Today's blog will exclusively feature my short story. YUHS. I finally finished that sh*t. Yall can thank Joniesha (@Joniesha22) for providing me with the motivation to stop procrastinating.
Oh yeah. That songs you hear inspired my story. Those two songs do the job I want them to do. That's basically how I write. I write like I'm making a movie so I come up with soundtracks that portray my story the right way. Just listen and read.
Mary J. Blige - Smoke,
Explosions In The Sky - First Breath After Coma
Stay tuned for the post . . .
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Captains Log | Stardate 10292009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Song Of The Day
I use to be a MAJOR Lil Wayne fan, pre-autotune. And I just fell off . . . way off. On occasion I still bump The Carter 1, 2, & 3. He USE to be the artist with the most music in my iPod. Trey Songz took over that effortlessly. But this song here. Hmm. It might make me like him again. I'll keep my distance from his potent ass, but I need to find out what this "No Ceilings" mixtape is about. That shows how much I fell off. I usta know all about Wayne's music and when it comes out. Now, I'm at a lost. I got some catching up to do.
DAMN!
Damn Em! Did you have to do 'em like that?! This is my highlight of that whole f*ckery called the BET Hip Hop Awards. It was the worst yet, but it had its good moments. Like ... Ludacris on stage, Nicki Minaj's animated self, Goodie Mobb, and the last Cypher with Mos Def, Black Thought, and Eminem.
POW!
A Poem | by Me
Me
I’ve come to the simple conclusion.
The mirror is my worst enemy.
My so called image,
the image I see isn’t me.
The person everyone claims is me,
I cannot react nor can I relate.
Who am I? I’m tired of questioning
my identity, I will not debate.
I would rather swim in my
detached, abstract world of illusion,
than partake in reality,
an active environment, in confusion.
The images of me from cameras,
stills of my identity,
are just pictures, to me they mean nothing.
They do not identify me.
*this is inspired by my character Sidney, read her first story here*
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Song Of The Day
*This song just makes me feel good. I can always see myself standing against the wall, bending my right leg to the beat and popping my head with these big ass headphones cover my ears for some reason. That's the only image I get when I hear this song.
Poems | By Me
Pulse
She thinks on her own
expanding constricting
dull in sound
skips a beat
then she doubles
Follows no rhythm
Or maybe it's a bit off
She turns violent
Strangles the flow
Disrupts the song
Shh. . .
Listen to her speak
The story maker
Story keeper
She yells
In a silent panic
Then she calms
Vibrates within
Pulsing slowly
Now
She's hard to find
Knot Untied
When you closed your eyes, did you see the knot as it untied?
I stared at closed doors with restraint,
while listening to the ticking of faceless watches telling the time.
When I heard your voice, a small part of me died.
I don't know if it was my place to explain,
but close your eyes, did you notice the knot as it untied?
The knot was our love, its demise, we're dying
Forgotten was the strength, the partnership we tried to gain.
In a daze, I listened to the ticking of faceless watches telling me the time.
Failure after failure and all you did was stand by,
watching, waiting yet again.
I close my eyes; the knot is close to being untied.
Lies, misery, and deceit lived in your eyes.
I got rid of you, the frustration and unnecessary pain.
When I closed my eyes, the knot was fully untied.
Listening to the ticking comfort of faceless watches telling me the time.
*these are 2 of the 3 poems I read in class today. Everyone had their own interpretations of them, which were cool and all but no where near what I had in mind when I wrote them. It's all goodie tho.
The Videos I Worked So Hard On . . .
So, we all know that I saw Trey on Oct. 14th. I made a compilation video of all the footage I obtained. Now with the making of this video, everything that could go wrong went wrong. First my files wouldn't play properly on my computer, twitvid and YouTube. Consequently, I had to YouTube a tutorial on how to convert the format of my camera videos to videos that could be read on my computer. YouTube, despite how much I hate it, has its share of geniuses who actually help you out of a bind. You just gotta know exactly what you're looking for. So I go to the website specified in the video. It's an alright website might I add. I won't post it here due to it being damn near illegal and I ain't tryna get that sh*t shut down. Moving on . . .
I had a total of 10 (more or less) videos. The conversions took me 3 hours in total to complete. Then I had to make my own typed commentary, so that took a minute also. Once that was all done, I put it all together. And I started thinking. I needed some background music. In comes Drake - Say Something. It was perfect. An hour later I'm done. Then I had to publish it to my computer. BTW I made the video via Windows Movie Maker. I got skills. Anyway. THIS SH*T! It took an hour to publish to my damn computer. So I'm sleepy as hell, trying to hurry up only to find that this thing is moving at snails pace. FML.
Once that finished, I goes to YouTube to upload. *rolls eyes* Come to find out they do not accept videos over 10 minutes in length. Guess how many minutes my video was. 19! And its 5 a.m. I'm half pass dead, ready to give up. But I kept going. I had some UNREAL determination that night. SMH. So I goes to Photobucket praying that it would upload the entire thing. And I fell asleep on my laptop, knowing that I had to wake up at 9. Turns out that Photobucket was on that same bullsh*t YouTube was on. So I gave up. I had to redo the video and break it into two. I hate that I had to do that, but check what I came up with.
The things I do for my peeps. smh. UNREAL. LOL. I went to great lengths to finish this for yall.
New Vid | Chris Brown YUHSSSSS!
*cough* Excuse my excitement, but CB has a new video. And I'll be damned if I didn't like it. Good sh*t, as I said on twitter around 9:30. YOU KNOW A BISH GOT SCHOOL AND BE SITTING IN CLASS DOING NOTHING.
::THE VERDICT:: What a great way to come back into the music business. I like it. That is all. BTW I am digging that tattoo around his collar bone. I don't know what you call those, but I love it for some reason. Guys and tattoos YUHS! *cough* What is with me today?
What you think?
Thursday, October 22, 2009
All That Talk For Nothing
Yeah I'm still on it! I'm still reading crazy comments and these crazy comments are what scare me about overly religious people. The types that stand on the corner, holding signs saying that you're all gonna die. No ma'am. Keep me far away from that. Let me protect my sanity. I will not waste the rest of my life being paranoid about these things.
But anyways, my reading ass came across this article about the Rihanna situation. Just as I suspected. It's all for attention. You're drawing attention because of the shock value. And I know Rihanna's people don't give 3% of a whole f*ck about anybody thinking they worship devils and sh*t.
Via MTV
Rihanna may be playing a dangerous game on her first single, "Russian Roulette," but the man who produced the eerie ballad, Chuck Harmony, explains that when he and songwriter Ne-Yo sat down to conceptualize the feel of the track they wanted to take Rihanna's musical vibe to a new level. They didn't want to rehash what fans expect of the singer.
