Putting The Mic Down: The Maturation Theory (Part 2)

So last time out I was tellin ya'll how I've seen my affinity for hip-hop (as a listener) diminish. Not checkin for much new music, not buyin albums (Food and Liquor may have been my last purchase), and a general lack of excitement as a fan.

Lupe Fiasco "Theme Music To A Drive By"

http://www.zshare.net/audio/68104387b6112535/

Now lets talk about how that relates to emceein'.

Emcees (I wont speak for any other genre) put music out for many different reasons. In my opinion, all of these reason can be condensed into three major categories. The "3 F's", if you will. Fame, Fortune, and Fun.

You can plug in replacement words for the ones that I used (Fame=recongition, Fortune=a living, Fun=love, etc, etc), but it all boils down to the 3 F's, which I need to copyright cause it sounds dope.

For me, the fame was most important to achieve. I needed to know that people actually could like the things that I thought about in my little home studio. I needed that more than anything, the validation. The fun was 2nd most importatn thing to me. I wasnt the most important because my need to be liked meant that I would end of "working" to write and recite great lyrics, which isnt always fun. Fortune was distant 3rd on my list. This is because, by this time, the digital age was already eating away at the profitability of rap music (ironic that I give yall music digitally in this very blog, ah well).

This is where the meat of my maturity argument lies. *Carl Weathers* HEREWEGO!

As I said, I wanted the fame more than anything. I wanted people to listen and be impressed by what I had to say. Tragic thing is, I had no way to show the world my talents. Passin' out mixtapes hand-to-hand just wasnt gonna do it.........and then came

..........Myspace

http://www.blogger.com/www.myspace.com/shazmusic

Beautiful, beautiful myspace. The social network marvel, Designed by the homie Tom, that advented (and perhaps ended) my career as an emcee. Part 3, the conclusion to The Maturation Theory next time, folks.....

Putting The Mic Down: The Maturation Theory (Part 1)

*thats a vury long title, hahaha*

It happens to us all, or at least it should, i think. Eventually, you out-grow things. Or do we? Of course, we do. Maybe we dont. hmmmmm, lets investigate. God inspired these words from some guy in the Bible whose name I should know, but I dont:"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as child, I thought as a child: But when I became man, I put away childish things" -1 Corinthians 13:11
And I agree with this. When I was kid, I wanted nothing more than to play with Ninja Turtles and Leggos, but now that Im grown, I wouldnt dare be caught with Leonardo in my hand!





So yes, as we mature, we shouldnt be stimulated by the same things that brought us joy when we were youths, but check this. The great Kanye West said:




"I still wont grow up, Im a grown @$$ kid" -K. West "Through The Wire"





And I also agree with this. Cause while I may not pit the Heroes in a half shell versus The maniacal (sp?) Foot Clan anymore, I still play videogames religiously, still watch cartoons (Phineas and Ferb are BEASTS!!!!), and I have a burgeoning comic book collection as we speak....



So the question of the day issssssss, how exactly does this maturity thing work? Does growing up mean that you cast all things that you once enjoyed to the side? Do you continue to do things that you used to enjoy even if society scoffs? And most importantly, WHAT-DOES-THIS-HAVE-TO-DO-WITH-RAP?!!?!?




Well, I tell you, Loudy McAllCaps!

Well, its like this. I can still remember watching my older cousin (who put me on to rap) slowly moving away from listening to it. He went from listening to everything to only listening to old school to only listening to underground to only listening to R&B. Now, imagine me watching the person who put me in the game disown the very thing that he made me love! Crazy...

now, flash forward a few years and i find myself not listening to much of what the new emcees are putting out. My ipod is full of the stuff I grew up listening to, and now I find myself only listening to underground cats (Skyzoo's nice, btw).....



Skyzoo "Speakers On Blast" (Produced by Illmind)
http://www.mediafire.com/?h0764e3jjm17z6g

Aight, this is getting long, part deux tommorow. In honor of the blog title, check out the song that inspired it.

Jay Electronica featuring Jay-Z and The Dream "Shiny Suite Theory"
http://www.mediafire.com/?j9byr1dn58y24t4


*There's a store completely dedicated to Leggo blocks out here, amazing

Re-launched?!?!

Re-launch?! Nigga, I aint never do the launch-launch, haha! This blog has been more of a diary than anything, which is cool, I like having a history of my growth as an artist and a man....

Annnnnnyway, random rant aside, whats good, folks? Shaz inthebuilding, taking the time to reconnect after what I can only guess has been, what, 10 months?

Alot has transpired in the past year and a half, and the long-and-short of it is this: I'm not chasing hip-hop like I used to *sad violin music*.

I know, I know, "Shazyouthebestrappereverpleasedontleaveusrapisdeadwithoutyou!". And really, I appreciate ya'll saying that, but I think Wale mighta been right when he said.....

"Bamas rap, but, they lack the passion for it" -Wale "Nike Boots (remix)"

By passion, I'm assuming he means whining like a pre-teen female whenever someone criticizes his music and also aligning himself with a group of artists who are the absolute antithesis of what he and his core audience stand for, cause yeah, I "lack" the hell outta that.......*

Nah, lol, Wales great, i love him. All jabs aside, there are basically two schools of thought when it comes to my outlook on hip-hop right now. I've either matured past it or i'm too lazy to finish what I started. Both are viable theories, but I think I'm leaning towards the former......

I aint into long bootied blogs anymore, so we'll explore that "lazy theory" in my next entry. Until then, enjoy this joint that I did with some of the best emcees in America "On The Asphalt" (I go 3rd, i think)

"On The Asphalt" featuring Rasheed Chappel, C-Logic, Shaz, and Savant

http://www.zshare.net/audio/905077678cc8f79a/

*yes, I realize that "Bama" in DMV colloquial slang for an uncouth individual, but f that, use somebody else state.....