I was there in time to hear the panel respond to a couple of Chia’s questions: What do artists do too much of? What can they do better? Missy-B let the crowd know that people don’t like to be approached so much. Understanding that that’s the only way to meet people, you have to approach them correctly. While she’s correct, in my opinion, I believe the tougher part is in knowing how to approach those people. As it goes in every other facet of life, everyone is looking for something different. Some want to abuse you, others want to be abused 😉 Either way… I say, understand that they are people too. & They’re tired. “Get in, get out” –that’s and O.G. classic.

       Advertising and marketing took center stage next. (I only half listen to discussions on this topic. Until you’re Ogilvy in the shit, you aren’t anyone. Don’t take offense, anyone. It’s just that I’m an advertising genius. I suggest you watch and see.) DJ Reem encouraged artists to put money behind their projects. We spend all that money buying bottles and fancy kicks but won’t put money into what we claim to “love.” Man, I hear him –My only counter argument is that when you hear the music packaging shouldn’t mean a fuckin thing. There weren’t any fancy graphics on cassette tapes.  The conversation hurt me at heart, especially when Drewski went on to talk about how music comes second to radio –they need to pay their advertisers first. As a business woman, I understand that model… but it’s a f*ckin shame. I made sure he got a CD. Sounded to me like he needed better music.

        It’s a shame that a convention for artists is more about how to promote themselves rather than to improve their artistry. Someone should have given advice along the lines of respect and take note of your competition so that you can anticipate their moves. Learn to work faster than them. Competition is competition. There is only one best. Maybe someone should have talked about staying true to yourself and to show appreciate for your genuine fan-base. If you carry those people along with you, they’ll always support you. Stylists, hair and make-up only change your top layer. Read books, expand your vocabulary. Learn other ways of saying things. Become aware of the language that is out there –if words are what you work with, learn them all. Color? Learn them all. Fabric? Learn them all. Become a professional at whatever you do. Additionally, surround yourself with positive people who are helping you move forward. Attend events that at beneficial to you and exploit them to the maximum. Take advantage of every single second. A missed opportunity will f*ck you over. & It’s understandable that you can’t do it all. But when you realize that, recruit an army of like-minded individuals and conquer the world. Finally, construct a 10-year-plan –then cut the time in half. Then in half-again. & if the people you’re working with aren’t wit it —they don’t need to be with it. 

          EBFHollywood.blogspot.com. I’ll write that shit right across the front of my cards if I feel like I have to. Call it what you want, but you will have heard the name. H is a friend of mine and everything in the world aside, I can’t get over his rhymes. The first time I heard him, I spent the weekend in bed with each song on repeat for far too long and wrote the review I’m most proud of: Allow me to Re-Present: Hollywood.  And I’ve tried. I’ve tried time & time again to attempt to write for someone else like I wrote for him, but I can’t call my heart to it. While the rest of the world comments on how “catchy” or “funny” any given, disrespectful, im-only-singing-that-if-im-drunk song might be, I can’t call myself to. It’s not that I’ve reserved space on my site for Hollywood, but… until another artist works as diligently as he does, I’ll listen to Hollywood. The way H picks his words seems something similar to a science –yet natural. They never feel prescribed. And while I winc at some of his music –the truth makes you do that — at least I don’t feel degraded when I listen to it. I don’t feel stupider –which is what most music does to me now a day. I can’t find myself singing a hook lest have it affect my IQ.

       You can’t be nice anymore can you? That doesn’t seem to matter anymore. It’s all bling and Jordans  –but that’s all it ever was right? Secretly, I worry for H. Since I’ve met him, people just want him to sing and dance on command. I’ve watched him monitor when the moments require his reply. I’m proud to say he’s kept headstrong. So… no disrespect to the panel, but fuck a graphic artist. Fuck a PR team. Fuck everything but lyrics. It’s time we bring it back to the basics –“Before all the gimmicks and the tats on the faces,” as H would add.

 

Missy-B