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10K80 January 3, 2018
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New year, new risks: Why people who roll the dice succeed the most

Back in 2012, in an interview with Chris Anderson of Wired magazine, inventor, engineer, and investor, Elon Musk, made a statement in regards to his Mars ambitions that ended up translating to values beyond space.

As he explained to the magazine, his plan on converting Russian Cold War missiles to interplanetary rockets was in it’s final stages when he realized the reason mankind hasn’t reached Mars yet is not due to lack of ambition, but because of lack of resources.

Initially he wanted to buy three intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) for $21 million but but when time came for the purchase, the Russians claimed that they wanted $21 million for each rocket. Needless to say, he ended up building his own.

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Here a snippet of the 2012 interview.

Anderson: “I’ve heard that the attitude is essentially that you can’t fly a component that hasn’t already flown.”

Musk: “Right, which is obviously a catch-22, right? There should be a Groucho Marx joke about that. So, yeah, there’s a tremendous bias against taking risks. Everyone is trying to optimize their ass-covering.“

Elon Musk may not have successfully found any lifeforms on Mars as of yet, but his fearless approach is the first step to ensuring that he does. It’s a testament not only to having faith in your own vision, but the importance in taking risks.

If scientists and space programs that shared Musk’s capital gambled on ‘the dream’ more often, in his mind, the reality of pioneering Mars would come a lot sooner.

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What’s more interesting about Musk’s statement, however, is how it applies to anyone chasing a dream.

If our ass-covering to risk ratio is in favor of playing it safe, can we really be upset at the dreams that don’t materialize? Whether we’d like to admit it or not, this ‘bias to taking risk’ Musk is talking about is, if even a little, is a part of us all.

But it’s when we fail to recognize it in ourselves and deal with it that it becomes the most detrimental.

Death to Comfort

A sure sign that you’re not taking enough risks is your comfort level. You can’t be comfortable and pushing yourself at the same time; and if you’re not pushing yourself, it means you’re not chasing it as hard as you can.

When Dave Chappelle walked away from $50 Million in 2005, people though the he was so crazy that they accused him of smoking crack. Word?

You Dont Say Stand Up GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

The network, Comedy Central, is comfortable. That contract extension would have been comfortable. His success was already solidified; all he had to to was kick back and be… comfortable.

Over a decade later and Chappelle has four specials on Netflix making what Comedy Central was offering and then some.

You see, when it comes to taking risk all that matters is the inclination that led you take it in the first place. The aftermath, no matter what it may be, is worth the peace of mind that comes with it.

Freedom of Failure

The more you take the risk, the sooner you realize failure isn’t the end of the world. Our most imaginative fears pale in comparison to what the worst-case scenario ends up actually being, but it’s something we never discover if we don’t take that leap.

There are podcasters, stand-up comedians, and future label owners who are sitting on their hands simply because they fear the unknown.

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The lack of experience, knowledge or whichever deficiency we think takes to go forward is nothing more than the feat of failure. Once you understand that falling on your face won’t kill you, you’ll fearlessly pursue your wildest ambitions.

Next time you’re feeling frustrated make a list of educated risks to take. Whether that be finally emailing a big connection, launching your own business, or an investment toward your dream, just do it! It’s better to fail forward then to stay still.

Maybe the big breakthrough we’re looking for is behind that one risk.

hip hop January 3, 2018
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Are record labels calling projects ‘mixtapes’ to avoid paying producers?

The streaming age of music has turned the industry on top of its head. Because retail is digital and artists can deliver music directly to the consumer’s ears, we’re starting to see albums classified differently.

Though a studio albums, Drake and Future’s W.A.T.T.B.A  and Drake’s If Your Reading Thus It’s Too Late were considered a “mixtapes”. Similarly, Drizzy’s very next compilation of songs, More Life, was not your traditional album either, but a “playlist”.

Well, Wiz Khalifa’s producer E. Dan, in an interview with BeatStars, expounded on why label heads are not opposed to this trend.

According to the the long-time producer, Atlantic Records didn’t compensate him fairly for his six production credits on the Pittsburgh rapper’s 2016 “compilation album” Khalifa.

“They came up with some really clever name that essentially meant… Everyone involved, you’re going to get paid half what you normally do… I’ve seen it happen often over the last few years.”

