Just Good Friends: The Emcee Log

So often... too often, I'm asked why I have so much involvement and interest in Hip-Hop. I'm not a hip-hop artist; I'm not black; I didn't grow up in the projects... so what possible reason would I have to be as immersed in it as I am?

My first answer to that is, it's none of your effing business. Secondly, who's to say that any of the above statements are what outline the criteria of being a fan of Hip-Hop? People treat me as if I must have bribed the guardian of the gates to gain access to the most exclusive and critical genre in the rainbow of music. That absolutely is not the case.

I have been a fan of ALL genres of music my entire life; this eclectic nature is nothing new to me. That's bound to happen when you grow up surrounded by jazz musicians that practice their trumpets for several hours a day, a mother that plays exclusively oldies music or classic Broadway showtunes, your siblings are blasting the latest 80's pop hits and then classic rock later in life, your best friends are all jamming to Michael & Janet, and your dance school makes you fall in love with the intricacy of classical music as early as age 4. I grew up with music being so prevalent that it was another member of my immediate family. Music was home, music was out grocery shopping, music was at school, music was in my dreams at night. It was MUSIC, never the TYPE that kept me close.

Now I am grown, (no height jokes, hardy har) and am being blessed with being able to work with some of the most prominent underground (I hate saying that phrase) Emcees in the game. Through our mutual love of music, these men (and women) and I have become friends, and family. I've been trusted with knowing these artists on a true, personal level, and that trust is something I cherish like nothing else in the world. They feel the same way I feel most times, as if we've known eachother for years; hanging out, exchanging stories, even doing R&B/Hip-Hop ciphers in parking lots! I know their love lives, what makes them tick, their concerns, their pride, and their dreams, and many of them know the same of me. It's what they will never know only because they can't know how I really feel, which is how much it means to me to have these relationships with each of them.

I see my future grandchildren, and telling them these stories of all the brilliant men and women I'm working with. I see these stories being passed along for generations, teaching my bloodline to reach and touch those stars, because they're never too far.

So many of these Emcees are making amazing strides in underprivileged communities, overseas, working with troubled youth. It disgusts me to think how tarnished Hip-Hop's image has become all because of what money has invoked us to listen to, and then label it "Hip-Hop's fault". Please know that the Emcees I'm speaking of, MY FAMILY, are making MAJOR differences, and THEY are the ones that deserve the glory, and they deserve your support.

HOW TO SUPPORT:

In the same way you wouldn't think twice to purchase a concert ticket to see your latest radio drone in concert, you NEED to start appearing at the ENDLESS number of Underground shows that are going on in practically every city all over the world. Wanna hear something great!? They usually don't cost more than $10 to enter! There you go, the Underground just saved you well over $100, AND you can stand as CLOSE to the stage as you want to!

In the same way you'll buy your latest label puppet's album, you need to cough up your Venti Latte money, and spend the $5 on an artist that's trying to be able to afford to make even more music to hit you with. People try to act like all music should be free. Listen here: to any artist that's able to give away free music, more power to you. I totally get it, supply and demand, people are cheap, just gettin the music out there, whatever the case may be. Don't however, use that as an excuse to not support another artist that's just trying to make some kind of way for themselves.

If you see a dope artist perform, and they're selling T-shirts, buy the frikkn T-shirt. If they have posters available, a mailing list, selling their latest book, support them. Money is the only thing that labels are seeing (not that we're trying to get them to notice us), but seriously, show them where you'd rather spend your money: on the next comeback season of MTV Cribs Artists Making it Big With Your Dough, or by showing them that you found where real music was hiding, and you don't want that garbage on the radio anymore. (Shouts to Peter Rosenberg for all he's doing on Hot 97).

As much as I'd love to share the links to these Emcees pages, I won't, because I'd rather not reveal their identies. What I would like is for you to do your own research, and start finding out where music has been hiding, because trust me, it's there... you just have to look.. and listen.

