Are you an aspiring artist? This one's for you!
When it comes to aspiring new artists in the music industry, a common misconception is that you will become an overnight celebrity just because you made a couple catchy songs. Most artists don't realize that it takes years of perfecting your craft in order to become an artist as opposed to a rap star. In today's hip-hop, it has become a trendy issue as opposed to actually using 'skills'. When I say skills, I mean using similes, metaphors and the likes. You know, the kind of things you'd ignore in English class because you thought you'd never have to use it.
Personally I feel as if today's hip-hop is watered down to its most extreme form and I believe it started with songs such as crank that, You know those "2 words repeated the whole track" type songs. As the years went on 'Trap Music' which T.I. recently said was created by him with his second album titled Trap Musik has become what we now call mumble rap or what most people refer to as drill music. The kind of music where the soul purpose of it is to glorify gang banging, pimping hoes and selling drugs.
Let's take it back to the 80's or 90's where music had a meaning to our lives. Where it was used as a medium to vent community frustrations with the government and police that were trying to keep them in there dilapidated environment. If you take all this into account, then you'd probably start to realize that instead of what started as an art-- it has gradually turned into a get rich fast type scheme. So as the saying goes "anything acquired fast usually doesn't last very long" ..and if you look at chart ratings of these catchy songs they usually don't stay in the top 20 for very long; much less even remembered 2 months after the initial release.
I think the problem with this is that artist don't spend enough time on what they're creating. They don't even start to wonder if these 'songs' created even fits into the projects criteria. They take any criticism as a form of 'hate' giving absolutely no thought to any positive or negative feedback. If you ask yourself if this is true I'd bet you'd have any eerie feeling in your gut to how accurate the hammer hits the nail. Artists that could be considered the new age Pac or Biggie are automatically push to the back and almost forced to shove their music down our throats which in turn makes us look at them as if there desperate-- not even taking into account the struggles of an actual artist. Imagine overlooking the Mona Lisa for a stick man? Bet you felt that feeling in your gut again!!! Then you start to ask yourself is there a solution to this problem? Kind of hard when the big bosses are the ones that are pushing the 'crap' with all that big money. If you look at artists such as Nipsey Hussle and Tech N9ne you begin to wonder if the independent route is best suited for real artists to stand up for what they want to build? To be an example to the ones hoping that one day they too will be able to get there message across to the masses? Now let's not talk as if the independent route is easy because most will probably throw in the towel when the going gets hard not to mention all the money you'd have to invest in the proper places in order to even begin to see a 20% profit on what was initially invested. So let's get back on track with how aspiring artists should approach these types of situations. Perfect your craft. By doing so you will always be seen in a different light. Be Seen apart from the rest of these rappers.
If there mumbling, how about you don't. If their lyrics are basic, make yours complex. If they talk about drugs be positive and speak on other issues that should be addressed such as injustices just as an example. Just because your circumstances might be drugs everywhere around you doesn't mean you have to conform to it. Be different it never fails. Keep evolution a constant when dealing with your music. There always new things you learn every time you write and freestyle trust me. Today you might have the wackiest bars out and with a little practice boom you're spitting like Big L. It takes time but practice makes perfect and evolution never fails
Be loyal to those who give you an honest opinion about your music. These types of people are the most valuable to your team. Critics will help you understand were you go wrong and cause you to question your ability. Sometimes you might wanna keep something that you like but in truth it's not the best idea. That's definitely where a second opinion can fit in. Also, make sacrifices. If you truly want to be the best your going to have to give something up which can be as simple and important as time. When you finish a song or project and you're not proud of what you created then it probably isn't the smartest idea to release it. If you don't like it how do you expect any one else to like it? It just doesn't make sense and people will realize this right away because they will feel it through your music. Seize opportunity as soon as it presents itself. If you see that other artists are on a heist, have projects that you can release to the public for free to keep yourself relevant in trying times. That also will help with promotion and marketing because you will be out there. This is a very personally motivated statement but I feel you should never ever listen to the middle man. There will always be people around you that wants to benefit off your hard work and will tell you whatever is needed to make a profit on you. Avoid these types of people like the plague. I promise you will thank me at some point for this statement once you realize it's the truth. Eliminate the Judus in your group as quickly as possible because they will sell you out the first chance they get and once you take all these things into prospective and are able to come up with a legit plan, remember 2 things. Number 1, focus on your people. The ones that stayed with you from day 1. If you make it, put them in position to make it. Never forget your people. And number 2, live your dream. It's hard to have fun when there so many things to do and thoughts that occupy your mind, but through all that have fun. Rock out on stages. Kill it in studios and overall when chances present themselves, go crazyyyyyy! The the hardest thing in life is to do it, when you don't feel like it. Stick to your grind!
