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cArLiToS WaY

cArLiToS WaY

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Freestyle music is never going to be where it once was. Nor will it ever be what it once was. People have to come to terms with it. Bottom line. Put yourself in the artists' shoes for a moment. Do you think they sit on their asses and wait for someone to come to them with an idea about a video or a remix? Hell no! How many artists do you think have tried to make a video, let alone have it played on a major video network? Quite a few. Freestyle is considered as a joke. It's not taken seriously as a form of music. Forget about KTU and Club Freestyle for a second. Freestyle may exist in certain areas, but when was the last time you've heard a "new" Freestyle track on a major radio station? I haven't heard one in a while. When was the last time you've heard a new Hip-Hop track? Every day. Radio isn't concerned with the needs of a specific music genre, but more concerned about ratings and what sells. Same goes for MTV, BET, and VH1. Yeah, they've played Freestyle videos years ago. But, I've never seen a video by Rockell on either network. But I've seen the same tired-ass video's day in and day out that I don't even bother watching videos any more. No one wants to hear Freestyle anymore. When I say "no one" I mean the majority. In a world dominated by Rock, Pop, Rap, and Dance, Freestyle doesn't have a place anymore. Besides, I think the whole problem here is that once you are labeled as a Freestyle artist, you remain in that catergory and you become stuck. You have a better chance labeling yourselve as a dance artist and becoming a part of the whole genre, not a sub-genre. Not to mention the fact that a lot of the shit you hear is too repetitive and straight-up cheesy. And that's just how it is referred as. I used to appreciate Freestyle so much, but I don't bother no more because it doesn't give me that feeling that it once did. It's the same topic, the same beat, the same song but a different artist, same group name with totally different artists. Who the hell wants to deal with that shit? I certainly don't. Until labels, producers, artists start to give a shit about what they release then I'll totally back them up 100%. In the meantime, I'll continue to look for music that I can relate to on all levels; something different. People need to stop whining and look at it from a different perspective. Look at it on a business level. It's very easy to record a new track. But that's just the first step. Getting constant radio play and touring is the most difficult. And if you have nothing to offer, then you are going to get a door slammed in your face. Do you think Jennifer Lopez would be where she's at today if she was only singing Freestyle on every album? Probably not. But I guarantee you this, if Madonna or Jennifer released one "freestyle-sounding" track, it would get played. What I'm getting at is this, if Freestyle is ever going to make a comeback, it'll be when a well-known producer or remixer steps up to the plate with a guaranteed hit and drops it in the hands of someone with superstar-status such as Madonna or Jennifer. Then, just maybe, Freestyle will be re-born. But until then, I don't see it going no where.
 
Another thing, the quality of the music has simply gone down hill. Hip Hop is totally going to be around for ever. And why? Because Hip Hop is a market. Thousands of companies are cashing in because Hip Hop has a huge following. And why are these rappers so well-off? Because companies are supplying them with Burberry coats, Channel earrings, Fendi bags, Moet and Two-Ways. That's what all this shit comes down to. It's a business. It's ridiculous. Freestyle will never step up to the plate. Freestyle has nothing to offer. Why do you think Dance music has remained a powerful force in the music genre? Because it's constantly changing. Freestyle is still the same as it was back in 1986. I'm not bashing Freestyle at all. I'm just stating the obvious. I'd rather listen to the same Brenda K. song 15 times than give Eminem or 50 Cents a second of my time. Here you have ignorrant thugs, if you will, with record contracts and a hatred for "homo's" and "bithces" talking about shit that makes no sense. You would never see me buying any shit like that. So yeah, Freestyle is definitely my choice of music, next to Dance/House.
 
Well I am working on getting freestyle airtime on a latin radio show called Latin Explosion in Amsterdam, NY
 
We already discussed this topic. I and alot of us know there is a problem with the marketing of freestyle. Yes, there are cheesy beats and lack of talent with Freestyle , but there are cheesy beats with alot of groups seperate of freestyle. But since they get there product out to the public because they have the financial backing, They know they can sell it strictly because of the name(artist group) behind it.

