“Technology change made everything simple/Myspace is now a dude’s bio slash demo.” There is no question that technology has altered not just hip hop, but the music industry as a whole. However, just like anything that has affected the music industry as a whole, hip hop tends to get hit the hardest. What seems to have had the most effect when it comes to technology is social networks and downloading. 

In terms of social networking, the "hustle" of an artist seems to have decreased dramatically. No longer does hustling encompass going club to club trying to get spins. It no longer constitutes selling albums out of your trunk or knocking on the doors of radio stations, magazines, or any other promotional resource. Now, all it seems to be is uploading your music to a site and telling people about it. Whether it's putting your music directly on your Myspace page, posting a link on Twitter, or putting up a message on Facebook, the "grind" isn't exactly what it used to be.

While there are many advantages to social networking and the point of them is to allow for more exposure by doing less work, it has caused so many to get lost in the shuffle. The amount of music released everyday within the last few years has sky-rocketed, making it nearly impossible for listeners to really connect with artists the way they used to. After listening to one song, there are ten other songs they want to listen to, making it difficult to really process the song.  In addition to not forming these connections, a number of other things happen: 1) good/great artists get over-looked, 2) bad artists (with great marketing) get attention, and 3) the expectation of free singles now trumps the anticipation of an album. The last point is one that Joe Budden touches on in the song saying, "They [the fans] get so many free verses/when the album drops, sh*t's more like a bonus." When trying to stay relevant on the internet, artists are now forced to turn their attention to quantity rather than quality, which is obviously extremely detrimental.

Not only does the expectation of free singles lead to a lack of anticipation for an album, but it also creates the expectation of free albums. “A lot of people go and blame Limewire/I don’t think it’s downloadin’ dawg/the line’s tired.” Although Budden has a point that downloading has gotten too much credit for current state of hip hop, it is hard to deny that hip hop has probably been the number one victim of downloading. 

The paranoia of having their product downloaded more than receiving physical purchases forces artists to have to prove the value of their music (in order to secure sales); much more than they did in the past. However, in order to do that, they have to fall victim to the over-saturated market we talked about earlier. They now have to turn to multiple outlets, flooding the internet with free music and trying to establish a core fan base before they can even put out an album. Yet, by the time that base is finally built, momentum has died and the next "supposed -to-be-star" is on the rise. This is a storm that unfortunately only a few can weather. 

The internet and technology has proved to be effective and useful at times Not only is it easier to put music out, it is also easier to record and put out music videos, network with other artists, and market a product. However, the saturation and access to the music has completely rearranged the way in which artists and labels have viewed both recording and supplying music. It is a vicious cycle that is hard to break. And as long as there are aspiring musicians, it will be hard to break it.

What are your thoughts on technology and the toll it has taken on hip hop? Has it been more helpful or hurtful? Will things get any better? Let me hear it. Leave your comment and you know the e-mail is always open at straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.