"We wanted to give her a movie. We didn't want to just give her a three-minute song," Harmony told MTV News. "I felt musically like everybody was gonna give like that 'Disturbia,' 'SOS,' kind of pop, uptempo stuff, and I really wanted the song that me and Ne-Yo did to stand out."
Ne-Yo co-wrote the track with Rihanna, but when he sat down with Harmony, the producer said the two guys knew that the song should be "something a little darker, something a little edgier, something a little more morbid. Just to try it out."
They recorded the track over the summer, and when it came down to picking a single for Rated R, out on November 23, it was an easy choice not only for the label but also for the singer.
"Rihanna phoned in to Ne-Yo to tell him that it was one of her favorites," Harmony explained. "I think overall she was comfortable with the vibe of the song and comfortable with the lyrical content of the song. She loves the song."
While he didn't go into details about what he thinks the song might be about, he did say that no matter what song Rihanna released as her comeback single people would immediately think it was about Chris Brown.
"Because that's the newest situation," Harmony explained. "Whatever she came with, if she came out with 'I still love you' that would have been about Chris Brown. If she came out with 'I hate your dog' that would have been about Chris Brown, too. It's just a natural reaction for people to associate 'cause she's been so tight-lipped."
Harmony is aware that the reaction has been mixed from fans who've heard the track. But he thinks singles should be about showing artistic growth, not feeding people the music that they expect.
"As a producer, I feel that's what's wrong with the music business, their first singles don't shock people," he said. "You're in a whole other space in life, so your first single should reflect that growth or that setback. I think with 'Russian Roulette' she's digging much deeper into her emotions. I knew she was going to another place an artist.
"If I had to speculate, I would speculate that [she released it] for shock value," he continued. " 'Russian Roulette' is the kind of song that when you hear it you're gonna talk about it — whether you like it, you talk about it. It's so unexpected, from the tempo to the title to the feel."
Permission to speak freely . . .
*disclaimer* The views seen below is not directed at anyone ... it is just a thought out loud (i.e. on my blog).
I just wanted to state that before I go on this little tirade I'm about to embark on. I would first like to say that I am 21 years old, and I can listen to any damn thing that I want to. No one can tell me different.
So people are talking a big sh*t about this new Rihanna song "Russian Roulette." For the record, I am not a fan of hers. So I am in no way, shape, or form defending her.
Dare I say it, I actually like the song. I'm drawn to anything dark. It is not a personal reflection. I do not walk around Emo'd out, cutting myself with razor blades, talking about killing myself, and wearing dark makeup. That is NOT me. So just because I like this song, would you say that maybe it has a direct connection to me? Oh Sabrina must be suicidal if she's listening to that.
YOU FAIL!
That is not the case. Can I just appreciate music, artistic music at that. So why do I say this, you wonder. Well, there has been an uproar about her lyrics, the song itself. I agree, the gun shot at the end is morbid. I can do without it. It would make the song way better for me. But it is what it is. So I go on Necole Bitchie's blog and saw a post about Tiffany Evans and whatever she said. Let the bandwagon effect begin. She says this:Russian Roulette= Suicidal Rate gon sky rocket!
You gotta watch what u say. Because there are a lot of weak people in the world. They are susceptible to anything so anything you say or do some people actually do listen. So make sure its nothing bad. Its okay to be deep,but not murder deep.
Man! I really wish I could tell you guys what the industry really is and what stars are apart of destroying this world. The stars who worship satan,and those who have killed to get the respect they have now. You’d be verrrry surprise. Some of your favorite people pretend to worship God but they only do that to save face. Or seem innocent.
Satan was head of music in heaven. He uses influential people…to help influence the world. Think about that. Once u make a certain amount of money. Just know that that’s when they ask u to join. To get in you have accept the beast, worship. Once you join they assist u with ur career.make u huge.only if u agree and obey to destroy Gods word.and his children.
Ppl listen and pay attention. Its a war going on right now between Good and Evil. Evil will rule this world for a min. The people that have this power are the people that RULE the whole world. I’m done I won’t say anymore before I get in trouble.
I am not the biggest religion buff. I believe in what I believe. And that will remain between me and what I believe in. Thank you.
Anyone influenced by anything in the media needs to reevaluate their lives. If someone feels the need to kill themselves because of a Rihanna song, then there is something wrong with you. A Rihanna song son?! Get the f*ck outta here. Seems like someone is putting too much emphasis on nothing. SOMEONE must have a little too much time on their hands.
I agree to some extent with Tiffany that you should watch what you say, but it is a free country. There is sucha thing called freedom of speech. Who are you to tell someone not to say something? I believe that's called CENSORING, and it doesn't matter if you don't agree with the words or not.
People are putting to much thought into simple sh*t. I'm listening to the song. Do I want to kill myself? No. Do I want to jump on someone's bandwagon, and say the song is totally awesome? No. Am I a Rihanna stan? Hell to the f*cking no.
What are you going to do? Make someone not make this type of music. She didn't even write it. Or maybe she co-wrote it, but its a reflection of what she's going through in her life. It's one big ass metaphor about her volatile relationship. You should define that if you don't know what it means. Apparently a lot of people don't. Has she no right to express her thoughts through song? I write poetry. It's an outlet to which I feel the need to express myself. Whatever the subject matter is, its whatever. You take it the way you take it. It's just a poem. It's just words with no power. There's no power until you give it power and draw attention to it. The song or poem has reason when you give it reason. Everyone has their right to interpret things the way they want to. I feel that its not in my place to interpret work that is not my own, because you know what ITS NOT MINE. Nine times out of ten my interpretation will be wrong just like everyone else's.
Actually, yall are giving these celebrities too much power. And its truly a shame. The lines have been blurred. But who's gonna correct them. Celebs are human. We just put them on a pedestal they may or may not deserve.
Time wasted on trying to figure out the meaning behind a song should be put into doing something constructive. Basically just get a life. I don't even have a life and you don't see me worried about the meaning of a song.
What also tripped me out about this post was the second part of it after Tiffany hops off her soap box.
According to The Prophet Blog (who was the first to post the vent), Tiffany’s controversial tweets are centered around the “rumored corruption and brainwashing that goes on behind the scenes of the entertainment industry, often referred to as a group called the Illuminati“.
"If you’ve never heard of the Illuminati before, it’s basically a group or organization of powerful people in the industry that brainwash audiences with hidden messages in songs, music video’s, political campaigns etc. Stars such as Kanye West, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Rihanna, and Matthew Knowles have all been accused of being involved, as have various politicians and actors."