"Such Bliss Breeds Obliviousness"

Constantly, I read these biographies on these up and coming artists, "New & Next Up to Bat!", and I always read the same statement made by the artist "...next thing I knew, I was signed to such n such!" Am I the only one that sees something wrong with that picture? Imagine just walking into a room, and "suddenly, there you are, your big break!" Pah-lease...

OK so allow me to explain... These artists that hunt for their "big break" are the same artists that get BROKEN just a few months or couple of years later! It boggles my mind to think of how many artists know absolutely nothing about the business side of music, or their craft period. They still truly believe that every suit is genuinely in touch with their love of the artform, and the artist is so flattered and so ready to plotz that they don't see that the music business is a BUSINESS!

Non-music associated friends of mine are always asking me "Oh, have you gotten your 'big break' yet? Or they'll say "Hey, maybe this will be your 'big break'!" Guess what... surprise, surprise, I'm not LOOKING for a big break! Every amazing thing that has progressed my career has never been viewed by me as a "big break", and especially never viewed at as "suddenly I was there at his studio recording the reference for so n so!" I can recall every step that I have CONSCIOUSLY made to get me where I am today. Patience is truly a virtue, but as painstaking as it can be to take the right path, it is 100% NECESSARY to make those mistakes, to learn from them, and to grow! I have done that throughout my entire career, and continue to do so. I've learned to keep the kind of company around me that will lift me up and be there for me when I need advice, and have weeded out the people that just tried to cause damage to my hopes and dreams.

G-d has (or "The Universe" to whom it may concern) always presented me with opportunities at precisely the exact moment that I was ready for them, and has always blessed me by putting people I need in my path along the way. Fear thrives from ignorance, and I have learned this from the opportunities that G-d presented me with just so I could realize it was something I needed to learn more about. And guess what? Once I learned what I needed to know, I was presented with that opportunity again. I have full trust that as long as I stay committed, my career will keep thriving, and for THE LONG RUN, and I will never look back and say "Suddenly I landed on Planet Success!", because I will be the one flying that ship and planting my flag on the surface.

Throwback Article: Women in the Industry

This is from an old article a friend was writing on the journey women endure in the music industry. These are my responses to his questions.

Have you ever been approached by another artist/producer/musician/label head to do something unprofessional/sexual in order to work with them?

Absolutely, but it was in disguise. I was alone at an industry event years ago (when I was still developing my scent for bull(&(*), and someone outside of the VIP area approached me asking what it is that I do exactly. When I asked him the same question, he name dropped a lot of people and told me he manages their marketing. I asked him several questions to try and determine if he was being truthful or not, including why wasn't he in the VIP section if he knew so many people in it.. each time he had an answer, for example, he wasn't in VIP b/c he's tired of how people in VIP act around eachother, and would prefer hanging with the regular crowd. He persuaded me to go with him for a drink so we could further discuss my career, and I have no idea why, but I went.

I thought we were going somewhere local, but our cab headed all the way to Brooklyn, without me ever saying a word, too concerned that it would be rude and unprofessional to accuse someone of potentially taking advantage of me. We did get drinks, but immediately after, he said he wanted to stop at his place to get something, which conveniently was located across the street from the bar. Once in his apartment, I stood as close to the doorway as possible, but soon after he invited me to have a seat ON HIS BED I realized he was only interested in "talking" about my career and "doing" other things b/c "after all, he is a man, and I am a woman." I ended up having to pay $100 to get home that night b/c it was too late by then to catch any buses back to jersey. Lesson learned.. definitely, learned..

What's the craziest thing you've seen or heard people do in the music business, whether for work, fame, gigs, etc?

Anything you ever hear is rumor-mill and can almost never be verified b/c both parties are too scared to admit that anything ever happened. The one in position of power is scared to be accused of rape, and the one desperate for fame is too desperate to smear someone's name. Sex happens all the time in this industry, but no one ever talks about it or admits to it.

