Thanks for your comments! I feel at this point I should point out, in case you haven’t noticed, Stillnotdead.com and in particular the blog are setup to give people in Charlotte a place to give their own opinions on shows, local bands, scenes, cd’s, venues, etc. While these opinions don’t necessarily reflect the opinions of Stillnotdead.com itself I feel it is important for people to be able to state their given opinion in an uncensored manner.

I do think Brimstone was fired up about the fact that a show that had potential to be a great show didn’t draw a good crowd and he was angry about it. I know how he feels, I go to shows all the time and wonder why there aren’t more people there. And that’s not just hip hop, it’s every genre. I think the real point here is not to tear down anyone’s community, it’s just a call to arms for people to branch out and leave their comfort zone to experience music they wouldn’t normally see.

I’ve recently been really impressed with a lot of bands on the hip hop scene such as Mr. Invisible, The Thought Criminals, Quantum Foundry and Edifide to name a few. I think we have some legitimately great music coming out of the Charlotte hip hop community and I hope you keep growing. Feel free to post your opinions on here anytime. I look forward to hearing from you.

Ryan Dead

Dear Charlotte Hip Hop “Scene”,

I believe a grievous error has been committed on your part by missing this past weeks show at The Milestone. I know it was Friday the 13th, and some of you might be superstitious, but by not attending (The Prayers for Atheists, Height, and Thought Criminals) show you have sent me and other like minded people a message. The message in my opinion is quite clear, Charlotte has a hip hop “scene” not a hip hop “community”. I’m not an expert when it comes to beats and flows, but I know a good live show when I see one and the (The Prayers for Atheists, Height, and Thought Criminals show) was by far one of the best hip hop shows I’ve seen at The Milestone this year, and I’ve attended almost all of the previous shows.

I’ve noticed that many local hip hop artist have the tendency to whine about solidarity, or the quality of the other performers live shows, but when presented with a good weekend show you simply don’t come out to support your “hip hop community”. By not showing up it reinforces my opinion that Charlotte has a hip hop “scene” and not a “hip hop “community”. Attending free shows and dancing the robot shouldn’t be your sole motivation behind seeing live shows. There is nothing wrong with seeing your friends shows, but when you whine about not seeing good music, or that certain emcee’s only sound good on their CD, then maybe you should branch out and catch acts that actually perform.

I know this rant will give many of you reason not to like me, but I don’t give a shit, because hip hoppers it is time to put up or shut up. If you want good shows you have to come and see them, but if you want a frat party to show off your sweater vest and pristine shoes then stop complaining!

We throw benefit shows for people in our community who’ve lost their home.

When we get any type of platform national platform, we shout out all the other artists in our community, not just ourselves, and pass out their cds.

We print t-shirts with our community’s logo & give them away for free to all members, just out of love.

We invest in our community’s children with free events

We respect the fact bboys/girls in our community are performing too at our shows, they get in free. (oh fyi, breakdancing is one of the 4 elements of hiphop & is a lot more than doing the robot. Thanks for putting your ignorance on full display in your post)

We pay admission to shows we could easily get in to free, just to support our community.

We go to everyone in our community’s shows, all over the city, not just the ones at a particular venue we prefer.

If we throw a show people didn’t make it to, we don’t whine about it, we promote harder next time.

We’re musicians and artists and photographers and breakdancers and fans, and you’re goddamn right we’re a community. Those who are a part of it know. You obviously don’t . The list above is merely a few trees in the forest of our community putting it’s money where it’s mouth is for the past decade. (How long have you been here? I’ve never even heard of your ass) When you step out of your scene & wander into the forest, then some of your opinions on QC hiphop may hold a gram of relevance or credibility. For now, why don’t you get back in place, cause you’re out of line.

I don’t remember ever drinking in their parking lot, but I do remember well all those trips searching for choice selections to add to my growing record collection. Every other Saturday morning we jumped in Chris’s Mustang II and made the circuit of Camelot Music, Record Exchange, then on to Eastland’s Record Bar. I still laugh when I think of the time I yanked the chain of this one female clerk at the Record Bar. She looked to be several years older than me and just the right age and appearance to be a “classic rock” fan. I waited until she walked past, then picked up an album and mumbled “Who are the Allman Brothers?”. She stopped in mid-stride, spun around and said in disbelief “You don’t know who the Allman Brothers are!?!?”. I also seem to remember purposely wearing Izod shirts to the Milestone, and once even having somebody there try to pull the little alligator off my shirt. Fun days!

Thanks Chris for introducing me to music that I actually enjoy, rather than just what they serve to us on the radio.