Paranoid much? And I thought I was a A-class conspiracy theorist. I QUIT!
There will always be a hidden agenda/agenda-setting. For as long as there is air left to breathe and a heart still beating, an agenda will be set in motion. Stop acting brand new. I was NOT born this morning.
Fear based brainwashing is how I see it. Propaganda. WHO'S THE PUPPET NOW. Type sh*t. Smoke and mirrors. Who knows if its true? It's all, "I heard" this, and "I heard" that, "I read this somewhere," but what do you KNOW. Can I have some proof? I like facts not rumors.
I'm not gonna jump on something without knowing context, facts. Proof in my hands. People can say anything, and people will believe anything. I am a gullible person, but I refuse to be used.
Think for yourself, don't let anyone think for you.
Behind The Scenes | Trey . . .
Mhm <_<
Yesterday when I saw this, I kept pausing to look away. I mean you should've heard me yell at the screen. AAAAHHHH <--straight like that. I couldn't help it. LOL. Each image I've seen this week has thrown me. AND then they had to add a behind the scenes video. All in all, I'm still excited and half-desperate to see the video. I can't wait to scream at my computer the day its officially released.
*Sidenote* WTF kinda exclusive release is this. Whoever works at Atlantic Records are gigantic assholes idiots. We suppose to get this first because we paid for it, but now everyone is getting access. SMDH.
Monday, October 19, 2009
New Vid | Alicia Keys
::THE VERDICT:: I like it! The End
*Sidenote* People are simple as sh*t! I swear they are. This is why people FAIL. They are so worried about people's personal lives, instead of worrying about whats important. MUSIC. They talk so much shit about Alicia and hate her music because of a personal choice she made. That's just what it is. PERSONAL. Mind ya f*cking business. SMH. Wow. The audacity of some people to call her a "homewreaking whore" I don't see anybody going at Swiss Beats like that. He knew the situation before he went after Alicia. So why don't you do us all a favor, well just do me a favor, and throw yourself out a window. Thank You!
As you can see, I have a position. And I am and will always be a fan of Alicia Keys.
Spotlight | perhaps some Trey Songz? Why of course!
In case you missed it, actually we all have, Trey on Fox 5 this morning. WHERE WAS MY MEMO!
More pics from Invented Sex
(insert an FML here) LOL. Seriously. I can't be looking at pictures and videos like this and then looking at my life, noticing what I lack romantic-wise. Geezus. BUT the more pictures I see, the more I want to see of the video.
That is all.
P.S. I saw someone throwing the girl shade cause she's Ethiopian. I don't know if she is or not, and I don't know why girls hating on her. They were saying that he needs a black girl in there. How bout you define the word black first, smh. Put someone else in there and there will be a uproar. I mean DAMN. Trey just can't win. I say GOOD FOR HER!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
I would fit right in . . .
This is the type of scene I could get into. It fits my personality the most. I can party like this, instead of being in them volatile, hip-hop clubs.
New Vid | Hurricane Chris, Mario & Plies
::THE VERDICT:: I'm gonna hate myself for saying this, but I actually like this song. WTF. I don't know, but it just sounds good. Maybe cause Mario is on the chorus, because I really don't care for Hurricane Chris. *kanye shrug*
Hair Talk | Natural Edition
If you were on twitter this morning, maybe between 2 and 5 a.m., then you caught my declaration of Natural Hair. This came about when MissJia tweeted about a certain blog that had a natural hair feature on it. ANGELONFIRE.COM. It's a doooope blog, the whole concept of the background. It's original. Kinda wished my blog had that type of spirit. But anyway, I went to the post about the hair and that's when I declared that I will never get another perm again.
I was fascinated by the curls and the different styles. The only reason why I started researching hairstyles because I didn't know what the hell I wanted to do once I take my braids out. THEY NEED TO COME OUT RIGHT NOW CAUSE THEY LOOK HORRIBLE. I asked a question on twitter "How can I achieve the natural haired look?" Mind you I haven't had a perm since May. WOOT! I can thank braids for that, but I'm coming to a point where I can't keep coughing out 200 dollars every time I want to get my hair done. I just can't!
So I got a few answers:
Porche' (@shes_so_unusual)
@thinkin_ONPAPER let it grow out..then chop off all ur relaxed hair. thats what I didI do not have the will power and the confidence to just chop all my hair off. It's all about my state of mind, and I just can't pull it off. BUT that's gonna be the case further down the road. I HAVE to cut the relaxed hair off.
Monic (@moso_luvl3):
@thinkin_ONPAPER ohhhh u should get a wet set BrinaI think we have a winner.
@thinkin_ONPAPER a straw/rod set...use foam rods w/ setting lotion & curl yr hair...n wear it natural
If I was going to do the natural look, I would at least want my hair to end up like one of these examples.
Just follow the length progression. LOL. By the end (a few years later) I want my hair like that. It's a stretch, I know, because my
So I went on google to look up some tips. Transitioning to Natural Hair
People often ask us how they can make their relaxed hair "revert" back to natural hair. The true answer is you cannot. Nothing will make hair that has been chemically relaxed go back to its natural state. You have two choices, you can live with the permed hair at the end of the natural hair that is coming in or you can cut the permed hair off. Should you decide you just can't let go of that length, be prepared for some breakage. The place where the natural hair joins the permed hair is a weak point. Many people experience a lot of breakage when growing out a perm. By treating the hair gently and minimizing combing during the transitioning stage, you can minimize the breakage.
How to Make the Transition to Natural Hair
There are a few basic ways to make the transition to natural hair. The simplest is to just cut off the permed hair and live with a short hair style for several months. This is the boldest way. But, takes the least amount of work and there's no worry about breakage.
- Cut off the relaxed hair- depending on how much new growth and your preferences you have a few styling options. You can wear a TWA (tweeny weeny afro) or twists (two strand or comb twists) pretty easily with almost any length hair. For other styling ideas, see http://www.ourhair.net or http://www.hairweb.com
How Not to Make the Transition to Natural Hair
- Braids and/or extensions- you can have your hair braided until it grows to a length where you feel comfortable cutting off the new growth and going with other styling options
Transitioning to natural hair in other ways, like pressing the natural hair as it grows in underneath the relaxed hair, are going to make your hair prone to breakage and can damage the natural hair you're trying to grow in. Products that claim to revert permed hair might make it frizzy, but are not going to really make it natural. You do not want to put chemicals on top of chemicals in your hair. You will only end up damaging the hair and get even more breakage than you would experience otherwise. While transitioning, try to find a style that will accommodate the new growth coming in like twists or braids.
