Going to walk home today. Get some time to reflect. Never really get a chance to do that. Not since this whole thing started:

Business wise?

Dropped my 1st mix tape in stores November 10th, 2001 at the ripe age of 16. Opened my record store that February 2002. DJ Action Pac gave me a “mixtape deal” with Get Money Nation soon after. Graduated high school that June. Started Hunter College that August. Dropped out that November.. Nominated for Justo’s Mixtape Rookie of the Year that December. Congrats Big Mike. First A&R job March 2003 at Beat Street Records. Flew out to do tapes with Snoop that May. Came back in time to meet Just Blaze on the Roc The Mic Tour that summer. Brought him Saigon that winter. Won Justo’s Best Mixtape Personality Award 2004 Worked all 2004 on the Greatest Story Never Told. Bunch of press and accolades for the combination. Got signed to Atlantic that November. Just jerked me out of any money. Coldest winter ever. But Annie made warm cookies. Wrote my company business plan on her couch. Showed the plan to a indie label. Then Tru Life. Started rocking then boom! Record deal with Roc La Familia that May 2005. Through a big company release party July 19th, 2005. Just Blaze DJed. Built a great rapport with my soon to be mentor Kyambo “Hip Hop” Joshua. Flew all around the country scouting talent. Then Hop asked me if I’d be interested in a A&R job at Atlantic. Shiiiii. 1st day on the job March 1st 2006. Director of A&R. Figured I’d stay for 2 years started blogging at XXLMag.com. Signed Wynter that same fall. Slowed down on my business at the time. Realized that I couldn’t move as fast in the corporate world. But Gee, Jean and Darrale made me feel at home. Joey IE then showed me more on how to be an executive. Lived in Atlanta for a while. But the major label life wasn’t for me. Like to move fast. They weren’t putting my albums out. Plotted the Famous Firm model for 6 months. Stopped blogging for XXL. Started ThankGodImFamous.com. Pulled a Jerry McGuire Feb 15th 2008. Started the company with whoever believed the vision. Got Slim signed to Asylum. Gained some Firm members, lost some Firm members. “So Fly” becomes a hit that summer. Life’s better then the cold ‘05 winter. Colin Munroe looks to be a great follow up success. Along with Rich Hil. The Insomniaks. Neako. New partners. Familiar faces. Turning The Firm from representation to a full fledged Talent (not record) label in 2009.

Personal side?

READ THE REST HERE @ WORDSFROM

Labels: what i've learned

Labels: and a little bit of music, championships are won on the road, da firm baby, me...me...its all about me, not a blogger i just write alot, Politics as Usuaal, what i've learned, yessir we did

Labels: i'ma nerd, what i've learned

Labels: what i've learned

-Phella, Senior Talent Rep for The Famous Firm

-Lloyd Banks, "Sun Roof Open"

Saturday, May 3, 2008
Delta Air Lines # 605

New York John F Kennedy Intl (JFK) to Los Angeles International (LAX)
Departure (JFK): May 3, 11:30 AM EDT (morning)
Arrival (LAX): May 3, 2:41 PM PDT (afternoon)


--------------------------------

Sunday, May 4, 2008
Delta Air Lines # 606

Los Angeles International (LAX) to New York John F Kennedy Intl (JFK)
Departure (LAX): May 4, 12:50 PM PDT (afternoon)
Arrival (JFK): May 4, 9:26 PM EDT (evening)

Labels: 80s Baby Observations, da firm baby, give me sports or give me death, go old head go old head, i love her, i'ma nerd, my life is a movie, Politics as Usuaal, what i've learned

William Kutchum III
Writer, Future Magazine Owner

Got this idea from reading Sickamore's blog, who got his idea from Esquire magazine. Basically, this is just "the condensed life lessons, knowledge and weird insights" from my past year.

-Entrepreneurship/self-enterprising is the only way. Journalism is my love and freelancing is my hustle, but I've gotten fucked over on too many checks by too many magazines and web sites this past year to depend on them anymore. I'ma keep freelancing, but starting my own publication, book and other ventures is more than an aspiration now: it's a necessity. Word to Adisa Banjoko, Steve "Flash" Juon, and the rest.

