R.eal A.nd P.ersonal
There's Something About Diddy Part 2
By: Deshair Foskey
Last updated June 1st , 2010

Through R.eal A.nd P.ersonal, you are receiving well thought out views and concepts on everything that is hip-hop; or at best, what is important to me in hip-hop. Rap music and myself are the same age. That being sad, the panic surrounding the genre is nothing more than a mid-life crisis, right? So when Bad Boy Entertainment was at its height in the mid-to-late 90's, rap music was a young Shiny Suit wearing adult that didn't have an issue with bragging about everything it had. The music was still rebellious. However, the money was pouring in at record pace. The music was promoted as being "real life" struggles often pitting artists against one another. And just like a young adult, some of the decisions made weren't thought out, leading to physical altercations and even death.

Sean "Diddy" Combs was in the mist of both tragedies during his career. He has been through it all, and from some, blamed for it all. Could you even imagine the stress? Let's be honest, being financially independent is a beautiful thing. Until you watch the news and there is another celebrity, found dead in their apartment with drugs close by. The Notorious B.I.G. rapped it best: "More Money, More Problems." Could you imagine the problems that Diddy must have?

We often exclude the people that supposedly "have it all" from feeling any pressure. Be real with yourself. How could a person on Mr. Combs level, not feel any pressure? It's impossible. Yes, he made the choice of standing side by side with his artists, and he got reamed for it. 

Today, who doesn't stand side by side with their artists? "Run This Town" was a huge record for the simple fact that three fan bases were brought together in Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West, to magnify its demographic. If you can't stand by your artists, you release them, right Jay-Z (speaking of State Property). It is important to brand yourself as well as expanding your brand. Diddy was ahead of the curve.

I know, because I am saying some good things about this entrepreneur, people will question my stance. Why say something good about a person, that a majority of critics have nothing but bad things to say about him? Because I now understand what that "something" is about Diddy. Just days after part one of this story went up on 101D.com, I stood side by side with Diddy and we had a sincere conversation. He was very genuine and as the conversation went along, I heard his heart attaching to his words. So decided to ask him what he owed to his success. And he answered:

"I want to make people dance, entertain people. Also just inspire people. No matter what THEY say about me, my motivation is to inspire YOU. If I can do it, you can do it."
 
You had to be there to feel that. It was as if he wanted to say that to his critics for years and never had the opportunity. All he ever wanted to do was make people happy. And all we remember is the negative. This is a business, people. Many of us enter this business from the streets and expect for the code of the streets to still apply. This is a business, people. And in business, it gets very lonely at the top, even when you have peers. 

We, as the Hip-Hop Community owe to our members like Diddy, a Russell Simmons for instance, the benefit of the doubt. We tear down, far too often. Stop wondering why this genre is slowing down; why it is losing its notoriety. Stop wondering and start asking yourself, "Am I the cause?" Am I the reason why our culture is having troubles finding footing to climb further up the mountain? 

We must change the way we mold the environment around us. And like many of our great-grandmothers once said, "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all." Humble yourself to show as much love as you could muster up. Therefore, we all lift up.

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[Tags] Rap, Hip Hop

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