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December 27th, 2009 
DJ Enuff I’m listening to Jay Electronica’s latest tune Exhibit C Produced by Just Blaze. It is so good. I think it’s lyrical and the production is solid. Reminds me of some early Nas stuff,Then I ask my self : Why is it not spinning on the radio? At least during my time slot? Is it because there’s no dance tied to it? Is it because it’s not yet on BET’s Top Ten Countdown? Does it have to be a Club Banger? The radio isn’t a club. So why not Good solid Hip Hop? I have it on my website. I battle myself all the time when it comes to the radio. The job I love so much. I could make it the Heavy Hitter Pick of the week with no problem. Then what? I need HELP with this one. Any Suggestions Re: Real Hip Hop is Fading
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Enuff you like the jam?…you said it’s solid production and lyric wise?…there’s three reasons to play it right there…who gives a fuck if it has a weak ass dance attached or on BETS garbage ass station….one of the main reasons why the late 80’s to mid 90’s was the golden era of HIP HOP was that if shit was good it got played. if dudes had talent they got recognized…we need to get back to that…if the beats good and the lyrics are tight…PLAY THAT SHIT…all this “you gotta know somebody or have a gimmick stuff is bullshit…if it the shit make you nod, think or tap ya foot it gets spin..plain and simple…let the people decide if its garbage or not….too many weak ass “rappers”(and i’m using that term loosely), getting they foot in the door when they shouldn’t even be on the fucking porch…lol….the standards for rappers are mad low nowadays…..smh…BIG, PAC the game needs y’all right now….the minute they found out how to go back in time, i’m coming to warn y’all niggas…peace….oh… EXHIBIT C…SPIN THAT SHIT TILL THE RECORD MELTS!!!……
Personally if the song is hot why not spin it but jay electronica is somewhat new outthere so just make shore the track is dope or you’ll lose cred in a weird kind of way.
PLAY IT!!!
Allow me to get on my soapbox for a second. There is something wrong when a dj no longer feels comfortable breaking a record. No, radio dj’s shouldn’t have complete free reign of what gets played, and it’s naive for anybody to think that that’s ever been or ever will be the case. That being said, a radio dj, especially one with the type of show you have, should feel comfortable enough to every once in a while say “hey, I believe in this record, and I believe in this artist… I’m gonna spin it!” Worst case scenario, and doesn’t catch on, it fades back into the underground, and the masses won’t even remember. But if it DOES catch on… ohhh boyyyy… think what kind of difference it could make!
This record right here… Exhibit C… it’s one of those special records. It deserves a shot. You can even scream “produced by Just Blaze” so you can attach a name to it that ppl will know. I mean, the station will play a Timbaland song, who’s damn near said himself that he doesn’t even believe in hip hop anymore, but won’t support the other end of the spectrum… the super-producer that believes in hip hop so much that he’ll work with a relative unknown and make a BANGER! Something ain’t right about that. If that’s gonna be the case, then Hot97 might as well be Z100.
Play it!
Play it!
We must be living in a alternate universe or something. No dis but how come we NEVER pose this question about b.s. records?!?!?!? Is it me or do those records just AUTOMATICALLY get consideration. And an amazing piece of art like this record has to be discussed??????
Imagine if they DISCUSSED playing Sucker M.C.’S, Rebel With Out A Pause, Eric B for President, They Want EFX, T.R.O.Y., Benjermins, ETC. All great moments (game changers even) in hip hop.
But NOW we have to discuss it? If you THINK about it. It explains it all.
I promise you Wacka Flocka won’t even warrant a discussion. We’ll just hear it and wonder why.
Bro, you are a DJ who actually has a strong platform to break records in the mainstream radio arena, especially in the NYC area as well as with your crew nationally.
DJs aren’t supposed to be worried or scared of breaking records, we’re just supposed to.
Take a stand and kill it – Jay Electronica certainly isn’t the worst brother you can out there with Hip-Hop at all and “Exhibit C” is a killer track.
Amaze the Hot 97 crowd & let them know that all Hip-Hop on that station is NOT dictated by a programming or music director but by the streets, people and DJs.
Glad you brought up the subject in your blog and respect due. Peace
Exhibit C might be the best HIP HOP single of the year.. ((besides that Reflection Eternal that just dropped.. shits fire.. but anywho..) ) Niggas need to hear that.. It seems like good music never makes it to the radio anymore… Don’t you want to be a trendsetter Enuff??
