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Sunday, June 21, 2009

good question


im gunna ask here in hopes you'll post a blog about it..
why don't you do collabos... with good mc's ?
or is it you don't know any mc's good enough?
just wondering


There are many reasons why I don't do collaborations.
One of the main reasons why I don't do collaborations is that in the past, I have always had to rely on the other end to finish their part of the song. It would take days, weeks, months for me to receive the song AFTER they have supposedly already recorded. Low tolerance for ambiguity. Perhaps I'm too impatient but when I want something done, I tend to work towards completing that certain thing not necessarily in a hurry, but rather in a speed that is... respectful, if that makes any type of sense. Can speed be respectful? Certainly.

I think it has more to do with my disgust in people, both musicians and non-musicians, who lack the ability to have even the slightest sense of urgency. Do not move as though you have molasses in your A word.
When things aren't moving along at what I feel is an appropriate speed, I tend to take matters into my own hands. Just like the Holographic Double video. Do you know how many people I asked to help with that? About 6 or 7 people. How many helped? 2. How many excuses? An Abundance. when the video was done? "Hey man if you need help with the next video hit me up bro that was awesome bro."

smh. That story never gets old.

One could say, well, I have the song already... you don't have to wait.

I would then be reluctant to work with you because I am not familiar with your work. Upon attempting to get familiar (a rare decision to be made especially when the artist is not established*) I tend to find that the person is not ready to be on a song with me. I do not use the word 'ready' here as a means to indicate that the person is not skilled enough, for that would certainly mean that I am suggesting that I am skilled. An indication of being TOO skilled. That would be in harmony with the word 'conceit' or having too high of an opinion of oneself. A high opinion of yourself is acceptable, it is only when that opinion is TOO high which is a height generally determined by, well, the public. It's a tricky business to present certain arguments without being offensive and without giving false impressions. It is also a tricky business to maintain the height perceived by outside observers who tend to have a strong connection with the idea that objects in the mirrors are always closer (or bigger) than they appear.

Artists, especially rappers, have the tendency to view collaborative efforts as some type of competition. This is why I appreciate songs such as "Hello Brooklyn" where Lil Wayne is essentially chanting as a means to make an anthem as opposed to performing in a way to, say, compete against Jay-Z lyrically. I believe that Jay and Wayne knew exactly what they were doing. They understood how their collaboration was going to work for that song. They are established.* In the song "Pressure" with Lupe Fiasco and Jay-Z....that song is so important to pay attention to because it wasn't a sing/song type of record. It was straight up lyricism which made for a very very entertaining and beautiful record where you have the young jedi and the jedi essentially sparring in a respectful manner. I'm not going to go into too much detail but listen to that song. You can just hear the viciousness, you can feel the power of the collaboration. I say that whenever one collaborates, they shouldn't merely ask someone to be on a record with them, but that the record should be important in the sense that the given art form itself is empowered and that the listeners can pretty much feel the amazing-ness. I think that there is an art to collaborating that many un-established* artists seem to fail to realize.

Another reason why I don't collaborate that often is because I have been working towards becoming an established artist. I believe I finally achieved that goal in about 2005 which is why the list of available downloads begin with Lightbulb Level, the beginning of being established. Contrary to the misconception that established means to be signed or to be funded for your art, I use the word here to indicate that the artist is established when and only when they have truly grasped the way in which they can be as effective as possible, whatever you want that to mean. You have to know what you are doing, basically.

Another reason why I don't collaborate that often is because I am very much aware of the fact that the same rappers who give me props one day are the same who will go to the shoutbox on this site or post anonymous comments that slander my name seemingly out of jealously, which, doesn't make sense, at least not to me, of course. I can always take the Joseph Conrad approach, apply IT to hip hop music, and say that I am merely a poor unsigned rapper. Have pity on me.
This Harvey Dent-ism is a very good reason why I avoid collaborating with rappers who I don't know.

As some sites have learned, I don't even collaborate when there is a prize involved. I look at the prize and say to myself, man, T. Double, you can buy whatever that prize is if you work a couple more hours at work.
and it's true.

I just have to hit the block and hustle real hard, hustle hustle real hard.
Kidding...


All in all, I DO do collaborations under the right circumstances. What are those circumstances? I am familiar with your music and I appreciate what you are doing for the art form.
^ It is not an usual occurrence that I will straight up listen to un-established artists with an eager ear because 1) believe it or not, I don't listen to much rap music and whenever I do, it is mostly stuff like Gucci Mane, Killa, Cudi, Lupe, Kanye, Jeezy, SouljaBoy, Yung LA, Young Dro, Shawty Lo, Nas, Jay. ( I don't even listen to all of the artists on Holographic Double like that, I just respect / respected what they were bringing to the table at one time)

2) I am somewhat super focused on taking my own music to another level and I truly believe that with the combined forces of DZ, Saylen Strayer, Vagnum, myself, and a super official recording studio with someone with superb mixing skills....something dope could be created.

Notice that I didn't mention the names of some other rapper. For self reliance deserves some type of respect.
It is also important to note that you cannot have what you want. If we could, Lupe Fiasco and I would have some tracks together, Cam'ron and I would have a mixtape out called Best of Both Hoods: We Scramblin, Gucci Mane and I would have a chain of freeze pops on sell called BRR & BZZ and yeah.....

You can't have what you want - but at the same time - you can't be mad at that simple fact of life. "not having" is known to be temporary and when you can have it, it is known to become undesirable all of a sudden. That goes for many things.
Even when you look up to a person who begins to do soooo many things that you yourself feel as though you have already done or are super familiar with already yet you are neither credited nor are you given a chance to contribute or something....you can't get mad. You can Never be jealous, either, that is, unless you are not one who cares for being respected. One who doesn't understand the idea of RESPECT. I won't say that age determines your ability to comprehend this concept because that is the LAST fallacy that I would ever want to commit - but - time does heal all things including the bloody cut of ignorance and impatience that bleeds through your ever action and pops the very vessels in your brain as you think about your next move - slated to be the worst move of all time when you don't even know it!

Enough typing.
-TURBO

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Chain of freeze pops!!!!!! LMAO!!!!!!
-cinquehahahaha

Ziggy said...

Good read. I understand why you dont do collaberations. I really liked the song at the end of 5 minute part three (Cant remember the name now, sorry). Who are the featured artists in that?

PS The music you make is already too dope, you dont need an official recording studio. It annoys me so much sometimes how you're not as "Big" as you should be.

Stony said...

Yea good read real talk turbo. cant wait for the next project owever it comes it out hope i can cop it