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Trae Tha Truth Is Banned in Texas USA, But Why?
A reflection on The Box’s ban against Trae tha Truth…
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Last month I got the opportunity to go down to Houston for Trae Day and while I had fun hanging out and experiencing the event live, I must admit that I walked away seriously disappointed in the lack of unity among some of Houston’s artists.
The all-day celebration marked the third anniversary of the day Houston MC and noted civil servant Trae Tha Truth was given the key to the city. The event offered rides, games, free school supplies and uniform giveaways, as well as a free concert for all of the families in attendance.
Now, if you’ve been paying attention to the H-Town music scene you’d know that Trae filed suit against Houston radio station 97.9 The Box for enforcing a ban that’s seriously threatened his livelihood. The station basically will not play anything that is even remotely related to him.
For Trae, it means that it has and will continue to be difficult for him to work and collaborate with other artists because they know there’s no chance of airplay if he’s on the track. It means that promoters will be hesitant to book him for shows because advertisements for the events are banned, as well, if they mention his name. The Box wouldn’t even allow a Houston 4 Haiti benefit to run ads on their station because Trae was a guest. He ultimately backed out of the show so that it could get the publicity that it needed. The ban has even started to affect the livelihood of other people associated with Trae. The Kracker Nuttz, veteran DJs at the station, were suspended for accidentally playing a Chamillionaire song that featured Trae and radio DJ Brandi Garcia, who’d been with The Box five years, was fired for playing a Trae song at a non-work related event.
The problem is compounded by that fact that The Box is the one and only hip-hop station in Houston, so it’s not like Trae can take his business elsewhere. They’ve got a monopoly on the hip-hop market and are, in my opinion, inappropriately wielding that power to systematically block out Trae.
At this point, it’s kind of like “Is The Box serious?” As Matt Sonzala, former Houston Press music listings editor and local hip-hop promoter, pointed out in his open letter to The Box, this whole situation could’ve been cleared up months ago with a simple conversation between Trae and the radio station. The fact that it hasn’t been resolved makes me think that there’s much more to the story than meets the eye.
Now I get it—It’s politics.
While many artists are on Trae’s side, as well, they can’t necessarily act or speak on it without jeopardizing their relationship with The Box. However, that doesn’t mean that this isn’t seriously disappointing.
I wonder if people realize that as long as this is allowed to happen, it could potential happen to any other Houston artist in the future. No matter who the victim, it seems like it’s on the responsibility of all Houston artists to show up and show out… and if you get banned off the radio then so be it. If everyone banded together would The Box ban everyone? No. If people in the city of Houston stopped attending Box events how long do you think the ban would last?
It was nice to see that even with all of the controversy the streets still came out to support Trae but what was particularly upsetting was the lack of support from other Houston artists. I didn’t count one Houston artist but there were definitely a few who showed up to the Bun B album listening party across town later that night.
Why isn’t anyone doing anything?
Lupe flew out from Los Angeles and many other artists came out to support. You mean to tell me there’s not one person in Houston that’s going to stand beside Trae with more than just moral support?
Now that his case against the station has been dismissed, it makes me wonder, who’s going to stand up for Trae? —Brooklyne “I’m on Trae’s Side” Gipson
This is completely fucked up. Some one needs to step in and do something before other artists gets infected with bullshit politics from these hack radio stations.
this the same dude who smacked Mike Jones just for publicity. I could see him being a liabilty by being too close to him with no payoff involved. And if he aint trully a friend to none of these artists then why should they feel obligated??
it is messed up that they won’t play the dudes songs strictly off of ‘politics’..but have you ever thought that hey…his music is trash too. No disrespect to any positivity he may be reachin for..and his G status in the streets…but that doesn’t automatically qualify your sound as something that is radio worthy.
everything he has ever recorded all sounds like the same song to me..and he has never had a solid hit. Real talk.
they play some of his stuff in san antonio but it hurts my ears everytime.
so nobody owes this dude nothing more than a chance..and if he can’t make better music…i think they should stop playin it on any station.
that’s just my thoughts…no disrespect..just opinions
bitch nigga
“The problem is compounded by that fact that The Box is the one and only hip-hop station in Houston.”
No, that is the problem. This is the perfect time for Houston artists to form an alternative outlet. Many a media outlet started with less capital than artists spend on cars, clothes, jewelry and all around bullsh!t in one year. But fear and dependence – the slave mentality – will triumph, I’m sure.
hell yeah, trae can easily open his own radio station, and i’ll most probabily be succesful one
I live in the H and everyone is always complaining about how much 97.9 has changed, they use to do whaterver to support houston artist but now they don’t get as much radio play its the same 10 songs all damn day, 97.9 use to go all out back in the gap but you right its all politics now.
