There were rappers by Adewale GP
(An Article Strictly for Intending Rappers)
Though it's a bit lengthy but endeavour to read on...
Many rappers have come, many rappers have gone.
Some of them were felt, while some never made any impact, some flashed up momentarily, fell, struggled and never made it to the path again. Some even fell from the top and to the point of never been mentioned again.
Some came up materially with a lavish glamourizing lifestyle (talk about the bling-bling, tattoos, cash, women, drugs, cars, expensive videos etc.), but their contents never stood the test of time.
Some were tight lyrically but weren’t appealing and as a result were underrated, some were wack skillfully but were accepted and celebrated, some were not talentedly fit, but grace kept them going.
Some misused the opportunity they had, and ultimately failed to blow. Some were hungry and promising but ended up miserably.
Some lost it for ignorantly glorifying diverse and unknown images, symbols, gods etc., with the use of taboo words, sign languages, postures and the rest, that they (themselves) don’t even understand or know about. Some sold their souls in exchange for fortune and fame.
Some failed because of the stage-names and monikers they gave themselves e.g. “Old Dirty Bastard, “Poor Righteous Teachers” etc.
Some were fooled, deceived and adulterated by the industry standards, and were somehow misled, some fell out because they broke the oaths and agreements of the deals with their record labels, managers, promoters and sponsors.
Some because of ego trip and status, lacked self-control, beefed and dissed the Hip hop heads, and their career ended up.
Some due to minor success, run their mouths during interviews, failed to realize that Hip hop is way bigger than just rap, then went ahead competing… and consequently crumpled down their own artistry by themselves.
Some messed up because of lack of managerial skills, plus marketing plans and strategies. They weren’t business-oriented. (Talent is not enough!).
Some especially (the wanna-be, who aint gonna-be) couldn’t and wouldn’t make it, because they so wished, copied, imitated, mimicked and faked to be that other rapper they idolized and were obsessed with. (they see them no more as role-models but hoping to be exactly like them, to me, that’s failure, because those who compete and compare themselves to others are never complete).
Some blame it on lack of funds (capital), sponsors and failed to do any other job (Plan A) except rap. (You go hear am!).
Some don’t even understand the rap game, they don’t study its basics and rudiments, they have no role-models, influences nor mentors, they don’t know the purpose why… but just jumped into it simply coz they feel they could rhyme, impress and entertain. (Go and ask; SKY B)
But we have some few who stood their grounds because they knew and understood early enough that they had a calling for the game..., though they were faced with the challenges of life, they were tossed…, but they pushed…, despite their poor backgrounds, they elevated themselves (well rounded), they believed in themselves as well as their crafts and used it as a medium that speak volume for an outcry and liberation of the masses.
They re-wrote histories, broke fallow grounds, put their all into their arts, and unknowingly became legends while been consistent. They never allowed personal circumstances, obstacles, rejections, disappointments, scandals, trials, charges, jail times etc. to stop them.
They put their marks down even in places their feet never touched, their songs motivated the planet, their lyrics left marks on peoples’ minds, their flows left stretch marks on stages, they educated the younger ones, though some of them were short-lived, but they made it from nothing to something, from ashes to classic, from being local to going global, they eventually became a household name.
And such is this gem who lived just 25-years on this terrestrial plane. None other than…
TUPAC AMARU SHAKUR (1971 – 1996)
Some of us now may not really have grown up then during his prime, but for those of us who knew…, “truly, a book is not enough to tell who Tupac was…”, and at least, there is one of his songs you’ve ever loved or bobbed your head to.
Though some see him (Tupac) as a Thug, Rapper, Artist, Black Jesus, Prophet, Poet, Misogynist, Lyricist, Mentor, Traitor, Rapist etc. But I see him as a Human, a Voice, a Rose that grew on a Concrete! Tupac, though he believed in God, I’d wished he knew Christ before he was killed.
One of his favourite quotes was: “Though I may not change the world, but I guarantee I can spark the brain that will change the world”.
R – I – P! To a Great Rap Music Legend who died on this day, (September 13th, 1996), exactly 22 years ago. (Only God Can Judge You – The Don Makavelli)
- By ADEWALE G.P
Though it's a bit lengthy but endeavour to read on...
