Idolator
Oh Word's Sacha Orenstein looks at factors affecting sales by recent offerings from Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah and Bay area rapper E-40. Ghostface's album, Fishscale, scooped up heralds from critics and bloggers left and right, while E-40's My Ghetto Report Card recieved little press; yet it wasn't the recipient of the huzzahs whose album went gold. Orenstein's analysis is a solid read, particularly for this nugget:
From the New York Times to Pitchfork every single hipster publication had their money on Ghost, running profiles and cementing his status as the rapper of choice for snarky insiders. The problem is internet savvy publications have internet savvy readers...who download.
A Tale Of Two Marketing Plans [Oh Word]
Ghostface - Kilo [MP3, link expired]
Comments
This is really an unfair comparison and it should come as no surprise to anyone that press/blogging alone does NOT sell records. It can help spur sales, but only after heavy radio/video play.
E-40 sold big this time out because of radio play--especially on the West Coast. Power 106 in L.A. really got behind the record, as did KMEL in the Bay.
Ghostface is still "cult" in most of the U.S.
Doubly surprising, given how popular Pitchfork and New York Times are southside Htown. Still awaiting the pitchfork/village voice review of loved my many hated by few to see whether it contains enough post modern teleological metacriticism to warrant a spin. Oh wait...here it is:
A rags-to-riches micronarrative lurks in these couplets, thrusting the insecurities of a thug arriviste into light.
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/track_review/31172
I guess it sounds different off the lean.
Sorry...my bad. Loved by few, hated by many. Story of ...
Thanks, that was one of the smarter dissections of hip-hop marketing I've read, despite its lack of helpful commas.
Wasn't Ghost's album preceded by the "leaked" single "Be Easy"? I thought that was kind of a banger and way, way better than the Ne-Yo collab, which I agree was hella lame.
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