Show and Prove that Hip-Hop is NOT DEAD!!! The DJ is the foundation of this culture (hip-Hop). It is your responsibility to keep life in this thing. PLAY THE SONG!!
Wow! Thanks for putting me on to this… This is bangin!
Now look – I found it on youtube. I will now go to iTunes and purchase it so I can play it in my car. By the time radio finally gets to it, the listener has already moved on to their next favorite song that theyll play out themselves.
and thats the story of radio… thats why radio is no longer relevant. (*except mixshows – theyre fun when they deviate from the usual radio playlist)
This guy’s from the south and does a song that totally relates to NY sensibilities. And ya’ll wont play it…..NY stay losing…
EYO ENUFF NO DISRESPECT BUT C’MON BROTHA!! YOU USED TO DJ FOR BIGGIE SON! SHOULDN’T THAT RIGHT THERE TELL YOU HOW MUCH YOU CAN HELP CHANGE THE CRAP ON RADIO?? PLEASE NO MORE GUCCI, NO MORE SOULJA BOY, I MEAN PLEASE NO MORE TRASH MUSIC. YOU KEEP PLAYING, THEY KEEP SHINING N KEEP RECORDING GARBAGE. YOU ARE PART OF THE HEAVY HITTERS CREW, DUDES TEAR IT UP EVERYWHERE, YET YOU QUESTION WHY YOU SHOULD PLAY DOPE HIPHOP? IF NOT FOR HIP-HOP, DO THIS FOR THE MEMORY OF BIG AND THE “SICKER THAN YOUR AVERAGE” MUSIC HE USED TO PUT OUT…..
My Mama always told me dont throw the stone and hide ya hand!!!! Pump this on the radio, maybe i would start listening again!!
Ayo Enuff!,
Have you really forget what Professor Paul taught us all in his basement when we were training to become master DJs? I hope not because I remember a time where we had a long and serious conversation with Paul and Clark Kent about the responsibility of the hip hop DJ is to spin the records we believe in. That knowledge and philosophy was spread to us about being true to our hearts and souls for a very good reason my Brother. So for me to read this coming from you a fellow student of Brooklyn’s greatest hip hop DJ ever is extremely shocking because it make me wonder if you’re giving up on the music we so much.
You’re a great DJ and I’m proud of you and all of your accomplishments and I have nothing but great respect for the Heavy Hitters but I must be honest with you and tell you something Howie Tee told me not too long ago. “Hip Hop Needs Us”
The bloggers can never replace us mix show DJs, We are and will always be the true “Tastemakers” of this hip hop music. If you really feel a record within your heart and soul then do what Paul taught us all in that basement everyday after school, be the best DJ you can ever be.
Respectfully,
DJ Pete Marriott
Generation Next Radio
Roc DJs
If you want to play it you know you’re gonna play it. Just do it a few times. I know Ebro won’t be pissed at you.
do it man i listen to all the bullshit 24/7 on hot 97 you cant play ONE record i actually like? im sure no one will care if they dont hear forever for the 900th time that day..come on get real ENUFF!
If you wanna be for real, it’s this cowardice why HipHop is in the state it’s in. You’re forcing the internet DJs to have to do it better…
blogtalkradio.com/momowilly for REAL hiphop without apology. I guess it takes a woman to have the balls for it sometimes…
Honestly, who cares if you play it. If you need to fight with your self to play dope music, you probably shouldn’t be in the position you are. No shots.
I remember you played Polyryhtmic Addicts on your show years ago and I bugged out because I practically was done with the station and thought it was a station down the dial. I said to myself this dude is a trendsetter. I also remember just a few years ago you and Angie having a discussion on what a true Hip Hop record sounds like, in regards to a Neptune’s record that was playing. So, I’m pretty sure you feel the same way a lot of us feel. The current audience may not get Exhibit C but, by playing more records that could change (at least bring a bit more balance). What you built with BIG was a movement. So why not play it?…you could start a new one!!
Just play it
[...] got his answer with the 200+ comments left there. Listen below if you havent heard the CDQ, then go HERE to tell Enuff to stop trippin and start [...]
