The fight for the number one record in the world this week goes to ?
Well it depends who you talk to.
I was celebrating with Game this week at the 944 party, he was notified that his record went Number 1 on the Billboard top 200, and I congratulated him with a toast but then I got word that Slipnot was Number 1. So who really is the best of the week? Does it really matter? Game is a major star these days and no one knows any of the guys in Slipnot. or do they? Slipnot is a marketers dream. Their Merch flies off the shelves at every show and Hot Topic store. Their stickers are on rear windows everywhere. A faceless group with a whole lot of muscle. Their shows sell out, their fans are diehards – with a vengeance I might add, and its because of the Vibe, the music and show. Stevie Rocker, (may you rest in peace – my brother) knew this. He saw a machine. The longtail before there was a long tail. Branding the group as the leaders of a movement, the power of the crowd. When no one would play Slipnot, they were selling out shows and causing havoc everywhere. Its about connecting to the fans not a number 1 record for one week that goes away next week.
Game is a crossover superstar who has movies, TV shows, Shoe deals and product endorsements. His management team are my boys Jimmy and Delaney. They knew from day one that they had something. A 6′4 marketing machine that could carry the torch for the gangster rap market. Appealing to the ladies ala Cool J, with a venomous spew of lyrics that brought back the days of old. The new NWA maybe, maybe not, but nevertheless he has the torch and he isnt likely to drop it.
No one reads Billboard or walks into a store and looks in the bin for the new releases. We sit in our cars or behind our desk and listen to whatever we want, whenever we want. Numbers dont matter in the new world order. Its about fans and the long tail. I am friends with Game so I only want him to be successful and enjoy his family, he is a family man first and foremost. Point is – Its all about the fans and the Long tail. And the longest tail right now belongs to a little kid whos daddy has an Achy Breaky Heart.
