Legends of Hip Hop: Scamming Up and Coming Artists and Producers?
Are Prominent LEGENDS in the game SCAMMING up and coming independent artists and why?
2020 has been one of the most difficult times for people of all walks of life, ages, and creeds. It has been especially tough on a lot of different industries geared towards consumers and services. Countless companies have applied for bailouts and pandemic assistance relief and others have resorted to scams on social media.
With times being rough financially for musicians mainly because they are unable to tour, do shows, sell merch and other means of income, rap legends have been resorting to gatekeeping via dms and more.
The Beginning.It all began with Facebook leaderboard scams. Hot 97 (NY) began with a "Who's Next" opportunity. Back in 2016 when I dropped my EP, I paid the $20 fee to enter into the bullshit. Never heard anything back from Flex or Hot97. I guess you can say that was the first time I got scammed and it ignited an anger that I have never felt before. I didn't want anybody to feel the way I did. Like wow, how can a notable radio platform and popular DJ take money from people and not deliver their promises as a supporter?"
When I began podcasting, I made it my purpose to help artists avoid scams and flourish properly as rising acts in the underground. Leaderboard's became a popular scam tool. Funny how nobody is really on Facebook messenger like that voting and listening to your music though.
The Pandemic Scam
March 2020 came a time of influencers DESPERATE for money. They began participating in "Giveaways" guaranteeing clients thousands of followers based on mentions in stories and posts. The problem with this theory is that legitimate PR agencies who have developed these giveaways are now battling the fakes who are also offering these major opportunities for brands to grow ever since advertisers have began boycotting Instagram and Facebook due to:
"the social network has contributing to spreading hate speech and misinformation to the public, leading to an increase in racism and radicalization...."
Which made total sense because technically they are creating enemies out of brands instead of allowing brands to present their product.
Around May/June of 2020 came the rapper scam. Dozens of well know rappers from Shad Moss (Bow Wow) to Fat Joe and Jadakiss began climbing into the dms of independent artists to offer placement for Mixtapes to be promoted.
$750 was the whopping cost for these placements which wound up on Soundcloud (yes a Soundcloud mixtape absolutely no shade by the way)
What I found sad was the amount of artists that fell for it. Not based on their stupidity and ignorance, but mainly because they thought that their favorite rapper was here to help them.
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