Look at it this way. You are still playing out when you can. There are tons of DJs out there who never get past the beedroom door in their whole career.
Not saying that you have to settle for what you have, but just by virtue of the fact that you are standing up to be counted means that you are the real deal.

But yeah, you are correct, it does seem like the ass has fallen out of the whole industry at the moment and no one seems to really know what is going on any more... For me what people refer to as Hip Hop is nothing like the original art form and in fact is just another version of top 40 or commercial rapping, but true Hip Hop just doesn't exist anymore on the main stage. Kind of suffered the same way dance music did in the wake of commerical bling talking... Oops, have I rambled again he he.

Cheers
Nem

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https://www.mixcloud.com/Calvin_Karass/