-Knowing successful people is valuable for more reasons than you may think. Not only because they can give you connections that you need or give you career advice, but because they're inspiration and they can keep you hungry. Y'all think I'm doing my thing? When you see who I chat with that's my age - Danya Steele, Tionna Smalls, Miso Brown, aforementioned Sickamore - it's a necessity.

-Speaking of Danya Steele and Tionna Smalls, I've realized that I need to wife a woman who's really, really doing her thing from a career standpoint. Not only will we connect better, but a woman who can handle her biz - especially if she's innovative with how she does it - is sexy as fuck to me. And if she looks good? Wrap.

-I'm going to start getting involved in fantasy sports from now on, namely football and/or basketball. ESPN is the only TV channel I watch, all my people do it, and it'll give me more reason to watch games more consistently and analyze these sports better. Plus, that shit just looks fun; I feel left out as hell when cats are talkin' about their fantasy stats around me.

-I really wish I would've learned the value of saving money earlier in my college career. Any young'n's who read this, stay fly, but stay secure, too. You'll understand what I'm saying in a few years.

-I swear I'ma make some YouTube videos this year. I've got a webcam on my Dell XPS M1330, but I don't know what the fuck to make a video about; my ideas always seem like their better articulated through writing.

-On a relevant note, my essentials list: Dell XPS M1330, Blackberry 8800, 80GB iPod (I'm still on my 5th gen, hopefully copping the 160GB new joint sometime next year), Sony IC Recorder (props to Thelonious G for the return), and Sony 7.2 megapixel Cyber-Shot (not as dope as my nigga Miso's shit, but hey, it works). I can't wait to get more bread so I can cop shit as much as I want.

-On another relevant note, popularity hasn't been something I've strived for since like high school, but I wanna be popular so I can get a deal advertising a product I love (preferably a Blackberry). Getting free, customized shit and tapping my name on something I either already use or fully advocate , just because of who you are, is dope as hell to me. See: Dwayne Wade, John Mayer, etc.

-I used to think it was overrated. But if you do it the right way, drinking is fun as hell.

Hip-Hop
-If you listened to all the great albums that came out in 2007 and still believe that hip-hop is dead, fuck you. The music is the best that it's been since '96 (yeah I said it), and old heads are holding it down while young cats are keeping shit hot for the future.

-On a related note: VH1 Hip Hop Honors, Tribe Called Quest slighting, and dumb OkayPlayer comments aside, Lupe Fiasco is the best emcee under 30. Don't get me wrong: Blu, Joe Budden and Chamillionaire are competition, but Lupe's conceptual genius, metaphors, wordplay and delivery are unparalleled these days.

-I'm not sure where I'll be once I graduate, but if I stay, a benefit will definitely be Michigan's hip-hop scene. With all the dope shit that's coming out from here - OneBeLo, Black Milk, Buff1, Guilty Simpson, and others - it's incredible to know and honor such an incredible hub for hip-hop.

-There needs to be a hip-hop version of The View, with 50 Cent, Cam'ron, Ghostface and RZA. That shit would be beyond hilarious.

Carol/Tso/Cazmo/Black Porcelain/Ms Mashigo

Singer, songwriter, writer, Radio presenter & producer

December 18

In bed (Cape Town, South Africa)


So I'm at home sick and waiting for the 'flu meds' to kick in. Whenever I'm online I check out a few peoples blogs and while I was visiting Sickamore's blog I came across this post (what I learnt in 2007). It inspired me to do my own. So here goes:

21:45 pm



- Slow is beautiful. I used to run through breakfast, work, learning how to play the piano etc. This year I found the joy in experiencing every moment of what I'm doing. I have learnt to be PRESENT in every moment of my life, so I can be the best me I can be at every moment of my life.


