Music has come a long way since I was a teenager. I grew up on Nas, Outkast, Biggie, SWV, Jodeci, and the like. Song like Elevators (Me and You) or If I Ruled the World provided the soundtrack to my coming of age. I couldn't wait for Tuesdays to buy a new cassette or cd.
Nowadays, I can count the number of cds I buy on one hand. I'm not saying there's not good music out there but its few and far in between. Also, you have to include the fact that digital downloads (legally of course) cut even deeper into cd purchases. Music is no longer treated like a love but like a chick on the side. Use her up to get what you want and toss her to the wayside.
Before you get to testifying and putting money into my collection plate, this isn't what this blog is about. Yes I do yearn for the days of good music. However, I know those songs and albums have their place and time. I'm not 16 anymore so bumpin' Noreaga's N.O.R.E. in my Buick Park Ave is far behind me. Do I still listen to that cd? Of course. It doesn't have the same effect. I can never recreate that feeling I felt driving to school bumpin' Superthug. Nor do I want to. I want that music and those memories to stay in tact.
Time always marches on. We live in the chronos........the perpetual ticking of time. You can't stop time. You can't stop change. As much as we want Illmatic, Nas isn't a 20 year old anymore. Have to let the young gunners have a shot. A rapper that I have much respect for is Drake. He's the guy who is with Lil Wayne's Young Money. He was only known for playing Wheelchair Jimmy on the Canadian tv show Degrassi. Obviously rapping was his passion. From what I hear, he went from a blog rapper to having major labels have a bidding war over his services. His music blows but I respect his grind. He has been putting out mixtape after mixtape and making cameos. Working hard. Heck, he even ended up on Jay-Z's BP3. That's major.
My gripe with a lot of new school rappers is they aren't hungry. They make a cd with 3 club bangers, 8 fillers, and 2 WTHs. They try to make as many ringtones or punchlines as possible. They get comfortable and just start going through the motions. Same goes for doctors, lawyers, cashiers, bankers, etc. We get comfortable and we start going through the motions. We start taking plays off. No one goes full throttle anymore.
When I say full throttle, I don't mean bouncing off the walls. I mean giving it your all. Relationships, work, the gym, whatever. Never settling. Always evolving. Constantly wanting to improve self. In short, going hard or going home.
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