As Twitter caught wind of the interview, more producers began recounting similar stories.

DJ Burn One wrote that RCA employed similar tactics with A$AP Rocky’s Live. Love. A$AP mixtape. And Metro Boomin, who’s been vocal about Atlantics’s misdealings, tuned added that it’s been happening with labels across the industry and suggested a union be formed in their stead.

If 2017 has taught us anything it’s in the importance of the producer in hip-hop.

Metro Boomin released four joint studio albums with artist from Big Sean to Gucci Mane last year alone as a DJ/producer — the first feat I’ve seen by a producer ever — which will only open doors for more like him.

This kind of transparency from artist — or producers for that matter — are able to get this kind of recognition due to the digital age’s fast flow of information, and one can only hope that it puts the pressure of labels to do the right thing.

lawsuit January 2, 2018
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If you ain’t got no haters, you ain’t poppin’: Spotify sued for $1.6 billion

Last week the streaming giant Spotify was sued for copyright infringement, using songs without a license and without properly paying the publisher.

Wixen Music Publishing Inc, who is the sole licensee of gems like “Free Fallin” by Tom Petty, “Light My Fire” by the Doors, “(Girl We Got a) and Good Thing” by Weezer, claims Spotify streamed these and countless others like them without a direct or a compulsory license granted permission.

The $1.6 billion Wixen is seeking in damages is an unimaginable amount but it’s not the first time the Stockholm, Sweden-based company has had to shell out cash. In May, they payed $43 million to settle a proposed class action alleging they failed to pay royalties for some of the songs it makes available to users. Sound familiar?

Additionally, Spotify was hit with two more lawsuits where the plaintiffs claim that Spotify hadn’t fully complied with obligations under Section 115 of the U.S. Copyright Act. According to the group of Wixen songwriters in the filing,

“The Settlement Agreement is procedurally and substantively unfair to Settlement Class Members because it prevents meaningful participation by rights holders and offers them an unfair dollar amount in light of Spotify’s ongoing, willful copyright infringement of their works.”

The Music Modernization Act ,which impacts copyright holders suing over mechanical reproduction.was enacted Jan. 1, 2018, which also when the suite was filed. Spotify is refuting the legitimacy of the claims and plans of fighting in court.

With Tidal facing it’s own financial woes, Apple remains Spotify’s only competitor. But with antics like these, artist may lose trust pull their music (cc: Taylor Swift).

These types discrepancies are the types of kinks you run into when an industry is developing as fast as the streaming one is.

Whether Spotify’s argument will hold is yet to be seen but wither way, the ruling will set precedent on copyright issues in streaming.

10K80 January 2, 2018
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Darren McFadden has a cautionary tale of getting f*cked over on Bitcoin

Calling Bitcoin (BTC) a ‘hot word’ or even a phenomenon in 2017 would be an understatement.

Last year, cryptocurrency saw the aggregate market cap go from a combined total of $17.7 billion to $225 in less than 11 months — almost a staggering 1,200%.

As you can imagine, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and just about anyone trying to flip some money have tried their best to get in on bottom floor of the crypto-movement.

Of those ambitiously trying to break in the bitcoin rush was former Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys running back Darren McFadden.

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In 2016, according ESPN, he filed a lawsuit against his ex-financial manager, Michael Vick (no, not the Falcon great) for mishandling $15 million of his money, including $3 million that was supposed to be invested in bitcoin.

Fraud attorney, Chase Carlson, took the liberty of crunching the numbers himself and found that had Vick actually made McFadden’s investment he’d be sitting on $237 million — at the time McFadden sued Vick, one bitcoin cost $790, but now that price is nearly $20,000. Sheesh!

After receiving power of attorney in 2008 —  the same year McFadden signed with the Raiders — Vick was solely in control of the star running back’s assets. It’s during that span that McFadden and his attorneys feel his money was used inappropriately.

Since BTC, other cryptocurrencies, such as Tronix, have emerged to try and capitalized on this fast-growing market. But like most concepts in their infancy, these have also seen it’s fair share of problems. Along with not being the easiest to understand, cryptocurrency has already crashed three separate times.