- No matter what I do, there will always be someone who does not like it/me. I got a job that someone elses was not very well at (I didn't ask for it, I just got it) . Instead of looking at themselves that person turned their anger toward me. No matter what you do, how well you do it or how good your intentions are. There will ALWAYS be someone who think you are 'scum of the earth', so do what you want to do for you and no one else.


- I underestimate myself way too much. This year I changed jobs, got a 'promotion' in less than 6 months of starting my new job, doubled my income, made the nay sayers eat their words, wrote 3 new songs (by myself) on the piano (that I only started playing less that 2 yrs ago). I don't underestimate myself anymore!!

- I can have a good time without drinking. At varsity I used to drink a WHOLE lot, but outside of that environment I have really moved away from that.


- This is STILL a mans world. Intelligent women still don't have their power. Booty shaking and being someones 'woman' is still what counts. Capable singers have to resort to being naked to be respected and men can look as shabby as shabby as they want and they still get respect.


- Never have sex or try to have sex when you are NOT READY for it. Things work so much better when you are ready. Sex is so much more than getting naked with someone... SO SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. Sex starts with you: what you say to yourself, how much you value yourself and being responsible for your own actions.


- Gratitude is POWERFUL! Being grateful for what you have EVERYDAY makes you see how much you really have and it also opens you up for more blessings.


- Preventing the spread of HIV has very little to do with education and everything to do with people's attitudes. Too many young WOMEN who are very educated are STILL dying from HIV/AIDS.


- I believe that we have let the youth down in a very bad way. Just switch on your TV, radio, go on the Internet or listen to what kids are saying. I'm not saying that I am old and wise but I am saying that these kids are confused and there is a lot of work that WE ALL need to do to 'rescue' the youth.


- No matter how good you think you are as a president, if you alienate your team they will not vote for you again. Leaving the people that you are leading in total confusion.


- I live in a beautiful, but equally sad country.


- I LOVE my life!

I think that's it...

Labels: what i've learned

Tarik HRH Coles, 26,
Entrepreneur, General Manager (NQC Management/Baseline Recording Studio), & Rookie Politician

Myspace is for losers, and we are all losers. (See: Myspace.com/TarikHRH)

I learned that its better to be cool for your work than to work to be cool.

After 25 things get different, its all about preparing for 30. All of a sudden I have stronger views and a stronger drive.

That to be President you don't have to be smart. I never thought I'd see the day when the President of the United States of America was an international joke.

That music isn't dead, and won't die. I don't care how u get it, u should hear the new Lupe album. And if u think musics dead, just say you don't like the music, cuz we don't care, plenty of us still do.

The more money I make, the less I actually care to talk about it. Most of my friends have a little money, so until we start hitting the millions its no longer a measure of who's doing better.

That some girls really do just wanna have fun, and sometimes life is serious. I'm turning thirty, its really not enough for us to just party and bullshit anymore, sorry.

I learned that if you have to tell people you're grown and sexy...you probably aren't that grown, or that sexy. (Hint: if it says grown and sexy on the invite and you got it from a bulletin on myspace, its not grown or sexy.)

At the end of the day the world will be what we make it. Forget all of this who controls this and who controls that. At one point they didn't and at one point a few of us will, so if at the end of the day you want to be part of it, get in...the waters cold, but u get used to it.

That money is abt much much more than sneakers, clothes, five star hotels and bottle service. Its for security, insurance, mutual funds, property, and retirement, anything beyond that is the icing on the cake.

Politics is a dirtier game than music, and with good reason, there's more power. There's more money where I am now (music) as it stands. I'm working on combining the two, we'll see how that goes.

That often you get the respect and power before the money. I know a ton of people who respect me and only a few of them pay me.

That if I don't decide to do the things I keep saying someone ought to do, it may never get done.

I learned to pace myself, and not to be in a rush. I used to announce I was doing something new as soon as I got the idea, go out and spend a bunch of money, buy something fly every time I saw or heard someone else was. I've stopped that.

And last but not least, sometimes its ok to be humble, to humble yourself according to the occasion. I recommend limiting those occasions.

