Hip Hop Radio - Who's Listening to "Everybody Wants to Get Signed by a Record Label" Radio?

Funk Master Flex goes on a 8:00 minute rant about Interscope Records on the air at Hot 97

I'm not sure when it became fashionable to bring "shop" talk to the airwaves, but it has been a trend in urban radio the last few years by the so called "urban lifestyle" radio hosts. Who really wants to hear a DJ talk about the behind the scene deals made and not made in radio? This is not compelling radio, but it's being done all the time.

Many urban jocks in the radio game crack the mic and talk about how many units this artist sold or who's number one in albums this week. It's not just Flex, but I've heard it from Big Boy and many others in urban radio. It kind of reached it's peak with the whole 50 Cent vs. Kanye album sales battle last year. A great album selling promotional tool, but boring radio. Shouldn't it be about communicating to the listening audience? And not about which artist had the most record sales, was promoted at another station, etc., etc.

Maybe this is what works within a society that has conditioned young men to think that their only vocational choice is to pursue a sports or rap contract. Or young women who define their own personal self-worth within this context. Maybe they're the only ones listening to Hip Hop/Urban radio also. OK I get it, they really are communicating to their audience effectively, it's like watching job orientation videos at the human resources office. Now you're ready for fries.