if we are to see a change in what we hear

Do we understand how much it costs to get records played on mainstream radio? One rap group has publicly stated in an interview that they paid $1 million to get ONE song played on mainstream stations. That's more than the rapper gets to record his entire album. Who is it that profits so handsomely off this "gangster" rap that they can pay $1 million dollars to get airplay? The Record Company! Many of these rappers are in standard 12 point recording contracts that yield a mere $.63 per ($15) CD? Just as the NBA, if the record companies say put on a suit, the rapper will put on a suit. Likewise, when told to "keep it gangsta" the rapper will keep it gangsta!

So, it is to the Major Recording, Radio and Video companies that this fight must be taken, if we are to see a change in what we hear! Here goes a very very very small list of rappers and albums that they either totally refused to play or criminally marginalized on commercial radio.

Lupe Fiasco "Food and Liquor" 2006 Rhymefest "Blue Collar" 2006 Wise Intelligent "Blessed be the Poor The UnMixtape" 2006 Wise Intelligent "is The Talented Timothy Taylor" 2007 Common "Like Water For Chocolate" 2000 Common "Electric Circus" 2004 Saul Williams "Amethyst Rock Star" 2001 Saul Williams "Saul Williams" 2005 Paris "Sonic Jihad" 2003 Arrested Development "Heroes of the Harvest" 2002 Arrested Development "Among the Trees" 2004 Arrested Development "Since the Last Time" 2006 Public Enemy "Rebirth of a Nation" 2006 Public Enemy "New Whirl Odor" 2005 Public Enemy "Revolverlution" 2002 Public Enemy "There's a Poison Going On" 1999-2000 Mr. Lif "Enter the Colossus" 2000 Mr. Lif "Emergency Rations" 2002 Mr. Lif "I Phantom" 2003 Mr. Lif "Mo' Mega" 2006 Zion I "Mind Over Matter" 2000 Zion I "Break a Dawn" 2006 Living Legends "Almost Famous" 2001 Living Legends "Creative Differences" 2004 Living Legends "Classic" 2005 Dead Prez "Let's Get Free" 2000 Dead Prez "Turn off the Radio: The Mixtape, Vol. 1" 2002 Dead Prez "Turn off the Radio: The Mixtape, Vol. 2: Get Free or Die Tryin'" 2003 Dead Prez "RBG: Revolutionary But Gansta" 2004 Dead Prez Presents M-1: Confidential 2006 Dead Prez/Outlaws "Can't Sell Dope Forever" 2006 John Robinson "The Leak Edition Vol. 1" 2005 John Robinson "The Leak Edition Vol. 2" 2006 Scienz of Life "Coming Forth By Day: The Book of the Dead" 2000 Scienz of Life "Project Overground: Scienz Experiment" 2002 Scienz of Life "Diggin In The Archives" 2004 Scienz of Life "The Blaxploitation Sessions" 2006 Oh No "The Disrupt" 2004 Oh No "Exodus into Unheard Rhythms" 2006 Black Star (Mos Def & Talib Kweli) "Black Star" 1998 Mos Def "Black on Both Sides" 1999 Mos Def "The New Danger" 2004 Mos Def "True Magic" 2006 Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek "Reflection Eternal/Train of Thought" 2002 Talib Kweli "Quality" 2003 Talib Kweli "The Beautiful Struggle" 2004 Talib Kweli "Right About Now" 2005 Talib Kweli/Madlib "Liberation" 2007 The Roots "Things Fall Apart" 1999-2000 The Roots "Phrenology" 2002 The Roots "The Tipping Point" 2004 The Roots "Game Theory" 2006 KRS ONE "The Sneak Attack" 2001 KRS ONE "Spiritual Minded" 2002 KRS ONE "Prophets Vs. Profits" 2003 KRS ONE "Kristyles" 2003 KRS ONE "Keep Right" 2004 KRS ONE "Life" 2006 K-Os "Exit" 2002 K-Os "Joyful Rebellion" 2006 K-Os "Atlantis: Hymns for Disco" 2006 Polyrhythm Addicts "Break Glass" 2007 Jurassic 5 "Quality Contral" 2000 Jurassic 5 "Power in Numbers" 2002 Jurassic 5 "Feedback" 2006 Blackalicious "Nia" 2000 Blackalicious "Blazing Arrow" 2002 Blackalicious "The Craft" 2005 Lyrics Born "Later That Day" 2003 Lyrics Born "Same !