I fuc wit trae REALLY ??? a Radio Station doing all this they must hate that nigga or there is something else going on behind the scenes that we dont know about
Damn thats fucked up. I hope the artists in Houston realize that they need to support Trae cause they can get banned too. I mean Houston isn’t the only city that has an issue with supporting local artists its also an issue in many other cities such as my city in Tampa. They always play the same 10 to 12 song a day and everynow and then they’ll play a few Tampa songs. This is why ATL is on top. This is why Miami on top cause they support the local artists first and many of them becomes big. Houston and other cities like it should invest in helping local artists spread their music out there.
Miami dont do shit 2 support local artist, plus pretty much of the local talent either sound just alike or just ass & im from Miami………..long live TRICK DADDY DOLLARS
Well IDK what you talkin bout cause to me I always hear about some MIA dude coming up more than I hear of a dude from Tampa. The advantages that Miami have is that ya’ll got a huge rap scene, Khaled and a huge representation there. People knows and fucks with MIA. Meanwhile Tampa is a big city like Miami yet ppl continue to overlook us, plus we don’t have support from radio so we gotta do shit on our own. So if its true that local Miami artists aren’t gettin support then either they aren’t hot or ya’ll have favoritism among artists.
yea i c what you sayin but the dudes that khaled b backin like ace hood aint even 4rm Miami, yea he gives the local artist shoutouts every now & then but if u aint Ross you aint gettin no extra spins
Nigga u a fag IDK who or what u think u are nigga but u need to fuckin die THATS ON GOD PUSSY NIGGA come see me bitch i’ll stomp yo ass out wit kleetz on nigga i swear!
i find it kinda ho-ish how these houston rapper claim to be so united but when this shit happened all of them turned the other cheek. I’m disappointed in Bun B Z-Ro Chamillionaire Paul Wall & etc for letting this shit happen. Don’t they realize if they do it 2 1 of their underground’s best, that they can easily do it 2 them. They need 2 stand up & form an united front. What they gonna do then, ban them all? As far as this shit aint none of them gettin a dollar out of me….(goes 2 limewire & download trill o.g.)
Its true…I live in Houston…and i dont listen to the radio…97.9 plays the same songs over and over…until people are pulling their hair out…i rather listen to my IPOD. But that just shows you how big Houston does it. We dont need the Radio to tell us who’s hot or not. Basically Zro, Trae, UGK and other Houston artist all have a BIG underground following that buy they stuff regardless if it get airplay or not.
OVERLOOKED H TOWN YAMMS:
Z RO & Gucci Mane: “HATERS GOT ME WRONG”
Bun B Slim Thug: “Riding Slow”
ABN (ZRO & TREA): “WHO’S THE MAN”
ZRO “TIRED:
H TOWN CLASSICS:
Lil Keke: “Pimpin Pens”
UGK: “CHOPPIN BLADES”
UGK: “DIAMONDS & WOOD”
ZRO Lil Flip & Paul Wall “FROM THE SOUTH”
MAAN HOLD UP…
I aint Thowed enough yet…
Beanie Sigel Feat. Bun B “PURPLE RAIN”
Jim Jones Feat. Bun B & TI “End of the Road”
RIP Chad Butler UGK4LIFE
I’m right w/ ya man. I don’t even listen to 97.9 anymore. I went to their playlist section and it just made me sick that the only thing on the radio is Drake, Wayne, and loads of RnB. The playlist using is from 4 hrs and back, and in that time they would have played songs by Drake Wayne and Nicki Minaj more than half that time.
The only houston artist that has been heavily on the radio is Bun B. No Trae, No Flip, no Chamillioanire, a fraction of Paul Wall’s stuff, and maybe a Slim Thug and Z-Ro song thrown in every so often. I’m even surprised I heard J-Dawg’s “1st 48″ as much as I did. 97.9 as I remembered it is dead, and our artists NEED to ban together right now.
nigga u aint from tha h nigga u fraud
I am from houston, dumbass. Who the fuck are you??? A real “gram pusha”? Probably not, fuck outta here.
Look at this pussy nigga swype-matic tryn act like he had sex with women before. Nigga get yo dick out of other men GOD CAN SEE YOU
we all know if pimp c was alive, he would go to that radio station and get trae back on the radio or he would take all his songs off their rotation too. folks need to stick together
I haven’t been to TX in 5 years and I’m a little unfamiliar with what’s really going on, but TEXAS STAND UP!!! Don’t let a radio station lay a pimp hand to your shit! They don’t do anything for you but play the same damn 12 songs over and over again anyway, right?! Are any of those 12 songs from Texas artists?
The first thing yall need to do is say “Fuck The Box!” After that, someone with entrepreneur spirit needs to set up shop a few dials down from 97.9. Seems obvious… that lane is so empty and wide that I can see it from Detroit.
There’s Satellite Radio. There’s Blogradio. Podcasts.
Thanks for being bitches, The Box. Now you gotta brother from Detroit checking for Trae The Truth’s shit. Keep promoting it…