The Snowball Effect

People are always quick to blame their problems on something other than themselves, and as a society, we often blame the government for our shortcomings. The fact of the matter is that "We the People" are the ones to blame for most things that happen to us. The government isn't the reason why we struggle, just as McDonald's isn't the reason we are obese. The fact the we buy into every single ploy used by the big corporations and yes, the government as well, has caused us to become slaves to the system. Corporations and government have teamed up and positioned themselves in such way that they're forcing us to become conditioned to their ways and buying into them without the slightest thought as to what exactly we are doing. Our freedoms and rights given to us has been stripped away right before our eyes, and America is too stupid to realize it.

How do we change this? Honestly, our system is so outdated and is in great need of a total revamping, but because the higher-ups are profiting so much right now and hold so much power, they'll never allow that to happen. They like things just the way they are, and I really can't blame them. Who do we turn to for help? Well, we can't turn to our political leaders because the stupidity is across the board, and they are slaves to the lobbyists that make them rich in order to push their agenda. We are left to turn to ourselves, but we as a people are distracted by media, entertainment and our day-to-day lives that so no one has the time or motivation to really do anything to make a change. By simply voting for Barack Obama was not enough. Also, we are so intellectually stupid that we aren't even capable of deriving such questions and thoughts. Smart people won't be offended by that statement, but the stupid will.

For too long, the human race as a whole has made it too easy for the stupid, the sick, the incapable and the inadequate to survive and procreate. Inevitably, this practice has led to a stupid, sickly and lazy society. Just think if were able to go back to the Stone Ages where we had to hunt and forage our food and build our own shelter for the sake of survival. How many of you friends/family will actually make it? I'll take it a step further, how many of the retarded, disabled, mentally ill or people with birth defects will make it? This is heartless, but pulling along the incapable and inadequate is proving to be too costly to the enrichment of the human race. Survival of the fittest works for every other animal, Why not humans too?

Tiger is an Animal

There has been so much going on since my last entry that I decided to start back up this blog. It used to work as a mental discharge that freed up space in my over-active brain, and I feel that is absolutely necessary right now.

So, I begin with Tiger Woods. First off, I truly believe he is wrong for what he did, and it is inexcusable. Only for the simple fact that he is married. I have a personal gripe with people who destroy the sanctity of marriage because you simply don't have to get married. If you're a womanizer, Fine! No problem! Just don't get married. I'm a realist and I understand shit happens, but 15-20 women? Come on dude, he had way too much unfinished business left on his man list to even think of marriage.

The funny thing about this situation is the fact that Tiger's behavior (be it wrong) is natural and the institution of marriage is unnatural. A man is not supposed to be with only one female because our instinctual urge in life is to procreate as many of our own kind as possible. Humans are like any other animal in that respect, even Tiger (so appropriately named btw). Say for instance, you were told to choose 10 people to repopulate the earth. Would you choose 5 men & 5 women? I think not. It'll be more like 2 men & 8 women. Right? And for that reason women out number men 6 to 1, Mother Nature is looking out for us already!

Now as unnatural and socially irresponsible as it may seem, I do see myself eventually married with a family of my own. I believe raising children with two stable parents is vital, and if marriage is necessary for that to happen then so be it. Quite frankly, having balanced, well-rounded kids is what is most important to me, so resisting the urge to be with multiple women shouldn't be as difficult because I have different priorities. Can I do this without getting married? Yes, but without it, I may feel more free to roam. That's just me though, every guy is different with their own set of standards and views.

-TheMaddMusician

Definitions

How do you define ________? Then ask around, and look at how your perception of words differ from others. No one in essence is right or wrong because our ideas on the definitions of any word are shaped by our own personal experiences. If your interpretation of a word is in contrast with someone else's interpretation, then conflict may transpire. One man's neat is another man's sloppy. One man's quiet is another man's loud, and so on.

Love is a highly volatile word and emotion with as many different interpretations as there are people. Some people believe in "everlasting love", others believe in "love in the moment" and some have no idea or experience to stem off to even develop a definition. That's why this word can bring about many problems in relationships. When someone says, "I love you" depending on your definition of the word, certain expectations are conceived. With expectations -- disappointment sometime follows, and with disappointment -- resentment may arise. If expectations are surpassed, then the total opposite can happen. The only bad side about expectations that are met or eclipsed is that the bar will rise, and what was breathtaking before may become ordinary and mundane.

I find that gender plays a significant part in how one interprets "love". Men and women are not the same emotionally. Men and women respond to pain and excitement differently, and what stimulates those emotions differ as well. Simple test, ask a man and woman what actions they would expect from someone who loves them. Men and women answers will differ, but males will be pretty similar to other males and females to other females.