@#$ Different Day" 2005 Jean Grae "Attack of the Attacking Things" 2002 Jean Grae "The Bootleg Of The Bootleg" 2003 Jean Grae "This Week" 2004 Little Brother "The Listening" 2003 Little Brother "The Minstel Show" 2005 Murs "Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition" 2004 Murs "Murray's Revenge" 2006 J Dilla "Donuts" 2006 J Dilla "The Shining" 2006 The Last Emperor "Music, Magic, Myth" Pharoahe Monch "Internal Affairs" 1999-2000 Immortal Technique "Revolutionary, Vol. 1" 2000 Immortal Technique "Revolutionary, Vol. 2" 2005 Brand Nubian "Fire in the Hole" 2004 Lord Jamar "The 5% Album" 2006 Sadat X "Experience & Education" 2005 Sadat X "Black October" 2006 I Self Divine "Self Destruction" 2005 The Boom Bap Project "Reprogram" 2005 MF DOOM "Operation: Doomsday" 2001 MF DOOM "Vaudeville Villian" 2003 MF DOOM "MM..FOOD" 2004 Madvillian "Madvilliany" 2004 Heiroglyphics "3rd Eye Vision" 2001 Heiroglyphics "Full Circle" 2003 De La Soul "Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump" 2000 De La Soul "AOI: Bionix" 2001 De La Soul "The Grind Date" 2004 Masta Ace "A Long Hot Summer" 2004 Wordsworth "Mirror Music" 2004 Dilated Peoples "The Platform" 2000 Dilated Peoples "Expansion Team" 2001 Dilated Peoples "Neighborhood Watch" 2004 Dilated Peoples "20/20" 2006 The Coup "Party Music" 2001 The Coup "Pick a Bigger Weapon" 2006 Blue Scholars "Blue Scholars" 2004 The Dope Poet Society "Prointelpro" 2007 Michael Franti "Stay Human" 2001 Michael Franti "Songs From the Front Porch: An Acoustic Collection" 2004 Michael Franti "Everyone Deserves Music" 2003 CL Smooth "American Me" 2006 Pigeon John "Is Clueless" 2002 Pigeon John "Is Dating Your Sister" 2003 Pigeon John "...And The Summertime Pool Party" 2006 The Procussions "...As Iron Sharpens Iron" 2003 The Procussions "5 Sparrows for 2 Cents" 2006 Strange Fruit Project "Soul Travellin'" 2004 Strange Fruit Project "The Healing" 2006 Kenn Starr "Starr Status" 2006 Kev Brown "I Do What I Do" 2006 Slum Village "Trinity (Past, Present, and Future)" 2002 Slum Village "Detroit Deli (A Taste of Detroit)" 2004 Slum Village "Slum Village" 2005 Akrobatik "Balance" 2003 Afu-Ra "Body of the Life Force" 2000 Afu-Ra "Life Force Radio" 2002 Afu-Ra "State of the Arts" 2005 The Perceptionists "Black Dialogue" 2005 Supernatural "The Lost Freestyle Files" 2003 Supernatural "S.P.I.T." 2005 Freestyle Fellowship "Temptations" 2001 Freestyle Fellowship "To Whom It May Concern" 2002 Aceyalone "Accepted Eclectic" 2001 Aceyalone "Love & Hate" 2003 Aceyalone "Magnificent City" 2006 Abstract Rude "P.A.I.N.T." 2001 Abstract Rude "Making Tracks" 2002 Abstract Rude "Making More Tracks" 2004 Haiku d'Etat "Coup de Theatre" 2003 Haiku d'Etat "Haiku d'Etat" 2004 X-Clan "Return From Mecca" 2007 Emanon "The Waiting Room" 2005 Aloe Blacc "Shine Through" 2006 People Under The Stairs "Question In The Form of an Answer" 2000 People Under The Stairs "O.S.T." 2002 People Under The Stairs "Stepfather" 2006 Gift of Gab "Fouth Dimensional Rocketships Going Up" 2004 J. Rawls "The Essence of J. Rawls" 2001 J. Rawls "Essence of Soul" 2006 J. Rawls "The Liquid Crystal Project" 2006 J. Rawls & Declaime "It's the Dank and Jammy Show" 2007 Lone Catalysts "Hip Hop" 2001 Lone Catalysts "Good Music" 2005 Asheru & Blue Black of The Unspoken Heard "Soon Come..." 2001 Asheru & Blue Black of The Unspoken Heard "48 Months" 2003 Gangstarr "The Ownerz" 2003 The Pharcyde "Plain Rap" 2000 The Pharcyde "Humboldt Beginnings" 2004