I just don't ever see him "blowing up" anymore than he already has, and not that he really needs to. he's got a solid following in the strong niche market that is underground hip hop and tours like a motherfucker.
anything more than that and he would have to comprimise something, anything, in order to get more radio play and a deal with a major pop label. remember when black eyed peas were underground? their first albums were terrific, and then fergie happened. they turned in to a completely different entity, one which was more approachable from the mainstream audience and made that jump from the underground.
I wholeheartedly agree with your statements.
For a second I forget that this genre of ours is not intended for the mainstream. It is a niche market and it shouldn’t come as a surprise whenever I bring up the name MURS and 9 out of 10 people will say “Who!?”. Although frustrating it’s reality.
It’s funny that you mentioned BEP also. A couple of weeks ago I purchased a DVD titled “Soundclash” where DJ’s/Producers go head to head for 3 rounds on beats with the crowd being the final judge. The second battle on this DVD consists of a pre-fergie Will.I.Am (B.E.P.) vs. Thes One (People Under The Stairs) and although Thes comes hard in the first two rounds Will kills him on the last beat.
I was in awe of the skills Will displays but ultimately disappointed that the same guy on this DVD went on to produce such classics as “My Humps” and “Boom Boom Pow”.
Here is the trailer for the
Soundclash DVD.