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Despite it’s unpredictable market failure, the potential of advancements of blockchain technology — the digital and decentralized ledger that records transactions without the need for a financial intermediary, such as a bank — makes it a venture hard to look away from, especially as the strength of the dollar continues to decline.

Whether it be BTC, Tronix or whichever comes after, there is clearly an interest in the digital currency space. Just make sure you’re not like McFadden and you put you money in the right hands.

10K80 January 2, 2018
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Mike Tyson plans to launch ‘Tyson Ranch’, modern-day weed amusement park

What better way to celebrate your state legalizing marijuana for recreational use than opening a cannabis farm the day of?

That’s exactly what former heavyweight champion and boxing icon Mike Tyson did yesterday.

He’s named his the property “Tyson Farm” and plans on using the 40 acres for cultivation, research and to hopefully establish one of the first marijuana conglomerates in wake of the booming industry.

Now that 21-and-older smokers can purchase marijuana legally in California, entrepreneurs like Tyson are looking to capitalize on the he state’s projected $7 billion in revenue — which would be the worlds largest legal marijuana market.

Marijuana GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

Revenue implications like these benefit the swift, which makes sense why Tyson had land in place to break day one of the plants full legalization, but it’s his aggressiveness, more so than his speed to the punch, thats been impressive.

The Blast reports that Tyson’s 40-acre facility is not only set to become farm, but a marijuana Mecca that offers corporate retreat facilities, hands-on marijuana growing lessons taught by he himself, an extraction facility, amphitheater, hydro-feed plant supply store, a garden with water feature and an edible factory.

In addition, Tyson Farms is dedicating 20 acres strictly for controlled climate conditions in order to produce the highest quality strains of THC and CBD to compete with the most marquee brands on the market.

Tyson, along side partners Robert Hickman and Jay Strommen, has already received backing from California City’s mayor, Jennifer Wood who, according to The Blast says the business venture is a ‘rebirth’ for the entire city, as it’s to create jobs and give back to the community.

As a former athlete, Tyson’s interest has always been in the medical properties of marijuana. In result, he trademarked the term Iron Mike Genetics for use by Tyson Ranch as well as form the company Tyson Holistics — a team of veterans that take care of men and women who have served in the armed forces to operate the facility.

Now that legislation has lax, the barriers of entry are too. He, along with Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa and even Whoopie Goldberg, are just a few examples of celebrities who have been getting into the business side of the marijuana game and shows how lucrative the industry is predicted to be.

The Game might be one of the heaviest into the marijuana game too with his own dispensaries, weed strains, clothing line, and rolling papers.

California’s new recreational marijuana law allows you to hold up to one ounce of marijuana and even allows you to grow up to six cannabis plants at home for personal use — very similar to how the laws are structured in Denver, Co.

California becomes the sixth state in the U.S, behind Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Nevada, to permit the sale of cannabis products of all types to customers at least 21-years-old.California

Tyson’s resiliency over the years as a pop icon further solidifies his legend. From his films, to endorsements, and appearances business in the cannabis industry, he’s shown his business savviness  in multiple ways.

That’s why while it’s important to applaud him as a entrepreneur, it’s more important to note how he aggressively attacks the market, because our states will soon be in that position as well.

Shout out to Iron Mike!

chris brown January 1, 2018
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Nick Cannon is making a movie with Chris Brown and people are tight

Nick Cannon is fed up with the heat he’s taken for working on new film, She Ball with R&B superstar Chris Brown.

This past December Variety announced that Nick Cannon would be writing, directing, and co-starring in the new film with Chris Brown and immediately received a good amount of backlash for working with the troubled R&B singer.

On Wednesday TMZ ran into Cannon at the Los Angeles International Airport and asked him about the critics. Cannon, clearly frustrated, spoke on what he felt has been unfair treatment toward the grammy nominated artist.

“What about Sean Penn? They never hate on his past and the movies he did,” he said.

“There’s definitely a double standard. They want to turn a black man into a monster anytime they can, ” he continued.

Despite the films positive message — a story documenting one man’s struggle to help a women’s street basketball team in California to save the embattled Inglewood Community Center while trying to raise his seven-year-old daughter — it seems that simply having Chris Brown’s name associated with the project is problematic still.

