Music, My Life, My Return

I want to first say that my absence has not been in vain. I struggle daily with myself on if I want to continue to pursue anything that even deals with music. Over the years I have seen my own decline in regard to the one thing that I have always loved. MUSIC. No matter what or how I was feeling, I could always count on music to get me through it. I could turn on the radio, my cd player, pull up some songs on the Internet or sit down and write til my heart's content....but slowly that started to change. TUPAC always was and always will be my favorite ARTIST of all time. I had moments of "idolizing" Master P's No Limit Records and when I say, I had every single poster of every single artist ever signed to No Limit taped, stapled and glued to my wall, along side other artists like Tupac, of course, Nelly and Scarface.

At 15, my room looked like that of a teenage boy that lived and breathed music and some of those posters even followed me into my adulthood. I remember sending my ex pictures of  "our" apartment during his bid and being laughed at because Nelly and Tupac hung up on the walls. Yeah, I was 20 years old and still had posters in my room, but little did he know, those posters motivated me to write music.Music started to lose it's meaning, it's purpose and with the downward spiral of music itself came the lack of passion I once had for it. All I ever wanted in life was to be the first female rapper on someones record label. While


I remember sitting at my computer, playing with whatever software was popular back then and making my very first beat. I was so excited. Without thinking I posted it online to one of the little underground websites I was a part of and started my journey on being a producer. I still wrote music and even recorded a bit, but my joy was in making beats. Not long after that all of my equipment was stolen, my exes keyboard, my computer, ALL of MY music.... I felt like I had lost everything and in a way I did. I turned my back on music and started focusing on other things, so it came as no surprise when I picked up a Lloyd Banks cd and a familiar beat. Most people hear their creations and get ecstatic. Not me, I knew I was took. Not realizing that uploading my beat without the proper copyrights/trademarks, etc opened me up to losing what turned out to be a major hit for Lloyd Banks. His track Cake.....that beat....that exact beat...... yeah, that was me. That was the moment I learned one shady side of the music business, the thievery.

Fast forward to present day...music is trash now days. I had a conversation about how producers are so disposable that they will use the same one for a few years and then toss to them background to live off royalties. Not saying that they are talented enough, but it seems as though the music business isn't big enough for more than one popular person at a time. Lil' John, Pharrell, DJ Khaled (who seemed to last the shortest amount of time) and now Mike Will Made It.... I know everyone has their time, but this is why music sounds the same, it all has the same theme, and dies out too fast. Its too repetitive. Thus comes my struggle with dealing with and even writing about music.

I'm tired of writing about the same lame ass artists who are on ALL of the same songs with each other. Not one of them can make a decent solo record because they are all on each other's albums doing the same type of songs over and over and over. How much weed smoking, purp drinking, ass shaking, j wearing can there really be? Yes, I get it, it's entertainment, but it's not entertaining anymore......I miss real music. The classics and drama every now and then is ok, but why does every damn rap album have to come with a damn award show fight? Why can't the slutty R&B singers be ho's together? Do they really have to fight to out ho each other?

With that being said, I've decided that GOD blessed me with a talent for music and just because this world has turned the music into something I can't tolerate doesn't mean I should turn my back on the 2 things that have never done me wrong. 1. GOD & 2. MUSIC..... so I am choosing to continue to write, about what I want and I pray that you all receive it the same way you would receive anything else that has been posted on this blog thus far. Thanks for all of your support, your shares, your reviews and ideas, My return will be with much purpose! YOU GOT MY WORD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Still MISSES_S.A.M. signing OUT!!!!!!!!!! 

OKLAHOMA'S OWN: T-MAJOR - ARTIST OF THE WEEK

Photo courtesy of T-Major & I.M.E (It's Major Entertainment)

I vowed to make a weekly feature dedicated to the up and coming artists from Oklahoma. This week my feature focuses on 28 year young, T-Major, an Oklahoma City native who many call a triple threat artist. T-Major not only raps, he also sings and dances. If you are from Oklahoma and familiar with the infamous "dance cliques/clicks", you should remember T-Major as a member of one of the most widely known and ever popular, Sex Mobb (Sex Whaattttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!). Sex Mobb not only performed locally during talent shows and dance battles, but the group also toured to different cities, opening for artists, such as J-Shin, Tyrese and Ginuwine. T-Major recalls performing at Jam Fest alongside his Sex Mobb family and states, that is where his love for the spotlight came from. I personally remember attending many battles and while my closest friends and family were apart of competing dance cliques, I vividly remember Sex Mobb being one of the most successful of them all.

