#SelloutSunday (Ep. 7) – “Life Never Goes According to Plan” (Encouragement)
This week on #SelloutSunday, I briefly re-iterate how life never goes according to plan, no matter how much you plan your life out. I know a lot of people, including myself, who are currently going through situations in life where they never thought they’d be. This is just a friendly reminder that we are all in the same boat
What’s the hype with Kendrick Lamar?
Can someone explain the big deal/hype behind Kendrick Lamar to me?? I think I have ONE song of his in my DJ catalogue, “Swimming Pools” I believe, and I never played it cuz it was garbage. I actually missed the Grammys this year cuz I was busy filming a music video, consequently on my journey to winning my own Grammy, so I never got to see what unfolded, just heard the aftermath. But I never understood the hype, nor have I heard anything to Wow my socks off (like Eminems “Rap God”). I honestly don’t care if he’s “more lyrical” than Macklemore. People winning the Pop and Country awards didn’t win their awards cuz they were “more lyrical” than their competitors….they won cuz they make good music and have a popular movement (actually don’t get me started on the political popularity contest the Grammys are). Macklemore….accept that award with pride and stop swingin on Kendricks nuts…Or if u feel he deserves it THAT MUCH, then give him yours, which you won’t.
Never satisfied.
I have been struggling with some things lately. Well, namely one thing. And that is with never being satisfied. I always want more, I always want to be more successful, I always want more money, I always want better quality videos, I always want to accomplish more things. I am simply NEVER satisfied. In ANY area of my life. I’ve started to notice this more recently, but thinking back on things, I think I’ve been this way my whole life really.
2013 was one of the best years of my career. The shows, the release of my documentary, the 5 Madison Hip-Hop Awards & more. Yet at the end of the year, I probably felt the most empty and dissatisfied I ever have been in my whole life. I, as well as others, always thought of myself as simply a hard worker and over achiever. But I think it goes deeper than that. I think that no matter what I achieve in life, I’ll never be satisfied….with ANYTHING.
So one day I finally decided to Google: “Why am I never satisfied?”, and I came across this book. It looked like a good book, with possibly the answer to my question. So then my girl (being the best there is) decided to surprise me by ordering it and having it sent to my house. Must admit, it was dope to come home to that in the mail!
I am going to read this book as soon as I can, and I hope to start finding some answers so I can start appreciating and enjoying life in the present moment. Cuz Lord (and some of my close friends, even my girl) knows I need to start basking in the moment and start enjoying the simple things in life!! Carpe Diem.
Will keep you all updated on my progress and thoughts on the book!
Goodbye 2013: Best year of my career; Welcome 2014
In the last 13 years of my career, since launching RiP Records in 2000…I don’t think I’ve ever hit a point that I could look back on my music career and say “this was my best year yet”. In 2013: I DJ’d over 150 shows, released my “Dreamgirl” music video, released my “Must Have Been” music video, released a full feature length documentary/film “The Making of a Sellout”, re-released my “Sellout” album with all new bonus tracks, performed at some of the most coveted shows in Madison, WI: The Dane County Fair, Taste of Madison and the Orpheum with Lupe Fiasco. I was nominated for 8 Madison Hip-Hop Awards and took home 5 in one night…more than any other artist in the awards show history! And just yesterday I was asked to perform at the MAMA’s (Madison Area Music Awards) in 2014 as well as being a nominee for some awards. There is one sentence that could sum up 2013: This was the best year of my career; God has been EXTREMELY good to me.
And although it has been good to me, I still went home for the holidays realizing how my Mom and family is still struggling and how I have so much more work to do. I have yet to finish what I started. Although I am coming off the best year of my career to date, I have yet to hit my peak. I’ve lost some people this year but also met some great new people as well.
So unlike every other rapper on this planet who claims “This is my/our year!” on January 1st, Imma do what I did last year. Keep my mouth shut and let me actions do all the talking.
Starting the first Sunday in 2014 I will be releasing a new weekly web series on my YouTube page called “Sellout Sundays”. Make sure you subscribe now: www.YouTube.com/RipRecords
Happy New Year to you and yours, I wish you all prosperity in 2014.