Bad marketing and saturated talent is what did freestyle in. Hopefully with better talent and carefull marketing, freestyle will be back on the map.

hang in there man




cArLiToS WaY said:
Freestyle music is never going to be where it once was. Nor will it ever be what it once was. People have to come to terms with it. Bottom line. Put yourself in the artists' shoes for a moment. Do you think they sit on their asses and wait for someone to come to them with an idea about a video or a remix? Hell no! How many artists do you think have tried to make a video, let alone have it played on a major video network? Quite a few. Freestyle is considered as a joke. It's not taken seriously as a form of music. Forget about KTU and Club Freestyle for a second. Freestyle may exist in certain areas, but when was the last time you've heard a "new" Freestyle track on a major radio station? I haven't heard one in a while. When was the last time you've heard a new Hip-Hop track? Every day. Radio isn't concerned with the needs of a specific music genre, but more concerned about ratings and what sells. Same goes for MTV, BET, and VH1. Yeah, they've played Freestyle videos years ago. But, I've never seen a video by Rockell on either network. But I've seen the same tired-ass video's day in and day out that I don't even bother watching videos any more. No one wants to hear Freestyle anymore. When I say "no one" I mean the majority. In a world dominated by Rock, Pop, Rap, and Dance, Freestyle doesn't have a place anymore. Besides, I think the whole problem here is that once you are labeled as a Freestyle artist, you remain in that catergory and you become stuck. You have a better chance labeling yourselve as a dance artist and becoming a part of the whole genre, not a sub-genre. Not to mention the fact that a lot of the shit you hear is too repetitive and straight-up cheesy. And that's just how it is referred as. I used to appreciate Freestyle so much, but I don't bother no more because it doesn't give me that feeling that it once did. It's the same topic, the same beat, the same song but a different artist, same group name with totally different artists. Who the hell wants to deal with that shit? I certainly don't. Until labels, producers, artists start to give a shit about what they release then I'll totally back them up 100%. In the meantime, I'll continue to look for music that I can relate to on all levels; something different. People need to stop whining and look at it from a different perspective. Look at it on a business level. It's very easy to record a new track. But that's just the first step. Getting constant radio play and touring is the most difficult. And if you have nothing to offer, then you are going to get a door slammed in your face. Do you think Jennifer Lopez would be where she's at today if she was only singing Freestyle on every album? Probably not. But I guarantee you this, if Madonna or Jennifer released one "freestyle-sounding" track, it would get played. What I'm getting at is this, if Freestyle is ever going to make a comeback, it'll be when a well-known producer or remixer steps up to the plate with a guaranteed hit and drops it in the hands of someone with superstar-status such as Madonna or Jennifer. Then, just maybe, Freestyle will be re-born. But until then, I don't see it going no where.
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Sorry but when I hear a cd like the New Generation cd from Bad Boy Joe, I cant help but think there is still hope for this genre. No, freestyle probably will never be the way it was in the 80's...it may never have that much popularity again. But it's still being played and it's still alive. Hell, KTU even went back to playing freestyle from 9-12 on Sunday nights after shortening the show to only 2 hrs. That's because people still love it and ask for it. And when I hear songs like "Gimme Just 1 Night" by Nina Martinez" or "I Wanna Be With You" by Latin Nation, it only proves to me that there is still excellent freestyle songs being produced. Just remember 1 thing...Never say never!!! Because I will take freestyle ANY day over hip-hop! We just have to keep supporting it and not give up!!! Because you never know when someone important in the music industry will take notice!!

