Is there really such a thing as selling out? In fact, what constitutes selling out, when the goal of just about anything in life is to be rewarded? Even in the bible, there’s a passage pertaining to not eating without work. So, theoretically, in the most primordial sense, everything a person does is to attain something else. For example, took a look at your job. At least every couple of years, you ask about, in some way or another, an increase in pay. For the most part, this is indicative of you surmising that you’re worth more than previously agreed upon, & therefore deserve more money. Fact. This is no different than what a rapper does when he decides that he’s his own commodity, and pushes himself as a “brand,” rather than just an artist. [Sidenote: Bear in mind that "entertainment" isn't a traditional line of employment, therefore the applied rules must be bent slightly.] Ultimately, it’s about his personal assessment, & the decision to get more pay. Now, does that mean he’s chasing the chips, or getting what he thinks he deserves?
On the Tweet box yesterday, some of the few cats whose opinions still mean something in Hip Hop, were all going in on Jay-Z, for whatever reasons. Not attacking with the usual ‘Net bullying that makes insecure teenagers murder themselves, but of a more grown man nature, giving their opinions on how/why Jay-Z is still Jay-Z. The common demoninator I noticed was that Jay-Z is considered a sell out. & this may or may not be directly connected to all the Illumniati propaganda, but the fact remains. Shawn Carter decided long ago that he was going to get rich off of rap music, making it obvious regularly. & that’s exactly what he did. Wishful thinking brought to fruition, so to speak. Not for nothing, but one can clearly research Jay-Z’s catalog & see that his intentions in Hip Hop, among other things, were to acquire wealth. America is a capitalist nation. How did he sell out? (Rhetorical question.) From what I see, he, & others like him, are doing just what this country trains us to do; Get money.
Perhaps I’d agree if Jigga Man had an actual Jigga Man doll, like that stunt MC Hammer pulled in the 80′s to compliment his cartoon. & even then, the stone I toss can’t be too big, because I totally overstand that work without reward is slavery (word to my great great grandmother), & contentment generally pacifies success.
I’m not even sure selling out is still an option. America’s obsession with the “celebrity” makes any opportunity an opportunity, if you will. That notion doesn’t dissipate with popularity gained. For illustrative purposes, in 34 years of observing other people, I’ve never heard a successful person say they’ve achieved their goal. That’s a main reason why drug dealers, high & low level, stay populating our jails. Grass roots capitalism with a twist of real life & blind greed. &, it appears that if you don’t have those qualities, you’re not going to survive, anyway, so might was well get in where you fit in. [Sidenote: Sorry about that duck sauce cliché, but it fit so perfectly.] Speaking of which, I wasn’t surprised to hear that Method Man is acting on television, on the same network as LL Cool J. Smart move, if you ask me.
If Jay-Z is a sell out, so was Redd Foxx, Billy D, Rakim, & a host of others who shilled for corporations with a less than reputable relationship with the targeted demographic, if you smell my cologne. Jay-Z doesn’t even have a brand of liquor. He’s endorsed several in his career, & who knows what type of kickback he receive under the table, but that’s beside the point of people marketing themselves to the extreme since the beginning of prostitution.
In theory, only the individual can truly make that call if they’re “selling out,” or not. & realistically, the only responsibility one has is to themselves (sad, but true.) It’s the Cash Register theory, meaning one only feels as valuable as their obvious worth. Whether that’s good or bad depends on the individual, like most things in life. Selling out, if there’s is such a thing, is less about the public’s opinion, & more about how far one is willing to go before they risk disconnect with what & who got them there in the first place. (The “who” is them, if that makes a difference.) As long as they feel good about it, s’all good with me, also. But what do I know? I don’t subscribe to “Crabs-In-A-Barrel Gazette.” Perhaps I should start, though, for educational purposes, if nothing else.
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From LL’s Walking with a Panther to Jay’s Blueprint, money had been on the mind of Hip Hoppers. LL back in the African Medallion days was crucified for flaunting his wealth and not being down with the “Cause” that left the game and peeps mental once NWA blazed the game. I always felt the true definition of a sellout is not about how much money you’ve accumulated throughout your career but how you did it. If you were perpetrating a fraud, selling shit you wouldn’t or don’t want your own children to hear, talking the same crack peddling garbage for 15 years, you’s a sellout !! Having fun with your music isn’t selling out if it isnt hurting anyone. If you don’t like it, you don’t like it. Shitting on a style and then doing the same a year later (pulling a 50) is definitely selling out or as I call it now, Takeover The Block !! Straight up, no one wants to be a Rob Base or RedHead in Hip Hop.