Sincerely,
Rip
Giving Thanks…
Here is my official Thanksgiving Day post giving thanks: God has been extremely good to me this year. So thank You God for all of your continued blessings. As stressful as things can get for me financially & the workload of things that always need to be done, I #LML right now and what I do. I honestly wouldn’t be doing anything else (well…maybe touring the world to promote a Platinum selling/Grammy Award winning album…buut ya know, in due time…HAHA). Anyone can always have or make more money, but what’s important is being able to enjoy your life with the means and people you have in it now. I have a handful of great friends that I feel like I can turn to for anything, and for them I couldn’t be more thankful. Doing what I do, it’s hard to have real friends who want a genuine relationship with you for who you are rather than what you can do for them. But my true friends I appreciate more than anything. From my old friends in grade school who are still with me after all these years, to the new people I meet where we both can open up around each other and be ourselves and say what’s on our mind without worrying about being judged by the other. I am thankful for my family who has been very supportive with my music the past few years, my brothers who have drove multiple hours to help me with video shoots & events. I have my Health, very thankful for that!! Thanks to my uncle who has been a ROCK on my Dads side of the family going above and beyond what most humans are even capable of. Thank you Jerry for helping my Mom out with everything. And last but not least, I couldn’t be more thankful for ANYONE who has EVER supported me and my music career! If you simply bought any of my music, or came to a show or to help out with a video (which there are SOOO many of you out there who have been helpful with my videos…probably close to 100 of you by now)! You guys lent me your time because you believe in me, and I honestly can’t put in words what THAT in itself means to me!! There are times where I hit bumps in the road with this music stuff, and it’s people like YOU that I think about that keep me going. I would NEVER EVER make all of your money, time, efforts and beliefs in me go in vain!!! You guys make my world go ’round. Thanks to anyone who has hired/subcontracted me to do any work for you this past year. I appreciate it greatly. Thank you ALL…I love you ALL very much!! Thanks for being a part of my life. Here’s to another great year….
Rip – Live DJ Set & Interview on 91.7 WSUM (Madison, WI)
I wanted to take a minute to clear up some possible misconceptions that some people may have got while tuning in to my interview on 91.7 WSUM in Madison, WI on Monday night. I was asked to explain the name of my album “Sellout”….and I did…the best I could on the spot. Although I have my personal reasons as to why I named it that…I never really took the time to sit there and figure out how I would explain it thoroughly in a situation like Monday. Some people got the wrong impression on how I was explaining my reasoning. For those who tuned you…you will be able to understand what I am about to explain given my explanation on air Monday. I explained how one of my motives with this album was to start making money from my craft….YES. However, not for all the wrong reasons. I personally believe money is the root of all evil. Things that are important to me are God, Family and Love. I feel happy and succesful in life now, so whether I ever make millions of dollars or not…that isn’t an issue to me. I don’t NEED to make millions so I can buy a bunch of luxury cars…have a huge mansion…or trick it off on stuff like jewelry and women and all that other dumb stuff. What everyone doesn’t know is that I started this music journey over a decade ago. In the past decade I have invested and sacrificed sooo much. Money…time…missed time with loved ones. Heck… I even lost a few good girls along the way because I always put my career first. I don’t ever think any amount of money will ever be able to make up for those lost opportunities and time, but I’m at the point in my life and career where I do need things to start returning the investment I been making the past decade plus. When I started this journey over a decade ago (which has been a HELL of a ride and I DON’T regret one bit) I decided to fully dedicate my life to it with no option to fail. I didn’t have any backup plans in place….didn’t go to college….I made this my LIFE. ALL OR NOTHING. So this is the point I have finally reached. Would I someday like to have the option to retire because of my craft? Absolutely. Would I like to be able to buy a home and start a stable family because of my craft? Absolutely. Would I like to be able to help my mother out financially who dedicated 30 years of her life to raising 4 boys as a single mother? Absolutely. Would I like to be able to be in a position where I can help out less fortunate people??? ABSOLUTELY. Would I like to be able to have money to be able to invest in other interests I have in life…like someday writing a book…opening a mexican restaurant and producing my own film (something I always wanted to do before I even got into making music)??? YES. But in order to start doing that stuff…I need to start taking things to the next level. Anybody who REALLY knows me and listens to the lyrics of my music knows the type of person I am. You can see it with your own eyes. You never see me wearing any jewelry or even putting any of thay material stuff in any of my videos. I am also considering focusing on other interests in life after this album…so I don’t know what or when my next musical release will be….so I’m giving this album a hell of an effort. But that’s where I’m at. I’m not compromising any of my beliefs to make the music and album that I am. I am simply making music that I can market to radio and mainstream audiences…and there is NOTHING wrong with that in my book. I hope that clears up any misunderstandings. #Sellout coming 2012.
