On this date last year, we buried the word “unsigned”. It was a show of solidarity among indie hip hop artists who didn’t like the negative connotation associated with the word. We demanded to be referred to as “independent artists” instead. Many supported the movement and hashtaged #RIPunsigned throughout the day.

I want to build on this network of independent hip hop artists and fans by making this date, July 1st, a day to celebrate our presence. I see this as a way to increasingly bring more attention to some great artists other than what’s represented in the mainstream. Fans of hip hop need a resource for alternatives, and a bigger buzz needs to be created for quality artists.

The music industry, for too long, has given support to the more destructive expression of this art form and it’s way past time for Read the rest of this entry »