Dear Local Rap Artist Does this remind you of anyone you know ?
Dear Local Artist,
Allow me to introduce myself: I’m a nobody, but I prefer the term loser. I’m a poet, a performer, a writer, an overall word nerd. I used to rap, well, I still rap but not as much. Lost the fire for it, no longer felt connected to the audience or lack thereof.
After another ridiculous “artists showcase,” which, for those who don’t know, means “rappers performing in front of other rappers” or “monkeys performing for the clowns in the same circus,” I had an epiphany. This epiphany began with a frightening thought, and this frightening thought was this: “I am just like all of you people. I’m a typical local artist.”…Scared the shit outta me! To say the least You really can’t tell one from the other. Identical, from the music everyone swears is better than the last, to the live performance everyone swears is better than the first, the false support system, the handshakes, the kudos, and the exact same complaints about “the scene.” From the shallow applause, to knowing there is only one brass ring and we are all reaching for it. At this moment, this apoplectic realization, I destroyed my house, and decided to make a new foundation. I took a closer, incisive look at my career with new eyes and decided rap was a small part of a bigger picture. I turned to poetry, seeing it as more lucrative and responsive to real talent. Today I’m nowhere close to my goal, but I’m in the tunnel and I see light. But, as much as I love to talk about myself (and I can talk about myself for ages), this is about you. Yes, YOU! Local artist. You’re Welcome.
Dear Local Artist,
You ain’t shit, your unoriginal tactics to reach the plateau you dream of is just unrealistic. You do more complaining than creating. Bitching and moaning about “the scene” & “how your city doesn’t show support” hasn’t gotten you or the you’s that came before you anywhere. The moment you put your art for sale you become a product. A product no different from the products you consume in your day to day life. When Pepsi declines in sales, they don’t bitch, they repackage, they upgrade, they ask “what are we doing wrong?” Do you ask yourself the same thing? Of course not. You blame your city, your state, your non-existent fans, friends, family, etc. But, maybe your product isn’t up to par. Maybe subconsciously you know your passion is just a wet dream, a fantasy, “Drop Dead Fred” real as the things you rap about.
Dear Local Artist,
I’ll say it again, you ain’t shit. Call me a hater, but whenever I hear your music, I silently wish the microphone was Thor’s Hammer. Not because your music sucks, but because you suck….as human being. Here’s what I’ve noticed: On one side you have the talented local artist, who knows they’re talented and think that their talent is going to get them everywhere. This person may have a few loyal followers, but their lack self promotion skills will keep them living from check to check, claiming they are the hottest in the city. Usually the first to complain about everything that is the fictional industry they think they are in. On the other side you have the untalented local artist. What this person lacks in talent they make up for in hustle. There is a thin line between promotion and annoying and this person stomps on that line with muddy combat boots. Aimlessly flooding your Facebook timeline/inbox with links and not to mention how they always want to broadcast how they are “in the studio”, eventually turning off all potential fans. A heart of lion with no business sense is just a hamster in a wheel. Talent gets you to the door your hustle opens it. One extreme without the other leads to oblivion.
Dear Local Artist,
You began this journey when you were 20 something, now you’re 30 something and in the same spot you were when you were 20 something. Don’t you think it’s time for a change? You’re constantly swindled by promoters, who put you on their shows that have 10-15 other artists that look like you, sound like you, rap like you, talk like you, walk like you, act like you, and you want people to come to your live show like it’s something unique and exciting. Here a question, if you had nothing to do with music, if you were simply a fan/father/mother/employee etc.. would you come to your show? Would you, in fact, be entertained or better yet willing to pay your hard earned money to see a stage of no named emcees, most demanding attention while giving a subpar performance? What makes you different? What makes you stand-out? Every rapper seems to think they have the best music and claim they’re the hottest in the streets, all while sounding like the next to naked ears of the possible consumer.
Dear Local Artist,
I can do this all day. But, I’m gonna end this by saying from one artist to another… fuck you. Fuck your music, fuck your home made cds, fuck delusional sense of supremacy, fuck your studio, fuck your backpack, fuck your Facebook “like” page with under 100 likes, fuck your bullshit live show, fuck your wack stage presence and fuck every song you call a hit single. Your complaining about artists not supporting each other is stupid. But if you want to make a profession out of beating a dead horse be my guest. What if you put that energy into satisfying the consumer, you wouldn’t need support from other artists. When do you ever hear about the consumer in the rants of a local artist? When do you hear them speak on their product? The local artist blame game is getting old. They have become equipped with a deserving attitude when in actuality you deserve shit. You want support, you earn support. Instead of aiming for sales you’re fishing for donations, and expecting to get rich. I’m a fellow artist/consumer, I’m not your mother, your cousin, your boyfriend, your husband or your best friend and I don’t have to support you. I support what I believe in and what satisfies me. Open-minded, yes, but I support those who deserve my support.
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very deep post