Rating:
  Release Date: August 17, 2006
  Website: Scholar Website
  Label: Else? Where Entertainment

Scholar “The X Files” Album Review
I ran into some cat this weekend at the Golden Fine Arts Festival who said he was a hip-hop fan. Naturally, I told him about Hip-Hop Linguistics and we went back and forth about our current and historical favorites in the world of hip-hop. He was talking mostly radio crap, but it was an enjoyable conversation nonetheless.  

Following the discussion, the guy was curious as to why I didn’t review more mainstream albums. “If you want your website to blow,” he said, “you’re going to have to review some stuff the people actually listen to.”

Damn, man … I ain’t gonna lie; that shit pissed me off. But I couldn’t really figure out why. Therefore, I didn’t say anything. I simply smiled, finished the conversation and walked off . but for some reason, I kept thinking about what that cat said. Later in the day, I realized why I was so angered by the comment. In reality, it was because what was said was true. The mainstream isn’t in to the underground or conscious hip-hop. And as long as I maintain my loyalty to this type of hip-hop, I will probably never make a dime off of Hip-Hop Linguistics. No sponsors, no advertisers … nothing.

I started thinking about the future of Hip-Hop Linguistics. I mean, is this really what I want for something I have put my all into? Something that I have spent the past two years building? Something I intimately believe in? Nah, man … I don’t want the website to be a failure. I want it to blow one day. Maybe I should take the advice, I thought, and start talking about what everyone else is talking about. Sell out a little, just for now, to get to where I want to be. At the time, it seemed reasonable.

Who’s Gonna Ride with Me?
On the way home, I was bumping a new underground release from my man Scholar of Else Where? Entertainment. Listening to his lyrics, I started to think that maybe he was in the same place as me a little. He seemed to be talking from time to time about his struggles getting people to hear his music due to the revolutionary topics it presents. All of a sudden, a verse jumped out at me that really hit home:

Thinking on just what I can do next
Off minimal recognition and royalty checks
Often check reality, it wakes me up
That people really don’t want to hear conscious stuff
But oh well . it’s alive in my blood
The reason why I keep on when shown no love
Own no gloves, but I gotta box my way
Out of the system, the price to pay

Despite the possibility that Else Where? Entertainment might be struggling to sell records or get their music heard, they’re not trying to change who they are. And instead of complaining or looking for a way out, Scholar just sees it as the price he has to pay to stay true to his beliefs and values. Instead of changing his style to please the listener, he challenges the listener to join him in his quest for revolution:

Who gonna ride with me?
Fight for freedom, die with me
Expose the lies with me
Open people’s eyes with me
Who gonna roll with me?
Open up the soul with me
Open your mind with me
Help mankind with me

Damn, man . that inspired me right when I needed a little inspiration. I found myself rolling down the street, singing along, yelling out the window, “I’ll ride wit you dogg! Fuck money! Fuck selling out! And fuck the wack ass mainstream!”

This Ain’t about Money
So to answer that cat’s question, I don’t cover the mainstream because I don’t believe in it. It’s repetitive; it’s corny; it’s shallow, materialistic and fake. It is completely non-representative of the culture I have based a big part of my life on. And worst of all, it’s not inspirational. Even if it prevents me from ever making money on my website, I will never cover hip-hop that doesn’t serve to inspire, motivate or educate.

This ain’t about money. This ain’t about recognition. I do this because it is therapeutic to me, and because I love hip-hop and want to contribute to the culture in whatever positive way I can. No amount of money could ever replace that. And I believe you would hear the same from Scholar and the entire Else Where? Entertainment crew.

So check out “The X-Files” and learn about cats trying to make a difference with revolutionary topics, intelligent lyrics, positive vibes and the courage to do it their own way. Peace.