You’re insane. This guy is a legend in the making. Every radio station that considers itself affiliated with Hip Hop in any way should have been playing him long ago. In the immortal words of q-tip (check the rhyme) “Hip Hop is not pop, if you call it that then stop”
I appreciate your honesty here but Real talk Enuff, the fact that your even asking this question really is a head scratcher for me. This is why hip hop is suffering so much. Because those who have the priveledge and responsibility to guide us as hip hop fans are questioning their own judgement instead of doing whats real. I understand too because when u gotta play a Gucci (insert “hot or relevant” rapper who makes trash here) record out of obligation or because “thats what the sreets want” it might take you out of your comfort zone at times. U do that shit enough and u might start forgetting the true definition of a “HOT RECORD”. Any Dj who can sit there and question the merits of a record like “exhibit C” and weather they should support it either doesn’t fuck with real hip hop to begin with, or is so caught up in industry, or program director politics that they have lost their ability to evaluate the quality of a record. U r not that guy Enuff, you know what hot is. I listen to you Enuff (pun intended) to know that u know what time it is. Stop letting niggaz dictate to u whats hot. Ur the DJ, PLAY THAT SHIT ! And know us real niggaz salute u for it.
PS Shout to Just Blaze for taking a shot on a nigga like Jay-Elec-yamulke because he truly is the next generation of REAL SHIT !!! “eating whack rappers for lunch and spittin out chains”
you forget even though you work for a big radio station that you are the dj, play the good music and support shit you believe in, don’t just be a jukebox and only play what clear channel wants on the playlist, its a damn shame that jay electronica doesn’t get on the radio w/ the dope shit he’s kickin, i used to sit at the radio w/ cassettes taping the new jawns that i loved cuz i couldn’t get them no where else and the dj’s would make it possible, these days i barely can turn on the radio cuz its the same damn songs on every station, its sad…stand up for dope music you believe in, play that shit, find the loophole and get dope music on the radio, this is NYC we pioneered this shit, lets keep innovating and let the rest follow suit
If you set up like a premier date on the radio for that shit, and got some support and a movement for hip hop heads to tune it, that would be some great stuff. If there are enough people that hear it on the radio that LIKE it, other people will follow suit and start to like it too. Just my 2 cents
the man jay got talent and real lyrics that we aint hear in a very long time. you gotta spin that on the radio and have the ppl have right knowledge. in todays world black folks and latinos aint getting right knowledge. we are ignorant and blame other people for our problems and in reality its us. Unity is our power that is what our leaders said such as Dr. King and Dr Malachi Z. York. Right now we getting bad knowledge by treating our females like shit by saying statements like ” i dont love a bitch”, but go home and tell their mother, sister or daughter that they love them, Smacking our females, not taking care of our kids, and talking about materials they we have and not helping our own communitys. Didnt jesus help his disciples? WHY WE CANT DO THE SAME!! Its because they made us hate ourselves, and our black women. Song’s like this will open people minds instead of talking about the same shit over and over again. Im tired of hearing who got more money, how many girls you have or how many cars you got. in the hood nobody has money like that people need to overstand that we need to open our eyes and have good music. i dont listen to the radio no more because theres nothing new. just the same shit over and over again and it makes me sick. What ever happen to people like rakim, public enemy, 2pac, Biggie, Nas, D-block, A-Z etc. who had songs with meaning. They were dropping knowledge for the people. Jay i like what your doing and keep it up im watching you very closely. And i hope one day we bump heads and get on something. I like talking about diiferent topics instead of Cars, money and hoes. ENUFF PLAY HIS SHIT!! C”MON SON
FROM
Ramo
I believe if more DJ’s took risks to play songs we would have more diverse music on the radio. I get tired of hearing the same 5 songs everyday in the rotation. I’m not even a back pack or righteous knowledge Hip-Hop advocate but, you got to give credit when credit is due. Exhibit A and Exhibit C both are decent songs. The original radio rip was better because it played a bit faster and was more amped. I believe if Diddy actually did the ad-libs it may have changed the scope of the song a bit more. Just Blaze had the right idea when he did the ad-libs for Jay Electronica. I think playing his record can be legendary and continue setting the trend and bring radio back to where all kinds of rappers got radio air-play. It hurts my heart to know we drop albums on iTunes and independently put out music that never gets heard because of no radio air-play and only internet exposure. At least you are considerate enough to ask the people. We as people are lame for continuing to listen to stations supporting garbage!
