Why did KRS ONE solo career never really pop off?

[NormanConnors]

To be fair, how many golden age 80s rappers were going gold past 1992? The changing of the guards was in effect. I don't think it had anything to do with the fanbase or quality of music, things were just moving quickly away from those dudes. Rakim, Kane, KRS. G Rap...basically everyone except LL fell off a mountain in terms of popularity. I know people are gonna say LL survived because women loved him and while that's partially true...the bigger thing was that he never completely lost a core fanbase of dudes, because he kept releasing good "street" songs and making great decisions in terms of beat selection. Someone should write an article comparing Kane's 90s decisions to LLs. One became a caricature and went 100% at women, the other understood you gotta feed the streets and the ladies. Same playbook that Hov later figured out, and Drake has completely mastered.

Very true. Plus LL was always more commercially appealing than the others to begin with. LL in the 80s was much bigger, mainstream wise, then KRS, Rakim, G Rap, Kane, etc.. LL only real comp was Run DMC. And funny thing is, LL actually pre-dates Rakim, Kane, Slick, KRS etc.

LL just continued to reinvent himself.

Rakim, Kane commercially fell off mainly because they weren't able to transition with the sound.

Kool G Rap was always kinda underground/hardcore rap and was never really all that commercially viable, but probably had the best career of all the 80s rappers in terms of actual quality of music post 93. I think that's due to the fact G Rap's lyrical content was much closer to what the audience was listening to in the mid 90s.

KRS-One funny enough, started as a gangster rapper, and I wonder if Scott La Rock doesn't die, would he have continued down that path. Also a lot of people say Scott La Rock was a great mind for business, so I wonder what different path his career would take as far as commercialism.

Slick Rick probably would've had a much bigger career had it not been for the prison time.

Ra did #'s with the 18th letter. Universal made sure he got the promotion he needed/deserved. Easy work for the god. That put a lot of those stereotypes and shyt to rest. The music will speak for itself with the right backing.

 

[GPBear]

In comparison to boogie down production I’m talking about, before the old heads get upset...

Boogie down production had 4 straight gold albums (from 87-92)

then krs broke off and made 4 albums, only 1 went gold (from 93-2001) ..I won’t count whatever he released from ‘02 on because nobody has heard any of that shyt

Did he have a real fanbase? Why did the BDP fans not cross over and support his albums? Were BDP industry plants?

In hindsight, Was his solo career a disappointment? I’m sure the labels were thinking he’d have the same success when he was technically part of a group

let’s talk about it

the audacity of a drake stan calling BDP industry plants

yea all those a&r's were up in the shelters holding it down with Kris

i fukkin hate you

 

[chunky_mcdaniels]

Ra did #'s with the 18th letter. Universal made sure he got the promotion he needed/deserved. Easy work for the god. That put a lot of those stereotypes and shyt to rest. The music will speak for itself with the right backing.

Right.

The machine behind it is the difference.

For every Kendrick there's an Elzhi.

Elzhi with major backing and placement - #18 on billboard chart

Elzhi independent (cd out the trunk.)

 

[Jerz-2]

So Will Smith is a B-List actor now?

Ahhh, The Coli....where stupid takes are aplenty.

Someone should write an article comparing Kane's 90s decisions to LLs. One became a caricature and went 100% at women, the other understood you gotta feed the streets and the ladies.

Don't forget when LL was a PARIAH in hip-hop at one time, though....when he got booed at the rally in Harlem (I believe it was Harlem) because other artists were doing Black empowerment songs at the time and he did "I'm That Type of Guy"....and the people weren't feelin it. That's what inspired him to go home and make "Mama Said...", because his grandmother saw him upset from that booing incident.

Also, let's not act like LL didn't make SOME of the same type of missteps that Kane did.....NOBODY lauded that "14 Shots to the Dome" album because nobody was tryinta hear LL on some gangsta "I'll shoot you in your face" shyt (which is the basic theme of that album). nikkas clowned him for that and it forced him to go back to his "Ladies Love" steez.

 

[Wacky D]

Commercially but artistically Wu Tang and BCC brought NY back.

the east coast really never left.

