R.I.P. to a decade of excess

[freshcutgrass]

we seem to have arrived at a situation where many people consume to acquire and project an identity (or in some cases, a personality) -- this pre-packaged, two-dimensional 'identity' acts as a kind of psychological crutch for a low self-esteem -- this is ultimately a very unsatisfying way to live your life.

I would tend to agree with that take specifically. but...I don't beleive for one second that fulfilling personal inner requirements by wanting/aquiring materialistic "things" is any less fulfilling in life than family, friends, love, and all that other over-rated ****.

 

[hypersonic]

^ Hmm, I'm not sure about that -- I guess it depends on the individual.

Consuming 'stuff' can make you feel happy for a while ....but I don't think it is enduring as family and friends.

 

[binge]

Originally Posted by hypersonic

You know, you have a good point there. I guess I am basing my point of some real-life examples I have in mind -- but you are correct, some people do appear to be happy living that way.

I would hope that those real-life examples, the people who are unsatisfied with this course of action, do find something that makes them happy. Whether it be consumerism, asceticism, having a zillion kids, having none, building schools in Kenya, building a media empire in NYC, etc...whatever. Maybe all they're missing are some more engaging dinner conversations with hypersonic

 

[hypersonic]

Ha ha ....that was a nice compliment

 

[freshcutgrass]

but I don't think it is enduring as family and friends.

Perhaps you don't think so. But you make it sound like you believe that to be some kind of empirical ethical standard. I'm sure it's a widely held one, but that hardly makes it right. And I'm not suggesting forsaking anything such as family, friends, etc...just that other things matter just as much, and as a missing element can cause just as much unhappiness as longing for love, etc. We are only socially programed to believe that ethic of "priorities".

I know plenty of people stressed out with taking care of the rug rats and every other mundane "task" in their out-of-control prescribed suburban lifestyle, who don't "have time" for whatever their other pleasures are (or could be if they had the time to find out). And they are miserable.

But our greatest adaptive weapon as humans, is our ability to rationalize. Doesn't matter if you are a soccer mom...or a serial killer.

 

[hypersonic]

I was really speaking for myself.

I do believe you make an excellent point ....and I would suggest it comes down to a few desires that often are said to be superficial ....but are rooted in much deeper human needs.

Vanity/beauty: A need to feel attractive to other people ....to be liked and accepted.

Status/social climbing: To be appreciated and respected by others.

Desire for wealth: To have the freedom to live as you want to ....without restrictions.

I would argue that filling your life up with lots of expensive stuff is not ultimately going to give you long-lasting fulfillment on its own.

Acquiring new things can make you happy for a while ....but surely eventually, consuming for the sake of consuming is not particularly satisfying.

 

[eg1]

Originally Posted by freshcutgrass

I would tend to agree with that take specifically. but...I don't beleive for one second that fulfilling personal inner requirements by wanting/aquiring materialistic "things" is any less fulfilling in life than family, friends, love, and all that other over-rated ****.

Originally Posted by freshcutgrass

Perhaps you don't think so. But you make it sound like you believe that to be some kind of empirical ethical standard. I'm sure it's a widely held one, but that hardly makes it right. And I'm not suggesting forsaking anything such as family, friends, etc...just that other things matter just as much, and as a missing element can cause just as much unhappiness as longing for love, etc. We are only socially programed to believe that ethic of "priorities".

I know plenty of people stressed out with taking care of the rug rats and every other mundane "task" in their out-of-control prescribed suburban lifestyle, who don't "have time" for whatever their other pleasures are (or could be if they had the time to find out). And they are miserable.

But our greatest adaptive weapon as humans, is our ability to rationalize. Doesn't matter if you are a soccer mom...or a serial killer.

We are all pack animals, yes, but my pack and yours are very different indeed -- best you stay in your yard and I'll stay in mine.

 

[blackplatano]

Originally Posted by SField

Yea, Jay Z is trying to look much different which I appreciate, and it's why I liked Kingdom Come but hated American Gangster. It showed a maturity, even in his consumerism... he talked about Berkin bags and burnin' it down at Bergdorf's... not something the average fan understood.