Finding a Natural Hair Transition Style
This may be the biggest challenge of all about going natural (besides the comments from your friend and co-workers). How do you style your hair when it's very short or when some of it is nappy and the rest is straight. There are several options. Here are a few:
- TWA- do the Big Chop and just wear a Tweeny Weeny Afro
- Braids or SisterLocks- SisterLocks can be started with as little as 1-1/2" of new growth at the scalp.
- Two Strand or Comb Twists- simple yet effective. If you decide to cut your hair, you can just use some styling gel (like Black Earth's Lock It Up Gel) and part your hair into sections. Either twist on a comb or take two strands and twist them around each other. Your hair can be worn like this for several days before having to re-style. CAUTION: Hair that is left twisted for too long can begin to lock. So, unless you want locks, take it down every once in a while.
- Straw Set- this is a great style if you want to keep your permed hair. The tight curls make the different textures (your roots and ends) less noticeable.
- Crinkle Set or Twist Out- by braiding or twisting your hair using a setting gel, you can create a wavy/crinkly look that minimizes the different textures of your hair. This is a very simple and very cute style. You can wear your hair in twists or braids for a while, then remove them and wear the "twist out" look.
- Flat Twists- basically the same as cornrows. The difference is you use two strands of hair instead of three.
I told my mother that I'm going to go natural and she laughed in my face. SO GUESS WHAT! Now its a done deal. I'm gonna prove her wrong. WISH ME LUCK!
Introducing J. Cole . . . (to myself at least)
because I don't know much about him except that he was on that Jay-z "A Star Is Born" song that I absolutely love.
J.Cole 'A Star Is Born' Documentary Part 2 from Chris Knotti on Vimeo.
Can't wait to hear what he has in store.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
So um . . . yeah o_O
Song Of The Day
*keep this in mind* I don't know what they told you, but I am a soldier BAY-BAY! (9 hours standing on my feet at that Trey concert)
*sings* BONG BONG BILLAAAY (she sings something like this in the song, but i'm gonna say this instead.)
Sneak Peek | Alicia Keys - Doesn't Mean Anything
This video is set to premiere (10/16) on non other than Perez Hilton's website. Guess I won't be checking it out unless its on youtube because I refuse to click on the link of that fuckery of a blog. SMDH!
*sidenote* She looks lovely.
New Vid | Mario
Speaking of the devil ... *rolls eyes*
::THE VERDICT:: I liked the video. This is actually my first time hearing the song and its nice. YAY he's growing his hair back, but look at that hairline. Oh well, I'm not one to talk, I'm all forehead. LOL. And that girl again ... smh.
Captains Log Star Date 10152009 | My Trey Day
Well I should start of by saying, this particular day was the worst day EVA. It had nothing to do with the performances and had everything to do with the people in attendance.
Shall I begin? Yes.
My day started after finding out that I'm failing a simple ass class. Mass Communication 358 | News Editing. I just brushed it off because I told myself that nothing will ruin this day. I'm going to see Trey live. That's all I could think about. I got home about 1:40 giving myself enough time to get ready for the night. I talked to Chelle (@chellelilbmore) who was already at Sonar (the venue). She was first in line. I kept checking to see if she was there alone. So I decided to eat something and put on that Trey inspired shirt (check my twitter default pic) and then by 3 o'clock I was on my way. Mind you the show didn't start until 8, well the doors didn't open until 8. The bus ride was basically hell because the dumb bus driver wanted to stop at every stop smh. So I technically got there about 3:40 or something like that. Tour buses were lined up on the side of Sonar. Trey's bus was right by the entrance to Sonar. I saw Day26 walk into the building but nobody was hype about that. LOL. In line was Chelle and this other girl, whos name escapes me at the moment but it begins with a J. She was from New Jersey and traveled down to Baltimore with her two sisters just to see Trey. I call that dedication.
Anyway.
It started raining. There wasn't much coverage from the rain. And I didn't have a umbrella because I did NOT know it was going to rain. By the time 4 maybe 5 o'clock came I was joined by Sheena (@bmoremisses) and a group of randoms. The line was growing and I was taking notice of how many of them girls were gathering around the front door and Chelle. I just saw it as a tactic to get upfront close to the stage. So with that noted in my mind I just let my cousin, Chantel (@juslikecandyLTL), who showed up after 5 just hop up in the line by me, all the while I was thinking (WHO GON CHECK ME BOO?)cuz I let her get up there LOL. By 6, the line was down the street. And by 7, everyone was bunched up in line. I don't know what the f*ck type of retarded ass line that was. Three ppl standing next to each other in a row all the way down the street. Dummies. The hoochies came out in droves. All of them were wearing, get this, short dresses, holey leggins, heels and open toe heels. I'm like wtf. It's 50 degrees or less out there. And there I was over dressed in a big ass hoodie, jeans and my faithful Chucks. Compared to them, I was a boy. SMH. But I had no money to go out and shop with. So I was sh*t out of luck.
I did get the opportunity to meet two of Trey's people. I forgot their names, but I was introduced to them by Chelle. I also got the chance to meet some of my twitter peeps ... Krys and Gloria (@kryswithak and @musikhunny). They got there a little late tho so they couldn't stand up there where I was. I really wish they could've. I knew I would have fun with them. Being that I lost touch of everyone the minute we walked into the venue.
Suddenly I caught a glimse of Samiyyah (Trey's background singer for those who don't know) walk onto Trey's tour bus, so I shouted to Chelle that she just got up on the bus. Chelle called out and Samiyyah got off the bus. She's really cool and pretty damn funny. LOL. She tried to jump the gate to stand with us but it wasn't working. LOL. We took pictures with her and everything. People were out there looking at us like who is that. I didn't care. Samiyyah then brought out Najja (Trey's other background singer) and we talked to him for a little bit before they had to run in for the sound check. He's pretty cool too. So we jump back in line. Sheena was making sure that I was as close to the front as I could be because I was out there before all of them heffas that just popped outta nowhere to get up front.
So there's this thing called will-call, which happens to be the stupidest sh*t ever. People walking in and out of the building to get their tickets. So how bout this group of girls go up in there get they sh*t and walk back out to stand next to us in front of the line like they been there all f*cking day. Lawd a fight could've broke out at that moment cuz the group of us were angry. But them dummies didn't get their hands stamped so they didn't get to run immediately in like we did. The doors opened at 8 something and it was a full sprint to get to a good spot in front of the stage. HOW bout my clumsy ass tripped over the gate thing and almost fell into the gate. I knew from then that it wasn't going to be a good time for me cuz I nearly hurt myself. I lost sight of Chelle and Sheena and Chantel had to stand behind me instead of beside me cuz bishes were pushing.