Karrueche Tran’s permanent restraining order granted against Chris Brown last year and pleading guilty to charges of domestic violence against Rihanna in 2009 certainly do not help his public image but surely Nick Cannon has a point: how many other entertainers are being held to what they’ve done in the past?

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If casting Chris Brown doesn’t tell you enough about Nick Cannon’s cultural awareness, along with hiring the likes of Cedric the Entertainer, Evan Ross and even women basketball players from the WNBA for the film, he also recruited Baby “Birdman” Williams to help with the soundtrack.

No one really knows the debts Chris Brown has paid to society or what strides he’s made personally in terms of how how he treats women, but as we’ve seen with Nate Parker’s The Birth of a Nation; if women aren’t behind it, the success will be affected.

Until then Nick Cannon and his PR team will have their hands full.

2017 December 31, 2017
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2017 was absolutely trash but here’s three major keys I learned

Nostalgia always seems to be thick this time of year. It’s inescapable; as the aura of Christmas fades and the reality of life sets in, it almost feels wrong to go into the new year without taking a a glimpse of the one that has gone by.

While the whole ‘those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it’ saying is a bit dramatic, there is something to be said about reflecting on where you been to better gage on where you’re going.

No matter how shallow the scope of your review, having one oddly feel like you’re giving the year a proper sendoff. It’s closure to make headspace for a fresh start.

With that being said, 2017 has indeed been a doozy.

It’s the first full year under the new Presidential administration, countless big-name celebrities were exposed for sexual misconduct, and it has to be the most one of the worst years we’ve seen for natural disasters.

Even still, I believe there’s a lesson in everything. Without diving too much into the cliches of glasses being half-full, I feel that no matter how bad your year was, there is always a takeaway worth reflecting on.

Though we all lead different lives, learning from each others experiences gives us the opportunity to see life in a new lens. So here are five lessons 2017 taught me in hopes of shedding a new light on yours.

#1: Do Not Chase Distractions  

Sometimes the biggest threat to your success is the person standing in the mirror. If we’re not careful to establish disciplines in our life we leave ourself susceptible for self-destruction.

Think of Kevin Hart this year. The Jumanji actor issued this public apology to his wife, family and fans after footage of him cheating leaked.

While Kev was able to salvage his relationship and silence the extortionist demanding millions, it proves that, in a second, whatever you have going for yourself, no matter how small, can be taken away in an instant if you’re aware of your weaknesses.

In an interview with New York’s Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club he tells Charlemagne how the scandal was a ‘gut punch from God’ and how he’s since change his lifestyle. He continued,

“There is no more come and go and do as you please. It’s over…you’re not bulletproof. At the end of the day all this can be over. It’s not guaranteed,” Kev said. “This was wrong because I had what I wanted. I had what I wanted in a foundation at home, in a family, in a comfort zone. I work so hard to get here, I built this brand, we sit on the fruit of my labor, I, oh my God, I’m as happy as I wanted– what the f*** was I doing.”

For Kevin it was a matter of realizing he couldn’t move the same, for you it might be unplugging your device or learning to say no to a night out. Either way, distractions will derail you from whichever path you think you’re on if you’re not careful.

#2: Sacrifice

I’m of the belief that American culture has convinced the majority of us that we can have our cake and eat it too. Even myself; while I don’t believe I can get away with what I want without repercussions, the concept of giving up something, anything, in order to obtain greater, was foreign to me before this year.

Sacrifice didn’t become real to me until I understood that in order to get somewhere you’ve never been, you must do something you’ve never done.

Once that idea permeated my mind I began changing my habits up: less of the vices, getting up earlier to get a jump on the day, even just learning to sit still and be patient. In less than a month, I began making serious gains on goals I’ve been stagnant in reaching for years.

Chance, The Rapper recently took to Twitter to debate what it took the be a successful independent artist after Apple Music’s Carl Chery stated that Chance was “an anomaly” within the game; that, “He’s special. […] But the success is misleading,” in a recent episode of “Everyday Struggle”.

“Now you have all these other aspiring artists thinking you don’t need a label. Chance is special, he’s charismatic, he’s smart as hell, he’s just special,” Chery said.

Yet, Chance maintains that all it takes is some sacrifice of time. Here he is responding to DJ Booth who published an editorial piece premised off Chery’s initial thoughts.