Many rappers have come, many rappers have gone.
Some of them were felt, while some never made any impact, some flashed up momentarily, fell, struggled and never made it to the path again. Some even fell from the top and to the point of never been mentioned again.
Some came up materially with a lavish glamourizing lifestyle (talk about the bling-bling, tattoos, cash, women, drugs, cars, expensive videos etc.), but their contents never stood the test of time.
Some were tight lyrically but weren’t appealing and as a result were underrated, some were wack skillfully but were accepted and celebrated, some were not talentedly fit, but grace kept them going.
Some misused the opportunity they had, and ultimately failed to blow. Some were hungry and promising but ended up miserably.
Some lost it for ignorantly glorifying diverse and unknown images, symbols, gods etc., with the use of taboo words, sign languages, postures and the rest, that they (themselves) don’t even understand or know about. Some sold their souls in exchange for fortune and fame.
Some failed because of the stage-names and monikers they gave themselves e.g. “Old Dirty Bastard, “Poor Righteous Teachers” etc.
Some were fooled, deceived and adulterated by the industry standards, and were somehow misled, some fell out because they broke the oaths and agreements of the deals with their record labels, managers, promoters and sponsors.
Some because of ego trip and status, lacked self-control, beefed and dissed the Hip hop heads, and their career ended up.
Some due to minor success, run their mouths during interviews, failed to realize that Hip hop is way bigger than just rap, then went ahead competing… and consequently crumpled down their own artistry by themselves.
Some messed up because of lack of managerial skills, plus marketing plans and strategies. They weren’t business-oriented. (Talent is not enough!).
Some especially (the wanna-be, who aint gonna-be) couldn’t and wouldn’t make it, because they so wished, copied, imitated, mimicked and faked to be that other rapper they idolized and were obsessed with. (they see them no more as role-models but hoping to be exactly like them, to me, that’s failure, because those who compete and compare themselves to others are never complete).
Some blame it on lack of funds (capital), sponsors and failed to do any other job (Plan A) except rap. (You go hear am!).
Some don’t even understand the rap game, they don’t study its basics and rudiments, they have no role-models, influences nor mentors, they don’t know the purpose why… but just jumped into it simply coz they feel they could rhyme, impress and entertain. (Go and ask; SKY B)
But we have some few who stood their grounds because they knew and understood early enough that they had a calling for the game..., though they were faced with the challenges of life, they were tossed…, but they pushed…, despite their poor backgrounds, they elevated themselves (well rounded), they believed in themselves as well as their crafts and used it as a medium that speak volume for an outcry and liberation of the masses.
They re-wrote histories, broke fallow grounds, put their all into their arts, and unknowingly became legends while been consistent. They never allowed personal circumstances, obstacles, rejections, disappointments, scandals, trials, charges, jail times etc. to stop them.
They put their marks down even in places their feet never touched, their songs motivated the planet, their lyrics left marks on peoples’ minds, their flows left stretch marks on stages, they educated the younger ones, though some of them were short-lived, but they made it from nothing to something, from ashes to classic, from being local to going global, they eventually became a household name.
And such is this gem who lived just 25-years on this terrestrial plane. None other than…
TUPAC AMARU SHAKUR (1971 – 1996)
Some of us now may not really have grown up then during his prime, but for those of us who knew…, “truly, a book is not enough to tell who Tupac was…”, and at least, there is one of his songs you’ve ever loved or bobbed your head to.
Though some see him (Tupac) as a Thug, Rapper, Artist, Black Jesus, Prophet, Poet, Misogynist, Lyricist, Mentor, Traitor, Rapist etc. But I see him as a Human, a Voice, a Rose that grew on a Concrete! Tupac, though he believed in God, I’d wished he knew Christ before he was killed.
One of his favourite quotes was: “Though I may not change the world, but I guarantee I can spark the brain that will change the world”.
R – I – P! To a Great Rap Music Legend who died on this day, (September 13th, 1996), exactly 22 years ago. (Only God Can Judge You – The Don Makavelli)
- By ADEWALE G.P
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