its not tht they not rich. these artists will forever eat off of their music- even if its scraps . vince staples will get paid for songs like norf norf forever . but it jus sucks tht someone like him cant b mentioned in the same breath as the top tiers (drake, ye, kendrick, even j cole) . despite the fact he been droppin consistently good albums . which is why he as an “underground rapper” (im using “underground” loosely cuz he still rich af”) does things outside of music that makes him money, kinda like his Vince Staples Show on Netflix for example . of course the argument can be had tht he just did the show cuz he wanted to (which is not untrue) - tho the argument could be had that he’s made more money off of the show than he did from his most recent album “Dark Times.” compare that to drake, who doesnt even have to think about making a show (even tho he’s an actor) because he already makes more than enough with music . EDIT: the conversation about vince’s quality is a whole other topic btw . tho he did change up his style quite often, statistically he never really “fell off” in terms of quality . “Big Fish Theory” for example is his highest charting album to date, despite contradicting the sound/style of “Summertime 06”
@@lotto6l184 Yeah! This is what I mean. It's confusing to see some "greats" have absolutely 0 talent, creativity, or drive to be better, while these other guys are so much better, hard working, and consistent, yet they aren't able to get as much recognition. But again, it's not about money or streams.
Vince Staples is a corporation with employees. The Vince Staples corp is getting that 70K, how much Vince Staples the person gets is unknown, but certainly much less.
This has been my preferred tier for artists especially in terms of concert going. It is a much more intimate and enjoyable experience for me. Those non-stadium venues allow for artists to stay and chat/sign shit for their fans. I've been able to have full conversations with Redveil, Isaiah Rashad and JID because of it. It's really nice to have that kind of interaction with your favorite artists but when they blow up that chance evaporates and then you're behind a $300+ paywall to watch them from the nosebleeds. I want them to have their success and accolades but selfishly as a broke fan appreciate where they're at right now.
Tell me about it bro, I love going to a concert for under $50 and having a great time seeing the artist RIGHT there. Check out some of my shorts, I post tons of concert footage like this.
Rap is best at an underground and medium size rapper territory. After that you generally have to become a pop artist to really be at the top with pop artists which is not good for the genre or the rest of Black American music in general, it forces more and more young Black American artists to seek that top spot by diluting the sole in favor of pop. We see how badly this process that really kicked off in the 00's run roughshod over the culture.
I mean yeah, if you're a popular artist, you're by definition pop, but that doesn't take away from the stories they tell! JID and Kendrick for example are big yet they are respected for their flow, creativity, and conscious lyrics! I made a video about this too!
Sometimes the “medium” category can be a blessing, take for example when Jimmy Fallon tried to have westsidegunn Conway and Benny the butcher do “dr birds” Only to have it removed a week later. You can still find it on UA-cam but mainstream America was def not ready.
You know what's crazy, most of these medium sized rappers are signed to majors. Besides the talent, they got the appeal, the ability to make catchy tunes, but they don't have the push they need and that even the hip hop scene needs as well. What I'm trying to say is, in late 2010's and early 2020's they should've gotten the push to rejuvenate the genre. When I look back to Amine's Limbo for example, I was like "how his label's not pushing him? There are a lot of hit material songs here" but nahh, "let him rot there for whatever reason" his label execs might've said... This just one example, I could go all day by mentioning Vince Staples, Griselda, Joey, Smino, JID, Isaiah Rashad, Westside Boogie, Freddie, Dave, Leikeli47, Cordae, Brockhampton, etc. These labels never hesitate to manufacture virality with mediocre and even trash folks that somehow we must cinsider them "artists" lmao, but won't push experienced, seasoned and talented artists on their roster to keep the already dying business afloat or to new heights by raising the bar high
The key component you’re missing is the leverage. The artists that tend to go huge have less leverage than the “medium industry” counterparts. Artists more inclined to their craft and creating an immersive experience will not submit to the demands of a major label trying to maximize profits. This gives them better room in negotiations with their indie labels/small labels they are signed to and allows them to actually get more out of their contract than say an Ice spice or a Lil Yahty. If a label is willing to pull out all stops to make sure everyone worldwide knows who you are, it’s because they were able to collect on all of your successes and profits. Who cares about getting 400 million streams if you have to pay all of that exposure back out? Why not just stick with a small medium sized label, keep your absolute respect in the hip hop industry, and make more money while staying more out of the mainstream eye?
@@oogskskfnFacts. The video sums up the position of the stupidest fans of music right now. Who cares about how many monthly streams they get? Who cares if your mom/aunt/uncle/grandma knows about them? They make great music and that's the only criteria for success that matters. ESPECIALLY for an artist. It's already a struggle to not be broke and now they're set for life and can focus on what they love.
