Smarten Up

I got into a conversation with one of my relatives yesterday about some rappers that he knows personally. These rappers are considered to be legends in the genre of hip hop they belong to. The sad thing is that they are broke. Now that may not be a big deal to some people but it is to me. It is a sad day when you look back on your career, all the shows you've done, albums sold, autographs signed, etc. and don't have anything to show for it financially. All you have is name recognition and that won't hold long when the next cats get into the game and make people forget about you. I got the thinking, why does this happen to so many rappers. I'm sure there is a plethora of reasons. But one really stands out to me. Most artists don't plan for the future. Unless you are blessed with some kind of special power that keeps you young forever, you more than likely will not be rapping for the rest of your life. And who would want to? I certainly don't want to "have" to rap past the age of 32. And I'm definitely not going to be trying to rap (at least professionally) when I hit my 40's and 50's. With that said, it is important for today's 20 something year old artists to think and look past the microphone. Learn about investing, real estate, and other business ventures that will ensure your families financial security in the future when you call it quits. Don't be 30 something years old still chasing the dreams you had when you were 20. That day is gone. It's time to man up and go on to the next thing. I know that sounds harsh, but it is good advice. Take it or leave it.