The venue itself was horrible. The stage was little as sh*t so there wasn't much space to stand by the stage. It looked dirty in there. And I never want to go there again *cough* Sonar *cough* And the ticketing process should've been done better. And they should've had the line set up from the jump instead of waiting until 7 oclock to bring some order to everyone in the line which is why everyone was standing in groups by the door. And they should've regulated on the people who tried to jump in front of the line and act like they belong there.
And then the trouble began. The so-called security guards, who weren't securing shit, decided that they wanna move the gate closer to the stage so we can be closer to the artist. Mind you the place is packed now. So I had to bend down get my sh*t and push back to stand back cuz I really couldn't. The guards were pushing us back too. So I'm like WTF. Once the gate was moved, everyone started pushing forward and I almost fell. I also almost lost my spot cuz we were so bunched together, but my ass made room. But all the girls were still pushing forward and the f*cking show didn't even start yet. And I turned around to find out that some thirsty b*tch pushed my cousin aside to stand behind me. So I'm angry. I pulled my cousin's hand forward so she could hold on to the gate cuz she felt like she was going to fall. And I could see the look on her face, she was NOT feeling it already. I just told her to hold on to me if she could or push off me if she feel like she's bout to fall. That was the concerned non-parent in me. LOL.
So 92Q's DJ or whatever he is, came out on stage and started talking. First of all he talk too damn much. Then the opening acts came out. And for them to be nobodies, they did great. The first opening acts that I liked. It was a group of girls called Karma I think (I love their outfits) and this rap duo Icebloc (who were cute as hell.) I had a poster and cd from Icebloc but I lost both. Then Sean Garrett came out. Now I am not a fan of his, I'm a fan of the songs he wrote. So I wasn't all that excited when he came out. His bald headed ass was sweating bullets. So how bout he jumped out onto this standing thing right infront of me with his shirt off and he's all sweating so I'm moving back so I wouldn't get hit by the sweat. It was nasty. LOL. Maybe it was just him cuz his shirt was off but there were no abs to show. And btw, I loved his dancers. They were getting it.Oh and he gave away two Louie bags.
Moving on. Day26 was up next. DJ Jus was their DJ which was quite a surprise. I wasn't expecting him to be there. So this is my second time seeing him ever. Last time I seen him was at the last Scream tour B2K was in without BowWow. But anyway, Day26 comes out in masks and sh*t. And then the beat dropped and it was my song "BiPoloar" good sh*t. I got some of it on video. I may have a few pictures but I didn't take too many. So Willie ... geezus. That's all I'm gonna say. Cause he was mainly on my side of the stage half nekkid. Got some video of that. And Robert ... geesh, he is nasty. I guess thats what he has to do to top Willie. Que spent alot of time on our side too. I done forgot every other song they sung but I was singing along. Then Willie, lawd, he stood on the step outside of the barrier so that was the Show and Feel part of the show. All I know is that someone's hand tried to go into his underwear. LMFAO. I'm a good girl so I only went for the hand, arms and stomach. That's bout it. He used my hand as support to get back up on stage. LOL. No video of that cuz I was too busy coppin' a feel.
Then they left the stage and DJ Jus started mixing music up and whatnot. Then there was an announcement. MARIO IS SICK, UNFORTUNATELY HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PERFORM. So I'm like boooooooooooo. He lost his voice or some sh*t at his album release party the day before. But I'm like this is hometown. Why couldn't you come out on stage to say hi. We'll sing the songs for you. We didn't wanna see Sean Garrett and the High guy's asses back out on stage again. We wasn't feeling it. Then they got off stage. I mean we sang the songs. We tried our best to stay hype but no thank you. It's not the same if he's not on stage. It would've been great promotion for his album cuz I don't even have it yet. But whatevs (not a typo).
So it's after 11 and we waiting. My body is hurting. My back, my feet, everything. It was extremely hot in there. No one was passing around water bottles. People were pushing. I was pinned between the gate and everyone else. I couldn't move to bend my legs. I basically had to use the gate as support because I couldn't stand on my own. It only got worse from there. The 92Q guy kept saying yall ready for Trey Songz and I'm like yeah. Everyone was. But he repeated that shit like 15 times. And still no Trey. So I'm getting angry. Not at Trey, but at the f*cking 92Q guy for talking too damn much. I yelled out to tell him to shut the hell up. 15 minutes and a lifetime later Trey's band, DJ Foot, Samiyyah and Najja took the stage. So I'm excited. Then Trey said "Yuuup" and bishes went off. I nearly went deaf. My cousin all in my ear. This heffaskank behind me screaming and I'm like GET THE F*CK OUT MY EAR! And the pushing began again. AT that point I just said f*ck it and started pushing back. Nobody had a problem wit that but I mean it aint stop nobody either. All I knew was that I WAS NOT gonna lose my stop and I wasn't gonna let another bish squeeze her skank ass up next to me. The only skank who can do that is my cousin. LOL. I LOVE YOU CHANTEL. Anyway ...
The heffaskank behind me pointed out Samiyyah and was like Trey is f*cking her. And I turned around and said "No boo, she is his background singer. I know her. It aint like that." I was tired of bishes getting their facts wrong. SMH. So after my correction she was like oh. So I shut her up. It didn't stop her from saying "TREY, I LOVE YOU, I WANNA F*CK YOU!" hoe sh*t. smh. She screamed it several times. Thirsty bish. Go lie in a ditch. Moving on ...
Trey stormed the stage. Now he was great. I loved everything about his whole set. The songs he sung. His simple dance moves. LOL. I have video of him too. He didn't even take off his shirt. Or at least I didn't see it because by then I had my head down on the barrier trying to pray for some strength because I had none. Midway through "Yo Side of the Bed" I was ready to just pass the f*ck out. He didn't do as many songs as I thought he would but midway thru I was ready to go home. It wasn't about him. I repeat it was NOT bout him. It was the conditions of the room and my existing pains. The further into his performance he went, the weaker I felt. Long story short I nearly hit the ground unconscious. I wish I was able to pay more attention to him, but I just couldn't at the end. I needed water, SOMETHING, but that wasn't happening. Thank god for Sheena looking for me when it was all over because I don't know how I would get home in the state.