There is definitely a lot more weeds to get into with these artists and it's hard to just generalize like I did. But I thought the exact same thing, why are they letting talent ROT?
Sometimes I complain about these guys not getting the recognition they deserve. Earl sweatshirt is the biggest example. Lyrically he's legit in the upper upper echelon of rappers with a few other underground names (black thought, Ka, Mach Hommy, billy Woods, ellucid, Jay Electronica, Lupe fiasco), and his sounds are genre pushing genuinely. But Earl knew what he was doing when he released SRS. he was finally free fromm his big label and decided to make music that was purely artistic. He knew this would make his music more niche and he was okay with that. I respect it
Nice! I like the creativity they’re able to have and not be constricted to a contract thats for sure. Excited for Vince staples next projects! Also Lupe is in with this middle size rapper tier btw.
You can go even smaller artist that are as well good. Mick Jenkins Redveil Earthgang Larry June Saba Spillage Village Just to name a few I listen too rn
To the new generation of artists that don't want to play into the content creation game knowing that it will cement them into a lower tier of the hierarchy just know this; channels like these are the closest thing to your boss second from the fans because they will actually give you that ability to create a legacy brand, because those are the things the people the artist in this video
6:28 MTI is a amazing album (one of the best rap albums period) and one of my favorites, thanks for mentioning it. Originally the song present in that album with Denzel (Twistin) was from Denzel’s mixtape and LUM simply produced the rest. It’s weird but I guess it’s Denzel’s song more with a LUM feature. Weird huh?
@@Normalcognitivedave Uneven Compromise by him is one of the greatest rap things ever created and my favorite of his, flawless and perfect in every way in lyrics, storytelling and experimentation. If ya never heard it please do check it out and the rest of his discography. :) He gives a voice for underground artists and shows quality in all of his works, even his first mixtape is decent.
Not every artists want to be the biggest artists in the world there's some artists that like making the music they make & having a core fanbase as long as they can continue to make a living from what their doing is that such a bad thing not every artists needs to be Beyonce 😂
@Normalcognitivedave I heard that part but your point is there not getting the money & the fame seems too be the most important part when that means nothing fame nowadays is fleeting they get hot then their own fans start telling them they fell off because they don't like their latest album
Every single one of those artists deserve nothing but the best man amine,denzel,Joey isaiah etc influenced me so much when it comes to music and I will always be a fan of them no matter what
I’m glad you covered this a thought I always think about is that everyone wants to a big artist but a “ c tier “ artist can still make about “ 100k “ a year which is better than average living
the problem is, they aint C tier! These guys are the real deal. Top tier talent and creativity! Though yes tons of actual c tier rappers can also make a quick buck...
IDK, I listen to most of these artists. IDK how and why Kendrick, J.cole, & JID have big followers but I'm happy they're doing well. my current top 3 favorite MCs are Danny Brown, Billy Woods, & Aesop Rock and i guess Danny is a medium sized rapper
Yes the real Mach Hommy is my room mate. Also all music used is in the description! A lot of these beats I find, they end up using! like Same 24 my Mach Hommy was a random beat I found on UA-cam once.
I feel like 90% of the time, these artists are better than the super mainstream artists. They always drop quality music and its a shame that they can never get the popularity they deserve.
Why is greatness mainly measured by fame? Why is it measured by mainstream acceptance and popularity with casuals that don’t even care about what the essence of Hip Hop is? When did Spotify monthly listeners become the measure of what is great in Hip Hop when Hip Hop came from the ‘hood before Spotify was even a thing? You need to ask yourself the above questions and come up with real answers.
One thing i love about "little" artists is that their fandoms are way better and compromomised and they not bandwagoners. My fav artists ever is The Weeknd but when i saw him live i was the only one in at least 4 rows to know every single song, a lot of them just knew the populars on tiktok😅
great video but lowkey estimated net worth isnt something you should look at. you have to remember streaming numbers, album sales, concerts, merch sales, and features all give artists money. denzels album sold 21,038 first week, and the industry standard for albums are about $20. 20x21,038 is over $420,000 just from an albums' first week sales. on top of that, obviously streaming is more popular nowadays then buying albums, and denzels album has well over 300,000,000 streams JUST on spotify. the minimum spotify pays per stream is $0.003, that means just off SPOTIFY, that album ALONE has made him almost a million dollars. then theres also concerts, if denzel can sell out stadiums of 4,000 at the mission ballroom, let's just say 20% of the people buy merch, and its $10 (lowball), that's $8,000 a concert. also not sure if he's signed to label or not, but if he is, he gets deals from that too. he probably makes a couple million a year tbh
Yes definitely the type of calculations i was doing, networth for sure doesnt matter unless youre comparing people’s budgets and creativity with their respective levels of money!
