Big Debut or Building a Fan Base?

A lot of rappers come and go, and i have discovered from carrying out a little research that, most times, it has to do with how they came into the game. It is either the rapper crept in the game, and built the fan base with time, or he came with a "big bang" debut. But, from what i have noticed, it is the ones that build their legacy with time, that last longer.

For example, a lot of people don't know that Jay-Z didn't go platinum until his 3rd album. He didn't sell a million copies with Reasonable Doubt and In My Life Time. It was Hard Knock Life that blew him up. If he had given up after the second album didn't do so good, we probably wouldn't have the Jay-Z we now know. But a lot of people don't consider that.


Also, a lot of people say Lil Wayne is doing this and he is doing that. I do not criticize anyone, even if i do not like them on every other song. If the artist has paid his dues over the years, i give him credit for that. That is the way i feel about Wayne. He had a little success with the Hot Boys back in the late 90s, but it wasn't until his 6th solo album that he gained the monumental status that he has now. Can you think of the level of persistence he had to put up...a lot of nights working and hoping, and wondering when he would get where he dreams of.


But take an artist like 50 Cent, who's official first album, Get Rich Or Die Trying sold 11 million copies...and, his 4th album (Before I Self Destruct) hasn't even gone platinum (it hasn't sold up to a million copies). I am not a 50 cent hater, i am just carrying out an analysis. You can also check out a rapper like Nelly, who sold 8.5 million copies of his Country Grammar album in 2000, but can't sell a million copies of his 5th album...he didn't even make it to 500,000 copies. This says a lot about the music business and individual artists careers.


I wouldn't put Eminem in the category of big debut...his The Slim Shady LP sold 4.5 million copies, although that is big, it is not close to what the albums after that did. I think Eminem really blew up big time with The Marshall Marters LP and Eminem Show; both albums individually double the sales of his first album. The Marshall Marthers LP sold 3.7 million in 4 weeks, and has so far sold 10.5 million copies...in the U.S alone. So, clearly, Eminem built his fan base, he didn't come out with a bang.


The problem with rappers that come out with a Big Debut is that they always have pressure living up to the hype of the first, so they try to re-create the first one, or try to satisfy the people at all means. And this is not good for creativity. Well, they always get away with it the first time because of the hype they have, but by the third album, you start to see signs that they really haven't built a fan base- They just had majority of the public riding with time. Really, how can you explain 50 Cent selling 8 million copies of his The Massacre album in 2005, and not able to go platinum in 2009...with Before I Self Destruct.


Also, most of the rappers that have big debuts always have some catch to it...there is always something other than the rappers skills on the mic. With 5o cent, he had this crazy story of having being shot 9 times and surviving...he also had the cosign of Eminem and Dr Dre...what more do you need? And of cos he was very good on his first album.


With Nelly, he was very different from what anybody had heard at the time. His voice...his "sing-song" style of rap...it was just right for that time. But, picture an artist like Jay-Z; he has never sold 6 million copies of any of his albums, but, right now, all his albums are platinum. All his 10 albums have platinum plaques...he sells between 1.5-3million with every album, and he has stayed constant with that. That is a good example of someone that has a fan-base...a followership.


I think i can also say Lil Wayne has a fan-base. People were saying the numbers his Carter 4 album did are fishy, but they forget he has a fan-base...more or less a cult following. They say he didn't have a huge single, and he couldn't have really sold 940k first week, but, what else happened? Baby bought half the albums? Don't kid yourself. He worked all those years to build his fan-base, and even if you say what he is releasing now is not quality material, he would keep reaping his hard-work, till his fan-base leave him.


Other notable rappers to look into that built a fan-base with time are T.I and Rick Ross. Who could believe that Rick Ross would win a battle against the great 50 Cent, and then go ahead to become more relevant than 50 in the music industry. That happened because Rick Ross came up gradually, building his fan-bas as he went. he focused more on making quality music, than the whole drama that some rappers like to get into He might never sell 2 million copies with any albums, but Platinum and Gold would be a definite thing with every album.


T.I too might also never sell 3 or 4 million copies, but, the fan-base he built over the years would make sure he stays on the chart. Well, maybe he has lost a few fans since his Jail stint, but he can always start building again. And the fact that he did it the first time would assure that he does it again.


So, personally, i think it is better to have a gradually growth approach to the rap game, than the "big debut" approach, which would put so much pressure on the artist to keep up with.