All About The Benjamins: Would You Pay $100 For An Album? Posted by Lucas G. on 10/08/13 | Filed under Opinion, Nipsey Hussle, Ask RefinedHype Nation

Of all things in the world (excluding friends and family) music is easily my favorite. It has given me so much and been such a big part of my life I don’t know what I would do without it; it is safe to say music is priceless…except, for me, it is also valued at under $100. Now obviously if I had to pay a hundred bucks to keep listening to all music I would, but if you asked me to pay $100 dollars for a single project, I would laugh in your face and go by $100 with of material form other artist just to spite you. I love music, but I am also a realist, there is no way shelling out a Benjamin is worth it.

Good thing Nipsey Hussle didn’t ask me to buy his "Crenshaw" tape because his asking price was in fact $100 dollars (and I don’t have that kind of coin to throw around on any amount of music). Before we jump down his throats, he also made the project available for free, so it isn’t like you couldn’t get it anyway, but still, 100 bucks??? For a collection of "throw aways"?? Well, as it turns out, there were 1,000 Nipsey Stans who sleep with a picture of him under their pillow, cut out pictures of him and put it on family portraits, keep the lace caps from his Jordan’s in a private container and only take them out for “special me time” because Mr. Hussle made 100 grand of selling his already free mixtape; yes a thousand motherfuckers bought a free mixtape. I don’t really know Nipsey’s work, but I can tell you for sure, no free mixtape is worth spending 100 bucks on.
 

I guess I am not really against it, he isn’t forcing anyone to pay, and if you want to feel like a part of something, and really believe in his music than more power to you—it is probably more of a symbolic thing than economical purchase—but it got me thinking about situations where I would spend $100 for music. So far, I only have three.

Situation 1: A Rare, unreleased, limited edition vinyl from a legendary artist.

I would look at this as more like an investment than a loss of one hundred bucks. If there were 10 copies of a vinyl from a legend (like Marvin Gaye, Al Green, The Beatles, or B.B. King) available at $100 I might. It would almost be like purchasing a painting; you spend a ton of money for it but what it means, who it is from, and its value, is too much to pass up.

Situation 2: College Dropout Vol. 2 exclusive.

If I were going drop a hundy spot on one project, it would have to be something that I could listen to cover to cover for years and years; "College Dropout"-esque. Honestly I think the only artist I would trust is Kanye. If he dropped an exclusive $100 album, “The College Dropout II” hosting no less than 20 vintage Kanye soul beats blessed by his honest and relatable flow, I might spend a  hundred. I think of all the times listening to "College Dropout" the value has to be well over a hundred bucks. Of course if the tape project was available for a more reasonable price, I would buy it for that. I am not as sentimental as I am economical so if I could get the same project for less I would, but if the project was 100 bucks and there were no leaks or other ways to hear it, I probably would.

Situation three: A smaller artist, who I really believed in released an exclusive album

This one is where I can see the staniest of Nipsey stans falling under. If an artist like Nujabes was still alive and offered an exclusive album to me and anybody else who was wiling to pay 100 dollars, I would strongly consider it. As briefly mentioned above, if you really believe in the artist and want to feel close to them or part of something bigger I could see it. For me, Nujabes is one of those artists. He wasn’t an artist so big he wouldn’t recognize my contribution, but he also isn’t too unknown where my donation would go squandered. Additionally, I know the quality would be there so I wouldn’t worry about that. It isn’t so much the album you are getting, but the feeling like you are part of an elite circle and more than just the typical fan (#proud2pay in Nipsey's case). Giving a hundred to any cause shows you are really passionate and the same goes for the music.

So, maybe, it is not so crazy after all. Obviously Nipsey isn’t going to get me, or another outsider to spend a hundred, but if it becomes a cult thing within his fan base who are we to judge? He might as well make money off a loyal fanbase because people like me wont buy his album anyway. He must be doing something right if 1,00 people are willing to spend a hundred on a symbolic purchase so props to him; still though…its free; thats the onyl thing i can't get my head aorund but its not my money so que sera sera.

So RefinedHype Nation, how do you feel abut Nipsey’s strategy? What are the situations where you would spend 100 bucks on an album. I know we have a ton of passionate rap nerds in the audience so I am guessing a good number might consider it if the situation was correct. Let’s hear it!

See Also:  Rockie Fresh, Rick Ross & Nipsey Hussle A Surprisingly Fitting Trio On “Life Long” (Listen)