*Disclaimer* If you’re looking for this to be a memorandum where I’m disrespecting individuals, you’ve come to the right spot. Sike, let me stop. These are just my thoughts. Enjoy
As I sit here listening to Kanye’s “Spaceship” instrumental and observe President Obama greet those that never thought they’d see a black man distribute the infamous State of the Union speech, I gripe with myself do I even need to voice what I’m about to say. I’ve been struggling with this decision the entire day. “Do I even waste my time?” “Who’s really going to pay attention to this post?”
The internet, in the past 24 months, has become a cesspool of material that I’ve honestly started to disregard due to the lack of sincerity from its distributors. I became engulfed and obsessed with the ways of the world wide web way before my blogging days at UHTN and BET.com. Back then, however, it wasn’t a necessity for me to log on and make sure I posted a piece of material that was just released. Instead, I employed the ways of the interenets as a form of entertainment. Something I could pass the time with.
But now, oh man now? Now it’s become my life and yours as well…no matter how much you want to deny it. I can’t fully disclose that I’m upset it’s taken that specific turn because it’s opened a plethora of doors for me to walk through. I’ve been able to feed myself and some of those around me. But things are spiraling out of control, at least from my perspective.
Before, it wasn’t about hits. It wasn’t about credit/props/respect or however you want to phrase it. For me, and this is just me speaking, it was fun. I LOVED getting up in the morning and posting one of my illegal possessions- tags and all. Remember the term “exclusive?” Yeah, I know you remember that shit. I know you remember my tags. That shit doesn’t exist anymore. NO ONE is exclusive. You may be first, but NO ONE is exclusive. And they never will be- I PROMISE YOU!
It was my pleasure to open up a UHTN post with a personal opinion or story that I was excited to share with my readers (all 200 of them lol). But in 2010, that feeling doesn’t exist and truthfully it scares me.
I remember the days when my counterparts and I would pray to the hip-hop heavens that people outside our realm could actually understand what we did- more specifically these record labels. And while today the majors have SOMEWHAT caught on, they’ve applied their own twist to this blogging game. I wouldn’t call it a manipulative factor, but they’ve figured out ways to pin us against each other for their benefit. Sit there with “Not me” face if you want, but if that “not me” sentiment makes it way in any part of your soul; I’m talking directly to you.
Now I know, it’s all about promoting the brand. I get it. And maybe since I’m im running on about two years in the game (officially) I’m starting to see how things really unfold. And to be honest, at times I wish I never saw that side of the fence because it’s altered my perception on certain folk. Will it change? Hell no. The internet is the way, baby. The internet births our next Grammy golden child. This is it. This is where we’ve conditioned the public to believe that if it ain’t the internet it’s nothing else. I’ll take partial responsibility for that one, too.
The artists? Ha, the artists have forgotten the true meaning of developing themselves into purified artists. Oh and that’s because of the internet as well. The internet doesn’t allow an artist to hear the true passion behind’s someone’s voice. They don’t hear, “You need more work on the X,Y,and Z.” All they see are views on video sites and believe they’re one step closer to a VMA or a Grammy.
They conditioned their own brains to believe a certain number of downloads will deliver them a phone call from a major label. Yeah, the internet did that. The actual hustle and struggle at becoming a legitimate artist has left the mind set of those burgeoning individuals. But what can you do? What can you say? Nothing.
I could go on and on about the things that have tickled me in a negative way about the internet. I could name names, list companies, point out artists, fire shots but then I’d only be fueling what the internet has become in the last 3 years- A MELTING POT FOR BULLSHIT. Now this isn’t my retirement letter or anything like that, so relax with the “Damn, LowKey is leaving the game,” rhetoric. But at times, when certain things occur, I like to release these thoughts in a more formulated structure instead of yapping my followers to death on Twitter. Bitter? Me? Nah, not really lol.
Who knows what the next 5 years holds for any of us with an IP address. Hell it might get worse. It might get so bad I might just walk the fuck away without warning and head to Laurel, MD to become a banker like my mother instructed me to if I hadn’t thought of UHTN (What up, Money Mcleod). I vow to bring the fun back into this shit. No longer will I be bothered by the meaningless bullshit my IP address allows me to see. Damn, how did I get to that point lol.
Take this memo how you want it. If you want to take it as me bitching and complaining, be my guest. But in the world wind of posting news, pictures and songs, I feel like a mindless robot without an opinion. I bet you do too. I bet you got some shit bottled up inside you right now that you want write in a post to your readers. I know you do. And if you don’t, then you’re in this game for the wrong fucking reasons, NIGGA.
Yeah, that’s it. 1
Sincerely
Low “Yeah, I said it” Key


Remember when you walked into that clothing store and you heard those loud ass UHTN tags in the song they were playing? Or was that the club where the DJ spun it?
remember this song?
Jay-Z – You’re Welcome (feat. Mary J Blige)
WOW! Seriously, I respect the fuck outta you after reading this. I couldn’t agree more with the majority of what you said. It kills me to see sites/blogs that just post something real quick and that’s it. I enjoy putting time into each and every post, (the best quality picture that fits that song, something interesting for the listener to read, opinion about the song, what’s currently going on with that artist, etc.). It PAINS me when I go to another site/blog and see the lack of effort they put into a post. Ultimately, we’re doing this shit because we LOVE hip-hop!
And about giving props to other sites. I give props if someone personally gives me a heads up about a song. If I take my time and surf all these blogs, which is what I do, and I stumble across an exclusive, I don’t usually give props. Why should I? It’s showing up on every single other site, and I’m taking the time to find it, myself.
Anyway, just wanted to let you know how much I agree with what you said and how much respect I gained for you from it. Hit me up any time man, my twitter is @MuziksMyLife
Say word there were UHTN tags? askjdaskdh.
You should do more post like these, maybe like once a month.It’s interesting.
Definitely got some Lowkey tag songs from way back.. “You heard that new dot com” Loved it and hated it at the same time..haha..
Good shit and way to speak on some real shit too..I say once the day comes when you no longer have fun doing it then stop. So until then we’ll see…
Word.
I’m new here.. =(
I haven’t even felt like blogging lately because I feel like a robot. just a nut in a gotdamn bolt in a machine thats not of my choosing. maybe if said machine was affording me the lifestyle that I live I could learn to love it but for me its not.
Yet I can’t stop blogging, i’m addicted to the constant search, the find of NEW good music. something that inspires me enough to want to share. and truly branding my site is geared by my self esteem. i ask my self, who wouldn’t want to view/read/ listen to a site from a dope girl. the kind that listens to ur philosophies, waxes eloquent and shrugs it off. nah not no fashion blog, gossip blog chick. the up on all things chick.
but at the end of the day are my readers reading me? or are they interested in the nicki minaj ass pics? sigh. i still have to hold out hope that some person will come to me randomly for my *exclusive*…(not!) and enter a realm that he will want to frequent out of love. Not just because he wants me to post his song on my site. diamonds are 4ever? have no fear that they might…
oh btw laurel, md ain’t too far from 22192 holla!!
Totally agree with you man! For some folks this IS a numbers game… they are the folks that post a link with no thought behind it, no attention to detail, just “how much can I post and how quick”. Some of us got a real love for this music and it’s seen through our opinions on our blogs and THAT’S what these artists and labels should be paying attention to. For the bloggers that grind it out for the love of it, I will always have much respect.
Finally posted something interesting. This reaffirms the reason I added this site to my favorite bar. Props Illionaire
I know what you mean, listening to radio now compared to the radio before the internet became a Major Label makes me want to build a time machine lol