I didn't order the connected package so it wasn't like I was missing anything. I couldn't personally meet Trey, take pictures and whatnot. My cousin was the one with the ticket. I was suppose to wait for her afterwards. But I just couldn't. I could barely stand so I had to go straight home. I couldn't bend my legs much so I was basically blind limping with the support of Sheena to her car. And tried my best to direct her to my house. Once I got home I'm shaking like there's something wrong with me, which there was. Shortly after, the vomit came outta nowhere and attacked me. So I'm still trying to figure wtf happened to me. Was it dehydration cuz i didn't drink anywater for a number of hours. Maybe I was fatigued and suffering from starvation that day because I didn't eat much. Maybe it was the fact that I was pushed against the gate. I have like this hernia thing in my stomach. I had it since I was born. It sits right above my navel, so there's like a lil hump on my stomach. And that hump was pushed up against the gate and maybe that was the cause of my problems.
This has never happened to me before. I been to a Trey concert prior to this one and I was fine besides the leg and foot pains. I just wanted to state that. I learned a few things from this experience:
- Never get to any concert way before time without an umbrella, food, and water.
- Dress like a girl and not some washed up bum trying to stay warm ( I mean I just had a big ass hoodie on but compared to the other girls, I should've dressed better.)
- Get an attitude with ppl who jump in front of me in line. (Yeah you may know Chelle but I damn sure don't know you and I was here before you.)
- Take up kickboxing or regular boxing. (So I can whoop these bishes asses because I am not a fighter, but last night I was about to pretend that I was.)
- Smile right (I got braces on now, but I still have this weird ass habit of smiling without showing my teeth and I'm really beginning to hate it.)
- DON'T BRING SHIT! (I am so tired of bringing my purse just so I can stick it between my legs and not being able to reach it when I really need it.)
- Wear better shoes (or get them jell shoe pads to makes my feet feel like they are floating on air.)
- TAKE MORE F*CKING PICTURES (I lost my ability to flash some pictures. That is my own fault, but my ass forgets.)
- When it comes to meeting Trey make sure you got yo sh*t straight before so you can have the ability to get to meet him.
- Learn to flirt so I can get backstage. SH*T! Or atleast get someone to get me a bottle of water.
- Make sure I meet everyone that I know at the concert at once. So we can all be in the same area. I was standing by some bishes I didn't know and it was NOT fun.
- Stand in a good spot in front of the stage (don't stand in front of them lil small stage speakers because its hard for the artist to reach out to you cuz they don't see you. Them negros had tunnel vision and saw right pass me. They have a habit of reaching to the right or their left of everything. It's just an observation.)
- I'm going to second think going to another general admission concert for Trey that has underaged girls there cuz some of them don't know how to act.
- Stand by people as hype as me and not acting dead because that is a buzz kill. They just standing there doing nothing. And I'm like WTF.
- Exercize my legs before walking up in there before I get injured.
Video coming as soon as I get my camera back.
Monday, October 12, 2009
A Poem | by Me
okay this poetry class is kicking my ass. I don't like forcing poems, but my teacher forced my hand and this is what I came up with. I'm NOT satisfied with it, but what am I gonna do. It's due tomorrow. SMH. FML.
Knot Untied
When you close your eyes, did you see the knot as it untied?
I stared at closed doors with restraint,
while listening to the ticking of faceless watches telling the time.
When I heard your voice, a small part of me died.
I don’t know if it was my place to explain,
but close your eyes, did you notice the knot as it untied?
The knot of our love, headed towards its demise.
Forgotten was the strength, the partnership we tried to obtain.
In a daze, I listened to the ticking of faceless watches telling the time.
Failure after failure and all you did was standby.
Watching, waiting for more failure again.
I closed my eyes; the knot is close to being untied.
Lies, misery, and deceit lived in your eyes
I got rid of you and the frustration and unnecessary pain.
When I closed my eyes, the knot was fully untied.
Left to listen to the ticking comfort of faceless watches telling the time.
:(
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Song Of The Day
Placebo-Running up that hill from mansonx on Vimeo.
You can thank an episode of CSI: Las Vegas for this song. It was towards the end of the episode and I absolutely love it. This video here, fan made, but the group used it as an actual video. I thought it was pretty cool. Thanks to this video, I had a bunch of ideas for a story.Listing | Mario Trax
02. Been Thinkin’ About You
03. Get Out (ft Ludacris)
04. Soundtrack to My Broken Heart
05. Starlight
06. Stranded
07. Ooh Baby
08. Before She Said Hi (ft Big Sean)
09. I Choose You
10. Don’t Walk Away
11. I Miss My Friend
12. The Hardest Moment
13. Stuttering (Bonus)
14. Emergency Room (ft Rihanna) (Bonus)
In Stores October 13, 2009 . . .
RE-UP | Movie Edition
Permission to squeal with delight?
(via Michael Bay's Blog)
Well its official: We have a great Transformers 3 story. The release date is now July 1st 2011. Not 2012.Hmm interesting. There's a dispute between Bay and Fox. She has publicity took jabs at my favorite directer. BOO her. I did not get that memo. O_O That wench better get it together for the sake of my movie or I will forever hate her. The only reason I liked her was for her role in this movie anyway. It made her. Don't bite the hand that feeds you missy!
Today is Day One. This morning started with an ILM meeting for five hours in San Francisco. Currently I'm flying with writer Ehren Kruger to Rhode Island to talk to Hasbro about new characters.
P.S. Megan Fox, welcome back. I promise no alien robots will harm you in any way during the production of this motion picture. Please consult your Physician when working under my direction because some side effects can occur, such as mild dizziness, intense nausea, suicidal tendencies, depression, minor chest hair growth, random internal hemorrhaging and inability to sleep. As some directors may be hazardous to your health, please consult your Doctor to determine if this is right for you.
That's not all.
(via HollywoodReporter.com)
Columbia Pictures is developing a third installment of the high-octane "Bad Boys" franchise, tapping Peter Craig to pen the screenplay.I have no idea when this is coming out or if its going to actually happen, but the fact that I've read alot about it gives me hope. I hope that hollywood didn't get to all of their heads because it would be very unfortunate if they left minor differences stand in the way of something great.
The hope is to have a script that would reunite director Michael Bay, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. At this point, with the project in the early stages, none has a deal to return.
But check this out. (via Slashfilm.com)
Remember the scene in Michael Bay’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen where Sam is drawing symbols all over the walls of his dorm room? Yeah, we’ve tried to forget about it too. What you might not have noticed is that Sam writes the number 3 on a poster for the other Michael Bay sequel, Bad Boys II. Now we’ve learned that the studio is moving forward with development on a third film, but will the original crew return for one more adventure?I knew that was done on purpose. LOL.
Friday, October 9, 2009
New Sounds | Toni Braxton/Trey Songz, & Robin Thicke
Robin Thicke - Sex Therapy
Toni Braxton - Yesterday [feat. Trey Songz]
(SHOUTOUT TO MY TASH FOR THESE SONGS -@NaNew21- Professional Lurker) LOL.
