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  • » Name: Amanda Bassa
  • » Location: VA
  • » Member Since: 09/21/07
  • » Bio: student, future change maker, and everything you wouldn't expect me to be.
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The Undisputed Truth

Stop Lying to Yourselves


August 02, 2008 | Tags: none

This is a break from my Rock the Bells commentary. I may even step off of it completely until I return from California. Oh, you ain’t know? West coast, your girl is comin’ back! And yes, that means two more Rock the Bells stops are in my future. So you know I’ll have something to say about it again. And if any of you are familiar with the coastal areas of Cali (at least the parts between LA and the Bay), let me know where I should make sure I get to. I’m trying to see some sights during this trip! Anyway, down to business…

 

A while ago I mentioned that I’m a former cheerleader. I never thought that I’d be able to draw a parallel between that and hip hop, but I guess I was wrong.

I was at the gym yesterday, which is something I do very rarely lately (I’m in sickeningly bad shape), and I decide to do a flashback workout and bust out some of the drills I used to have to do for cheer conditioning sessions or at gymnastics practice. So I’m standing in front of a mirror and I decide to try one of the moves that I was best at back in the day. I’m counting down in my head, feeling just like I used to feel when I was actually good at this stuff, and thinking I can still hit the move just like I used to.

…Needless to say, after watching myself attempt said move in the mirror, all I could do was stand there for a minute or so while thinking to myself, “Damn, I suck”, and “I hope nobody saw that”.

Too bad somebody did. A few people, actually. But anyway, enter the random hip hop thought of the day.

It feels like everybody wants to be a rapper these days. Perhaps I just feel that way because I have an inbox full of e-mails from people who are waiting to be that next big thing in hip hop, but I really do feel this way. And this poses a problem. Just like cheerleading tryouts back in the day, the more people that show up? The longer it takes to figure out who is worthy of a spot on the squad and who isn’t. There are some people out there right now that really deserve a shot at musical fame. They’re talented, passionate about what they do, determined, and have their heads straight. Then there are those who are bullshitting some tracks, nonchalantly throwing them together, asking their friends for feedback who are either too biased or too wimpy to give them some real constructive criticism. Friends of aspiring rappers, take note: stop telling these people they’re good just because they’re your friends. You’re not doing them any favors by blowing up their egos. It is infinitely harder to find that true talent when you have to sift through hundreds upon thousands of people who are damn near embarrassing themselves when they grab a mic.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m determined enough to keep looking for talent out there. And when I hear about good music, I give it a good listen. And I’m willing to dig to find it. But, damn.

What I’m saying is that if I can admit that I now suck at something and assure myself that I will never again attempt that stunt in public until I got it on point again, even if purely for the sake of dodging embarrassment, how hard is it for somebody to admit that they simply do not have the skills necessary to be competitive in this genre? But I guess with everybody and their mom trying to get in the game these days, that’s just too much to ask. I’m not trying to be mean, I’m just telling you guys this for your own good. Just like I’m telling myself I should stay away from cheer floors for a good amount of time. But that doesn’t mean I’ll stop working towards getting back to what I used to be. And that’s the biggest point – don’t stop trying, but don’t waste people’s time, either. Or make a fool out of yourself in the middle of a crowded gym.

And since I feel myself starting to ramble, let’s just end this here. Insomniac tendencies are a bitch. Too bad for you guys, this blog sometimes ends up as my own personal therapy ranting space. Don’t worry, more Rock the Bells commentary to come.


The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not necessarily those of HipHopDX.com or Cheri Media Group.

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