If you missed the first mysterious video by a self-described government operative named Robert Connors who threatened to reveal a hidden 20 year old initiative by major powers to derail Hip Hop’s cultural essence and use the genre as a tool to disseminate and infiltrate an evil agenda, it’s posted below.
Truth #1: It’s clearly no secret that Hip Hop– or at least what most people perceive to be Hip Hop and pass off as Hip Hop– is far from what it was meant to be and stand for during its inception. Truth #2: People love conspiracies and enjoy spreading them, regardless if it’s misinformation or have some factual basis. Rapper Prince EA used these truths to help get attention, and it worked. It got people viewing, talking, and spreading the message. The original video encouraged viewers to re-upload and spread its contents under the guise that higher powers might take it down. It was purported to serve as a security policy for Connors in case his message (and possibly he himself) was erased after threatening to reveal secrets unless authorities came clean. (Below is also the follow-up video that viewers were waiting to be revealed a week later.)
The payoff, of course, was that it’s really a promotion for rapper Prince EA’s track “I Know Who Killed Hip Hop.”(The answer, of course, is “you.” If you support the status-quo and don’t seek out music that elevates the genre and culture; then, you are killing its essence.) Regardless of your stance–Hip Hop purist or someone who loves a good mystery– Prince EA executed a brilliant marketing stunt that got attention.
Ultimately, music needs more effective attention grabbers; otherwise, most of it gets lost in a sea of noisy babble. Well played Prince EA. And, to all aspiring rappers, find something distinct to do online, and maybe people will pay attention. -I. Vasquetelle
The first Robert Connors’ video:
The reveal:
Great way to get peoples attention.
Very creative. As a marketing guy… loved this story…