Art vs. Fame

That's the real question! My uncle sent me an email today and in the email he said "Don't worry about Fame. Focus on Mastering your craft..." That really made me think you know. I mean, I've always sort of thought like that anyway but to hear someone else say it to me, really hit home. It made me think about a lot of the artists that I hear on the radio or see on TV today. A lot of the time I just shake my head man, cause honestly, without hating on nobody...about 85 percent of the music that I hear (Hip Hop and R&B, in my opinion is straight GARBAGE! To quote NAS, "Is it Sylvia's fault? Or because MC's skillz are lost?"

I honestly think that MC's including Singers'...skillz are lost. Is Hip Hop Dead? Is R&B dead? Right now that's subjective, but I think that in the future, if changes aren't made then these genre's of music wil die. I think that R&B will last longer than hip hop, and I honestly don't think that R&B will ever die, but it is definately getting watered down, and everyone sounds the same. I mean be honest with yourself, what's the difference between Chris Brown, Ne-yo, Omarian, Trey Songz, Usher,Mario,Marques Houston, and Bobby Valentino? They all sound alike to me. I mean you got catz like my influence and favorite artist D'angelo... Bilal, Musiq, Erika Badu, Maxwell, Anthony Hamilton, Glenn Lewis, Sunshine Anderson, Jill Scott, Angie Stone, OLU, and many others who were part of the great NEO-SOUL move or in my opinion just plain out Soul who actually touched your heart with their lyrics man. But where are they? Besides Musiq and a few others ...they are virtually gone. You got the new blood coming in now like the Ne-yo's and Chris Brown's, etc. But if they are to carry the torch then Im afraid for R&B. Not to take anything away from these artists. But they are not leaders dude, they follow in the "Same Sound" trend.

And Don't get me started on Hip HOP. Hip Hop to me is gonna be like Disco. SO HUGE for an era and then poof...It's gone. Hip Hop is dying slowly..."HEY BABY" "MY LIP GLOSS IS POPPIN" "WALK IT OUT" "MAKE IT RAIN" Need I say more...Look Im not attacking these artists, and if you like the music cool, I mean you gotta have a party record for the clubs of course for album sales, and Im all for that...I mean I gotta joint called "Red Bone Mami" But come on man, let's hear some good music. Not this BUBBLE GUM BULLSH*T! Club joints are different, but when your whole album is sounding like this than something's wrong. If Im going to spend 15 bucks on a record than it better be worth it man.

I was so pissed when I bought that R.Kelly "Double Up" Album. ONE word, Garbage. Every song was about the club and getting drunk and high and screwing this chick and that chick. Come dude, your 40! Grow up...I'm disgusted with the way black music is portrayed, Hip Hop and R&B. No wonder other races look down upon us, look how we are betrayed...

What's my point? My point is this. Make quality music. Don't make music just to make money and get famous...and of course we want that but, while your trying to attain that, master your craft and put out your absolute best. Even if its a club joint,...be creative man!