Song Of The Day
My favorite rock group behind Linkin Park, Paramore.The lead singer, Haley, has to the best (in my eyes) singer in that genre. And I love her hair.
"Misguided Ghosts"
"All I Wanted"
Both of these songs just GET me. That's the only way I can explain it. I don't even know if I can put into words how I feel about these songs. They just GET me.
Throwback Friday
Back in effect.
Stevie Wonder - Superwoman/Where Were You When I Needed You
Phyllis Hyman - Living All Alone
Angela Bofill - I Try
Photoshop Me | Pics of the Week
I just made this last night. thought it was pretty cool.
This is another cover for a short story coming soon called Slow Burn. Man I wish I was a photographer. But this pictures are not for commercial production. I did not take this pictures. I just found what matched my idea the closest and altered it. It ain't gonna be published or anything.
A Kanye Moment
“MTV, Thanx for this nod of appreciation,” Jay wrote. “Although I don’t strive to be ‘hot’ for any particular year, I thank you for the acknowledgment. My whole goal is to be recognized as the best ever. I created the term ‘best rapper alive’ as a sign of respect to my fallen comrades (Biggie and Tupac). I believe I’ve allowed a significant grace period, and I believe I would not be respecting myself if being the absolute best was not my goal, and that’s why I continue to push myself until exhaustion … salute.
“Sidebar: Kanye moment if I may … Eminem?!?! I think you do the credibility of this list a disservice if you don’t thoroughly explain his omission,” Jay continued. “As of this second he has the highest selling rap album of the year and a scene stealing verse on the best ‘posse’ cut of the year. (*Hands mic back to Taylor Swift … and nobody was harmed, I apologize in advance.)”
In Case You Missed It . . .
T.I's Behind the Music on Vh1.
*sidenote* I love the way he talks, his accent, all of it.
Commercial Break . . .
I seen this commercial yesterday. I don't know what I was watching, but during the commercial break this Dove/Walmart commercial came on. "Do your eyes sit wide" one woman starts singing. And the commercial just went through a woman's many imperfections in song. Imperfections that most of us, including myself, feel subconscious about. And I loved the fact that Dove put that in a commercial. I've always loved Dove's this-is-what-a-real-woman-looks-like campaign that counters the everyone-has-to-look-a-certain-way-to-be-considered-beautiful.
Check it out.
Writing | Class Feature Stories
In advance I would like to thank all of whom contributed to my story. I have yet to get my grade back, but I'll let you guys know the minute I get it. As you guys should know, I had to alter a few things, but what does my teacher know.
The chatter of excited young women filled the streets outside of the House of Blues in Anaheim, Ca. Hundreds of fans waiting to gain entrance to the venue stood in long lines wrapped around the building. It did not matter what time anyone arrived. There was still a wait, and, for some fans, a dwindling chance to get a spot in front of the stage.
With the thought of being one of the few to get a front stage position, Chikamnario Ugbaja, stood at the top of the line.
“I feel like I have to be in the front because otherwise it's not worth it,” Ugbaja said. “It’s simply because Trey really interacts with his audience. The closer you are the more likely he will interact with you.”
Suddenly, the fans jolted into action. The doors that kept them outside of the House of Blues finally opened. Ticket takers and security guards emerged dressed in street clothes: T-shirts, jeans, and tennis shoes. Shouts, hoots and hollers shortly followed. “Take your tickets out and open your purses” was the demand. A secondary line was created to split everyone into two lines.
“It makes me more anxious when they do security checks. I try to keep an eye on my placement in line as well as everyone else’s. I can’t let anyone get in front of me and take my spot,” Ugbaja said.
Inside, the crowd tripled in size and the anticipation heightened. Monic Clare was one of the lucky ones to stand at the barrier before the stage.
“I crazily made the abrupt decision to fly out to Anaheim in the middle of a school week,” Clare said. “I rescheduled two mid terms and spent money like never before all for one purpose - to see Trey Songz live.”
The 106 & Park show’s logo posed as the backdrop on a black canvas. Faint clouds of grey smoke against the lighting brightened the stage. Band members took their places. Another fan, Stephanie Walls, watched in awe as Trey Songz took to the stage. The high pitched screams blended together, hurting her ears. It was her first time going to one of his concerts. After four years of supporting his music, she finally had the opportunity to see one of her favorite artists perform.
“His energy is dynamic. He held my attention the entire time despite the fact that it was 11 o’clock at night, and I was exhausted. I was so immersed into his aura that I’m still struggling to remember exactly what songs he sang,” Walls said.
But the atmosphere wasn’t as lighthearted as everyone pretended it to be. The mix of high energy, overly excited fans, and loud music concealed the budding madness. It all began with a throw of a shirt.
“Trey fans do not play. His shows can be a bit dangerous. He likes to throw his shirt in the audience. Fights break out. It's safe to say that I got pushed and shoved a great deal and my friend's glasses got knocked off her face,” Ugbaja said.
Gloria Green was mixed in the crowd. The minute Trey’s shirt was thrown, another fan tried to jump over her in pursuit. Green was left with an injury to her back. Joniesha Williams was also a victim of the crowd.
“This one mountain size female felt the need to jump up and down and somehow pushed me. I lost my footing and she came down on my ankle. I didn’t know it was sprained until the next day,” Williams said.
The types of females who attend Trey’s shows are blind of their surroundings, Rihnay Demetrius said after attending the concert.
“These girls managed to make the bodyguards stumble,” Demetrius said. “I was pushed against the wall near a small end table. The girls stumbled and fell over the bodyguards trying to reach Trey. My knee was pinned between them, the table, and the wall. I screamed, but over the music and girls chanting Trey, no one could hear me.”
For each of these women the experience was a painful, yet memorable one. The positives managed to outweigh the negatives: absences from schools, bruised knees, aching backs, sprained ankles, and sore feet.
“All of this for Trey Songz, he may not know what I go through to see him, but somehow it’s all worth it,” she said.
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*a feature story about my grandmother, but I couldn't write it as if I knew her. I had to be a reporter so I changed my mother's last name.*
As Flossie Rogers reached upward to release a T-shirt from her outdoor clothing line, she felt a pulsating pain in her stomach. It felt worse that the touch-and-go pain she felt a few hours ago. She knew she would feel better after a nap, so she retreated to her bedroom. Unfortunately, the pain never subsided. Instead it intensified. She struggled to sit in the upright position, but she couldn’t bend her body. After a desperate call to her grandson, she was urged to go to the hospital. “Oh, I know it’s only an ulcer,” Rogers said, but little did she know, her condition was worse than expected.
