Saturday, February 10, 2007

The Hustlin' Musician Mentality

The building he lived in was fifteen stories high, and made of these hideously- dingy- tan- institution lookin' like bricks. Inside were center block walls with so many layers of graffiti on them that you can't even guess what color they used to be. Its cement stairs were lined with steel edges,and were accompanied by sticky steel banisters. The elevator was always broken and amidst the stench of urine, broken glass, and used hypodermic needles; you could always find a vast array of two-legged scavengers to step over.The people who lived in that building were poor, and believed that no one survives without a hustle. I was collaborating with a rapper who lived in this building, and to say he shared that mind set is an understatement. He had skills! He had a unique flow. His voice was loud and rugged. A too much drinkin' and smokin' gravelly voice that was made for spittin' the street rhymes he was locally known for putting down! Everything about him was thugged out, but naturally. I quickly saw that he was not a rapper because of a natural pull to be. He was rappin' as a hustle. Basically, rappin' was just a way to make fast money without committing to the drudgery of a day to day low paying 9 to 5. He was a person who has what I call, a "Hustlin' Musician Mentality". You can read the rest of this article at http://www.wizerecords.com/The%20Music%20As%20A%20Hustle%20Mentality.php
Blog your thoughts about this article here! Peace-Wize