You're dang right! We have the East, West, South, and even Midwest! Amine, Macklemore, and Yeat might be the only notable ones right now... Maybe Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, etc will be next eh?
haha! you're right! It would be nice for them to be that big but unfortunately, I don't think so. I actually made another video about who I think would make the cut ua-cam.com/video/_zMHKJckxd4/v-deo.html
I think we just need to stop saying that people are big just because they get pusehd by the main media. Its important that you the viewer appreciates the artist. The only think mainstream does is make sure that their name is a household name and they have longevity of a *STAR* but you and I both know with or without stardum they are fantastic artists that we will pass down to the next generation. Especially when someone is looking for a "raw" or "untapped" sound. Curry, Q, Rashad, Reason, Symba, Smino, etc. won't get the recognition as they didn't go through the main media routes doesn't mean that they aren't solid. In fact ill be honest when you make it that big you lose out on some of your own creativity. Especially when everyone is eating off of what is being made.
nah not the media, culture and record labels def push/care about other artists more. I enjoy the fact that these artists are still able to succeed despite their circumstances and size.
What do you think about artists like Russ? do you consider him a medium-sized rapper? He makes more money than most mainstream artists but is not as big due to a lack of machine push. Perhaps these medium rappers do not take advantage of their situations what do you all think?
imo, russ falls outside this category for one reason: he's not as talented or creative. However, I've seen him do well here and there and if he honed his ability and platform, he could totally use it for good
I remember waiting for that album… what a crazy cycle. I mean it was about 5 years? Im sure dude had enough money from streams and other savings and help… but ab soul literally said that in an interview after 6 years of no music
I would honestly much rather be at this level than be super famous. If you even make it this far you are not even mid level, you are among the top 0.01% of musicians on the planet.
These guys make music for nerds, they either deliver for the woke or the Art people(word play guys, collectors, etc). On the bright side Atleast they get to make high end projects, that appeal to a specific crowd, the sound barely dies out
Push’s numbers beg to differ. No disrespect just reporting the numbers man. Ik his work with his brother on Clipse and all the culture he’s influenced over nearly 3 decades. However, man’s audience is around as big as Denzel 🤷♂️
@@Normalcognitivedaveeven numbers wise I get what you’re saying, but Pusha is probably more widely known, and almost considered “mainstream” or more of a celebrity people just know of him even if they don’t listen to him much. Even if the sales are almost equal I’d say he’s more well known than Denzel by far. And honestly I fw Denzel way more, I barely listen to Pusha.
@@Normalcognitivedaveimo it wasnt bad. I just don't think they had any theme of what they wanted to do. It just sounds like a series of songs that amine and kaytra made in some sessions which is why the album isnt rlly cohesive
What does it matter that they only make a few millions and not tens/hundreds of them? They've all made it. Wanting to have 70 million people listening to you monthly is nobody's definition of musical success. You have to have a media presence and crossover appeal to crack the top. That's a marketing achievement. Wasted 13 minutes of my life and the 2 minutes it took to type this comment to discuss the most pointless shit I've ever seen. I mean think about. Would Kendrick Lamar be any worse if he had half his streams? Fuck no.
This genre of video is basically "anti-content" why is this imaginary group that doesn't even exist a victim or "struggling" the videos all create this goofy framework that's all based on speculation and Twitter comments from obsessed fans that think Big number= happier in life Small number = sad and poor This is a legitimate question, why would this random small UA-camr have any clue about their personal finances? Or their side businesses? proprieties? Why is this insightful? Does he work in the industry? This content is made for 12 year old white kids from the suburbs while they treat black men like action figures. "stuck in purgatory" Do you understand how goofy this sounds? Why would you use that word? It's this weird dehumanizing stuff I see from this goofy music critic blogger drama channel sphere, they literally treat rappers like gladiators or something? Like little characters in a video game. They think this is "content" just throwing around random labels and making them "victims" all these dudes live comfy lives.
Yeah, they all made it, and I even said that the definition of making it changes from person to person. And the main point isn't about how many people listen to them and how much money they make, just noticed some patterns among artists in this "medium" category. But Doesn't it jiggle your marbles to know that someone like Drake is more known than all of these other rappers combined?
@@Normalcognitivedave Then I'd suggest you dig deeper next time. It's a surprise to no one that a capitalist platform or label will push whatever product is the most economically viable. That's not drake's doing, it's inherent to the structure that both helps develop and profits off of the creativity of artists. Yet you didn't touch on that.
I get everything you’re saying but pusha t is no where near a medium rapper he is definitely top tier. I usually like to reference my opinion on that based off of the album cycle
Man i just responded to another mf about this. I respect Push and his nearly 3 decade run. Just lookin at the numbers rn man. Thought he’d be a good inclusion cause he makes good art
Check out another video essay! ua-cam.com/video/Y7RSxmdhE1s/v-deo.html
You’re acting like these mid-tier artists aren’t rich. Vince Staples says he gets paid 70k for a 30 minute set. That’s a whole ass salary bro..
