THE RECORD STORE

What's good people? This is my first Blog entry So, here goes..

What happened to the record store? Obviously, everyone knows that the internet changed the way we all buy and sell music. Now I'm not mad at it but, it did change a lot of things for the culture.

People used to go to record stores hang out for hours look through tons of records, cds, and vinyl and learn while they were there. You would see old artists new artists different kinds of genres of music. It was fun to keep up with the release dates be the first one on your block with a certian record or cd. Remember, looking through credits, reading all the thank yous. Even for the average person it was more of a hobby then just buying music. it was an escape for some people, a way to get away from the stresses of life. While you were in the record store know one bothered you. Sometimes, i don't even think other people even existed. You could submerge yourself in a bin with hundreds of records and just get lost in the music. You really had to study music back then know what was really going on. There was never a top 40 chart for you to look at so you could know what to buy. I mean there was, but we never paid attetion to it. At the time Hip-Hop was never on it, well not the stuff we were buying anyways. It was crazy how you would be torn sometimes, between buying a hot new record or buying doubles, so you could double up on them.

After spending sometime in the record store digging for that gem, it was time for check out. Hit the counter there was always something new behind there. WHITE LABELS!!!! Every real Dj knows what's a white label. White Labels were pressed up copies of records that were out before the label released it. So, yes you were getting an illigel copy!!! Man, white labels were what set you apart from the others. You got all the new stuff first. So it was always good to get cool with who ever was running the record store, becasue then he would hook you up. Let's pull some scams now!!! LOL!!! We were young and broke so don't hold this agianst me. We would scope everything out check to see who's new at the registers. once we found a newbe, we then would slide two record into one sleeve. We then went up to the counter and paid for one, but got two records!!! LOL. (Is that the same as downloading a record?) LOL. Good Times.

In conclusion I think these kids now a days don't have the culture anymore. They are not out there digging to find records or really studying the music. The record store was a vehicle for that. What happened to the art? I will tell you people see the money is what happened. A majority of them listen to what ever is spoon fed to them by Radio, Itunes or Mtv. If we don't keep supporting the good artists that make good music, instead of following every mainstream artist that is hot for two days, we will lose Hip-Hop!!! Hip-Hop will be gone just like Real Rock N Roll.

R.I.P The Record Store