Chuck D and Vinnie of Naughty By Nature took some time out the other day to drop some science on my Sunday morning talk show called Street Knowledge on 106 KMEL here in San Francisco. The topic focused on the Internet and New Technology'. Here Chuck gave listeners a lot to think about. He explained how it was essential for Black folks to position themselves so they cut out any sort of middleman who makes us dependent on him for information and the ability for us to present and define our music. He wanted those entering into the music game to completely redefine their relationship with record companies, retail and radio. As far as Chuck is concerned these institutions are not doing right by us and need to bypassed.

'There is absolutely no excuse for an artist to come along and pay all this money for airplay...All this payola has got to stop', Chuck emphatically noted. He then went on to break it down how record labels pay on average 60 thousand dollars to commercial radio to insure airplay. He spoke in great detail about the soured relationship between him and his former label Def Jam Records. He spoke about how he attempted to do audits to track down the type of money that his label was spending with commercial stations to push his own group. It got deep as Chuck promised to start dropping more names and culprits who were bent on spending and collecting illegal money for airplay. He even spoke on the role the Prison Industry was playing in new technology. He pointed out that many Prison companies are garnering contracts and having inmates make computers. 'The very technology that some people have run away will be forced on them and mastered while doing time in these new slave camps', Chuck said.

Chuck D also noted that he is committed to pushing his website[ http://www.public-enemy.com ] and the internet first when it comes to bringing attention to Public Enemy activities. 'I'm at the point now where I am targetting certain radio stations and completely boycotting them.. In fact I will sue them if they start playing any of my new material without permission', Chuck explained. He concluded by talking about the Internet radio stations he had set up and how folks can adequately make money on line [http://wwwbringthenoise.com]. He also gave praise to internet savvy groups from the Bay Area like The Heiroglyphics and Mystik Journeymen. He encouraged folks to follow the example set by these acts who not only sell albums on line, but also put together tours which take them literally all around the world.

Vinnie of Naughty By Nature spoke about the importance of young people not falling prey to the stereotypes about computers being a tool for 'lonely people'. 'The internet allows me direct access to my fans', Vinnie passionately explained [http://wwwnaughtybynature.com]. He spoke on the fact that such items like beepers and cell phones were once unheard of in 'the hood' and now they're common place. Computers should take on that type of importance. Vinnie also spoke on the important role artists should be playing in terms of setting examples for young people to start embracing the new technology. He spoke about a program he and his fellow NBN members had started in their native East Orange, New Jersey to donate computers to the classroom. He explained that they had already met with the superindentendent of the East Orange school district to push this new program.

Both Chuck and Vinnie noted that it will be a while before the Internet completely replaces traditional means of distributing music, but it offers a great alternative for artists and fans alike. 'Soon we'll have a million artists and 500 thousand record companies on line' Chuck proclaimed. Both he and Vinnie noted that if Black folks can spend 200 and 300 hundred dollars on a pair of sneakers or gold fronts then they can and should spend some money on getting a computer and learning how to use it. That sounds like some good advice when one considers that over half the American homes are wired for internet access. Unfortunately far vtoo many African Americans are lagging behind. 'People have better get involved with this whole internet thing before it's starts getting regulated and you get pushed out', Vinnie warned.