Candy Reyes, 20
Pre-Med Student, Graphic Designer, Future Leader of the Free World

-To be in love is to have an addiction in every sense of the word. It's an indescribable high that no other substance can give you. But like any other addiction, you can overdose and die an epileptic, mouth foaming death or you can hit rock bottom and start climbing from there. Happy to say I'm apart of the latter. It's been an exhausting climb up that mountain but I have my harness on in case I fall. "Hi, I'm Candy and I've been clean for 14 months."

-A man doesn't define me, I define me. Being single is not that bad. I began the year not knowing what to expect, afraid of the foreign territory that is singlehood, but all-in-all, it's been good to me. Sure I have my moments where I really miss being a gf and doing all the little gf things but I'm not the type of girl to rush into a relationship just because the last one ended. I told myself to be single for at least a year, and I've surpassed that goal.

-Even if you get burned in the end, put your 200% into it. You don't want to die wondering "what if..."

-Not all men are dogs. But most of them are.

-Though it has always been an addiction of mine, shopping replaced the aforementioned. If I'm not zoned out by school/family/friends, I'm probably thinking about something that has to do with shopping. As bad as it is though, I DO know my limit... And its not the limit each credit card has set for me.

-Be a better friend/family member. My life was so consumed by that boy that I forgot about the others around me. It's like he gave me tunnel vision or something. I forgot that they need me just as much as I need them. Never again, though. My family and friends (or should I say extended family) mean more to me than even the proverbial "perfect man" ever will. Then again, the "perfect man" would share the same philosophy as I & encourage it.

-School isn't life. After 20 years of "school first" being drilled into my brain, I'm just realizing this. I've accepted the fact that I will be in school for practically the rest of my life but I refuse to let it completely consume me. I have to do what I love and enjoy this one life I get to the fullest. Finals time is a different story, though. Clearly (if you truly know me), I'm still working on this lesson. Lol...

-I need to be more selfish.

-I still want to have a kid/family before I go to medical school. Kudos to the women who put their lives on hold for their career and created their families much later in life but I don't want that. I'd like to be a young mom... Cause really, what kid wants to be 18 with 60 year old parents? That's too much of an age gap. Perhaps the very reason my parents and I don't see eye-to-eye on things. How likely it is I'll have a kid/family before medical school is what's up in air. I'd love for it to happen but I'm certainly NOT that pressed for time to be on the hunt for a man to breed/start a family with.

-My brain is more focused after 2am.

-I really miss art. Drawing, painting, sculpting, designing, doing make-up, composing random songs on the piano... I really miss it. Check my notebooks, half the pages are random sketches.

-I need to do more. But I guess this goes with my school isn't everything lesson.

-You can't always get what you want. But never settle.

-"No" is just the beginning of a negotiation. Refer to previous sentence.

-Thinking I could eat beef or pork again after not eating it for years was dumb. Who likes having their face in the toilet all night. *cringes at the thought*

-Thinking I could outdrink a 6'7, 200+ lb. man was even more dumb. That's one thing I don't mind you winning. Everything else is fair game.

-Learn from the past and live for the present with the future in mind by doing what you love with the people you love. This is what has made me happy this year.

Chris Sapp
Singer, Writer, Future Psychologist

-I've learned that college isn't hard at all. It's just having the reponsibility to do work without someone breathing over your shoulder.

-Music isn't my passion. I only do it for fun. My real passion is psychology.

-I don't even think I would wanna be famous. I like the quiet life. I would rather be a writer behind the scenes.

-Pussy is overrated. The male species will run through flames to get it. I like it but I'm not going to alter my life in order to get some.

-I take sports too serious. I didn't talk to my girl for 3 days because her team (Patriots) beat my team (Steelers). I'm still upset.

-I'm glad I'm a counselor cause this genration of kids are really gone. We got a lot of work to do with them.

-Being a singer ain't all it cracked up to be. I'm not even signed and I got a bunch of crazy chics telling me they wanna marry me and dudes that wanna fight me cause it's their girl. I mean, it's kinda funny, but damn......

Labels: what i've learned

Labels: what i've learned