations (Clear Channel, CBS, etc) are just like the companies selling cereal or soda or anything else. Their goal is to sell ads so they keep it simple, give you a limited number of choices, push the shyt that appeals to the lowest common denominator and get paid.

I think you kind of hinted at it, but I think what it comes down to, and what we can't come to grip with as purists, is the stuff on the radio is what the masses want to hear. Well, the masses that respond to ads and buy shyt anyway (young women). Radio has just figured out how to maximize their investment.

People say, 'why dont they just turn to Z100'... what black woman listens to Z100? Hot 97 has mastered their market. And media has shifted to cater to women, because women are the ones who buy the most shyt and thus are best to cater to in advertising.

 

[FreedS[ohh]lave]

Its a BUSINESS most people who listen to radio arent as big a music fans as we are they just want a catchy beat and chorus why is that so hard to understand?

Is not personal Sean P's music these days isnt catchy at all and something that will entertain a diverse group of casual listeners

WHen he was with heltah skeltah he had hotter beats and catchier music and wasnt making pop sounding music at all but music even the casual music head could get into

If u want spins get an ear for catchy beats and learn how to make a fukking hook its not complicated

 

[boskey]

I think you kind of hinted at it, but I think what it comes down to, and what we can't come to grip with as purists, is the stuff on the radio is what the masses want to hear. Well, the masses that respond to ads and buy shyt anyway (young women). Radio has just figured out how to maximize their investment.

People say, 'why dont they just turn to Z100'... what black woman listens to Z100? Hot 97 has mastered their market. And media has shifted to cater to women, because women are the ones who buy the most shyt and thus are best to cater to in advertising.

The only word I might argue with is "want". Want depends on whats available. You get a burger from McDonalds and you ask for a Sprite, you order a burger from TGI Fridays and you ask for a beer.

Companies know this so they keep the selection small on purpose. You simply can't say "this is exactly what people want to hear"

 

[FRIED MASON]

I drive Ferrari in Tuscany... you listen to Vado at 3AM GMT... what is Honda Civic

:rosstales:

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

:rosstales:

@ that smiley

But why would I lie?????

 

[submarine1]

It's AMAZING how many people in this thread CLEARLY DID NOT listen to the whole interview-

Either that or n-ggas comprehension skills have decreased greatly in these A.D.D. and revisionist historian times....

wow

There are SO MANY gems dropped in this interview, PAY ATTENTION!!!!
Of course he ain't gonna keep it all 100%, he has a JOB and would like to keep it, he even said such in the beginning of the interview.

That being said; this interview is prolly the best you gonna get from a Program Director of a Urban Radio Station that didn't grow up mountain climbing and playing electric guitar.

carry-on