T-Major states that while he has only been in the music game about 3 years now, he grew up singing in his church choir and started writing songs about his life shortly after turning 20. He gives credit to the studio as being a second home to him, in which he started working on singles of his own and mixtapes with his friends. Quoting great artists such as Michael Jackson, Ronald Isley and R.Kelly as his musical inspirations, T-Major also gives props to Chamillionaire for giving him an inspiration to do music. Giving them this recognition for their abilities to capture their audiences attention by relating to them on a deeper level. T-Major is one artist that you can see is very humble, but with an inspiration such as Michael Jackson, that comes as no surprise.

In addition to being a rapper/singer/dancer, T-Major is the C.E.O. of I.M.E short for It's Major Entertainment. T-Major describes I.M.E. as a label that "consists of 5 highly motivated individuals who works hard and does a Major job at it." I rap and sing, but the team involves several artist known as Doedi Dizzle, K Lotto, Money Folks, Mr.Herrod, Mank Stone, and G Duke Stone. They're all rap artist doing whatever it takes to get to the top and make a name for themselves as well as I.M.E.

Unlike many of the mainstream self made C.E.O's, whenever you see T-Major on a track, you are sure to see other I.M.E. artists as well. When asked if there was a track T-Major would like to submit along with this feature he could have easily suggested one that focused on him, however he chose a single that features other known Oklahoma City artists as well. For this feature however I am posting the video to T-Major's "Super Star Anthem", further down you will find a link to the "Super Star Anthem-Remix".

When asked who he would compare himself to musically that is topping the charts in the game right now, T-Major relates himself to Drake and R.Kelly and being that both of the artists have given acting a shot, the similarities are understandable. For his future, T-Major doesn't count out acting as a skill to add his track record. However, his main goal is to become a independent entertainment label through a distribution deal and it is openly evident in his music where he hails from and as he states, "as far as my hometown I'll never forget where I came from and I'm apart of O City so it'll be on the map automatically."

I asked T-Major his opinion on beef between local artists, and being a member of Sex Mobb, who seen their share of beefs between dance cliques as well, in a big but small city like Oklahoma City, it's easy to come across jealousy and hate. T-Major's view however, "For one no local artist should have any beef due to the fact that it will not do either of the artist any good, just a bad reputation for the both of them. Who wants to do business with someone who has a bad name in this game." In a industry that has seen the drama unfold between rap greats, Tupac and Notorious B.I.G, Nas and Jay Z and 50 Cent & Ja Rule, it is refreshing to see someone that understands, success doesn't have to come with drama.


                                     T-Major - SUPER STAR ANTHEM (OFFICAL VIDEO)

I am very appreciative to have the chance to feature an artist such as T-Major on my blog. He's a talented individual that is making a way for himself as well as others while remaining humble and true to his roots. I look forward to seeing what the future holds in store for the entire I.M.E. camp and I encourage you to take the time to check them out as well. In closing, I leave you with T-Major's advice for others looking to get a start in the music industry, "Don’t jump into the industry, become your own individual artist who is independent and an entrepreneur. You'll go further doing what you truly want to do, and not what somebody wants you do. Think bigger than big, think MAJOR."

I.M.E. website - http://www.itsmajorent.com/
T-Major FaceBook -https://www.facebook.com/tmajorakathefuture?hc_location=stream
T-Major Twitter - https://twitter.com/TMajorOkc
YouTube Channel - http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUuc5DGCMtNS0vxk4OO8__g


Until next week, I'm ya girl Misses S.A.M and I'm signing out !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kendrick Lamar - The Truth?

Everyone knows him, everyone loves him, everyone has at least two of his songs that are constantly playing in your head and if you are not familiar with the face above, I welcome you to planet Earth. Allow me to introduce to you Kendrick Lamar. 

The purpose of today's blog is to give my views on the ever so controversial verse dropped upon us by Mr. Kendrick a.k.a. K. DOT on Big Sean's single titled "Control". Let me begin by saying that this entire piece is MY personal opinion. I am not forcing anyone to see my point, to agree with me or to even agree that Kendrick laid the hottest verse not only on this one song, but on a track period, in a long time. I intend to break down the verse, analyze the words and this is because the controversy that surrounds the now notorious verse (at least in the heads of most unsigned, underground and/or battle rappers) is the fact that Kendrick Lamar dropped names, most of which were East Coast rappers and then he titled himself the King of New York......So, if you are ready lets begin shall we? 