Bruh more money than I ever had in my bank account fr in 30 min
its not tht they not rich. these artists will forever eat off of their music- even if its scraps . vince staples will get paid for songs like norf norf forever . but it jus sucks tht someone like him cant b mentioned in the same breath as the top tiers (drake, ye, kendrick, even j cole) . despite the fact he been droppin consistently good albums . which is why he as an “underground rapper” (im using “underground” loosely cuz he still rich af”) does things outside of music that makes him money, kinda like his Vince Staples Show on Netflix for example . of course the argument can be had tht he just did the show cuz he wanted to (which is not untrue) - tho the argument could be had that he’s made more money off of the show than he did from his most recent album “Dark Times.” compare that to drake, who doesnt even have to think about making a show (even tho he’s an actor) because he already makes more than enough with music .
EDIT: the conversation about vince’s quality is a whole other topic btw . tho he did change up his style quite often, statistically he never really “fell off” in terms of quality . “Big Fish Theory” for example is his highest charting album to date, despite contradicting the sound/style of “Summertime 06”
I mean I said outright they make MILLIONS! The point isn't the money or the streams, but more so what they do in their position as this size.
@@lotto6l184 Yeah! This is what I mean. It's confusing to see some "greats" have absolutely 0 talent, creativity, or drive to be better, while these other guys are so much better, hard working, and consistent, yet they aren't able to get as much recognition. But again, it's not about money or streams.
Vince Staples is a corporation with employees. The Vince Staples corp is getting that 70K, how much Vince Staples the person gets is unknown, but certainly much less.
I'm a simple person. I see denzel in a thumbnail, I click
I felt that once I saw all three of them I immediately clicked😭
Sounds like you guys like medium sized rappers
Based on
This has been my preferred tier for artists especially in terms of concert going. It is a much more intimate and enjoyable experience for me. Those non-stadium venues allow for artists to stay and chat/sign shit for their fans. I've been able to have full conversations with Redveil, Isaiah Rashad and JID because of it. It's really nice to have that kind of interaction with your favorite artists but when they blow up that chance evaporates and then you're behind a $300+ paywall to watch them from the nosebleeds. I want them to have their success and accolades but selfishly as a broke fan appreciate where they're at right now.
Tell me about it bro, I love going to a concert for under $50 and having a great time seeing the artist RIGHT there. Check out some of my shorts, I post tons of concert footage like this.
Rap is best at an underground and medium size rapper territory. After that you generally have to become a pop artist to really be at the top with pop artists which is not good for the genre or the rest of Black American music in general, it forces more and more young Black American artists to seek that top spot by diluting the sole in favor of pop. We see how badly this process that really kicked off in the 00's run roughshod over the culture.
I mean yeah, if you're a popular artist, you're by definition pop, but that doesn't take away from the stories they tell! JID and Kendrick for example are big yet they are respected for their flow, creativity, and conscious lyrics! I made a video about this too!
@@Normalcognitivedaveto be fair the flow , creativity and conscious lyrics are things can be found in youre typical black mirror episode
El zigh not El zee wtf
@@Eliburgo good catch
da sole
Griselda has been such a breathe of fresh air they drop consistently but they don't compromise quality for quantity
What a great label harnessing nothing but talent. Though I do have some more words to say about them!
love griselda because of the quantity of quality. they drop so often but it’s almost always solid
As a no- size artist, i can only dream about one day being a small- sized artist
one day bro!
Sometimes the “medium” category can be a blessing, take for example when Jimmy Fallon tried to have westsidegunn Conway and Benny the butcher do “dr birds”
Only to have it removed a week later. You can still find it on UA-cam but mainstream America was def not ready.
Jimmy Fallon just couldnt laugh at it :/ therefore bad content
You know what's crazy, most of these medium sized rappers are signed to majors. Besides the talent, they got the appeal, the ability to make catchy tunes, but they don't have the push they need and that even the hip hop scene needs as well. What I'm trying to say is, in late 2010's and early 2020's they should've gotten the push to rejuvenate the genre. When I look back to Amine's Limbo for example, I was like "how his label's not pushing him? There are a lot of hit material songs here" but nahh, "let him rot there for whatever reason" his label execs might've said... This just one example, I could go all day by mentioning Vince Staples, Griselda, Joey, Smino, JID, Isaiah Rashad, Westside Boogie, Freddie, Dave, Leikeli47, Cordae, Brockhampton, etc. These labels never hesitate to manufacture virality with mediocre and even trash folks that somehow we must cinsider them "artists" lmao, but won't push experienced, seasoned and talented artists on their roster to keep the already dying business afloat or to new heights by raising the bar high
The key component you’re missing is the leverage. The artists that tend to go huge have less leverage than the “medium industry” counterparts. Artists more inclined to their craft and creating an immersive experience will not submit to the demands of a major label trying to maximize profits. This gives them better room in negotiations with their indie labels/small labels they are signed to and allows them to actually get more out of their contract than say an Ice spice or a Lil Yahty. If a label is willing to pull out all stops to make sure everyone worldwide knows who you are, it’s because they were able to collect on all of your successes and profits. Who cares about getting 400 million streams if you have to pay all of that exposure back out? Why not just stick with a small medium sized label, keep your absolute respect in the hip hop industry, and make more money while staying more out of the mainstream eye?
