12 July 2009

If You Get Off the Boat Too Soon You Might Not be Able to Get Back On!


This past Friday my wife & I attended a concert at "the WORLD FAMOUS APOLLO THEATER." The concert was an "old school" Hip Hop show. By "old school" I mean the music upon which Hip Hop and rap music was born - back when rap was not about violence, mysogany & the idea that replacing your God-given teeth with precious metals and diamonds was a good look. There were some real legends on that stage that evening, and it was a great show.

However, there was one performance that got my "HRJR-Spidey Sense" tingling.

In addition to just putting on a bunch of great artists from back in the day, special attention was made to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the pioneer rap group known as "the Treacherous 3." The group consisted of rappers "Kool Moe Dee, " "Special-K," and "L.A. Sunshine" and a couple of other guys who were dancers. They came together in 1979, and had a few early successful singles. However, this was back when Hip Hop as a culture was still in its infancy stages and the so-called "big money" did not come as easily as it "appears" to come for today's rap artists. So ... frustrated about not making that "big money" that they felt they deserved, L.A. Sunshine & Special-K called it quits. Kool Moe Dee, however, kept on making music and eventually becoming a star in his own right throughout the late 80's and into the 90's. Although he has not come out with any new music in recent years, he does well for himself touring and performing his hits of yesteryear.

Now ... Take a look up at the picture above.

In the picture above, you see Kool Moe Dee (in the front wearing the white hat). Directly behind him are the performers who stand-in and perform the roles of L.A. Sunshine & Special-K, and behind them are their dancers. Now take another look at the picture (I'll wait). The gentleman in the white suit is "the original Special-K." I didn't know who he was until Kool Moe Dee had called him out to perform a couple of verses.

Now here is where the "tingle" set in ...

Between the dancers and the other two rappers, they had a very tightly choreographed routine. I cannot really recall which one of the Treacherous 3's songs began to play, but Special-K stepped out from the back (where you see him standing in the picture), took a microphone off the stand and began performing his verse ...

Well ... at least he attempted to (take ONE more look at the picture above).

The gentleman in the black suit standing next to Special-K happens to be Kool Moe Dee's bodyguard. Mr. Bodyguard politely walked up to Special-K, guided him back to where you see them in the picture and smoothly took the microphone back & handed it to a stagehand.

At that point I was no longer interested in the performance. At that point, I began studying Special-K's facial and body language. His demeanor was that like a kid being told he couldn't play with the rest of the kids in his class. There was sadness & humiliation - after all, this all happened ON STAGE. On the one hand, he was excited. He was really feeling the vibe and all of the love that was coming from the packed theater. That's what made him step out onto the stage and grab a microphone.

On the other hand, the reality is that his place on that stage was nothing more than professional courtesy. He had no place in that routine. He left the group. He "got off the boat" and because; as they say, "the show must go on," someone else took his seat.

No one ever knows what the future holds; and even though tomorrow is promised to no one, the one thing that IS certain is that there will be a tomorrow - and a tomorrow after that. Back in the late 70's no one could predict that Hip Hop as a culture and rap as a music genre would explode as it has over the past 30 years. Those who were around back then who are still performing and making money today are those who had a vision and stuck to it. Unfortunately, there were dozens of people who were brought to the stage who are considered to be Hip Hop pioneers even though they haven't performed in years - decades even. Few people barely remembered them, nor do they enjoy the financial windfalls that many of today's artists enjoy.

This situation has strengthened and made manifest a belief that I have held for a very long time. Success does not come to those who are weak at mind or heart. You must have faith. You must be able to see into the unknown and know that there is a place for you there. You must spend the time between seeing it and arriving there becoming what it is you plan to be. The only way to have those things you envisioned is to spend that time between seeing them and achieving them putting in the work necessary that will make it possible for you to acquire those things when the time is right.

If you do not do what is required of you to get what you want out of life, not only will you have to spend your days wishing you would have done what you know you were supposed to do ... like Special-K, you will find yourself pulled off the stage and out of the light and be made to watch the one who did put in the work necessary to take your place in the light.

Keep the faith & see what it is that you are reaching for.
See it with your heart if you can't see it with your eyes right now.

The future is yours. If you do not strive to earn the things you want, the universe has no problem giving to you that which would be reciprocal to the work you put in ... NOTHING.

No comments: