Letters To The Editor-April

Don't Dis Master P

Your opinion on Master P was the most intelligent view I have yet to read. You said everthing I thought when someone would say "Master P is commercial". I have been listening to him for about 3-4 years and have 5 out of his 6 albums and still I can't for the life of me explain why he has been so successful. Granted he has had a few commercial songs but they mostly stay on the album and never make out as singles. He has stuck to the same script he started out with, rugged beats and ryhmes. And your right he didnt' go commercial, commercial went his way. What makes his success so startling is that he is not the best lyricists or has the best flow among his counterparts, yet will an artists like E-40 ever see P-like sales or will his label ever garnish the attention of No Limit, only time will tell.

Another thing that buggs me is people who think P is an overnight success. He has been putting it down since '90. He has worked hard to get this far and has done it his own way and I think that has a lot to do with his success. It is a shame that now with all the nutt sac riders jumping on to the bandwagon, P will lose the credability it took him so long to gain. And comparing Master P to Puff is an abombination. Puffy success came from riding the coat tails of Biggie and now looks to other people to continue his success. Puffy wasn't even able to write his own lyrics when making a tribute to his dead partner, which I find highly disrespectful. In closing, I like to say that Master P makes up for his lack of ryhmes and flow with something not prevailent in todays hip-hop and that is pure emotion. Congratulations goes out to Master P for his success.

David Atfield


Excellent article about Master P. I agree with you on many points. Why is it that when somebody BLOWS UP doing their thing that the Hip Hop crowd turns against them. That is so fu#@%^& stupid. Here we have a brother that is making the establishment play his game that we should give mad love to. Regardless of if you think he's not the best lyricist, which I think he leaves much to be desired in that area, but he is doing his thing and is in a position to open doors for more underground artist to emerge in the game. As me and my crew always say: "Don't Playa Hate, Congratulate and Participate"

Peace,
=R.DEE=


Yo Davey,

I have to agree with you on the Master P tip it is nice to see someone blow up the spot from the underground and have the commerical radio run to him. Much props to him.

Paul Lowe


I have mixed feelings on P. Well he, to be blunt, can't rhyme for shit, I have to give him credit because when he rhymes, he does it with heart, something many rappers/MCs fail to do. 2Pac was similar. He wasn't the best lyricist, but I loved him because he always rapped with soul and heart. P's production isn't that bad, if you want heavy bass along with laid-back west-side instrumentals, you really don't have to look no farther. However, I can't stand his cheesy 15-page full color-cheesey graphics and special effects-big baller mack daddy-blinding gold and diamonds advertisements that are in every rap/Hip-Hop magazine.

Peace,
The PHAnTom


Great article, but I do have some comments about him changing a little. I have talked about this with a few other people. It isn't a big deal to his overall success, but to me it is. I think that P has just changed, his voice mostly. In earlier albums, he changed after Tru 2 tha Game. Take Ice Cream Man for instance, I thought he could change vocal styles. He sang with a raspy tone on "Time to check my Crack House", and another way in "Break'em off some", and yet another way on "Bout it 2". And it seems that the overall feel of No Limit's albums have changed since Tru 2 tha game. I feel that that was the last truly dope album. I am very happy with his success, but I think that he should try and mix it up a little more. If you go all the way back to Ghetto's Trying to Kill me, every album was a little different. Now it is a little bit repititous(sorry cant spell very good). Even back to his real underground tapes, they were a little different. Well just thought I should voice my opinion. Late.

Alejandro,
I ain't greedy, but I want it all!


All of the attention surrounding MasterP is all about fads. Hip-hop always has fad artists. I remeber a time not so far back when everyone was riding Death Row. Everything that had a Death Row label was scooped up by the masses. More recently, Puffy and the whole Bad Boy crew are in the same position. Who can forget the Hammer phase the whole country was into.

I have to agree that MasterP has "kept it real". He uses his own style of music, and he hasn't "sold out". Sure, there are those artists that don't make it and still hold the "keep it real" and "no sell outs" mentality. A lot maybe jealousy, but I think a lot of artists are frustrated that these other artists with limited musical ability can throw on any ol' beat with a weak rhyme and clock some dough.

Take for instance, The Roots have mad musical ability and lyrical skills, but they haven't recieved near the noteriety that a MasterP or Puffy have attained.

Yet, I think that these fads are just fads. The true hip hop artists have longevity. Krs-One, Too-Short, Tribe, P.E., EPMD, Rakim, and all those who have maintained their passion for the love of music still remain the leaders of this rap game. Every now and then, a newcomer hops on the scene, and we embrace them, but those artists are few and far between.

In this day of everyone trying to throw any album out to the masses, it is hard to sort through it all and decide who is dope and who is wack. However, it is always nice to know that we still have those artists who have remained true to the game.

To artists like MasterP, I bid you well. You have represented and "kept it real", but enjoy it while it lasts, because all good things must come to an end.

Doug-e


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