Time, money, comfort, a romantic life — no matter how you slice it, success is going to cost you. And until we accept that a little must be given up to attain a lot, a little is all we’ll ever have.

#3: Do Not Hustle Backwards

The easiest way ensure progress is not going backwards. While our focus should always be on whats ahead — worrying about what’s not working is detrimental — if we’re not serious regression, it’s going to be serious with us.

Hustling backwards is working against yourself; against what you’re working toward, what you want for yourself and what you’ve accomplished already.

People like Lil Peep and Tyrese Gibson really put that in perspective for me this year.

The former passed this year due to a drug overdose and the latter, due to his extravagant lifestyle — he has a benihana-style restaurant, coffee shop and nightclub in his backyard — went to social media to cry about the upcoming Fast and Furious being pushed back, saying the delay will put him a financial bind.

Ladies are our Queens of the Earth….. This is not about Men vs Women…. This is about Men and FATHERS vs LIARS I️ love you…… But like you who always show UP and stand UP for each-other I’m just trying to be a Voice for the unspoken…… The silent protest…… For fully committed and evolved father…… Rather Black, Latino, Asian, Native American, Italian, Dominican or Puerto etc……. rather you have 2 dollars to your name, millionaire, lawyer or the president in the end we all have one thing in common….. None of us as fathers or grandfathers wanna go home and NOT see or have “access” to our angels….. boys make babies real MEN and FATHERS will do whatever it takes to RAISE our angels……………….. I️ know I️ know…. this all looks a way….. Just know this.. God is really really UP to something and I️ have already accepted what God has told me to do…………..

A post shared by TYRESE (@tyrese) on

Peep tragically lost his life and Tyrese his credibility because both had lifestyles that were in contradiction to their hustle. They’re both examples of how, no matter how hard you work, if you have habits that are working the opposite way you won’t reach your desired destination.

For some every year is the same. They aren’t expecting anything, they’re content with where they are and they don’t want more for themselves. If that’s you, by all means, don’t reflect on your past year; don’t fine tune the way you approach life.

But if you want to make the most out of the energy you use everyday to become what you’ve always wanted, find some lessons of your own and go into the new year with a new purpose.

21 savage December 31, 2017
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#NoMoreCollabs2018: After mad joint albums in 2017, the trend needs to die

On every possibly level, from indie to major-labels and mixtape to singles, rap has seen it’s most prolific year in collaborative albums.

While brilliant in theory — two rappers coming together is like a crossover episode of your two fav sitcoms or Vegeta and Goku fusing — they almost never pan out well.

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The appeal of collab albums is surface level. They’re almost never announced ahead of time, rarely do you see visuals for the projects and you’ll be even luckier if the two artist go on tour and drop merch.

Earlier this year in May, five of the top 10 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 were rap songs for the first time ever, and in September,Vulture found that Spotify and Apple Music users streamed hip-hop and R&B tracks at nearly twice the rate as rock, it’s nearest competitor (It’s safe to say rock music is officially washed).

When you consider the attention span of today’s consumer, their demand for content and how quickly they can attain it, why not keep your brand relevant by pairing with another artist who could mutually benefit?

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When the dust settles, out of the 13-plus collaborative projects that have come out this year, it’s hard to say any will have any lasting qualities like Watch The Throne or What A Time To Be Alive. It’s almost as if rappers suddenly saw that they could make the same amount of money using a lot less effort.

Metro Boomin clearly had something figured out.

This past November Forbes reported that the St. Louis native made up for 10 percent of the songs on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of November 11 and debuted on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop chart on four different occasions throughout the year for his combined efforts with artists like Big Sean, Gucci, Nav, 21 Savage and more.

Future and Young Thug didn’t do too badly either. Their October release, Super Slimey, did 75,000 units in its first week, making its debut at no. 2 on the Billboard 200.

Collab albums do well because the market is set up for them to do well.

Hip-hop and pop-culture is synonymous at this point meaning there are consumers across all kinds of demographics always in need of more content. In result, we’re seeing artists find new ways to get their names on as much streamable music as possible.

If its wasn’t Lil Wayne and T-Pain’s T-Wayne, it’s Chris Brown and Ray J’s Burn My Name or Moneybagg Yo & NBA Youngboy’s Fed Babys. Even Kodak and Plies found time to get together in Florida to drop F.E.M.A.