First, it is my strongest opinion that Kendrick is NOT and probably never will be a "battle rapper", you know the type of rapper that focuses on verbally attacking other artists with multiple punchlines, metaphors formed into what we in the rap world call bars. Most battle rappers engage in diss records, which bring about responses from the rapper in which was dissed and then the cycle of rap life continues. I diss you, you diss me, the fans determine who is better, and then on to the next one. Kendrick is a lyricist, an artist if you will. I really dislike giving him the title "rapper" because this man is much more than an entertainer, his music has meaning, each song paints a vivid picture into who this man is and through his music you can feel his words.....or at least you should be able to, if you can't then you may not be on the Kendrick Lamar level. Chief Keef may be the rapper for you. 

Now let me explain why Kendrick's verse on "Control" was NOT a diss track. While Kendrick may be relatively fresh to his fans and the music world, he is by no means new to the music game. Most diss records come from some sort of animosity, beef or down right jealousy between one rapper and another. It can a personal issue, a mis-communication of words, hearsay or just down right publicity motivated. I can assure you that his verse on this single was not motivated by any of the factors above. An example of a "diss track", if it should really be called that would that, is Kendrick's track, "The Jig Is Up" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi2_4esAAFs "explicit language") which is a response to the rapper Shyne calling Kendrick's album Good Kidd M.A.D.D. City trash. Personally, I like Shyne, but he's bananas if he thinks that album was trash. Any who, the "antics" surrounding the jabs each other and landed on Twitter (pictures are below) and this ladies and gentlemen is what and how diss tracks are usually formed. 

So, back to "Control", Kendrick did something that no one in the game, thus far has thought to do, which was create enough buzz in the world of Hip Hop to make it interesting again. I know I for one am played out on all of the songs with all of the same people, with the same beats, the same "storyline", the same big booty hoes, the same crack house and popping mollies and sweating. It's like music today is becoming more of a parody than the actual art it once was. In saying that, Kendrick said on record, what every good artist thinks and feels. That he IS going to be better than the rest. He is going to strive to be the best there is in the game. He's going to put in work and EARN sales, fans and titles. So because he dropped a few names (of EVERY artist he has worked with mind you) now he is being disrespectful and trying to claim something he is not? I say that is a negative. 

So many of you are focusing on the names that he mentioned, thinking because he said a name he's dissing, when in fact, Kendrick gave props to the GREATEST RAPPER OF ALL TIME (again this is MY opinion) Tupac Shakur, and the lyrics state "I'm Makaveli's offspring, I'm the King of New York, King of the Coast, one hand, I juggle them both,". He then says, What is competition? I'm tryna raise the bar high, Who tryna jump and get it? You better off tryna skydive".

Big Sean's "Control"

The verse describes the declining direction in which rap music is going, referencing popping mollies and rappers turning into Lindsay Lohan. Does anyone else notice how many rappers are wearing leopard print leggings? His goal is to bring the genre of music back to where it once was and I agree that since the departure of Tupac and Biggie, rap music has changed, for the worse. I love the direction K. Dot is going and his style of music and the fact that he is not afraid to challenge even some of the biggest names in Hip Hop and do it without regret. He lit a fire that had yet to be lit. 

To date the majority of the responses received from Kendrick's verse, were of course, from known "battle emcees" such as Papoose, Joel Ortiz and Cassidy and while they're tracks were way more substantial than Kendrick's (because it was not a battle track), they still didn't "murder" is effort. They did exactly what was expected. Had he not laid that verse and named himself King of NY, then NONE of these East Coast rappers would have responded. It's as simple as that. Music is something that has to be felt and understood. You can listen to a song a million times and NEVER hear a word that is said, but when someone says something, if even only a one line, that causes the world to stop, drop what they're doing and send a response, then that my friends is what you call a true artist


I'll finish by saying this. Kendrick Lamar will never be the next Tupac, No one will for that matter, He may not be the next greatest rapper alive, but as long as he continues to pursue that goal and continues to be the cause for others raising the bar, then I would say he's doing exactly what any great motivator would do. He's making it happen instead of waiting for it to happen.



On that note, I will end my opinions here and leave you all with the YouTube to link to the song "Control". Then you decide for yourself.




Misses S.A.M. is signing out !