Randi (FreestyleGal)
 
You guys have great ideas on this issue. I would just have to say support it and we will see what happens. Force it, Force, it, Force, it!!!!..Blast in your car, Blast it everywhere, I love doing that and watching people stare at me saying WOW, this guy is blasting freestyle in his vehicle. I even got people stopping me saying that music is the bomb, keep on blasting. It makes me feel good when i just blast my car with it, I am forcing people to listen, but i'm sure there are people saying what the hell is that....lol. All in all, this music will never die as long as we got people like me and you blasting it in their vehicle and getting pulled over by police for loud music tickets (it really happenned). The only reason he let me go is because he liked freestyle music...lol (for real). So I beg u guys....Keep on Supporting!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Sorry but when I hear a cd like the New Generation cd from Bad Boy Joe, I cant help but think there is still hope for this genre. No, freestyle probably will never be the way it was in the 80's...it may never have that much popularity again. But it's still being played and it's still alive. Hell, KTU even went back to playing freestyle from 9-12 on Sunday nights after shortening the show to only 2 hrs. That's because people still love it and ask for it. And when I hear songs like "Gimme Just 1 Night" by Nina Martinez" or "I Wanna Be With You" by Latin Nation, it only proves to me that there is still excellent freestyle songs being produced. Just remember 1 thing...Never say never!!! Because I will take freestyle ANY day over hip-hop! We just have to keep supporting it and not give up!!! Because you never know when someone important in the music industry will take notice!!
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Im still doing my thing and hopefully people will take this gengre serious again.

We have taken big strides in the past year .
 
VENT BOI! VENT!

Carlito,

I do agree with alot of what you said. I feel your fustration as many people do who read this site.
Its true...Freestyle will never be back as it was.
And actually i hope it doesnt. not at all.
In fact i hope one day it doesnt "come back", but its continuation (in all formas)doese rise up and become Bigger globaly than it once was.

I do disagree strongly about something. In fact the freestyle sound is alive and well in many markets on radio and clubs. And i am regarding as the freestyle sound of 2003. All those electro break/bass, nu-freestyle, and electro clash records all over the place. they are on the cuttying edge and either somewhat freestyle, relyiing on freestyle and early 80's dance forms or str8 up freestyle.
Just becouse a "Freestyle" figure or recognized freestyle artist isnt doing it, doesnt mean its not freestyle. Doesnt mean the freestyle sound isnt hapening.

but regardless, the records continue to be far between and dont stand up with the structure that old skool records used to have. but that can still change. only time can tell that.

But i hear you on your points. i agree with you on your points.
i agree with you that time is up with many freestyle artist, and they keep trying and trying and keep digging that hole for themselves. Some stick to the sound from years ago. not just an old freestyle sound...they stick with a sound from the early 90's, specifically. who died and said that the freestyle sound of the early 90's was the FREESTYLE sound.

Freestyle success and reason for survival over 21 years was due to change in sound, style, fashion, artist development. every one says that the freestyle sound is george lamond, lil suzy and johnny o.
Before any of these people reached success in their careers there was already a diferent freestyle sound (many styles to be exact), a scene and a established culture around it.

there was a difenernt freestyle sound before thier glory days and there is a diferent freestyle sound way after their time.and i promise you there will be a difenernt freestyle sound in years to come.

as a part of the new generation of freestyle and dance music industry....nothing pisses me off than to explain our roots as freestyle breaks /nu-freestyle artist and explain our history and how far the genre has gone now, only to be faced all of a suden with people starting pigeon holing us and emediatley refer to johnny o and coro. yes they were freestyle and had their time, many years ago. But it pisses me off when society stereotypes the whole present day genre with that past (they dont go beyond johnny o and lil suzy...they never refer to jenny burton or cynthia roundtree, loleta haloway ,curtis mantronic etc..and all those talents).

STANDARDS have been raised since those days! as artist...you cant just go up there on stage halph ass, with jeans and a t-shirt and shorts and flip flops or dockers and dance around like you just snifed a bag of coke/dust. You cant just go out there witha new single that sounds like a perfect hit for 1993 in 2003.sounding like abunch of tka left over filler tracks. you cant step up to the mic and not sing.

