Step it Up

On my day off, I decided to go to the park, play ball, and sit on the bench and watch the Manhattan skyline. I played ball for about an hour just shooting around by myself. When I was done I sat on the bench and started thinking. Just about my life you know...And I started thinking about when I was on the high school basketball team. I don't know why I was thinking about that moment, but it hit me hard, real hard. Let me explain...

When I was a in high school 9-12 I was a dope baller. Especially grades 9-11, I quit halfway through my senior year in high school. But anyways, when I played ball, I was the second leading scrorer on the team and led the team in rebounds. Bottom Line is I was good, real good, but that wasn't good enough. Obviously it still bothers me till this day. I didn't step up the way that I should have. My team depended on me and what did I do...I quit halfway into my senior year. I quit because I felt at the time that my coach wasn't playing me enough...but now that I think about it, it was because I didn't step up. I let some bummy sophmore take my starting position. I should have practiced harder and longer, I should have shown more hunger and my life should have been basketball, but it wasn't. I didn't step up and I let my team mates down, and till this day I am stil hurt about it. What does this have to do with music?

Alot. I'm 26 now, and I'm looking back to when I was 16,17,18...I don't want to look back to when I'm 36 and be like "I never stepped up with my music at 26" I started doing music since 8 but I didnt start getting nice wit it until about 22, it took that long to get nurtured and cultured into my craft. Bottom Line is that I have people depending on me with this, and I cannot afford to be lax with this. I will see this through 100 percent. Now is crunch time, now is the time that I must step this thing up. I'm not getting any younger, and now is my peak, my prime, and whatever I'm going to do has to be down now, no excuses. Speaking of age, alot of artists be lying about their age trying to appeal younger so you can sell more records...Thats Wack! Real music doesn't have an age. Good Music is Good Music period. I can care less what anyone has to say other wise.

I remember this one time this older guy was talking to me about music. We were talking about catz who were young,old, everything. He said, "Some people have it at a certain time, and some people don't. Sometimes it takes people longer to get it" And then I thought about young kids like Chris Brown who at 18 has great vocals, and then I remember when I was 18 my voice sounded nothing on that level.... but now at 26 I'm there you know. It took my voice that long to develop...and that statement is so true. My advice to anyone is to not compare yourself to other people. They may be great and you may not be there yet, but keep practicing until your there. It may take you longer, but you'll get there. Just step it up!