Did Rob Base sell out?
I can’t call Jay-Z a sellout in the traditional sense of the word. Not sure what to call him since he’s in trailblazing mode. Hell, he even said in “Renegade” that he ignored the fork in the road and drove straight. Nothing to compare him to.
I’m no longer mad at his past business moves either. Cutting ties with Dame and Biggs turned out to be the best thing he could’ve ever done for himself and … Hip-Hop too? Dame turned out to be the silliest mofo with a stack in his hand. And Biggs … smh … ahem, MR. BIGGS just so happened to be the largest weed man I’ve heard about in a long time (he supplied ALL of New York City? WTF!!). Since 1992. Before Reasonable Doubt. If Jay stayed in that circle he would’ve been caught up in all of the mess they’re in right now. He’s not exactly out of the woods with Biggs shit either. Roc-A-Fella was started with $150k right? Well where did it come from? Biggs??? Uh-ooooh…
Jay acquired what he desired. And any distractions that came up (Beanie’s bullshit, Illuminati talk, etc.) he raped and robbed it for all he could get … and brushed what was left off of his shoulders. Nah, I’m not mad at him.
@Tony, what I meant was Rob Base, like Red Head and all sorts of other names just has one or two hits and……no career afterwards. No one wants that if you’re trying to get that $$ and make a career out of this to blaze other endeavors. Props will always be given to those emcees who don’t have to
Rap but do so out of love.
THANK YOU. Not much left for me to say Grands, you killed it. I’m constantly shaking my head at Jay’s haters (one of rap’s most overused words but nothing else is more appropriate when it comes to this) who holler that “sell out” shit. It’s like they don’t even realize how many doors that man has kicked in for hip hop. Dude comes from the projects, spits REAL SHIT on all his albums, builds a successful label, clothing line, buys part of an NBA team, takes power meetings with Russian billionaires/Obama/NYC’s mayor, becomes president of Def Jam and makes Jeezy & Rihanna stars, and was on the cover of FORBES MAGAZINE with muthafuckin’ WARREN BUFFET. Who in the 80′s or 90′s would’ve ever imagined a rapper gaining that much power? Like Jay said in the opening line of Free Mason: “N***** couldn’t do nuttin wit me, they put they devil on me.” Let me stop before I use up all the material I might write if I ever do the Decoded review, ha.
In closing any if any of those “he sold out” dudes read this blog or my comment please watch this and learn something: http://video.forbes.com/fvn/forbes400-10/jay-z-buffett-forbes-success-giving
People are quick with the “sell out” title whenever an artist/group reaches pop star status and they feel as though they lost some sort of imaginary connection with said artist. Or when said “sell out” has way more bread than anyone else people are even looser with the tongue in that instance.
“Oh Jay-Z? He’s a sell out.”
– someone with way less money than Jay-Z
naw son ain’t a sell-out…n^ggaz is tight ’cause he don’t look out…he pay more taxes that what he ever gave to the hood…
and no he ain’t santa…but even Tip bought most of the houses in his old hood, a center for the kids…50 tried to buy his pj’s…jigga ain’t do that…while still talking that $ talk…this is the root of that convo.
We’ll see his true nature when the rapping stops.
At first I was gonna respond to this but then I remembered Jay already did:
Can’t yall see that he’s fake, the rap version of TD jakes
Prophesizing on your CDs and tapes
Won’t break you a crumb of the little bit that he makes
And this is with whom you want to place your faith?
I put dollars on mine ask Columbine
When the Twin Towers dropped I was the first in line
Donating proceeds off every ticket sold
When I was out on the road, that’s how you judge Hov no?
Ain’t I supposed to be absorbed myself?
Every time there’s a tragedy I’m the first one to help
They call me this misogynist, but they don’t call me the dude
To take his dollars to give gifts at the projects
These dudes is all politics depositing checks
They put in they pocket all you get in return is a lot of lip
And yall buy the shit caught up in the hype
Cause the n**** wear a kufi it don’t mean that he bright
Cuz you don’t understand him it don’t mean that he nice
It just means you don’t understand all the bullshit that he write
Is it “Oochie Wally Wally” or is it “One Mic”?
Is it “Black Girl Lost” or shorty owe you for ice?
I’ve been real all my life they confuse it with conceit
Since I will not lose they try to help him cheat
But I will not lose for even in defeat
There’s a valuable lesson learned, so it evens up for me.
- Jay-Z “Blueprint 2″
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