Enuff, you absolutely HAVE to play this on Hot 97. You could very well start a domino effect. Think about it. You play Exhibit C enough times, people will start to catch on to it. We could finally hear some good shit on the radio. Not to say what’s already on the radio isn’t good, but if I hear Plies verse on that Usher one more time, I’m going to kill myself. Do you really want that on your conscious, Enuff?
I know that doing this is a risk, but do it for hip hop. Do it for the people. Just play good music. Jay Electronica & Just Blaze deserve a lot of attention for that track. I want to hear this as much as I hear Empire State of Mind. Make it #1!!!!!!!
omg you have to play this on the radio because everyone can appreciate art and people love art and this is art, plus not everybody is stupid or ignorant people actually like to think and like to be challenged
the media needs to stop thinking that we are stupid….please play more of this and some mos def and kweli and jcole. i was driving and u pumped that record wit all 4 emcees on it and i almost crashed my car, i was mad hyped havent felt like that since scenario and im only 22yrs old. u da man enufff!!!!!
Wow! Everyone missed the hell out of what Nuff was saying. He wasn’t questioning rather he should play the song or not. If it was up to him it would be in regular rotation. The song hasn’t been added to the playlist people. Nuff can’t just play what he wants to. He has to roll with whatever the program director, music selector or whoever the hell comes up with the playlists says to play.Now on the flip side, DJs should start spinning real hip hop in clubs. It’s up to the DJ to help bring back real hip hop because it DOES exist. Believe or not there’s even REAL HIP HOP in ALABAMA. I should know, I’m a hip hop artist from Alabama, born and raised. Oh and I have to say this, New York rappers need to stop letting southern artists dictate the type of music they make and just do them. I like the old New York. The old NY was arrogant and felt like nobody whether west coast or the south could fuck with them. They had that we’re better than u attitude. Did I like it, let’s just say there was a love/hate feeling. I liked it because it kept everybody else on there toes. It kept everybody else working hard on their craft because they wanted so badly to be accepted by NY, the birthplace of hip hop. Nowadays NY accept any thing the south offers. It’s starting to fade a little but the damage is already done. I listen to NY rap and I hear southern influences. You listed to my music and you hear NY influence, old school NY influence. Ok Enuff venting, no PUN intended. If you wanna hear some real hip hop here’s my free album http://www.zshare.net/download/68181617864039be/
[...] DJ Enuff, Hot97, and mainstream radio ain’t playing Jay Electronica 28 12 2009 DJ Enuff from Hot 97 sparked a minor controversy over the weekend when he put up a short, somewhat emotional post struggling with the dilemma of [...]
If you think its good hip hop, stop looking at those playlists and play what you feel needs to be played as a dJ. I can’t listen to hot 97 for more then 5 minutes any more. The last time Hot97 had credibility was when future flavas was on the air. The same reason your not sure if you should play it on the radio is the same reason the music industry has failed so big in the last few years. Every one is walking around frontin. I have witnessed major hip hop artists in the studio with all there boys headz bangin in the control room saying how hot a record is. Then when they get to the lounge they whisper how the record really sucks, but know one stands up to the artist, ar or producer. They just all walk around kissing each others ass. Sorry for the Rant but i grew up on Hot97 and had to give up on it long time ago.
You have the power to change it. Stop having your strings pulled and play what you like.
Good luck on your Doctor Oz Challenge to BTW.
Oh one last thing. Get an intern to print all these out and leave them on the desk of the program director. No really.It will give them something to do while they listen to music on Pandora. LOL
I think “Mr.Bailey” is absolutely correct. Enuff wants to play it, but he needs to gather the support for doing it. With this support he can go back to his “employer” (don’t get it twisted..its ENUFF’s show, but it’s not his radio station) with ammunition. In addition, he can’t come out and blatently say hey show your support for this song so that I can play it..That will look very self serving and bias. It will also make it appear like he’s promoting the song himself. Remember, for every song he plays, that’s one song that doesn’t make it during his slot. So there’s a lot of politics going on here. If there is an outcry for the song to be played, that gives him more leverage to put it on.
