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TURC: What role will the internet and MP3 technology
play in the new landscape of music distribution?
How many MP3's do you currently have in your
collection?
Bavu: I have one MP3, an instrumental a producer sent me.
The net helps artists make bread, build their reps,
etc, without a label. But the folks on the net still
have to be looking for the artists, for the most part.
So you have to come up with a promotion/marketing plan
that leads the net surfer to you, or your following's
still gonna be marginal. The net has alot of
potential, especially for independent artists with
computer-savvy fanbases. Yet Joe the Rapper starting
out can post MP3's all over the place and have a dope
website, but if I'm not trying to hear him in the
first place...
TURC: What do you think about the Napster decision and the
future of online MP3 trading?
Bavu: Online mp3 trading won't be stopped by any one
lawsuit, especially one that went right back to
appeal. I assume the big labels are gonna beat Napster
to death, but there are so many unhyped trading spots
besides napster... From the perspective of an indie
artists, it's free publicity and "airplay" if you
will, because I consider spots like napster and
mp3.com the latest medium on the level of a radio
station. Basically, web surfers make their own mix
tapes or mix show. I think online trading is growing
at a rate that alarms the big labels, because it'll
make exclusive retail, paid radio airtime and royalty
checks -- among other things -- much less important.
And if chuck d calls it a digitized revolution, it can
only be so bad!
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TURC: Are you a trendsetter?
Bavu: On a very local level, yes. But I'm not trying to
be locally excellent for the rest of my life. On the
Soundscape record, the lyrics are like: "I'm the
biggest trendsetter since D.O. or Ron C.; Another
Texan mc with my talent's beyond me;  Talent alone
won't make you blow as we all know; But I will make a
way and you'll listen once you know; In some cases you
know as soon as you listen; So you can be with me from
the beginning or follow, it's your decision; A message
to all, and it ain't that deep; You can acknowledge
what you're witnessing or die in your sleep;"
So I'm saying that I'm putting it down for Texas as
one of the dopest ever in terms of ability, believing
I can get folks to look at Texas and be like "damn!".
But it's gonna take a lot of hard work or no one will
ever know it!
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