@@oogskskfnFacts. The video sums up the position of the stupidest fans of music right now. Who cares about how many monthly streams they get? Who cares if your mom/aunt/uncle/grandma knows about them? They make great music and that's the only criteria for success that matters.
ESPECIALLY for an artist. It's already a struggle to not be broke and now they're set for life and can focus on what they love.
There is definitely a lot more weeds to get into with these artists and it's hard to just generalize like I did. But I thought the exact same thing, why are they letting talent ROT?
@@oogskskfn In my opinion, Yachty made a great album with Let's Start Here though!
Industry has always been controlled, there's a good reason for that. But that's exactly where the bullshit happens
Sometimes I complain about these guys not getting the recognition they deserve. Earl sweatshirt is the biggest example. Lyrically he's legit in the upper upper echelon of rappers with a few other underground names (black thought, Ka, Mach Hommy, billy Woods, ellucid, Jay Electronica, Lupe fiasco), and his sounds are genre pushing genuinely. But Earl knew what he was doing when he released SRS. he was finally free fromm his big label and decided to make music that was purely artistic. He knew this would make his music more niche and he was okay with that. I respect it
Nice! I like the creativity they’re able to have and not be constricted to a contract thats for sure. Excited for Vince staples next projects! Also Lupe is in with this middle size rapper tier btw.
Madeintyo is the best example imo. Dude was talented enough but he's just a normal dude I'd meet at Walmart lol.
I really want to meet Madeintyo at Walmart dude...
Hes gonna play near where I live, but you have to be 18 and its less than a week before my birthday 😢
@@YungEschow tf you even know madeintyo lol if you not 18
@@guardian7568Fr had to be like 10 when he was on XXL 😂💯
You can go even smaller artist that are as well good.
Mick Jenkins
Redveil
Earthgang
Larry June
Saba
Spillage Village
Just to name a few I listen too rn
yeeee this is like a slight tier below
you cooked with that purgatory comment
Thank you! That's what I was going for. I was hoping one person out of 24,000 would comment lmao
To the new generation of artists that don't want to play into the content creation game knowing that it will cement them into a lower tier of the hierarchy just know this; channels like these are the closest thing to your boss second from the fans because they will actually give you that ability to create a legacy brand, because those are the things the people the artist in this video
I will gladly keep making videos like this, especially for the underground in order to bring light to these awesome upcoming artists!
Good vid! Excited to see who's gonna be the next big name!
It will probably be _______!!
@@NormalcognitivedaveJaye Archer 🫡
Great points! I like to call them sidestream artists
Sidestream artists... Might roll off the tongue better than "medium sized"! Ha!
6:28 MTI is a amazing album (one of the best rap albums period) and one of my favorites, thanks for mentioning it. Originally the song present in that album with Denzel (Twistin) was from Denzel’s mixtape and LUM simply produced the rest. It’s weird but I guess it’s Denzel’s song more with a LUM feature. Weird huh?
Someone who uses abbreviations is def a fan of LUM. I feel like tons of songs are like this. They’re always collabing and trading songs
@@Normalcognitivedave Uneven Compromise by him is one of the greatest rap things ever created and my favorite of his, flawless and perfect in every way in lyrics, storytelling and experimentation. If ya never heard it please do check it out and the rest of his discography. :)
He gives a voice for underground artists and shows quality in all of his works, even his first mixtape is decent.
Not every artists want to be the biggest artists in the world there's some artists that like making the music they make & having a core fanbase as long as they can continue to make a living from what their doing is that such a bad thing not every artists needs to be Beyonce 😂
y'aint watch the part where I said not everyone wants to make it big and their definitions depend on the person 😂
@Normalcognitivedave I heard that part but your point is there not getting the money & the fame seems too be the most important part when that means nothing fame nowadays is fleeting they get hot then their own fans start telling them they fell off because they don't like their latest album
Above average cameo at the start earned my sub 😭😭
RDC WORLD!!
These artists can play a show and buy a property. I think our best bet is to get like this if we want to rap
100% and then help bring up the underground as well!