ALL THIS WILL NOT FLY AND WILL NOT HIT RADIO or CLUBS (in massive inpact)!!


i feel you, big time.
But at the same time i mean you cant let it get to you and come up inhere and just show that attitude. its a negative one.
saying "its never going to happen".

no thats not the way of looking at things.

not at all.

and even if it feels like nothing is ever going to happen, i can assure you that as i type alot of peopel are actually working on new productions and will be dealing with artist with new standards in presentation and development and also working with labels that actually do have the promotional power to get the artist carying a new freestyle sound to the radio and clubs.
its not goping to happen over nite, but it will happen.
our early 80's fashions and sounds, dance beats electro synths are all being used to popularize other genres as well, including house and trance. so you will see those influences as well.

at this very moment there is a change in music.people are getting tired of the past decade.the new generation wants change.
its to early to say what is going to be the in thing, but the world has a way of working that you dont know what to expect.
remeber that the 70's were looked as tacky for a long time. the house music came and all of a suden in 1998 you were in the middle of studio 54 parties and also listening to all these disco filtered house tracks.

the same is happening now with early 80's dance forms, new wave, freestyle dance beats and electro funk and hi nrg.
so who knows what might be next.
on top of that we have people liek gussepe d, tony moran, mac quail etc and countless others who still have frestyle in their hearts but at the same time have gone as far as to work with big name artist.
you dont know if tommorow those artist might want to release a freestyle form track (you know they wont call it freestyle till later anyway or admitit) or redue a freestyle anthem with todays standards and technology.

i will keep my personal opinion of the NEW generation cd by bad boi joe. I liked alot of what i heard, but at the same time some records sounded dated to the early 90's and thats not cool that will not make it on major radio or a club. ITS NOT NEW.
why is sal submiting "Time and time again" by luis damon, if it isnt new and was already on fevers freestyle lives cd 3 years ago.
Willie valentine...with his talent...why did he redue "In My heart" originally by Isac if it was only no more than 5 years ago and still sounded almost the same. (i prefer isac's).
(yet many would consider this new freestyle,aposed to the real New generation artist who are taking the updated/modern cutting edge freestyle sound to radio and big room clubs.
i am not talking about everyone on this cd..but you get my drift.


regardles...you cant let it get to you and you cant let the negativity get the best of you. especiallyif your an artist or in the industry.

production, artist development,promotion etc. yes all those are factors....but you cant have one with out the other..you got to rank high on all levels. you canthave a slaming production and have no promotion and expect it to fly or mr. big label come to you and say "hey ill pick it up". You got to build your own following and establish your own markets.
In fact f*ck it. forget about what mr. big label says. worry about you. hit the colleges, hitthe youth, hit the underground.
go back to old skool ways of doing things and use todays technology to help you.

production. you cant promote or have a good record without sounding dated in 1993, when its 2003. but new gear or borrow or colaborate with someone. sample something or go work with a house producer or hiphop producer and utilize their sound and creat something new. just be diferent./ but without good production, what the hell are you going to promote.

promotion....with a load of money and a a-list book of contacts...if your production sucks and your artist is not all that (tacky)...what are you going to promote. people will take your money and bullshit you. why waist yout time on an artist or production like that. save your money and invest it till the time is right.


MARKETTING: how do you market a freestyle record?
once apun a time (like hiphop) you had its base market. latin youth prodominatly. today freestyles audience is that..a computer audience.
you can be marketing to a 80 year old german fan or a 16 year old in nevada who thinks he/she knows everything.
you dont know who you are selling to.
today you got some white bread suburban yupi buying hiphop records like nas.....talking how white people invaded and stold the teachings and the gold. atthe same time you see all these white kids pretending and thinking they are black. yet its seen as ok.

yet if you market freestyle today to a LATIN audeince you are seen as Bias? and its not ok?