Do you feel like the music industry is harder for women to get in to/favors men?

From taking on a female artist, to promising her that her dreams will come true, to deal negotiations, women are thought of to be vulnerable at every corner of this game. For example, I started my myspace music page this past year to finally expose some people to my music. Almost immediately I had "fans" calling me "ma, sexy, baby, sugar, hon, etc." AND contacting me not only for a collab, but also so they could get to know "the real me".. and all that from the same sender! They don't realize that's as if you fill out a job application and write in the "additional comments" portion "I'd also like to sleep with you while we work together. After all, I'm a man, and you're a woman." I had spoken to Spinderella years ago, and asked her if she had any advice for me as a woman in this industry. She told me to learn EVERYTHING I possibly could about the industry including the business side. Women have a shadow of connotation that we're incapable of knowing anything about our business, that we're only in control of our creative process. Successful women in this game only reach success when they stay focused on the goal at hand, don't let anyone sweet talk them (literally) into doing anything that their gut tells them isn't right, and when they gain as much knowledge about their field of interest as they can possibly fit in their mind.

Complicated by ShAY

Complicated by ShAY

No Sleep Till Brooklyn?

I've been having a tremendous battle with my sleeping habits recently. It's as if I can't shut my mind off at night, and can't turn my mind back on enough to know when to wake up during the day. For instance, it's a quarter until 4am right now, and I need to be somewhere by 8:00am. How? How in the world do I expect myself to function at that hour of the morning, and then be in the studio to record immediately following, and THEN be in the gym to workout before I head home and begin the routine all over again?

I came home tonight from an exhausting day expecting to pass out as soon as I saw my beloved bed, especially since I got only about an hour of sleep just last night. I thought I had the makings of a beautiful night's rest. Man, was I wrong.

So many people I admire that are in the same field as I am call it "the grind"; sacrificing sleep for the greater picture. However, there's someone else I admire by the name of Claude Kelly who specifically recommends making sure you have a good diet and good sleeping habits if you're to accomplish anything. Claude is a highly successful songwriter who I actually had the pleasure of knowing before he was signed, and his success inspires me with every move I make. Knowing him before success took over reminds me that it's possible! But I do agree, something's gotta' give if I'm going to maintain ANY sort of grind that will be worth anything to anyone, especially myself.

Each night I pray for continued strength and focus. Maybe I should start praying for a sound mind when I try to sleep at night, so I can be the BEST possible product that I have to offer, instead of the sleepy, rundown ShAY* that I'm bound to become if I don't fix this, and soon.

Why is Ignorance Breeding Not Outlawed?

So I went to check my now spam-filled inbox on my myspace page when I saw that there was a message from someone I knew (someone I neglected to do a background check on before working with) and decided to open the message. Low and behold, this fool has a brand new song about none other than, the redundant, murdered to hell concept of "T&A". But it didn't stop there, he proceeded to regard himself as a pimp in the video, jiggling the girls buttocks around like jello, and unfastening her bra. Dude, you are not Tupac, Jodeci, Jadakiss, or Luda. Stop playing.

There's something extremely grotesque about the ignorance of both parties. A) You have the artist that hasn't even MADE IT yet, but is trying to act like they have. Then instead of using a different approach to the game, they use the tired message of "let's portray women being fondled and disrespected." Oh, and I know they'll be the first to say that the video wasn't about that, and that they also have tons of songs about women empowering themselves. SURE! People like that are always the first to expose their hypocracy.

Then you have the B side, which are the girls, (no not women, b/c you have to be a little girl mentally to degrade yourself to that level) who stoop to the level of being in a low budget, poorly directed, poorly conceived song/music video for an artist that no one gives two thoughts about. And for both parties, wait for the day that your kids come to you b/c their friends have discovered the video and are wondering why their classmates are calling their mom a "hoe" and saying their father is a pig.

To the artist, you're a joke. To the girls, go get an education and better yourself. ShAY*, over and out.