The Story Behind "Viral Video"
Buckle up, this is one of THOSE...
This is the story behind my brand new piece, "Viral Video", which was filmed by my bestgood friend, Butterscotch, in Nevada's Valley of Fire.
The title is somewhat tongue-in-cheek; as my YouTube views will show, I currently have no viral videos of my solo work. Art has greater value than the amount of likes, shares and comments one receives, but I'm in the entertainment business and the bottom line is that you need to show that you have a serious online following to be taken seriously in certain circles. Ironically, I've accomplished more than I thought I would have by now without having truly "caught on".
"Viral Video", set against a hauntingly beautiful landscape, is very fitting for the seemingly contradictory "obscure fame" that I have achieved. I have met so many people who are just as talented (if not more) than I am, who just haven't gotten a break or threw away opportunities when they had the chance. As someone who's managed to break away from the routine life that was set out for most of us to live in modern society, I still ask myself:
"What the hell am I doing?" and "Will I ever really get on?"
Despite having partied with celebrities, touring the world and being nicely rewarded for my work, there's still a consuming hunger that lies in my heart which fluctuates between deep depression and exhilarating joy. Believe you me, I know I am quite fortunate and do not take for granted any of the support, gifts, and opportunities I've received for staying dedicated to my craft. Still, I linger in an awkward space of having done more than I care to say, but not enough to wow the masses.
I wrote the piece out of my years of personal frustration up to now, but also as a gut-check for my current drive and as a testament to what it means to persevere despite doubt, broken hearts, lies, arguments and long stretches of making next to NO MONEY. "Viral Video" is for every one of you who puts your heart and soul into what you believe, but still sometimes feel as if your All is simply not enough.
I've been unemployed, "freelance", had a few 9 to 5's, and paid quite handsomely on many occasions. That can drastically alter one's view of the world . You begin to wonder, "Who and what am I?". I know I have inspired thousands of people and gotten a chance to work with many whom I admire so deeply that they'd be embarrassed if they truly knew how much I appreciate their gifts. All of this, because I stuck with my dream.
Originally, "Viral Video" was only meant for me to vent privately and probably just perform occasionally in certain venues, but NO; I've changed my mind...
I actually DO want this to become a viral video. I hope that 1,000,000 people watch this and think hard about what they're doing with their lives and what they are willing to put on the line to live the life they feel they were put here for. In the poignant words of dead prez:
"It's bigger than hip-hop"
"Viral Video" is by far the most passionate performance to date that I have put on film in my 16 years of rhyming. I wouldn't lie to you about this and promote vain hype about it. I watched it about 50 times before its release and every single time the only thing that cooled the fire in my soul were the chills running down my spine. Whether this gets 10,000 views all year or 100,000 views in a week, I have no problem saying that this is the most honest, sincere performance I've recorded so far and I would stand by it if it was the last thing I ever put out to the world.
Many thanks to everyone watch, liking, and sharing "Viral Video"! Running barely over 2 minutes, it will take you less time to watch & listen than it took to read or write this blog, but I hope it will stick with you for many years to come.
Thank you,
Rasar