But not all collaborative albums had that thrown together feel this year.

Styles P & Talib Kweli’s The Seven, Blu & Exile’s In the Beginning: Before the Heavens, and Tee Grizzley & Lil Durk’s Bloodas are just a couple of examples of tapes that have playback value (Fab and Jada’s might’ve had the most classic collab of them all this year). But when everything on the radio is Metro or something inspired by Metro, quality work gets overlooked.

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Whether artist are aware of it or not, consumers — aka the fans — are catching on to these quick-satisfying bodies of work. Indeed, they are exciting and we’ll probably get a few club bangers out of them, but by large they were not made to last.

Coming from the era where major labels and executives always had control over features and cross branding, it’s encouraging to see more artistic freedom.

But like those same labels we condemn for commercializing and trying to find quick success, artists who casually release these joint albums, with no true effort, are lying in that same bed of guilt.

As we enter 2017 I’m declaring no more more collab albums. I’m stuffed-full of how much that’s out already — I got leftovers and then some!

Hip-hop has the worlds attention. Let us use it a tad more responsibly going forward.

bright December 29, 2017
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Will Smith’s ‘Bright’ is doing numbers but is it really dead trash?

Netflix’s controversial, polarizing and critically shamed Bright has amassed 11 million viewers in three days according to according to Nielsen estimates.

The film — staring Will Smith and Joel Edgerton — has sparked conversation due to the varying difference of opinions of the film.

From movie critics hailing it as the worst Netflix movie of the year  to Chance, The Rapper hosting an open debate on Twitter, it’s to see how the Netflix original would gain attention.

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One of the main critiques of the film is that it tries to tackle more than what could fit in a film. Bright tackles racism, classism and flips it in a way that was extremely thought provoking.

This is really good for Will Smith who was once regarded as “Mr. July” for his streak of delivering blockbuster hit every Summer. Having hype around a film with him as the lead has been rare of late, so the attention proves he still has it.

While the sci-fi/buddy-cop movie which was released December 22nd did well, because it’s not your traditional box office movie and Netflix doesn’t reveal such metrics it’s hard to see to which extent.

For some perspective, Nielsen did say that Bright was less popular than supernatural-thriller series Stranger Things season 2 — but drew a bigger crowd than the second season of Queen Elizabeth II drama The Crown.

The real loser here are the movie theaters who are now witnessing the will of movie lovers. Being that Bright had Netflix’s best three day run for a movie premiere in some time, it does nothing but motivate other studios to do the same.

When you see the previews, watch the interviews with Will Smith and co-star Joel Edgerton or even just take a look at the film’s poster, you get a sense that “Bright” is not your ordinary film.

Ignoring the hype and checking it out for oneself might be the best route to enjoying the film, especially when it’s as cold as it is.

But it definitely still might be trash.

baron davis December 28, 2017
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Baron Davis dating Laura Dern makes way more sense than it seems

As if 2017 couldn’t get whackier, photos of ‘The Last Jedi’s’ Laura Dern and former No. three NBA pick Baron Davis surfaced to the interwebs yesterday, making everyone collectively scratch their heads in confusion.

They’re cuffing heavy but already look like one of the happiest couples out there.

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While the pictures were taken earlier this month, yesterday was the first time they were made public and, as you can imagine, people were up in arms.

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It could be the she’s 50 and he’s 38 or that their professional lives differ, but for whichever reason it’s just hard seeing the two-time All Star and the Golden Globe winner together.

Yet, when you look deeper, they have a lot more in common than you’d think.

They both are from and live in California — Davis is from South Central LA and Dern Central Los Angeles — , they both have children from previous relationships and they’re both divorced.

Honestly, in 2017, that’s more than enough in common for two people to be together.

And while this may seem like a reach for Davis, Dern’s ex-husband is three-time Grammy winner Ben Harper and she was reportedly linked to Common last year.

Yes, jokes will fly. The obvious age gap, as well as the rate in which it appears Dern is aging, are both sources of comedy right now.

Once the dust settles however, if they’re happy, they’re the ones who really determine the punchline.

Until then I’m going to try really hard to ease this imagination from my brain.