Will There Ever Be A Black Rapper Who Will Sell 350k+ While Independent?

[Tuc2DaBoot]

After checking up on the Soundscan charts lately, it just seems that most black artists who end up going independent hardly sell ANY records anymore. Meanwhile, there are quite a few white/Hispanic rappers who debut pretty well out of the gate. They target fanbases that will buy and keep buying their music. Not saying they all go gold, but they have no need to ever go to a major label like a lot of "urban" artists have to. And they don't have to drop nearly half the amount of mixtapes either.

Now guys like Tech N9ne are the exception, but even then, he has never gone gold like Mac Miller & Macklemore have. His highest selling album sold 313k back in 2002. So the question becomes... will there ever be a black artist who can have the success those two have had on an indie AND mainstream level? I mean not even gold per se, but just 350k?

 

[Mr. Leonidas]

Yes, Dark Prince will.

 

[homiedontplaydat]

Cacklemore aint no damn independent artist

 

[Tuc2DaBoot]

Cacklemore aint no damn independent artist

I know that. But people KEEP claiming it because that CAC and the media keep saying it.

So... just asking a question. You're right though.

 

[FaTaL]

isnt tech9 independant?

 

[Tuc2DaBoot]

isnt tech9 independant?

He never sold 350k+ before.

Most he ever sold on one album was 313k back in '02.

 

[Harry B]

It should be mentioned that Macklemore is distributed by a company that Warner Music Group owns. And Mac Miller by a company that UMG used to own until recently.

90% of the times not as indie as one likes to believe, and I fukks with Macklemore.

Idk about childish gambino, but I think his last album moved like 200k and he's only getting bigger (he too is distributed by an "indie company" owned by a major label).

 

[FaTaL]

He never sold 350k+ before.

Most he ever sold on one album was 313k back in '02.

in todays age i dont see anybody selling that much as a independent. even rappers on labels arnt selling much anymore, reaching platinum is a damn miracle these days

i remember back in the days of pac/biggie they would be disappointed to only go plat.

 

[Tuc2DaBoot]

It should be mentioned that Macklemore is distributed by a company that Warner Music Group owns. And Mac Miller by a company that UMG used to own until recently.

90% of the times not as indie as one likes to believe, and I fukks with Macklemore.

Idk about childish gambino, but I think his last album moved like 200k and he's only getting bigger (he too is distributed by an "indie company" owned by a major label).

Well even in that context, Macklemore/Mac Miller was able to convince (most of) the public that they're independent. I know they're not, but I'm just saying they are for debate's sake.

 

[Rominati]

BLACK?



INDEPENDENT?

Even your favorite hip hop savior Kendrick only pushed like 3k off Section 80 when he was indie.

 

[Mr. Bytes]

gambino the closest I can think of off the top of my head

 

[FaTaL]

anybody know how much cash money was selling before their big deal?

 

[WestSideConnection]

I think the truth lays within holding an album sale to high standard and also trying to figure out what a "fan" wants out of an artist selling allot of albums.

If an artist such as Drake sells 350K albums, signed to Young Money/CashMoney/Universal (distributor) then his cut is drastically lower than if a Tech9 sells 100K albums. Now as a "Fan" should you account for what the artist is really receiving or glorify this business number of selling a "record" and pretending that the number is what makes him popular?

I feel that the true measurement of an artist's success comes from his live shows. How many people are coming to his shows on a consistent basis, the type of venue, how well are his shows etc.

But if you were to find a "Black" artist then the man would Hopsin --> [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRVOOwFNp5U"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRVOOwFNp5U[/ame]

reaching close a million fans worldwide, fully independent. Receiving the same love as an artist on a major, can appeal to people who actually buy albums (whether being black, white, hispanic etc) His debut album drops later this year. I see it doing something crazy like a Macklemore.

 

[WestSideConnection]

BLACK?



INDEPENDENT?

Even your favorite hip hop savior Kendrick only pushed like 3k off Section 80 when he was indie.

Correction, Kendrick sold well over 100K independent prior to the interscope deal.

 

[28 Gramz]

Neither one of these cacs is "indepedent"