The biggest groups were on the east. Biggie wasnt selling much more than they were already selling. they just needed some new blood solo stars to stand alongside dre, Snoop, etc

 

[Loken]

he was a bit before my time but i did enjoy this track

 

[AnonymityX1000]

the east coast really never left.

The biggest groups were on the east. Biggie wasnt selling much more than they were already selling. they just needed some new blood solo stars to stand alongside dre, Snoop, etc

Kinda but they were no longer cream of the crop innovating until Wu and BCC. I remember when the Chronic was running the game there was a big east coast release date. Tribe Midnight Marauders and Wu Tang Clan Enter the 36 Chambers camé out the same day. Most of me and my friends were excited for Tribe's album and Wu's was an after thought. but after hearing both Wu was that new NY sounds while Tribe was the same old same. Dope but not innovative or game changing. Enter the 36 was that. I banged Wu Tang crazy that falo and didn't give Tribe the usual spins.

 

[Devil Plisken…CMS]

In the midst of this discussion someone called Will Smith a B list actor

 

[Pinyapplesuckas]

being 30 in rap in the early 90s was like being 60. some rappers werent even 30 yet and were looked at like they were flabby n sick

 

[mitter]

Ra did #'s with the 18th letter. Universal made sure he got the promotion he needed/deserved. Easy work for the god. That put a lot of those stereotypes and shyt to rest. The music will speak for itself with the right backing.

Rakim consistently went gold from 1987-1990. So did BDP.

In 1992, Rakim and BDP failed to go gold for the first time.

Rakim went gold with The 18th Letter in 1997. KRS went gold with I Got Next in 1997. Neither experienced commercial success with later releases.


Rakim's trajectory in terms of sales and popularity was really not that different from KRS's

 

[TripleAgent]

Didn't sell out.

 

[Dre Space Age]

Step into a World got played everywhere, music video on MTV heavy rotation, it was a theme song on some Xbox BMX game I bought and played too.

He’d drop a dope single then disappear. Wasn’t consistent but that’s probably due to his nomadic lifestyle. He would’ve needed a good manager/agent to stay on his ass to be more commercially successful.

and KRS too much of a hard-head old head for that.

Don’t forget that behind most commercially successful artists was a solid management/agent team. That’s an important step y’all tend to look over.

 

[NormanConnors]

Rakim consistently went gold from 1987-1990. So did BDP.

In 1992, Rakim and BDP failed to go gold for the first time.

Rakim went gold with The 18th Letter in 1997. KRS went gold with I Got Next in 1997. Neither experienced commercial success with later releases.


Rakim's trajectory in terms of sales and popularity was really not that different from KRS's

Nah its different, Ra dealt with label/legal issues. He was in demand/anticipated. And Ra was closer to platinum with the 18th letter.

 

[mitter]

Nah its different, Ra dealt with label/legal issues. He was in demand/anticipated. And Ra was closer to platinum with the 18th letter.

I understand why Rakim couldn't release an album from 1993-1996. But when Rakim was releasing albums, his sales were more or less the same as what BDP/KRS were doing at the same time.

The fact remains that Don't Sweat the Technique was released in 1992 and was the first Eric B. & Rakim release not to go gold. Similarly, Sex & Violence came out in 1992 and was the first BDP album not to go gold.

The 18th Letter and I Got Next were both released in 1997 and both went gold

Rakim's 1999 album (The Master) didn't sell well and failed to go gold.

 

[NormanConnors]

I understand why Rakim couldn't release an album from 1993-1996. But when Rakim was releasing albums, his sales were more or less the same as what BDP/KRS were doing at the same time.

The fact remains that Don't Sweat the Technique was released in 1992 and was the first Eric B. & Rakim release not to go gold. Similarly, Sex & Violence came out in 1992 and was the first BDP album not to go gold.

The 18th Letter and I Got Next were both released in 1997 and both went gold

Rakim's 1999 album (The Master) didn't sell well and failed to go gold.

Promotion for the master was terrible, and the album was done to complete obligations.

Which is a shame because Ra killed that album lyrically/technically.

If Ra wasnt a commodity then Dre/Aftermath would have never reached out. Equal sales or not KRS wasnt on the same scale as Ra