Every single one of those artists deserve nothing but the best man amine,denzel,Joey isaiah etc influenced me so much when it comes to music and I will always be a fan of them no matter what
This man has great music taste!!!
thats a great take man, keep it up
I'm going to! These are fun to make
I love the medium sized rappers
Who doesn't! These guys DELIVER
Love the random mission ballroom shout-out, good venue
My friends saw Denzel there and I posted some of the footage as shorts years ago!
I’m glad you covered this a thought I always think about is that everyone wants to a big artist but a “ c tier “ artist can still make about “ 100k “ a year which is better than average living
the problem is, they aint C tier! These guys are the real deal. Top tier talent and creativity! Though yes tons of actual c tier rappers can also make a quick buck...
this is a great vid bro
That's what im talking about!!!!!
6:10 you got buzzy lee and Saul Williams pics switched but great video regardless
Ye i noticed lol but it wouldnt look as good if they were swapped tbh so i kept it 🤷♂️ thanks for pointing it out tho
IDK, I listen to most of these artists. IDK how and why Kendrick, J.cole, & JID have big followers but I'm happy they're doing well. my current top 3 favorite MCs are Danny Brown, Billy Woods, & Aesop Rock and i guess Danny is a medium sized rapper
Those are amazing rappers! I love garbology and hiding places!
Video doc on Smino and his overlooked greatness. He's cousins with Denzel.
Oooh ok this will come out in about two years! but I will make it
Is that Winchester Skates (Mach-Hommy) in the background?
loop of the sample it sounds like: Nicole by Enrico Intra
Yes the real Mach Hommy is my room mate. Also all music used is in the description! A lot of these beats I find, they end up using! like Same 24 my Mach Hommy was a random beat I found on UA-cam once.
So glad you mentioned Denzel Curry. Probably my favorite rapper or the 2020's besides JID
Which is crazy cause they only dropped one album! High praise for those who deserve it
I cannot believe this is real!
Look in front of you!
It's crazy. These are the artists i strihe to be like, haha. I always looked at them as artist who never really crossed over
These are good people to be like. No bullshit just solid work
I feel like 90% of the time, these artists are better than the super mainstream artists. They always drop quality music and its a shame that they can never get the popularity they deserve.
Thats exactly what i’m sayin man theyre the most talented too
it's kinda the best category to be in, best artists, you get paid and dont slack
I meannnn some of them do be inconsistent with their drops 😅
0:12 is that the guy from RDCWorld1?
YES! They made a skit about a villain being above average lmao
Why is greatness mainly measured by fame? Why is it measured by mainstream acceptance and popularity with casuals that don’t even care about what the essence of Hip Hop is? When did Spotify monthly listeners become the measure of what is great in Hip Hop when Hip Hop came from the ‘hood before Spotify was even a thing?
You need to ask yourself the above questions and come up with real answers.
I agree not about numbers at all cause you got some schmucks who don’t deserve it at all and some GREAT rappers who aint got that level of fame
One thing i love about "little" artists is that their fandoms are way better and compromomised and they not bandwagoners.
My fav artists ever is The Weeknd but when i saw him live i was the only one in at least 4 rows to know every single song, a lot of them just knew the populars on tiktok😅
I mean im not gonna take away from peoples enjoyment but yeah you go to an artist that big and don’t know the songs like what are u doing ??
great video but lowkey estimated net worth isnt something you should look at. you have to remember streaming numbers, album sales, concerts, merch sales, and features all give artists money. denzels album sold 21,038 first week, and the industry standard for albums are about $20. 20x21,038 is over $420,000 just from an albums' first week sales. on top of that, obviously streaming is more popular nowadays then buying albums, and denzels album has well over 300,000,000 streams JUST on spotify. the minimum spotify pays per stream is $0.003, that means just off SPOTIFY, that album ALONE has made him almost a million dollars. then theres also concerts, if denzel can sell out stadiums of 4,000 at the mission ballroom, let's just say 20% of the people buy merch, and its $10 (lowball), that's $8,000 a concert. also not sure if he's signed to label or not, but if he is, he gets deals from that too. he probably makes a couple million a year tbh
Yes definitely the type of calculations i was doing, networth for sure doesnt matter unless youre comparing people’s budgets and creativity with their respective levels of money!
2.5 was really really good
I really like meant2b and thats about all that sticks out for me :/ but everyone has their opinion!
Shit I be glad to a medium sized rapper enough though I do wanna be at the top
thats what im saying!
That's a Tim Miner Reference 6:26
It was! He was my favorite singer back in the day
Kota the friend is a perfect example of a medium rapper
I will listen to him too! Someone else mentioned Bfb Da Packman too
Thats what I feel about montana of 300 and starlito but they know who to work it for them and dont give up alot of time away from their fanilies
I'd rather them be good people than sell out fr fr
It's tough for Rappers from the Pacific Northwest to break through.....
