Jon: Very tru, but here’s an idea: DC-Area artists could also support their own as far as Hip-Hop blogs as well.

Judah: Not enough. Plus, it wouldn’t hold as much weight as a Nah Right, etc. I have had www.forthedmvonly.com 4 2 years. I know…they do support [though]. At least on [my website] they do!

Jon: True, but I would say that we (me and you) don’t hold as much weight because we as a city don’t give each other that value. Not to twist it because we recieve support as well…I just see a lot of DC-area artists putting DC media behind others……and by media i’m not talking about the radio. That’s another story.

Judah: You lost me but point blank is the local artists support my site, but we need the world to support. The world supports Nah Right, etc.

Jon: I guess what I’m saying is that I believe the world, blogs, etc. don’t see us because we aren’t as united as the other cities…

Judah: Other cities aren’t UNITED either. They’re going through what we’re going through, too.

Jon: You would think so. All cities have that conflict, but we’re WAY worse for different reasons.

Judah: There’s no measure to the degree of hate, but this problem is everywhere, not just here, so that’s no excuse.

Jon: Not trying to make excuses. I’m merely stating an unavoidable issue. Until certain things are addressed, we will remain where we are in Hip-Hop. I’m open to hearing why this is just an excuse. We are the only city without an actual state. we can’t even collectively decide on what “DMV” actually is to represent it.

Judah: Who cares what the DMV actually represents. The DMV is over if you ask me. Shit is fucked up everywhere as far as Hip-Hop.

Jon: A lot of people care, apparently. I hear you on that fully though, believe it or not. But we’re not the majority.

Judah: I’ve seen 11+ years of Hip-Hop music develop here and the issues aren’t the obvious.

Jon: OK…what would you say the issues are?

Judah: Besides the declining sales and money in the game, the outside doesn’t respect you Hip-Hop wise. They don’t acknowledge our Hip-Hop arts. We are Go-Go thugs down here. I’ve sat with New York oG dudes that blatantly said New York industry niggas don’t fuck with DC niggas. [With] R&B we’re good, but Hip-Hop back in the day was comparable to the drug game and I hope you know the history [between] DC vs. NY in drugs. Now the fact that there’s strife amongst the local artists adds on to the pre-existing problem. So let me give u a break down of the dick riding industry: an artist gets on from Florida, California, Texas or the Midwest, what does the game do? Go and sign other artist from that region. When an artist gets on from here, did the industry sign any other artist? I’ll wait for an answer. (laughs) [Look at] Texas: Mike jones, then Paul Wall, then Slim Thug, then Chamillionaire and others…[look at] Florida: Trick Daddy, DJ Khaled, Cool & Dre, Rick Ross, Flo Rida, etc…[look at] Atlanta…do I have to name all the Atlanta artists that got deals after Atlanta blew up? [Now look at] DC…Wale and who else?

Jon: (laughs) See, I agree with that, but WHY is what I’m asking…are you saying it’s because NYC still hates us because of drugs and Go-Go? Does NYC even still hold that precedent with the South doing what its doing?

Judah: No, it’s not because of drugs and Go-Go today. In the early 90’s and late 80’s, yeah, but now, NO!

Jon: That’s where I was saying its because of us as a city…trust, I agree with the whole NYC issue, but I still feel that we are still messing it up for ourselves more than anything.

Judah: In my opinion, it’s various reasons: weak music, our reps are not respected, we bite other Hip-Hop fads, etc…our identity is weak as a city. I respect your opinion & you’re my brother, so respect, but regardless, if we weren’t messing it up for ourselves it would still be tough. The industry is the SOUTH! There wouldn’t be no industry right now if there was no New Orleans, Texas, Atlanta or Florida. They saved the game from New York.

Jon: Hmmm…so back then when we had an identity, we were hated by New York City who was running it…now we’ve lost our identity…I think I’ve just been enlightened.

Judah: The music back then was street, dark, slow, gangsta, real, accurate…now our artists sound like 95% of the artist on Nah Right. Listen to the music that Section 8, Smash Task, Hood Life, Percell Records and Chocolate City put out and see what we’ve lost.

Jon: How can we worry so much about unity when we need to worry about the identity we’ve lost trying to become everyone else…true.