With that said, here is the interview:
My OFFICIAL end of the year post…bring on 2012!
First off…I want to say that I genuinely hope everyone had a great Holiday and blessed Christmas. I hope you enjoyed the things that matter most, like quality time with family and loved ones. That, in my opinion, is the most important thing in this world…more than money, fame, material items or anything else…LOVE. For those not fortunate enough to have immediate family/loved ones to spend time with, I hope you have some close friends you could consider family…and if all else fails don’t forget there is always God. 🙂 Ok I’m not going to get super religious on this post. But I do hope everyone had a blessed Holiday and is ready for this crazy New Year – 2012!
This past year was a trying year for me, but nonetheless a good one. I gained many positive things from it as well as lost some things that were important to me. But that is life…you keep on moving with your head up knowing that everything happens for a reason and all part of a plan. A good message I learned at Christmas mass this year was: ‘You are never given the live you wanted/planned’. So you can’t get bent out of shape if things aren’t always going your way. Just make the best out of what you’re given…if life gives you lemons…make lemonade, sell it, enjoy some of it yourself and make a profit from the sales. HAHA!
Whether this truely is the “last year” of existence (according to the Mayan Calendar) or not, treat it like it is. Treat everyone as if it’s your last day on earth, and treat them as you would like to be treated as well…with love, compassion and most importantly: EQUALITY. No one man is better than another just because of his or her social status, income, color, sexuality or beliefs. Treat your neighbor as you would want you and your family to be treated. If you wouldn’t want someone to discriminate against you because of color or social status…then DON’T by any means laugh in the face of hypocrisy as you judge or discriminate against someone else because of their sexuality (or any other form of discrimination). This isn’t me preaching to you, this is a simple form of common sense. Please use it in the new year.
Thanks again to anyone who has ever supported me this year and any other years before this. I seriously couldn’t thank you ALL enough for continuing to let me live my dreams.
Peace, love and success to you all in the New Year. Have fun and be safe…look forward to rocking with all of you in 2012!
Sincerely,
Rip
Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I just want to take this time to thank The Lord for all His blessings in my life the past few years. I have many MANY things to be thankful for. For one, I couldn’t be more thankful for my health. I am grateful everyday that I wake up a healthy individual…this is something I DEFINITELY DON’T take for granted! I am thankful for having steady work the past few years, especially in a time when the economy is the way it is. I am thankful for having a roof over my head. I am thankful that I am able to continue to live and pursue my dreams and I CAN’T tell you enough how much I love and appreciate my support team…my family and friends and of course you all, my supporters. There have been soo many people who have been instrumental in the continued journey I am pursuing in life, and without everyone…I couldn’t continue to do it! Not only have my friends and family been very supportive with my career, but there is also a handful of you who have been there for me the past year or so that has been there for me mentally and emotionally through some of my own personal struggles, and for that I couldn’t thank you guys enough. I have some of the best friends at this point in my life, probably more than at any other point in my life. I really feel blessed to have the life that I do…to the point where not only do I thank the Lord for it…I sometimes question Him and ask Him why He has been blessing me so much. I am also Thankful for the trials & tribulations He has put me through the past few years…the learning experiences, the lost loves (“It is better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all”) and everything else in between. This Holiday season I am going to work on giving back myself. And last but not least, thank YOU! Thank YOU for following my page, supporting my music & my dreams. If you have EVER supported me, “Rip”, as an artist…I love and appreciate you more than these words can convey. If you ever bought any of my merchandise or music, came out to any of my shows…showed love and support for any of my music and videos, shared one on FB or to your friends, helped in the production of my video in ANY way…no matter how big or small a contribution…I express my unworthy gratitude. Thanks again to anyone who has ever contributed to making me a better person and thank you Lord for all your continued blessings. I love you all very much from the bottom of my heart! Hope you all have a great & blessed Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
Joshua aka “Rip”
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