The problem is that most rappers are actually broke or close to it. 50 seems to prove that with every new beef he gets into. Dame Dash, who everyone thought was nearly Puffy rich, turned out to be broke. Almost all of them are except for the G Unit set, Eminem etc... but most of them are upper middle class at best, with little current income since they're all too lazy/stupid to tour. Fat Joe, Cam'ron, Jah, DMX, Jada, Rick Ross, Irv Gotti, Royce da 5'9 (who will spit for anyone for $1000), Youngbuck, Game... are all without much of income, some are in debt, and some are quite close to being broke.

WTF are you talking about? 50 is stupid rich. Some of the people you mentioned are not very rich, yes (DMX comes to mind) but there are some loaded rappers out there.


This is only income from 2008. Somebody like Jay-z is probably close to half a billion in total income. The game made 10 million. If you consider that "broke" I don't know what to tell you.

1. 50 Cent - $150 million
2. Jay-Z - $82 million
3. Diddy - $35 million
4. Kanye West - $30 million
5. Timbaland - $22 million
6. Pharrell Williams - $20 million
7. Swizz Beatz - $17 million
8. Snoop Dogg - $16 million
9. Dr. Dre - $15 million
10. Ludacris - $14 million
11. T.I. - $13 million
12. Lil Wayne - $13 million
13. Eminem - $12 million
14. Common - $12 million
15. Akon - $12 million
16. Jermaine Dupri - $11 million
17. Lil Jon - $11 million
18. OutKast - $10 million
19. Chamillionaire - $10 million
20. The Game - $10 million

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by blackplatano

WTF are you talking about? 50 is stupid rich. Some of the people you mentioned are not very rich, yes (DMX comes to mind) but there are some loaded rappers out there.


This is only income from 2008. Somebody like Jay-z is probably close to half a billion in total income. The game made 10 million. If you consider that "broke" I don't know what to tell you.

Can you not ******* read? When did I ever say 50 isn't rich? I said that he exposes people who talk like they are. I am extremely well aware that he is rich. NOTE HOW I SAID THAT G UNIT IS JUST ABOUT THE ONLY GROUP THAT HAS MONEY "Almost all of them are except for the G Unit set, Eminem etc..."

Really, can you even read? Game owes all his publishing to Aftermath and G Unit. How many times has 50 said he hopes Game continues to do well since he gets most of the money along with Dre and Iovine? Did you not see the BET interview when Game said that he in fact gave a ton of money to friends/family? Most of that "10 million" he will never see. 50 wrote all the material that made his first album huge. If you don't know that, then please never talk about rap ever again. Everyone I listed, who all love to talk about money, are either broke or close to it. Most of the guys you list there aren't the pathetic losers that 50destroys. 50 has been extremely effective at exposing liars, and has said that all ex-g unit guys are not doing nearly as well as they say. Buck, Game and Spider-loc really are in dire straights, and given the lengths that 50 goes to in order to prove these things, you can consider it solid information.. I mean, just look at what he did to Rick Ross last week.

It is just a fact that most rappers did not make a lot of money. These estimates are all made by taking gross album, merch, and other sales, not taking into account that artists take away maybe 40% of gross, and even before they get that 40, it is made much, much smaller by the people who own them. They are notoriously incorrect, Dame Dash, Rick Ross and Young Buck being incredibly good examples of how innacurate these lists are. Almost everything you saw on Cribs was leased. Many rappers got very rude awakenings when labels wanted their advances, and they didn't realize that it would be deducted from their royalties. In the music industry, most of the big money is in touring, not in album sales. Since most of those morons do a couple local clubs at best, and often blow off lucrative tours (Dip set is a great example), they don't make much money at all.

