Letters from the issue of Thursday, January 24, 2008

Anyhow, at least I know that Blunt Club has moved to Club Red! That was a good move on part of that Kim girl who owns it.

Keep putting out great articles, New Times!
Prime Mover, Phoenix

Reality ain't riches, bitches, and fly stitches: Dope article ["Raising Terrazona"], but hip-hop from day one was not so much black culture as it was street culture. This culture has included black, white, and Latino since birth.

As someone who's has been involved in PHX hip-hop since the early '90s, I think it's dope that Willy Northpole and them got deals, but let's see if they bring the guys in to the spotlight that put in all the work, like Cut Throat, Antedote, Drunken Immortals, Ascended Masterz, Rooski, Super Market (for the old-skool Phoenix heads).

Commercial rap is cool, but let's try to stop sellin' fantasies about riches, bitches, and fly stitches and start sellin' reality.
Amoerock TC, via the Internet

Ain't where ya from; it's where ya at: I could give a fuck about this article for these reasons: With or without the New Times cover, best wishes to Willy. Whichever clubs were caused to butt heads, whatever. East Coast/West Coast, all good. This is AZ, where there is no coast. And in case no one realizes it yet, hip-hop is worldwide now. It ain't where you're from, it's where the fuck ya at!
Mr. Token, via the Internet

Brad "B-Rad" Gluckman speaks: Everyone remember, this article ["Raising Terrazona"] was written to incite hate amongst us in the AZ hip-hop community. It was written to divide us in order to create controversy and move papers.

I'm a member of Universatile Music, Avenue of the Arts, and Furious Styles Crew. I have love for Karlie Hustle, 98.3, Groove Candy as well as Man Up, 5Fith Coast, Hot Rod, and Willy Northpole.

We can't allow any media outlet to use its voice to try to divide us. We are all AZ hip-hop, no matter what.

Just because there are different styles of hip-hop, just because we are so diverse in sound, style, and race does not mean we hate each other. Don't allow this reckless thoughtless article to make you choose sides.
Ill Al the Anglo-Saxon, via the Internet

Duh, it's the music that matters: The ["Raising Terrazona"] story exposed me to new artists and frankly surprised me, too. Definitely doesn't fit with the perception I had of Phoenix's hip-hop scene. I didn't know there was one until I read this story.

I also got the impression from the story that the scene is diverse, not that it's all black people or all white people. The focus was on people who are doing big things in hip-hop right now who have been overlooked for too long.

I don't think stating that there is a black rap scene in Phoenix is racist, or that giving long overdue attention to a marginalized part of a music scene is unbalanced. It's about time someone had the guts to say there are still struggles that are still relevant in the African-American community, and that there are talented people who deserve recognition and are accomplishing things from that community.

Why is telling that story and giving a voice to the issue racist? The music is what's supposed to matter, and music is tied to the cultures from which it comes. Recognizing that, sharing those stories, and celebrating accomplishments should not cause a heated debate about race.
Jon Pritchard, via the Internet

Listen up, playa-haters: Yeah, shame on New Times for actually putting a black man on its cover!
Keisha, via the Internet