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2DOPEBOYZ
Type of site
Music website
Available inEnglish
OwnersMeka Udoh, Joel Zela
URL2dopeboyz.com
CommercialYes
RegistrationOptional
Launched2007; 17 years ago (2007)
Current statusOnline

2DopeBoyz, stylized in all caps, is an online hip hop music review, news and criticism website launched in 2007 by Meka Udoh and Joel "Shake" Zela, who were former editors at HipHopDX.[1][2] The website played a central role in hip hop's blog era of the mid-2000s and early 2010s, a period of growth for non-mainstream outlets as music media transitioned from primarily print and radio-based to online outlets and social media.[3][4] 2DOPEBOYZ and other blogs like it helped promote unsigned and unknown rappers to notoriety, launching the careers of many of the star artists of the period.[5][6][3]

History

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Udoh and Zela started the blog as a hobby with a focus on the West Coast.[5] In 2008, 2DOPEBOYZ joined other blogs including OnSMASH, Miss Info's eponymous blog, and Nah Right to form the New Music Cartel, a loose professional collective created to help the defining blogs of Hip Hop's blog era compete with larger print, radio, and technology companies.[5][7]

In 2012, 2DOPEBOYZ was nominated in the "Best Hip Hop Online Site" category at the 2012 Bet Hip Hop Awards.[8]

In June 2017, 2DOPEBOYZ was one of several music websites and blogs who had their Twitter accounts suspended over copyright claims from major labels like Viacom and Atlantic Records.[9]

As part of Jay Z's 4:44 album rollout, cryptic ads featuring the album name on a peach-colored background were bought on sites including 2DOPEBOYZ, Complex, and The Undefeated. The ads did not link to anything, but Spin reported the image's source code included reference to Jay Z's music streaming website Tidal.[10][11]

In 2018, when Zela tweeted he was considering shutting the website down, rapper Kendrick Lamar encouraged him not to and said the culture needed 2DOPEBOYZ. The blog is often credited with playing an early role in the promotion of Lamar's decorated career.[3]

Feud with Tyler, the Creator

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In the title track of Tyler, the Creator's 2009 mixtape Bastard, the first words Tyler says are cursing 2DOPEBOYZ, NahRight, and other blogs who Tyler viewed as snubbing him early in his career.[12][13] On the title track of fellow Odd Future member Earl Sweatshirt's 2010 mixtape, Earl, Earl, Tyler, and Taco Bennett rap about their distaste for 2DOPEBOYZ.[14]

In 2011, Tyler, the Creator announced the release date of his solo album Goblin with a video on his website that flashed the words "Fuck 2DopeBoyz & NahRight".[15][16] On the song "Sandwitches" off of Goblin, Tyler rapped "Fuck 2DopeBoyz, all them niggas bitches/We don't need y'all, The Fader's who we really fucking with, bitch."[17]

In a February 17, 2011 post on 2DOPEBOYZ, Zela and Udoh addressed Tyler's comments, claiming they weren't even aware of him as an artist until he started insulting them in interviews and on tracks. They said they never received music from Tyler or Odd Future and they would not work with someone who was disrespectful "for absolutely no reason," calling Tyler's outrage a marketing ploy.[18]

References

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  1. ^ Rhett, Starrenn (May 16, 2011). "Black Blogger Month: 2DopeBoyz, Business Never Personal". Black Enterprise. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  2. ^ Hunte, Justin (September 4, 2014). "#DX15: Meka Recalls Creating 2DopeBoyz.com, Beginning Of "Blog Era"". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on July 29, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Phillips, Yoh (April 25, 2018). "A Eulogy for the Blog Era That Raised Me". DJBooth. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  4. ^ Larew, Tim (August 28, 2020). "The Blog Era Was Perfectly Imperfect". Pigeons & Planes. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Drake, David (March 9, 2016). "How the New Music Cartel Redefined the Music Industry". Complex. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  6. ^ Thompson, Paul (May 19, 2021). "On 'The Off-Season,' J Cole proves he's about growth, not just being one of the greats". Mic. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  7. ^ Green, Dylan (September 30, 2019). "A Guide to the 3 Strains of "Internet Rap"". DJBooth. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  8. ^ "2DopeBoyz Nominated for "Best Hip Hop Online Site" on BET Hip Hop Awards". 2DOPEBOYZ. September 13, 2012. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  9. ^ Tiffany, Kaitlyn (June 27, 2017). "Twitter suspends accounts of The Fader and other popular music sites". The Verge. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  10. ^ Luu, Christopher (June 6, 2017). "This Is Why Everyone Thinks Jay Z Is Dropping An Album Today". Refinery29. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  11. ^ Cush, Andy (June 6, 2017). "What Are These Mysterious '4:44' Tidal Ads Promoting?". Spin. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  12. ^ Harvilla, Rob (May 18, 2019). "Who's (Still) Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf Gang?". The Ringer. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  13. ^ "Tyler the Creator - Bastard lyrics". Genius.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  14. ^ "Earl Sweatshirt - Earl lyrics". Genius.com. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  15. ^ Blanco, Alvin (March 17, 2011). "TYLER THE CREATOR ANNOUNCES GOBLIN DATE, DISMISSES BLOG HATERS". MTV News. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  16. ^ Murdock, Logan (May 10, 2021). "Walking Paradox: How Tyler, the Creator Grew Into the Rebel He Always Wanted to Be". The Ringer. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  17. ^ "Tyler the Creator - Sandwitches lyrics". Genius.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  18. ^ Zela, Joel "Shake"; Udoh, Meka (February 17, 2011). "Sorry Kids..." 2DOPEBOYZ. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
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