Protect Your Brand
Brands are important. I didn’t understand branding and marketing until a few industry friends I have really sat down with me and educated me in regards to the importance of brands, and why it is very important to limit poor associations. As an artist you have to view yourself as a brand. For this example, let’s say you are McDonalds. As McDonalds you earn millions of dollars in inventory on a monthly basis. One day a food chain named Bob’s Burgers approaches you to join a business campaign. Bob’s Burgers suggest that the both of your organizations should work together to help maximize profits. However after research you observe that Bob’s Burgers network does not reach nearly even a fraction of the network that your network reaches on a global scale. Further more Bob’s Burgers only has 10 restaurants in the USA. In comparison to your restaurant chain that has over 300,000 restaurants world wide. With that understanding would you continue to deal with Bob’s Burgers? If your smart hell to the no. Because you understand that Bob’s Burgers is a liability. As an artist the same logic applies. You must protect your brand at all cost. Once your brand is messed up your screwed. I can’t begin to tell you how many E-mails I get daily (roughly 50) and about 30 of those go something like this “Yo wud up K…we need to collab fam”. Am I rude to these artist? No. Do I respectfully decline to collab? Yes. Because I understand I have to protect my brand. Which means I can’t collab with every artist under the sun because it’s counter productive. This applies to people I know as well. Because people that know me regardless if it’s through present or past dealings feel a false sense of entitlement. They feel as if I should be down to do a million collabs with them or a million mixtapes with them. So I constantly deal with an onslaught of needy people that always want me to do a song with them so they can pitch it to the blogs and Hip Hop sites that post my music as if that will be their magic pill to get them out of the Matrix. In laymen terms I say all of this to enlighten ya’ll that niggas are lazy and always wanna piggy back off of other people’s success. Buncha fake ass Tito’s and Jermaine’s with bad jerry curls tryna make you their version of Michael Jackson for a come up. However, when I do choose to do collabs I do them in a strategic manner. If it is an artist that I see is trying I work with them. When I say trying I don’t mean someone that is delirious and feel they have a great buzz in their mind, but in reality their name holds no weight in the Hip Hop community. I’m talking about legitimate artist that when you Google them you see they have a strong Internet presence as well as touring and etc. In summary, protect your brand at all cost. Work with artist that are on your level or higher. Limit poor associations that will only hinder your success. You may think “But damn K…me and MC Get Buzy been boys since Junior High School…we use to be so broke we would share a slice of pizza from Margaritas on Jamaica Ave…I can’t front on him son”. Correction, if your home boy/girl is too damn lazy to get their buzz up they already fronted on themselves and working with them won’t do anything for you but hinder your success and tie up your time with non sense. Cut the dead weight and do what’s best for you. And if their a real friend they will understand. I’ve come to the realization that I simply do not have the time to carry a lot of dead weight. In the past I’ve done countless collabs with artist that are struggling in an attempt to help them. The problem is that those artist treat collabs like potatoe chips (betcha can’t have just one!) after one collab…one turns into two…after two collabs two turns into three and etc, it’s like a shitty game of addition that keeps going on and on until I put a stop to it and started to protect my brand.

Build A Strong Team
Michael Jordan is a great and phenomenal basketball player, and we all remember him because if your from New York you remember how he would always come to Madison Square Garden and shit on us (pause). However if MJ didn’t have a great supporting cast he wouldn’t have won those games. As artist we must build a great team around ourselves. No one can do it alone. I’ve been fortunate to have a team of DJ’s, Producers and other adviser’s that are a part of my movement and help make things happen. If you don’t have a great team I suggest you start that asap. This business is very grimey and there are only but so many hours in each day that you can do things alone. I started rapping when I was 15. But I always say my career took a positive turn for the best in 2007. In 2007 I left a bad management situation. Myself and Kid Cudi were under this same management and we both left around the same time. After I left the first thing I did was sit down and make a game plan. Why? Because I understood that if I didn’t make a game plan for myself that meant I basically planned to fail. I outlined how I would essentially build a buzz from nothing. I also outlined what road blocks I may encounter. I then outlined how I would deal with each road blocks if they were to occur. Within a time frame of two years (2007-2009) I’ve seen 100% improvement in regards to what I was able to build with a strong supporting cast. A strong team is important, and with their help you are able to make things happen quicker and more efficiently. 