(aside from websites i see more people promoting latin R&B singers on english speaking magz,especially latina,urban,and others like them. why isnt freestyle artrist covered more often or seen on a regular basis. even if they arent latin, why arentthey up there.
and i am refering to those with the advertising money.
what? freestyle is no longer looked as a latin market?).

regardless..back then like nayobes "please dont go"....it was talking about a guy who was going to go out and fight some one.possibly he was in a street gang or in a hood fight. and she was pleading him not to go fight. "please dont go,please dont go...dont go there tonight. it just isnt right, yo may not come back to me..etc". HE COULD OF DIED! GOT SHOT IN THE HEAD! It was totaly marketed for latin urban (actually anyone in a tough hood who could relate) youth. same as tka's "maria" .
so regardless, you have to go out and re-cultivate new markets and old ones that have been forgotten about.

and you got to have sides that will favor boththe clubs and streets.


anyway...im not argueing or anything. im just stating a point, cuz obviously no one else is really typing on this.


just keep your head up and you will see.
all negativities aside. cuz what you post here, might change that last thought of someone about to sign a freestyle artist to a big label or might change the mind of an artist or dj who has the talent and is about to jump on the freestyle scene. or that negativity might change the mind of the guy who will convince jennifer lopez to have a freestylish record someday.

just cuz 25% of stufg that is seen in this market is not top notch, even if people focus on that..there is a 50% that is actually kick ass and not seen and another 25% still in development or still yet to be discovered.
dont say all of freestyle isnt going to make it, if we know its only 25% that wont. what percentage doese every one fallen..its up to them.

and also if it makes you feel any better.

(he will kill me) guseppe d just showed me a progressive house remake of "Boriqua posse" and onother freestyle track that most posibly will hit the gay circuite and dance market strongly in the coming months. Gussepe also getting into the electro clash and hanging with tony moran lately.
also Frank lords (who is known for the record "darkbeat" with murk:ralph falcon and oscar g) his new release is that of a slow freestyledriven leactro break track to follow the success of "Dark beat".

there are alot of things going on that will change your mind about freestyles possibility and success in tomorows world, but as industry..i cant talk about these projects and who deals with them..cuz in this industry we also have people who bite off others ideas.


well, anyway



thast it for today.
PEACE!!!


JONPITO
artist rep/Management
D'luna (chinadoll)
neststep/jellybean recordings/sony discos

"SAYING FREESTYLE WILL NEVER MAKE IT AS IT ONCE WAS, IS THE SAME AS BIENG IN 1989 AND SAYING IT WILL NEVER DIE!
when you least expect it...it happens.".

(I AM FREESTYLE! I PLAN TO SUCCEED!).
 
What is sad and true is to see things negatively.
Keep your faith - keep your support for freestyle strong.
You have nothing to lose but everything to gain.
If freestyle makes you happy, don't worry about the future.
If it is still making you happy after all of these years
then I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Be patient.
 
think i saw this thread or views elsewhere but doesnt matter in my opinion if u weant Freestyle to thrive again it may be what it takes is what gave it its birth in the first place and that is in the clubs
we need to get the club dj"s to play thew new stuff saw something real interesting at the DNA show with stevie b show kenny please back me up if u felt and saw what i saw a lot of the younger crowd was extremely into the show why didnt the djs play some new stuff along with the some of the old school the saturday night at zachery's the DJ mixed in 3 Old school FS with the hip hop and dancebeats stuff lets see TKA Shannon and Cynthia the crowd there was loving it
dont think Freestyle as a genre is tootaly dead its just looking for some one to breathe new life into it

If u can get the new stuff played in the clubs radio will follow
thats what i believe
 
I think that some things need to be recognized.

First of all, I always laugh when I hear about how freestyle needs to be on MTV, BET, VH1, or whatever......in the 80's when freestyle had it's big break, it WAS NEVER ON MTV, BET or VH1. Club MTV featured a few freestyle artists, but their videos never got any major rotation.

As for freestyle on the radio, what really killed freestyle was Soundscan.

