music being held back by big corporations

[Steven West]

Maybe a Japanese member here, or Pough et al can testify to this - but I heard in Japan, all the artists are like 'employees' of their record labels?
They get a weekly cheque or so, and their copyright royalties. And I'm sure the money is lucrative - but none of this BOOM! Million dollars on the coffee table, woohoo-lets buy coke now! But I really like the sounds of business in Japan when it comes to music if that's the case? Heck, a 5 year contract @ $150,000US per annum, plus overriding residuals/mechanicals held in escrow till contract expires and paid out if non-renewal is committed. Thats SWEET to me!

[TVD]

All of the hip-hop/R&B stations by Clear Channel refuse to play anything by The Black Eye Peas.

Are you sure about that? While googling for more info, I found a BEP page on Z100 New York. I would have that it'd be next to impossible to reach #1 without Clear Channel airplay.

Unless you here in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Florida where Clear Channel Stations (especially WQUE 93FM) never...ever play any BEP songs!

[TVD]

...here we have this hideous westy version called skip-hop.

Sort of like a Kylie Minogue version of Hip Hop?
Or McDonald's version of a hamburger? <cringe!>

I don't know, but "Red-Blooded Woman" is the closest to a hip-hop track that Kylie has ever done.

And she has a beautiful booty.