The Good Ole Days

[5 Grand]

Remember when

• The Source
• MTV and BET
• Arsenio Hall

When those 3 entities controlled Hip Hop? There was 1 single Hip Hop. Someone from California saw the same episode of Yo! MTV Raps as someone in Nebraska and Philadelphia. They got the same playlist. Yeah there were local stations and local movements but between the 3 I named, they controlled the direction of Hip Hop.

Nowadays, with the internet it seems like nobody is in control.

In 1994, if you could get 3.5 or better in The Source, get your video played on MTV and BET, and appear on Arsenio Hall, you were official.

There is no equivalent to that now.

 

[The Lonious Monk]

I wouldn't say Arsenio Hall ever controlled Hip Hop, but he did bring some acts more into the limelight.

 

[IP360]

I wouldn't say Arsenio Hall ever controlled Hip Hop, but he did bring some acts more into the limelight.

Busta gotta be sending Arsenio a lifetime supply of gift baskets. His Scenario performance wit stood out from everyone else.

Remember when MTV actually stood for MUSIC TV...and played actual music videos?

Same wit BET. But also had programming catered to teens. Giving them advice. A format for their voices to be heard. As well as grown folks r&b music video shows.

 

[5 Grand]

I wouldn't say Arsenio Hall ever controlled Hip Hop, but he did bring some acts more into the limelight.

Nah, there was a 5-year stretch when he had Hip Hop artists perform 2X-3X per week and sit on the couch and do interviews.

I remember when LL and Kool Moe Dee were beefing, he had LL give a performance and sit on the couch and do an interview, then he had Kool Moe Dee do a performance and sit on the couch and do an interview in the same week.

I think there was a similar situation when Dre and Eazy were beefing. They both performed and appeared on the couch within a few weeks of each other, if not the same week.

And this was back when there were only 50 cable stations, and no internet. So if you were into Hip Hop, chances are you knew if a rapper would be performing on Arsenio Hall that night and you stayed up and watched it. Arsenio Hall came on around 11:00 or 11:30, but it was syndicated, so it came on different time slots throughout the nation, but Arsenio was on in every market in America.

 

[Duwop]

New York undercover was good for exposure as well

 

[Chi-Town B]

No clue why BET and MTV changed their formats. I can't imagine playing reruns of old shows bringing ratings to the channels.

 

[Debra Cox and Lettuce]

 

[Old Man Cain]

New York undercover was good for exposure as well

I've been watching the reruns as of late. Top 10 show for me

 

[A-List]

Remember In Living Color always had a performance at the end too. Rappers got national exposure....

 

[Marc123]

 

[dodge]

Busta gotta be sending Arsenio a lifetime supply of gift baskets. His Scenario performance wit stood out from everyone else.

Remember when MTV actually stood for MUSIC TV...and played actual music videos?

Same wit BET. But also had programming catered to teens. Giving them advice. A format for their voices to be heard. As well as grown folks r&b music video shows.

I call BET the Tyler Perry Network now….he’s gonna be the next president of that damn channel soon

And MTV I just call the “Ridiculousness” channel because that’s all they ever wanna show

 

[dodge]

I've been watching the reruns as of late. Top 10 show for me

Me and my Pops used to watch that show religiously when I was growing

He actually told me last week it’s on BET now

 

[O.G.]

No clue why BET and MTV changed their formats. I can't imagine playing reruns of old shows bringing ratings to the channels.

My employees in various locations always have that dumb ass Ridiculousness show on in their break room. I fuckin hate that shit. Sometimes I'll come in there just to chop it up with them. A few minutes later all you hear is bleep bleep bleep and that chick with the Woody Woodpecker laugh. I get up and leave every time. Fuck MTV.

 

[willhustle]

No clue why BET and MTV changed their formats. I can't imagine playing reruns of old shows bringing ratings to the channels.

Viacom.

 

[5 Grand]

No clue why BET and MTV changed their formats. I can't imagine playing reruns of old shows bringing ratings to the channels.

I remember hearing that record labels would give BET videos to play for free because it was free advertising. The artist was getting played all across the nation and the labels didn't have to pay BET one penny.

BET made their money selling commercial spots to corporations like Coca Cola and McDonalds for a 30 second ad. So they'd play 3 music videos in a row that they didn't have to pay for. then Coca Cola would pay them to play a commercial. Then they'd play 3 more videos for free. Then McDonalds would pay them to play a commercial. Then they'd play 3 more videos for free.

It worked perfectly for the record labels and the artists because they didn't have to pay BET to play their music.

It worked perfectly for BET because they got free content.

It worked perfectly for the sponsors because they knew exactly who was watching; Young adults and teenagers that were into Rap and R&B.


It was the perfect business model.

It was so perfect that it couldn't last.

 

[IP360]

My employees in various locations always have that dumb ass Ridiculousness show on in their break room. I fuckin hate that shit. Sometimes I'll come in there just to chop it up with them. A few minutes later all you hear is bleep bleep bleep and that chick with the Woody Woodpecker laugh. I get up and leave every time. Fuck MTV.

Show was cool...but then they ran out. It got old