Actions Speak Louder
Most people are full of shit. If you always comprehend this basic premise in the back of your mind you’ll be far more productive and less prone to fall for the bullshit. Most people that tell you they are going to do something don’t. Most people that tell you they are going to E-Mail blast your song to their massive pool of DJ’s for a certain amount of money don’t. Most artist that say they want to collab with you and they will push the song or mixtape as hard as you don’t. Shit is sad but it’s true beyond measure. Most people are full of shit and don’t do anything except talk. Why? Because it makes them feel important, and in the process they have the slight hope that you actually believe the crap they say because lawd knows even they don’t. My point is simple, you don’t have to have a 1-800 Hot line and fake Jamaican accent to see what is going on (Call me now!). Actions speak louder than words. I qualify everyone around me every day without them even knowing. I watch, observe, and don’t always speak on everything. Some people pass, some fail, and others fall somewhere in between. What really matters is that people’s action’s out weight their words. I can say to a million people I am the best rapper in New York City (which I never would because who cares). But in reality if my buzz is no where near where it is in my head and there are at least 100 other artist with a greater buzz does it really matter that I feel I’m the best artist in New York City (which I never would because who cares)? If you don’t remember anything else from this blog remember this one thing…success cancels out all doubt. Therefore if I tell you I am the best rap artist in New York City (which I never would because who cares) regardless if you like my music and think it’s the best thing since sliced bread, or think my music sucks like having to pay taxes, the fact is that as long as my actions speak louder than your words my success is the only thing that matters. I used myself as an example to drive home my point that actions always speak louder than words. I don’t care if someone tells me they are the best singer in their town, or if they claim to be the best promoter in their state, or if they claim to be the best artist in the world, at the end of the day all that matters is one thing…prove it. Because money talks and bullshit walks.

That’s it for now, as far as recent things on my agenda…I’ve been working non stop on my album Super Senior. My goal is to make a classic album. Every artist nowadays is dropping an album that is so hot in their eyes. My goal with Super Senior is to make an album project that is so classic people will be wondering why the hell is it a free download? Much props to DJ Z, Shake, and Kev for co signing Super Senior. A lot of people are looking forward to this and I won’t let them down.
-K. Sparks

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K. Sparks
The Future Problem
Double Up Entertainment
www.Myspace.com/Ksparksmusic
www.Twitter.com/Ksparkstv
www.Youtube.com/Ksparksthefuture

This Journal is properly titled “The Making”. It’s essentially an update in regards to what’s been going on with me and my music. For starters, I’m working on five solo album projects. The first is The Blue Tape, The second is Positive Over Negative with DJ Bobby Bob, Soul Food with Pajozo, An Album with T-Mos, and a project with DJ King Flow. These solo projects are all going to be very creative and have something for everyone like a flea market in the hood. In addition to the album projects I’m also working on a lot of mixtapes with a lot of talented DJ’s. I don’t believe in being dormant and non productive so I always grind and put in the work ethic. The music industry is very crowded and very oversaturated so as an artist I have to constantly prove, and reinvent myself to be consistent with quality music. Which in retrospect is not hard at all because I’ve made entire albums within a few hours at minimal.

I’m at a point where my career is in The Making of something huge. The work ethic I have is starting to pay off in a big way. But at the end of the day none of what I achieve is soley based only upon what I do. I mean, everyone knows at the end of the day the music has to be quality or no one will support it. But still there are several players that play vital and important roles in The Making of my career. DJ’s, Bloggers, Websites, Fans, Publicist, Video Directors and so many others work as a well oiled machine to ensure that my music get’s out like clock work.

This industry is crazier than that broad Danger from the Ray J show. So it is very important that an artist has the support of real individuals that have a passion and vision for what the artist is doing. I’ve come to realize that a lot of the things I have encountered in the past have all prepared me for the things that are to come. I’ve heard a lot, seen a lot, and experienced more than most individuals. The Making of an artist combines good, bad, and everything in between. But the whole purpose of these things is for an artist to take those experiences and utilize them to help them grow. Consider your life like a recipe, add a little set back, mixed with a lot of confidence, added with a nice amount of appropriate action applied towards the correct goal and the end result is The Making of achievement. Never tell yourself that you can’t do something, instead tell yourself that you can do anything you put your mind to. With that said, I must admit that there has been a down side to The Making thus far that I have experienced.

