Young American Street Buzz

In every city, rappers broadcast Street Buzz - an almost invisible, underground news media as big as networks. Word of mouth from rappers spreads faster that the media and newscasters. They describe the struggles on the street, the thugs and gangsters, the rough and tough way of life, the hope for a better tomorrow, hot events happening, and venues, the real situation that exists, the reality of who murdered whom and for what reason, calling the daily broadcast “Street Buzz.”

For the first twenty years, Rap and hip-hop artists emphasized glamour thug style. They used bling bling, hotties, and wheels, forming trends. They are living proof of one of my favorite lines: “comin’ from nothin’ doesn’t mean you can’t be somethin’.” I opened my mind to this new media, which enabled me to hear, understand, and receive Street Buzz at my door from a group of young Americans. Every day I looked forward to the hot-off-the-lips Street Buzz that would never hit the news media.

These young Americans broadcast on foot and down dark alleys, a street buzz that could be spoken or rhymed faster than sh**. They set up street teams as large as 5,000 to spread the buzz. In 1983 it sounded strange at first listening to Ice T’s flavor of hardcore, gangster style. Although cops weren’t pleased with it and didn’t know what to do to squash hardcore, the underground music was being created everywhere. By 1986 things weren’t much better. Schoolly D was talking about Philly gangs. Then in 1987 KRS-one toned it down a notch.

In 1989 I headed out the door in search of my musical past. My path lead me to chill with the urban community from Crossroads in Memphis to NYC. Through 1992 many of the rappers I met were still hitting thug style like “Naggaz 4 Life.” Rappers were becoming known for their flow - rappers like Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Easy-E, Suge Knight, Tupac Shakur, Fat Joe and Terror Squad, Lyricist Lounge, DJ Ace, Kool Herk, Grandmaster Flash, DJ Red Alert, Wu Tang, Easy Mo Bee, G-Unit, Mary J, D.M.C., Big Pun, Russell Simmons, B.I.G., and Busta Rhymes. Artists just kept hitting thug style from then on like Ice Cube, Mobb Deep, LLCool J, Old Dirty Bastard, Cypress Hill, Kurupt, Publis Enemy, Bone Thugs - N - Harmony,Method Man, DMX, Mase, Fugees, Lauryn Hill, EPMD, Memphis Bleek, Limp Bizkit, Big Daddy Kane, Xzibit, and Missy Elliott.

The bat logo created by the Wu seemed to take over NYC. There were billboards plastered with bats blinking on Broadway. I was ready to open an office and invest in these new young Americans who won my heart. My first taste of an office was an ironing board in an apartment in Queens. There’s something to be said about what it takes to be accepted into this community. Sure enough, in 1995 I moved into a real office on 38th and Broadway. Rappers would chill in my office daily. I had to padlock the masters of my clients, L.D.G., and the studio gear sh** daily. It didn’t take long for the urban community to give me props.

Clubs were pumpin’ it up; promoters like my girl Karen and Bud were packin’ em in the house. I was so damn out of place. This community didn’t mind it and blessed me wit love. Street Buzz was high on my list of how the game works. It offered criticism and targeted certain people. Puff Daddy is someone they chastised. Street Buzz still exists about him today. They don’t see him as lily white as he sees himself. Puff (Diddy) rolled wit Biggy. It seemed like weed and party time in the game was all the time.

In 1993 Snoop Doggy Dog’s style took off. Chicago brought in a new taste of hip-hop and R&B in 1992 with R Kelly and Public Announcement. Street Buzz was speaking about calmer performances with acts bouncing off the charts in pop and R&B. In 1994 Seal hit the airways with skilled vocals. It was a gentle side of urban that made a change.

It seemed the rap community and R&B flow was getting the hang of not being hard-edged thugs and R. Kelly’s offered a new flow that touched you. By 1996 he was poppin’, writing and performing what rocked almost every soul in every city with his song, “I think I can fly.”

I can’t forget another diva who made a change in Street Buzz. Celine Dion’s name came through my office door hot off the press. Be on the lookout, I heard, for this French-Canadian who was blowin’ up in pop from another country.

Although cops and media wanted to play a roll and be somewhat credited for the change in this young American group, the change comes when the Street Buzz lets you know it’s time for change. They knew constructive vocals would stabilize many underground connections; thug could still be thug with a lighter vocal edge. This was just what I considered myself with the title the community gave me: WicketCool.

Through all the years the Jackson family, talented as hell, served us well. I laughed for weeks after meeting and sharing with Joe Jackson in Vegas. He said, “ let me tell you, Peggy, I’ve learned over time nothing surprises me in this industry. If anything good or bad is gonna blow up, more than likely, the Jackson’s name may very well come up.” When in Vegas I’d spend time chillin’ in the studio where Michael puts down beats. The Brown family ran the studio. They are family of Don King.