You're dang right! We have the East, West, South, and even Midwest! Amine, Macklemore, and Yeat might be the only notable ones right now... Maybe Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, etc will be next eh?
Thank god for Smino but man does he deserve to be on a bigger platform 🥲
I hear he needs to be a better performer
This might be the new big 3 only when people are for something after drake,j cole, kdot.
haha! you're right! It would be nice for them to be that big but unfortunately, I don't think so. I actually made another video about who I think would make the cut ua-cam.com/video/_zMHKJckxd4/v-deo.html
I'm rocking with you bro. Just subbed. I wanna see you win.
thank you so much Man in Black. We now know who you are.
Great video and view points fs
I’m excited to drop my next video!!
@@Normalcognitivedave ill make sure to check it out!
i thought you were talking about short rappers looooooool
Kendrick, uzi, and JID were in a previous video 😉
That would be “Kuh-Reem” Riggins
Sincerely,
A black man 🙏🏾
I knew someone in high school named this, spelt the same way too, i shoulda known
I think we just need to stop saying that people are big just because they get pusehd by the main media. Its important that you the viewer appreciates the artist. The only think mainstream does is make sure that their name is a household name and they have longevity of a *STAR* but you and I both know with or without stardum they are fantastic artists that we will pass down to the next generation. Especially when someone is looking for a "raw" or "untapped" sound. Curry, Q, Rashad, Reason, Symba, Smino, etc. won't get the recognition as they didn't go through the main media routes doesn't mean that they aren't solid. In fact ill be honest when you make it that big you lose out on some of your own creativity. Especially when everyone is eating off of what is being made.
nah not the media, culture and record labels def push/care about other artists more. I enjoy the fact that these artists are still able to succeed despite their circumstances and size.
I consider al those you mentioned big
I also consider 2 inches big 👍
great video 🔥
great comment fire emoji
I will feel like I made it when my music is on a video games
cannot wait to see StoneyDeluxe on the new Guitar Hero!
my goat
🐐 talk
You got good speaking skills
I speak every day of my life! I practice
What do you think about artists like Russ? do you consider him a medium-sized rapper? He makes more money than most mainstream artists but is not as big due to a lack of machine push. Perhaps these medium rappers do not take advantage of their situations what do you all think?
imo, russ falls outside this category for one reason: he's not as talented or creative. However, I've seen him do well here and there and if he honed his ability and platform, he could totally use it for good
bro needs more subscribers
Thank you, that's something we working on!
nah this is wild I thought bro would had 100k-1M subs thats how good his editing and production is
Honestly under ground music is honestly the best
That's coming soon too but keep it on the DL! I think you'll like it
Vince deserves to be in the convo of bigger rappers ngl 😭😭😭
idk bro he's still in this sweet spot I think of not being the most mainstream
Not every rapper wants to be famous like that some want to keep they core audience
Facts, kinda why i mentioned pusha T but left it there. But theres always differing goals for everyone
Denzel is so underrated and overlooked it’s disgusting
Statements like this are lowkey a reason I decided to make a vid like this
Great video
God bless you 🫡
Whats that spotify stats website you used?
it's called Song Stats!
Saying Isaiah Rashad had to continue to release music is hilarious bc of how long it took for the house is burning
I remember waiting for that album… what a crazy cycle. I mean it was about 5 years? Im sure dude had enough money from streams and other savings and help… but ab soul literally said that in an interview after 6 years of no music
you really put drake with "the greats", Denzel Curry, Joey Badass and Vince Staples are greats and legends
I thought it was funny lmao look at how goofy his pic is man
This guy called out Thebe, what a loser
I love Thebe bro he only made a teeny tiny appearance in the video
bruh i’m stuck in the underground
OH MY GOD SOMEONE HELP SOPRETTY43VR!
I would honestly much rather be at this level than be super famous. If you even make it this far you are not even mid level, you are among the top 0.01% of musicians on the planet.
I think it's amazing you can live pursing your dreams and a lot less toxic
Go Dave with normal cognitive abilities!!
Im going!
These guys make music for nerds, they either deliver for the woke or the Art people(word play guys, collectors, etc). On the bright side Atleast they get to make high end projects, that appeal to a specific crowd, the sound barely dies out
Thats what im talking about. No nerd is out there in the club singing along to No Role Modelz lmao
saying push is a medium sized rapper is such an uninformed, gen z statement lol
Push’s numbers beg to differ. No disrespect just reporting the numbers man. Ik his work with his brother on Clipse and all the culture he’s influenced over nearly 3 decades. However, man’s audience is around as big as Denzel 🤷♂️
@@Normalcognitivedaveeven numbers wise I get what you’re saying, but Pusha is probably more widely known, and almost considered “mainstream” or more of a celebrity people just know of him even if they don’t listen to him much. Even if the sales are almost equal I’d say he’s more well known than Denzel by far. And honestly I fw Denzel way more, I barely listen to Pusha.
