I want to be heard. However, it seems today that people are listening less and less. Personally, I remember counting down the days until an album came out like I was counting down the days till Christmas. With each countdown, I knew I was receiving a gift, and those classic CD’s still get play long after those Christmas boxers and socks have been thrown out. I still play Criminal Minded, Illmatic, Paid in Full, Midnight Marauders, Stakes is High, and so many other classic titles like they came out yesterday. Nowadays an artist is lucky if his peers even pick up the ring tone. On the flipside, to be fair the consumer, a listener is lucky if an artist drops anything deserving of being more than a ring tone. It is both unproductive and pointless in my mind to assign blame to either side because we are where we are and it is what it is, so to speak. Ultimately, what I am more interested in is where we, as a people, go from here.
As both an artist and a listener, I have seen first hand how both sides are extremely frustrated with the other. As I want this to change I decided to take the first step towards the listener in the fall of 2007. It was then I released my debut solo album, The Cooperative. I took my time and money to slowly craft a listening experience that I am proud of. Unfortunately, at times I feel like a tree in an unpopulated forest save the fact that I have not yet fallen. I am and would like to remain an independent artist because I refuse to change what I do and how I do it. Music is my love and I want to remain free creatively and intellectually as well as physically. That is why I have decided to take a second step toward the listener in the hopes you will take a couple steps my way.
A year after my albums initial release I have decided to give The Cooperative to the people for free. As established artists might release a single to get you excited for their release, I am confident enough in my entire album for you to hear the entire recording. I am still a largely unknown artist so I would like people to hear who I am in anyway possible. I can only do so many shows and spread the message so far by myself. Therefore, I am giving the album to you for free to hopefully enlist your support in my movement.
With this ever changing musical landscape there are many ways you can support me. For instance if you truly enjoy this release than please purchase and physical or digital copy, or purchase a future release.
> More of the Musician's Manifesto