If you don't know what Soundscan is, here's the deal. Radio stations, in an effort to track songs that were successful on the radio, were keeping "log books" that were supposed to reflect the rotation of songs on the station. What was happening (according to Billboard, where I read the article) many stations were playing freestyle, but not logging it. The reasoning was that the freestyle was not "the usual fit" of the station. They were playing these freestyle hits, then loggin other songs in thier log books. This was letting a lot of freestyle to get played on various stations. In NY, KTU, Z100, and PLJ all played freestyle, to different degrees.

In an effort to stop this, Soundscan was invented. This system monitors stations and automatically tracks the number of rotations songs get. When this happened, stations started only playing what was "expected" of them, what fit in their "niche". As a result, the amount of airtime the freestyle got was dramatically decreased.



Freestyle can come back. We just have to be supportive and patient.

When it comes to KTU, people always talk about the "old school" pre 1990. I remember KTU playing the following songs, in regular rotation, and they are NOT old school:

Rockell-"In A Dream", "I Fell In Love", "Can't We Try"

Collage-"Love Of A Lifetime"

Cynthia-"If I Had The Chance" (Hit their Top 8 @ 8)

Safire & Cynthia-"Can You Stand The Rain" (Hit their Top 8 @ 8)

Caprice-"There Goes Your Heart" (Hit their Top 8 @ 8)


On a positive note, Judy's mixshow, in recent times, has played Cynthia's "I Never Said" and Amante`'s "Let's Get It On".
 
FREESTYLE Lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I do not ever want to hear anyone say it's dead. Nothing is ever as good as the first time.

Punk is still around, that never got high radio play!! (many stations did what they could to keep it off radio!!LOL). And when Alternative and Hip Hop exploded in 1992, many said that Metal would never have a place in Rock music. But in 1999, your Kid Rock's, Limp Bizkit and Creed made metal heavy hitting again. Dispite Bizkit and Korn has blended hip Hop in order for it to sell.

I feel that Freestyle could do the same thing, maybe if it could twik it's edges a little, it will be radio friendly again.
 
WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO IS CALL CLEAR CHANNEL, AND LET THEM KNOW, OR BETTER YET SEND THEM A PETITION, TO ADD NEW STUFF AND GIVE THEM A LIST OF OVER 100 SONGS THEY COULD PLAY, WE THE AUDIENCE ARE THE REVENUE, WE SHOULD TRY IT, WE HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT A LOT TO GAIN...
 
I dont think a petition or calling clear channel will do anything. I used to think so back in the day but I was naive and unrealistic. Although I don't post much I have been around clubfreestyle since the beggining back when it was just one main bulletin board forum and I check in all the time to see what people are saying and whats new.
There have been several posts similar to this one. Everyone has there own ideas of what can be done to help freestyle grow but I honestly have gotten to the point where if I let it get to me it will only frustrate me. I've learn to except it for what it is and just see what happens in the future with freestyle. Try not to get worked up about it. I've been awaiting a mainstream comeback for years and years now and I just have to see what happens because it hasn't hapened yet. No one can say where freestyle will go but I dont see a point in pushing and forcing it. Just enjoy and support whatever new school stuff you think is good and forever love the old stuff.
 
Jonpito

I happen to think Freestyle is huge...but your post is HUGEIR (is that a word? lol)! 😱

lol I love reading people's thoughts 😀 Keep em coming and keep Freestyle alive in your hearts!!!

-antonio
 
Yo, hip-hop has nothing to do with the decline of freestyle. I also think it's somewhat messed up and a little prejudiced to classify people of hip-hop as "ignorant thugs". There's a substantial number of rappers and listeners that have degrees from universities. Just because someone dresses a certain way, is a certain color, or makes or listens to a certain type of music doesn't make them an "ignorant thug".

But back to the subject, I don't think that people are not interested in freestyle anymore, they just don't know about it. It doesn't get the promotion or distribution that other forms of popular music get. If people don't know about it, how can they buy or support it? They can't. But it's kewl, I think there will always be a fanbase.
 
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