Lmao Rappers doesn't care about fame? You must be projecting your Drake opinion. It's about Hood politics.
Calling Kaytramine half baked is so wild lmao bad take
I feel like it’s weaker and way more stripped back. Sounds no different than any other hip hop house/summer vibe album.
@@Normalcognitivedaveimo it wasnt bad. I just don't think they had any theme of what they wanted to do. It just sounds like a series of songs that amine and kaytra made in some sessions which is why the album isnt rlly cohesive
What You think bfb da pack man is?
I have no idea who this is will look into him
Please don’t ever fix your mouth to mention Bobby Shmurda in the same sentence as lil pump
ah ah ah! Jungle Beats!
fire video
Fuego
0:54 That is not Soulja Boy 😭😭😭
That’s soulja boy 😭😭😭
What does it matter that they only make a few millions and not tens/hundreds of them?
They've all made it. Wanting to have 70 million people listening to you monthly is nobody's definition of musical success. You have to have a media presence and crossover appeal to crack the top. That's a marketing achievement.
Wasted 13 minutes of my life and the 2 minutes it took to type this comment to discuss the most pointless shit I've ever seen. I mean think about. Would Kendrick Lamar be any worse if he had half his streams? Fuck no.
This genre of video is basically "anti-content" why is this imaginary group that doesn't even exist a victim or "struggling" the videos all create this goofy framework that's all based on speculation and Twitter comments from obsessed fans that think
Big number= happier in life
Small number = sad and poor
This is a legitimate question, why would this random small UA-camr have any clue about their personal finances? Or their side businesses? proprieties? Why is this insightful? Does he work in the industry? This content is made for 12 year old white kids from the suburbs while they treat black men like action figures.
"stuck in purgatory"
Do you understand how goofy this sounds? Why would you use that word? It's this weird dehumanizing stuff I see from this goofy music critic blogger drama channel sphere, they literally treat rappers like gladiators or something? Like little characters in a video game. They think this is "content" just throwing around random labels and making them "victims" all these dudes live comfy lives.
Yeah, they all made it, and I even said that the definition of making it changes from person to person. And the main point isn't about how many people listen to them and how much money they make, just noticed some patterns among artists in this "medium" category. But Doesn't it jiggle your marbles to know that someone like Drake is more known than all of these other rappers combined?
@@Normalcognitivedave Then I'd suggest you dig deeper next time.
It's a surprise to no one that a capitalist platform or label will push whatever product is the most economically viable. That's not drake's doing, it's inherent to the structure that both helps develop and profits off of the creativity of artists. Yet you didn't touch on that.
@@Normalcognitivedavewho the fck cares about Drake? He's not even respected in the culture of hip hop.
id rather be a medium size artist
than a what?????
@@Normalcognitivedave major artist
I get everything you’re saying but pusha t is no where near a medium rapper he is definitely top tier. I usually like to reference my opinion on that based off of the album cycle
I feel like youre missing the idea. Medium sized is like their numbers not how good of a rapper they are. I even said Push is incredibly talented
Idk if you listen to Pierre Bourne but you should give his music a listen
Idk if this a clever joke or real. But if it’s a real inquiry, check my channel where I made a video about Pi’erre Bourne not too long ago
@@Normalcognitivedave my bad, I’m new here☠️
did you just call soulja boy a one hit wonder ??????
Yes
Calling pusha t a mid sized rapper made me unsubscribe (I wasn’t subscribed)
Man i just responded to another mf about this. I respect Push and his nearly 3 decade run. Just lookin at the numbers rn man. Thought he’d be a good inclusion cause he makes good art
Lol souljaboy is not a one hit wonder
I don’t think anyone can name one other souljaboy song tbh
@@Normalcognitivedave kiss me thru the phone, birdwalk, soulja girl, yeah, turn my swag on, pretty boy swag,
@@Normalcognitivedave lol gang only way a nigga dont know a hand full of soulja boy songs is if u jit just now koming up
And if u wanna talk about this new gen u got rick and morty andshe make it clap
Some bad takes in this vid I’m ngl
some bad takes in this comment I'm ngl. but lmk what specifically?
Yeah so Drake is one of the “Greats” now lol no sub & no like from me
ay I never said it in the video! Just showed a goofy pic. Drake is DEFINITELY NOT one of the greats.
Lmao he's Asian, he only cares about the "numbers"
Get off amine ish bro you gobbling
Shiiii Limbo is his best project tho imo
you really put drake with "the greats", Denzel Curry, Joey Badass and Vince Staples are greats and legends