 

[blackplatano]

Originally Posted by SField

Can you not ******* read? When did I ever say 50 isn't rich? I said that he exposes people who talk like they are. I am extremely well aware that he is rich. NOTE HOW I SAID THAT G UNIT IS JUST ABOUT THE ONLY GROUP THAT HAS MONEY "Almost all of them are except for the G Unit set, Eminem etc..." Really, can you even read? Do you seriously think there's anything you can tell me about rap? Game owes all his publishing to Aftermath and G Unit. How many times has 50 said he hopes Game continues to do well since he gets most of the money along with Dre and Iovine? Did you not see the BET interview when Game said that he in fact gave a ton of money to friends/family? Most of that "10 million" he will never see. 50 wrote all the material that made his first album huge. If you don't know that, then please never talk about rap ever again. Everyone I listed, who all love to talk about money, are either broke or close to it. Most of the guys you list there aren't the pathetic losers that 50 destroys. It is just a fact that most rappers did not make a lot of money. These estimates are all made by taking gross album, merch, and other sales, not taking into account that artists take away maybe 40% of gross, and even before they get that 40, it is made much, much smaller by the people who own them. They are notoriously incorrect, Dame Dash, Rick Ross and Young Buck being incredibly good examples of how innacurate these lists are.
1. Got a chimp on your shoulder? Calm the **** down and show some respect. I'm not attacking or biting your head off. 2. Get off your high horse. You sound like you desperately want to prove your rap knowledge while showing that others doesn't. You don't know what I know and it's really not that important. 3. Relax, the Internet is serious business, or so i hear, but not that serious.

The economics of the music industry suck for the musician.

I don't think that's in dispute.
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[itsstillmatt]

The economics of the music industry suck for the musician. Sfield knows what he is talking about.

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by blackplatano

1. Got a chimp on your shoulder? Calm the **** down and show some respect. I'm not attacking or biting your head off.

2. Get off your high horse. You sound like you desperately want to prove your rap knowledge
while showing that others doesn't. You don't know what I know and it's really not that important.

3. Relax, the Internet is serious business, or so i hear, but not that serious.





I don't think that's in dispute.
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I take offense to people who can read but choose not to. You dismissed what I wrote and said I didn't know what I'm talking about.

I don't care what you allegedly know because if you did know something you wouldn't quote those numbers with any kind of confidence. It has been proven over and over and over that estimations of wealth of people in the music industry is almost useless. This isn't like estimating the wealth of a person in a publically traded company where you can ascertain salaries and the value of their shares. People really are quite clueless as to how most record contracts and management contracts break down, and I don't even have to mention how horrible most rappers are at managing their money. For all the flak 50 gets, he is BY FAR the most money wise rapper there probably has ever been. If he weren't from the ghetto and got the opportunities that I had growing up, I have every confidence that the man would be a billionaire.

Neither Jay Z nor Puffy have demonstrated anywhere near the level of business acumen of 50.

 

[LabelKing]

Apropos of this thread, I saw a brand new Rolls Royce Phantom towed yesterday morning at 4 in San Francisco. It was parked haphazardly on Turk St., which is one of the high points of the Tenderloin district.

----

My favorite producer is Joe Meek, a crazier Phil Spector. He angered other music producers and bigwigs and finally killed his landlady and then himself on the eve of his idol, Buddy Holly's death.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Originally Posted by blackplatano

1. Got a chimp on your shoulder? Calm the **** down and show some respect. I'm not attacking or biting your head off.

2. Get off your high horse. You sound like you desperately want to prove your rap knowledge
while showing that others doesn't. You don't know what I know and it's really not that important.

3. Relax, the Internet is serious business, or so i hear, but not that serious.





I don't think that's in dispute.
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I disagree, to me it looks like he definetly knows what he's talking about....and you, not only misread his comment, but spent all of about 2 minutes researching and tried to debate it.

You're right, we dont know about what you might know.....but i'm willing to bet that its not much.

 

[unpainted huffheinz]

Originally Posted by iammatt

The economics of the music industry suck for the musician. Sfield knows what he is talking about.

The worst thing I can possibly think of doing to a musician is to force them to sign with EMI.