She was admitted to Union Memorial’s emergency room. Several hours later, she was given a room where she was examined. She was immediately scheduled to have an abdominal ultrasound and an MRI. Just above her naval, her doctor found a large pulsating mass. Rogers was later diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Rogers’ oldest daughter, Valerie Carter, was there when the news was announced.
“We both gasped. I didn’t think it would be this serious, life threatening. I could lose my mother at any moment. There should have been signs,” Carter said.
Although the exact causes are unknown, the general causes associated with AAA include emphysema, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Rogers has all three. In addition, she has been smoking for 50 years.
“She smoked a pack a day.” Carter said. “She tried to cut down, but she couldn’t. She didn’t smoke in the house around her grandkids. She didn’t smoke in a car when someone else was inside. I’m glad she at least did that. Any change in habit is good change.”
Rogers was placed on medication to control her high blood pressure, but at the moment that was all that could be done for her. The lower her pressure was, the less stress there would be on the aortic walls surrounding the aneurism. It had to be controlled to prevent it from rupturing.
Rogers and Carter were introduced to the hospital’s vascular surgeon, Dr. Black. He explained that the size and location of Rogers’ aneurism is a cause for concern. Because it was 5.7 centimeters, it blocked blood flow to her kidneys, liver, and her lower extremities. At that size, the aneurism could not heal on its own. She would not be able to survive without surgical intervention. Reducing her blood pressure was the only a temporary solution. A change in lifestyle was needed, but it was uncertain how long it would last.
“That is a waiting game. Reducing her blood pressure won’t solve anything. My mother’s life at home is stressful. And if she’s sent home in that environment, it’ll be bad for her. And I’m afraid to go home and find her lying on the floor dead,” Carter said.
The second solution Dr. Black introduced was surgery called open aneurism repair. Unfortunately, because of the location of the aneurism, the procedure could not be done in that hospital.
With every decision, there was a risk. If she decided to have the procedure done, she could have an arterial embolism where there was a sudden stop of blood flow to her vital organs. She could have a heart attack or suffer from a stroke during the operation. In addition, she could also have kidney failure.
“It’s a lose-lose situation. You’re damned if you do, and you’re damned if you don’t. If she goes through this surgery, something bad could happen to her. If she doesn’t go through it, she could die at any minute. And I don’t want her to die, but I know she won’t go through with it. She’s wary of surgeries,” she said.
Carter looked down at her mother. Tears drenched her flushed cheeks as she held her hand. The decision was made. Rogers had to go through with the procedure. A day later, she was moved to Johns Hopkins Hospital. Three days following the move, the procedure begun.
Nurses periodically checked with Carter to tell her the status of Rogers’ health. They gave her the news, she made it, but there was a lot of damage. The damage was due to the aneurism rupture. In the process, she lost her right kidney, part of her small intestines, and her gallbladder. She was placed under a chemically induced coma to heal. Barely recognizable from the bloating caused by her procedure, Rogers laid in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit unconscious for 19 days. On Friday, Sept. 18, she awakened from her coma, expected to make a full recovery.
“Part of my family hated the fact that I made the decision to have my mother go through this surgery. I made so many people unhappy, but I don’t care. I asked her if she wanted to live, and she said yes. I had to do whatever it took to get her healthy, but we still have a long way to go and more decisions to make,” she said.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*this is the Troy Taylor Bio I did*
The temperature heightened as the air grew more oppressive. It was one of many disadvantages of having a recording studio in the basement of a suburban Atlanta home without windows. Staying on task, Troy Taylor focused his eyes on the illuminated screen of his Macbook Pro. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he nodded his head to an instrumental song played on the sound system.
Ownership of that particular song belonged to one of his new protégé’s Darryl Cook. Taylor stopped nodding his head. A particular piano key sounded out of place.
“Darryl, that bridge is not good,” Taylor said. “You have to break that beat down. The beat doesn’t have to continue on like that.”
Taylor was an R&B music producer. His job required a lot of things from him. He wrote, produced, arranged, sung, and did everything else needed to finish a song. At the moment, he kept a watchful eye on his protégé as he continued to mix his own musical creation.
Instead of letting his protégé continue with his song, Taylor dismissed him, taking control of the keyboard and finishing the song himself.
“It takes a lot of guidance on their part to achieve what I need them to achieve. The ability to make good music. That is the ultimate goal,” he said.
Taylor‘s music career began 20 years in New Haven, Connecticut. Being 21 at the time, he was given a choice of what type of life to pursue, college or music. He once said that college wasn’t made for everyone, so he chose music. To him, college was a waste of time. By that he meant that one goes through all of those years to get a piece of paper you won’t be able to use.
Taylor’s first project began in 1989 when he started work with a young R&B group, now known as Boys II Men. He produced instrumentals, written songs, arranged vocals, and added a few of his own background vocals to their songs.
In 1990, he started his first production company, Character Music Corp. He produced and wrote for R&B artist like Color Me Badd, SWV, 702, Brian McKnight, Tyrese, Johnny Gill, Faith Evans, and many others. In the process he gained a new understudy by the name of Carl Thomas, an aspiring singer at time.
Taylor took the time out to look around at a room full of his peers. He called them all his students in an institution he ironically called Troy Taylor University.
“I try my best to allow the Lord to bring the talented people to me, so that I don’t have to look. I don’t want to question why I work with particular people. I realized that everyone talented isn’t meant for me to teach and mentor.”
He later started work on his new production company, Songbook, in 2003. He produced artist like Aretha Franklin, Patti Labelle, Whitney Houston, Ginuwine, Gerald Levert, The Isley Brothers, and other legendary acts. He also signed his first artist, Trey Songz.
Beyond producing, to many Taylor was a motivational speaker to those in need of motivation.
Recently, he signed a new producer to Songbook. Dre Norris had known Taylor for two years, but never had the opportunity to make music with him. Now he has that opportunity.
“Its dope learning from a legend in the game,” Norris said. “The best piece of advice he gave me was to put things in this order: God, family, then music. I live by that. I appreciate him telling me that.”
Taylor filled everyone’s ears with wisdom. He wanted his peers to avoid the hardships he been through. He wanted to be that inspirational voice to others. It was something he lacked in his upbringing. Sometimes he thought about not having a mentor and how he desperately needed one. Now he is in the position to help someone else. At times it seems like tough love. His approval is never easy to obtain, but he surrounds himself with hard workers willing to want to be better.
He turned to his protégés. The room fell silent. Their attention belonged to Taylor.
“If this is the path you choose to live, you must know this. Not every artist can be a star; not every star can be a legend; not every legend can be an icon. So what are you?”
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