A second point he’s making is that if he plays the song, what’s going to happen next? Is Jay Electronica going to blow up now? There’s no “snappy hook” no dance to go with it, no ring tone in sight for it, so what will happen in the big scheme of things. This dope song will never be top20 on Billboard and that’s a shame. It’s a shame that you need to have all of these ingredients for a good song to then translate into a commercially great song with great exposure. I doubt your average 12 year-old will ask for a Jay Electronica song, right now, because Trey Songz isn’t doing the hook. Its not on BET’s 106 and Park so to the people who actually buy music will be like “Jay Electronica who?” Many people who complain that there very little to no “real rap” on the radio (which is true) don’t even purchase the shit!! So again Enuff’s point is again “what next??”I think these are the things that Enuff was addressing. Personally I think Jay Electronica is fire!! Just definitely knows what he’s doing, so I think sky’s the limit for Jay.. But look what happened to Saigon..(Politics!!)
Even though as a DJ I do get promo copies, I would definitely buy the CD. But to the hip hop purists..Will you??
Peace
ENUFF! You are one of my favorite DJs. for real. I don’t understand your question. What do you mean then what? Jay Electric is da truth and he is gonna shine no matter who decides to do what. But if you are in a position to put some shine on some good music why hesitate? ALREADY Jay’s disography is tough! I have like 30 songs of his in my Itunes that I got from a friend. All of it is CRAZY. And I will still cop whatever music he puts out to make sure he gets his dough. No bootleggin. Support this cat for real. I love this dude. I’m so sick of the same ol same ol. Come on Enuff. Here’s a few suggestions of what to play: Something to Hold on To, Victory is in My Clutches, Exhibit A, Renassaince Man, My World, come on son….look at all this music! Get it poppin Enuff. Stop playing! Love you, boy!
Peace Enuff,
Enuff is enuff (no pun intended).. Remember that tingly feeling when your joint came on back in the day, bring that back. Don’t be a part of the murder of the culture that lined your pockets and every other radio DJ out there.. Bring it back to the east… PEACE
he played it peep it here
Rappers I know
Enuff you gotta not only play it but get it in rotation. I don’t even hardly listen to the radio because of DJ’s reluctance to play dope shit. You get it rocking so please..play that shit.
That shit is hot if I have to hear bed rock and new york state of mind again Im going to pull my ears off that why I hardly dont listen to that station that much they play the same shit over and over again new music pleassssssssse
he has a cult following. i just got into dude…he is dope. break his shit on the radio. hip hop needs balance and u can help bring it there.
The answer may be as simple as looking back. MOP’s “Ante Up” was forced into rotation because the DJ’s were behind that record!
[...] or shocking or even mind-blowing to some of us. Before making up his mind, Enuff expressed, openly, on his blog, some of the disappointment he felt in seeing a song “so good” not being appreciated on [...]
[...] values to young people. It’s that simple. Just a few days ago, HOT97’s DJ Enuff was questioning colleagues why Jay Electronica’s smash single, “Evidence C,” arguably the hardest-hitting record of the [...]
I heard this record yesterday sitting in traffic. I had to turn it up it is what hip hop needs right now, I rarely listen to the hip hop radio stations because of the lack of creativity and originality. I am tired of whats being played on the airwaves. So luckily I was looking for something to listen to and someone dropped this single. Now I have an album to look forward to when it drops. Until than back to my blues, jazz and neo-soul.
[...] or shocking or even mind-blowing to some of us. Before making up his mind, Enuff expressed, openly, on his blog, some of the disappointment he felt in seeing a song “so good” not being appreciated on [...]
And people wonder why Hip Hop is garbage. The fact that a stellar spinmeister like Enuff isn’t breaking this record tells me more about the business than I want to know. Pathetic isn’t even the word that comes to mind. More like disgusting, and these are the same people that are going to complain about how “white record execs” are running and ruining hip hop. I’ve seen the enemy and it’s us. Enuff is a heavy hitter but he won’t spin it? He never debates whether to spin the next record by some illiterate fake thug, copycat MC right? Like the late Christopher Wallace said “ya’ll niggas is a mess”.
[...] autotune, gimmicks, or a television show about Canadian high school teens forced the DJ Enuffs (reluctantly), Funk Master Flexs (with no bombs at first) & DJ Clues of the non college radio payola filled [...]
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by BeeMe: Support good hip hop on radio!–> http://bit.ly/7sBM9k (via @themegatrondon)…
[...] This was shortly after one of this dj’s colleagues had to go on his blog to express how he wished he could play what he wanted to play on the radio. Gee, you mean like a real radio DJ? I can’t be the only one with the impression that if you [...]