So in order to show people who I am, especially when they witness the One Man Show LIVE! at these performances, I need to give my street teams the proper materials -- aka actual CD's and cards to promote the mixtape. These things do cost $ :(
My producer always says there is a line between the fan and the artist, but I don't necessarily support that argument. I've spent my hard-earned $ in production costs thinking I could get signed just because I had dope material. WRONG!!! The only thing labels wanna see you is you reading this... IS IT WORKING? hahah, I hope so. But it's not about that... If it was, I would've started this a long time ago, but I didn't. I started it when I thought it was time for y'all to know what the fuck I'm on (I can see my mom being like "watch the language" right now).
So what am I supposed to do? I don't fucking know. But I do know that if I do a mixtape, I'm going big. It's either go big, or go home. We either MBM (Make Big Moves) or we don't make moves at all... In other words, I gotta manufacture 100,000 of 'em. I don't know how I'm going to come up with the kind of money necessary to put 100,000 of these things in the streets, but I am going to take off the next week of school to try and figure it out -- maybe move a piece of ONtheCOURTSports -- that's the kind of dedication you gotta pull. I know someone is out there reading this saying, "STAY IN SCHOOL!" As my girl would say, "Relax!" but on the realz, this is my life. Not school... Music. I'm 20 years old. I'll do what I want... And right now, I wanna make a mixtape -- so fuck you.
So why are the last six paragraphs under a category title of "FUCK CHASE BANK" -- Let me tell you. My best friend told me that I should get a college loan from Chase -- He got $20,000 for being in state and I could probably get $30,000 for being out of state. Since my parents pay for school, I figured I could put my own ass on the line. The last thing I wanna do is be another broke artist. When I told my producer what was going on he mentioned how Robert Townsend funded his first movie, Hollywood Shuffle, on credit cards. I was shocked. Wikipedia said:
"Hollywood Shuffle was created on a very tight budget. Townsend personally financed the movie with his own credit cards, and, in order to avoid obtaining permits, he asked his crew to wear college sweatshirts to pose as students."
With an estimated budget of $100,000, the movie went on to have gross revenues of over $5 million. If you're smart, a tight budget can work.
Anyway, when I called Chase, they informed me they currently don't accept applications for uncertified student loans. This policy was enacted on the 26th of March, like a week ago. With an ailing economy, I'm sure this was done with good reason. I respect business as much as the next businessman, but why the fuck was I holding money in a bank for years to not get approved for a student loan? Shiyattt...
So anyway, after this 6:00 P.M. accounting test on Sunday, my journey begins. I have UNDER three weeks, to come up with the money, make a mixtape, and manufacture it. I don't even know if it's possible, but my friend R. Kelly says, "I believe that if we believe, the unbelievable can be achieved." Then again, Kelz believes he can fly! hahaha, he probably can. Shoutout to my dude: www.myspace.com/rkelly .
It's off to the races.
"See No Limits. Hear No Limits."
-JQ
P.S. In the future, longs blogs of "BITCHING" will be summed up into one sentence at www.twitter.com/burbetto !
P.S.S. The third "FUCK" is lucky I'm not calling him/them out. Refer back to my "American History X" post: Hate is baggage.
Only love.