Music & Me
From 2007-2012, I released about four mixtapes/albums, two of which are available for free on datpiff.com (Blaze vs Doom and Love, Life, & Lyrics: The Kentucky Way). For better or for worse, when I locked in on those projects, those were the only things that mattered for me, at least as far as my focus is concerned. I would come home from work, listen to beats, write, think about different concepts at work, etc. I really set my focus on trying to make the best music, best lyrics, and best concepts that I could. In some cases, however, this was a mistake.
There were a few years there, where I was more focused on my music, than being focused on making rank in my job. Sure, I studied, and wanted to get promoted, but I didn't put in the true effort to make the rank, like I did to make those albums. It took not making it in 2012, and the hurt that followed not making it, to get my priorities straight, buckle down, and get this promotion that was becoming long overdue at the time. So that's what I did. I cut down on everything that was important, and studied my ass off to be prepared to test the following year. My study material went everywhere with me. In the bathroom, to work, on lunch breaks, in the bed at night, even on vacation to Wrestlemania 29. I'm proud to say that the studying paid off, and I made rank, and was afforded the opportunity to continue my career.
After the testing was over, I felt like it was time for me to return to music. I picked up my tablet, and started listening to beats, but I just didn't feel it. I figured I should switch to a notepad, and actually write it as I did before, but that still didn't do it for me. So I quit. I just felt like maybe the music wasn't important to me anymore, and finally, I had grown up and realized it's silly to pursue such a crazy dream. Every now and then, I'd get lucky and write something that I thought was worth listening to (check out Is It the Shoes? http://youtu.be/vqgCmrtBTiY?list=UUp2QdUlQEFRu12qq76uV7aA), but for the most part, I felt like the NBA players in Space Jam when they got their talent taken by the Monstars. This hasn't stopped me from having ideas, and preparing as if the new album is on the horizon.
One of my frequent collaborators for beats, Justice, has always said that he would like for me to do a complete album to his beats, instead of just a few here and there. I've been toying with that idea for the past few years, and tossed different ideas around. I figured I'd do just eight songs, and call the album, " the Great 8," and countless other ideas relating to that eight song idea. I've also scraped that idea now, and I've come up with something that I'd like to stick with in my attempts at a return.
Each of my last four projects had some sort of theme to them, and the title of the project reflected that theme. For Love, Life, & Lyrics: The Kentucky Way, it was to speak about everything going on in my life at that time, and represent home while doing it. For Blaze vs Doom, I wanted to see if I could rhyme over beats from MF DOOM. With Lyrical Renaissance, it became a little more deep. Around that time in 2010 is when I noticed that lyrics were becoming less and less important in a song, so it was my focus to bring lyrics back to the forefront. I wanted to tell stories, and make people remember my words, along with the beats to the songs, and not just the beats. With the Miserable Mind of Marques in 2012, I had a lot going on mentally, and was sort of battling some personal issues, and wanted to get those thoughts out. So I did in what I consider my most personal project thus far.
So what about this next project? Well, I'll keep it fairly simple. For the sake of not jinxing myself and changing titles again, I won't reveal the title until more work is done on the album. I have begun to write again, and feel good about the direction of certain songs. I just have to find the proper focus to keep writing and get it done. I plan on it being just 10 songs, and hopefully this time, I can score a few features, which is something rare for me. Considering I haven't released anything in two years, I figure I'm a bit overdue, so the goal is to have something ready before the end of the year. But we'll see how that goes.
Anyway, that's been it for tonight. As always, thanks for reading, and if you like what you're reading, hit the like button there, and share with your friends. I really appreciate all the kind words I've heard lately about my blogging, and look forward to some more blogging opportunites in the future. Share your thoughts with me, and let me know what you all think. You all take it easy. Peace.
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