I guess the obvious thing to take away from post is: Know you partner's definition of love.

Or you can be like me and stay as far away from the word as possible. lol

- TheMadMusician

Should I, Do I...

Ever met someone who was so self-absorbed that whatever you wanted to do or say, though he may listen, never really mattered?

Egocentricity, when one's only concern is one's own self, can definitely be a frustration and a social hurdle for many friendships and relationships to conquer. That's not to say, if you're in a time of need and call on your egocentric pal, that he won't be available or willing to help. He will, but only if he wants to. They don't ask "What should I do?"; they ask "Do I want to?". What is socially or morally right doesn't matter, never even comes into play. This type of person can come across as selfish, spoiled and abrasive, but they aren't even thinking that deep. It is common for egocentric people to have few close friends. To be a close friend to them, you have to share many of the same interest and think in a similar way, for that ensures that both are consistently on the same page. To be in a relationship with one is even more difficult. If ever they feel that they don't want to commit anymore, it is very easy for them to abruptly end it. Thus, catching the other party off-guard and leaving them feeling rejected, especially if things were going well in their eyes. Mr./Mrs. Egocentric didn't even think twice about the other's feelings. Some call it mean; others say "keeping it real."

Personally, I feel nothing is wrong with a person doing only what he/she wants to do. Why not? It's your life. It is the only thing you have complete control over, and it is understood that you live with the consequences, be them positive or negative, of everyone of your actions. Feeling obligated to do something is not necessary, the beneficiary loves it, but what feelings does that leave you with? Don't get me wrong, some egocentric people can be some of the nicest people you'll ever encounter, but don't ever think they are doing something because of you or the situation. They are nice because they want to be nice.

-TheMadMusician

The State of Rap in NYC

This entry stems from the previous one and is posing the question: Where has New York Hip-Hop gone?

New York City is the birthplace of hip-hop and throughout it's history has produced great talents. But in recent years, hardly any NYC new-comer has made a significant splash. In the past, the heavy-weights were on there grind. Jay-Z, Nas and Biggie were consistent Hit-makers and kept NYC's creditability up there. Even the not so heavy but time-tested rappers such as Busta Rhymes, Fabolous, Fat Joe, Dipset and 50 cent, enabled New Yorkers to have since of pride in hip-hop. In recent years, however, hip-hop seems to be on the rise everywhere but New York. The last home-grown talent to make some sort of major impact was Juelz Santana and I'm probably giving him to much credit on that. I'm not looking for the next Jay-Z, just some one fresh that gives NYC something to look forward to.

We've all sat back and witnessed the rise of the South, from Lil' Wayne to Young Jeezy to T.I. The south is producing rappers at a quicker pace the any other region. Once again not all are elite status, but at least they are selling records along with getting nationwide recognition. If you wanted to feature a rapper on a song, there is a slew of able new southern rappers to chose from. But if you wanted a New York rapper, your only choice is one of the proven veterans. NYC's hip-hop playfield is starting to mimic the West Coast's, where they have their big names, like Snoop Dogg and the Game, but has hardly any promising new talents. How do we fix this? Well, I feel it is on the veterans to seek and train new artists. The talent is out there, it just didn't vanish. It seems as if the old school has the mentality were "as long as they are hot, who cares". To me, that is selfish because they know first hand what it takes and should be able to spot it, but only if they took the time. Does New York have to wait until Jay-Z fully retires to seek out it's new aire? How long will the vets be able to keep it up? Damn, Where Brooklyn At?

-TheMadMusician

Hip-Hop: In my Opinion

Some say hip-hop is dead, I say it's specializing. Like any form of music, it starts out from one type then slowly branches of into different variations and styles. Rock and Roll started out as a rhythm and blues style with emphasis on electric guitar and heavy drumming, but now it's broken down it multiple genres (Alternative, Punk, Heavymetal, Grunge...) Hip-hop is no different-- You have your Club Hip-hop (Lollipop- Lil Wayne, Stronger- Kanye West), your Dance Hip-Hop (Chicken Noodle Soup- DJ Webstar, Crank that- Soulja Boy), your Conscious Hip-Hop (Common, Talib Kweli), your Regional Hip-hop (Westcoast, Dirty South, Midwest) and so on. To say it's dead or dying is wrong because hip-hop is making more strides in sales and endorsements that it ever has, but that can be why people would say it's dead. It grew from this underground, inner-city music to a commercial, worldwide business. As for those who say it's today's rappers who are killing hip-hop, there too I see flaws because back when MC Hammer was out no said he was killing it. His songs were as meaningless as the next, but we didn't complain. We in fact credited him with taking hip-hop acts to a whole new level. He was one of the first to making millions off of rap, he sold out stadiums and arenas worldwide and as a performer you "couldn't touch" him (I had to say it, lol). So hip-hop isn't dead, it's in fact chugging away at quicker pass then ever before, there is just different trains to jump on now.