If you know anything about Vegas then you’ll know the streets are heavily guarded by some of my acquaintances ─ undercover cops, gang squads, gangs and thugs, and angels in thugs’ clothing. Should you see a handsome young man with bling bling and wheels, it just might be my Street Buzz fellow Moe. Knowing Street Buzz teams in darn near every city as I do, traveling so often, I realize calm only lasts a blink in this game. Never underestimate what could be next. Once at a Karl Kani party, my lawyer, the president of my company, and I were waiting in line at the club when an idiot doorman yelled back up to 500 people, then instantly maced all of us. VIP passes in this city may mean you still must wait in line.

Hot off the press we understood what was going down before we heard it on TV. Shots rang out that Tupac was hit five times in NY. By 1995 the streets were buzzing about Biggy’s (B.I.G.) feud. There was talk about a war between Biggy and Tupac. The war was gaining strength; invisible walls between East Coast and West Coast existed.

Shots rang out in Vegas on Sept. 7, 1996 that Tupac was shot once again, four times. He died six days later. My associate who promoted Tupac was in shock. Then on March 9, 1997 in Los Angeles, Biggy was shot to death. During this time these young American broadcasters with their street teams maintained a Street Buzz different from anything you’d have heard on the media. The news media carried the story of gangs and wars between rappers till 1998. Somehow, the media and cops never got wind of the Street Buzz. The killer is at large among us.

Meeting Master P. I realized instantly he was slightly different from the others. He showed me he could play the game as a fresh new businessman - smooth as silk and soft spoken. It was amazing to watch the way he operated his homies. By 1998 P. was rollin’ with bodyguards and developing No-Limit with his lawyer, Edwin, who was off the hook. Edwin brought class to this new entity in the marketplace.

Hip-hop was changing. It amazed me how some acts step out of the norm such as Outcast and Ruff Ryders Lifestyle. Rappers who were already famous thought nothing of pulling their people onto the stage. It was nothing to see 10 to 15 rappers on stage at club Downtime. If you couldn’t see them through the cloud of smoke, you sure as hell could hear them. They’d be shouting out slang words and shout outs to their people, even shout outs to all the bitches in the house. Now and then they’d address me and I’d hear them say, “Spolarized is in the house y’all.”

Once you’re in bed with these young Americans you realized the price paid for fame and what it took for each to reach their potential and become stars. Artists like Timberland, Ludacris, Justin Timberlake, Boyz to Men, Usher, R. Kelly, Brandy, Baha Men, Backstreet Boys, Ginuwine, Outcast, Madonna, Michael and Janet Jackson, came up with outlandish styles and stage presents different from the rest. I thought what a creative bunch of young adults. Who could forget Johnny Blaze or Nelly’s Vokal line? Yuck!

In 2001 when Eminem hit the scene he became an instant sensation. I was blown away by his lyrical rhymes. By 2002 Jay Z and Nas began a lyrical battle. I learned that Jay Z considers everyone VIP at his parties and my VIP pass was just his way of being respectful, to prevent me from standing at the door with screaming homies.

I watched and kept tabs on 50 Cent climbing the charts in 2003 with a slight touch of bullsh**, how he reached fame. Put millions on a rapper’s a** with some skill, a good marketing team, and top it off with sugar and cream. Two famous people, Dr. Dre and Eminem, with good distribution, are than likely to fly, eh! Nevertheless, 50 Cent set the world on fire. He drew from the sources of old school thugs and switched it up with his own flavor and story of being shot nine times.

These days I’m rollin’ with Lil’ Wayne. He hit hard in households in 2008. He’s proving not only to be a contender in the game, but since sports and rap music buddy up, sports and rap become instant friends trying to push you beyond the limits. Lil’ Wayne, with a touch of New Orleans, played football and basketball in high school. Street Buzz has it that Lil Wayne switches it up between old school thug style by carrying multiple guns.

Many of you may not be familiar with my R&B or Rap acts. Maybe you attended an event where L.D.G. was performing like the Black Expo back in the days at the Javitz Center in NYC, or the After Grammy Event, perhaps L.D.G. and Olivia Alive at Kool Herk Birthday Bash, or the Virginia Beach Party with BET? One of my favorite R&B vocalizer and client is Kane, a Memphis lad. He performed at the After Grammy party and toured with me back in 1994. Hip-hop has changed. Even the clubs I attended have closed. I was VIP at a Joe Jaxson event at the Metropolis. It was so damn far from my pad in Queens; I paid with my jewelry.

I could name hundreds of rappers who are as good as those who made it. Many thanks to those whom I spent chillin’ time with, listening to their performances. To the millions of homies and rappers, promoters, DJ’s and Street Buzz teams, whom I’ve never heard on radio or stages, who are qualified yet haven’t gained fame, and whom I have yet to meet, much love y’all. Three cheers to young Americans and Street Buzz, which has kept me rollin’…