Fight For Your Right To Party.

Speaks kind of negatively about the state of hip hop and the music industry when being released by a record label is cause for celebration, doesn’t it? Peep the trailer for (new free agents) Dilated Peoples’ Release Party DVD/CD, set for release July 31st.

I found it kind of refreshing to hear Evidence say that they went to Capitol Records because they were gonna let Dilated “do their shit.” That was back around ’99-’00 — funny how times change. It seemed as if Capitol was down for the cause at first, and Dilated wasn’t doing that bad sales-wise (I can’t recall if Expansion Team went gold, but if it didn’t, it came really close). But as the years passed, and groups like Dilated became less relevant to the masses, and major labels became less interested in putting money behind artists with smaller (but loyal) fanbases, it became clear that the relationship wasn’t going to last. That’s probably why neither side put much effort behind 20/20, which was hardly promoted and not up to par with the group’s previous work.

Having met and gotten autographs from Ev, Rakaa and Babu after a performance a few years back, I can say that they put on a killer live show, they’ve released some great music (including Ev’s recently-released solo debut, The Weatherman LP), and they’re all real stand-up guys (the fact that they stuck it out at Capitol for 4 albums serves as a testament to that). Wherever their next endeavors lead them, I’m sure they’ll be putting out more great music in the future.