Now here is where it may get a lil sticky. In my opinion, Jay-Z is the best rapper ever. His combination of lyrics, sound, flow and longevity are second to none. As far as whose next in line, I'll have to say Lil' Wayne but Kanye West is a close (very close) second. Lil' Wayne is the most witty rapper out there. His metaphors, tone, choice of words are unique, but I feel like he is lacking is a meaning behind some of his tracks. His topics become redundant, though they are catchy as all hell and many of us can recite them word for word. Even his songs that are meant to have meaning don't seem to have the same impact as say a "Diamonds are Forever" by Kanye West. West brings a whole new freshness to rap. He is a slick and savy lyricist, and has the ability to express meaningful subject matter in a tricky way that many are fooled into listening to. Songs like "Jesus Walks", "Through the Wire" and "Roses" are an example of that. Also and maybe most astounding is the fact that he has only put out 3 albums compared to Wayne's hundreds and hundreds of tracks. For him to be even in the argument at this point is a great accomplishment already. I like to use a sports analogy to help explain my opinion, take the NBA for example.

Jay-Z - Michael Jordan (Greatest of All-Time- Retired and came back, you kno)
Lil' Wayne - Kobe Bryant (Most Valuable Player now)
Kanye West - Steve Nash (Good as all hell, but just a different type of player then the rest)
Everyone Else- The League (They all just fall in line)

As far as BIG and Tupac, they were good but they died. No need to even talk bout them, but yes, I still think Jay is better than both (Though, he probably wouldn't be the same Jay without them)

So folks, this is my opinion. If you disagree, so be it. Neither you or I are wrong.

- The MadMusician

Not Rich, my Friend, WEALTHY – MY PIMP CHRONICLES

Throughout my life, I’ve tried to associate myself with prosperous people and gather as much useful information and knowledge as possible. Being rich is one thing, but building an estate were your children’s children’s children can benefit from, is territory people (especially minorities) have difficulty envisioning, let alone reaching. Am I thinking too big? Hell no! We’re talking about money, it’s never too big. The days of working a 9-5, gathering your money and shoveling it into the bank are long gone. You may live comfortably (for some that’s all they want), but being able to live on your terms and retire at an age where you can enjoy some of what you built will be extremely difficult. If you’re lucky, when you pass you may leave behind a house, a car, maybe a couple hundred thousand in life insurance. That’s nice, but that’s if you’re lucky. If you’re smart, savvy and a bit daring, you can not only help pay your great grandchildren’s college tuition but you may even spill a little love in your community. You, the humanitarian, who would of thought?

I observed an “everyday millionaire”, and his main focus wasn’t how many hours he was working or what his weekly paycheck was. His focus was on his portfolio, its diversity and maturation. The common psyche is that it takes money to make money, which is true but not to the extent you may believe. The reality of the matter is that $25,000 with the right moves and investments can have you well on your way towards lying on that beach chair sipping a daiquiri with a little umbrella guarding the ice from the sun. By investments, I’m not talking flipping homes in which you need a good amount of cold hard cash to get started on (but once you have it, it can be lucrative and fun). I’m talking about the countless other investment opportunities out there. The principle idea many wealthy people share is “Make Your Money Work for you”. Work for your money then pimp it. Simple enough to grasp but difficult to employ without the knowhow, and I feel it is blatantly obvious that many minorities are ignorant to this knowledge. Many have no clue what a portfolio is, it’s not that they are careless or irresponsible (all races have careless and irresponsible people) but just simply unaware. All of us are “guilty” of unnecessary spending but whose to tell you what is necessary and not. One man’s rims are another man’s golf clubs. If you want something, get it, no matter how tacky, tasteless or insignificant it seems to me or anybody else. I’m not here trying to tell you what you can and can’t buy; all I’m saying is have a plan. Do your research, have goals and make them happen, so that when it comes time to get those rims, golf clubs, start a family or, in my case, buy that penthouse condo overlooking the city that never sleeps equipped with a bar stocked with Hennessy, stripper pole, king size bed with 3000 thread count sheets, the most extensive and thorough music collection ever compiled and a 5-star Chef that can make a mean oxtail, the money is there and you can spend without worry.

So plant your investment seeds and watch them grow. Put that money under the mattress, in the old shoe box or in the bank on the streets and Pimp the Shit out of it!

Thanks for Reading.

-The MadMusician

Song for post: I Get Money- 50 Cent
P.S.- In 5 years, 50 cent has amassed more money than Jay-Z, Diddy & Russell Simons and It ain't from rapping. lol