I’ve started to experience an increase in the level of peoples needyness around me. There is a high increase of takers that pop up when they smell success. People that know you now want to take up more of your time, and people that don’t know you desire to have any of your time. Every artist wants to collab, every producer wants to give you beats, every promoter wants you to perform, and all of these things are great. But at times I find myself falling back and shutting down my phone after a certain point because you start to realize that everybody has an agenda (everybody). Everybody wants something and everybody needs something. Artist want to collab because they want to benefit from your buzz, producers want to give you beats because that’s free pomo for them, and the list goes on and on and on. At times when your in The Making people see the success train about to pull out of the station and they want a piece of that badly that their willing to lay out on the train tracks to prevent you from pulling out of the station. With that said, things are becoming very interesting, strange, weird, and exciting all at the same time. So I will keep you guys posted on The Making…

Ok, there has been a lot of bullshit going on over the last few months man (4 months to be exact) basically since I started Manic Mondays. For this reason I had to write this “Groupienomics” post. What is “Groupienomics”? It is the kinda bullshit I been experiencing for the last four months. Since I started Manic Mondays every body wants to be your friend, everybody wants to collab. Why? Because mufuckers are groupies and wanna dick ride who ever is makin moves instead of making a name for themselves. The above quote from Mike Jones strictly applies to these bitch ass rappers (cough*if that’s what they call themselves*cough) Shit is sad man. I’m gettin messages like this daily…

“Yo k sparks, man remember we did that showcase 10 years ago? Give me a phone call cuz we gotta catch up or give me your number my nigga”

“Remember me from elementary school and we had the same third grade teacher named Miss Brown that lives off of Sutphin Blvd? Well now my 45 year old Uncles cousins son makes beats and he got some heat for you”

Listen man, ya’ll niggas are sorry, I don’t even know how you bitch made niggas can look yourselves in the mirror on the daily. Matter fact I don’t even know how you niggas can look your kids in the face daily without questioning your man hood? But wait, shit get’s worse, check these other “Groupienomics” quotes

“Yo, you sent me a beat to collab on with you last year, I got my verse ready now, let’s do it!”

“Can you send me Angelous or Kid Cudi acapellas for this song I am doing?”

Ahem…niggas…if I sent you a beat and you take forever and a day to do the God damn song go fuck yourself and your mother. C’mon niggas, don’t be comin at me a year later talkin bout you got your verse ready now, are you fuckin retarted? Did your moms drop you when you were a lil baby and you hit yo head? And DO NOT hit me up anymore askin for acapellas from Angelous or Kid Cudi. If ya’ll wanna work with them hit them directly. And damn sure don’t ask me for no motherfuckin acapellas. Are you niggas serious? That shit is unethical on so many levels. If they want to work with you they would have done so already. Furthermore, I have been working with those guys for a long time, why? Because I’m not a groupie. I was/still fam with Angelous way before he was getting million dollar record deal offers from majors. But you guys are all groupies so naturally you wanna work with guys when they are buzzing. Listen man, anybody that knows me knows I’m a down to earth person. But I’m cuttin alotta you clowns off man cuz ya’ll are some sorry lame bird actin super groupie ass niggas. Seriously, I’m always on some cool shit but ya’ll niggas are getting outta fuckin control. Stop asking me dumb ass questions, stop askin for dumb ass favors, and have some fuckin self respect and dignity man. Half of the questions ya’ll niggas ask are so fuckin stupid they don’t even merit a response.Quit the “Groupienomics” shit bitches. EZ

K. Sparks aka Mr Manic Mondays

Man today I saw a sorry ass video that can only be described in the words of Flo Rida…”Low Low Low Low Low”. In summary it was yet another artist taking stabs (twist twist) at Soulja Boy. The rapper continued to rant about how Soulja Boy sucks and makes it hard for other artist to be accepted? Ok boys and girls I want everyone to take out your mental note books and pads as K. Sparks takes you to “Common Sense School”. For starters I’m tired of hearing ignant(<---Intentional Ebonix) ass rappers taking stabs (twist twist) at the Soulja Boy. I hear a lot of rappers saying "he is wack...he ain't lyrical". But what these guys fail to realize is that at the end of the day we are conditioned to hate on each other. How many times do you hear people say "he's real" or "he's fake". Or even better how many times have you heard someone say "his shit ain't real" or "his shit weak like seven days". The Hip Hop community has been divided into two groups. Check em out...

1) Mainstream Artist aka Modern House Negros: You know these artist well because they are normally the artist on BET, MTV, getting alotta mainstream play on radio over and over like the Energizer Bunny, big chains, nice cars, nice cribs, and getting their videos played 24/7. These artist normally have the co sign from BIG labels that can buy your momma and your babies momma for the right price, and still have enough cake left over to buy the rest of your free loadin ass family. These artist normally make music with the main goal of selling music. Why? Because the label that’s pimpin they asses wrote them fat checks that need to be paid back in sales and radio play duh! These artist (e.g Soulja Boy normally become the envy of other artist). Why? Well they make money, and success naturally breeds envy. Is there anything wrong with being a mianstream artist? No. If you want to feed your family extra well, be known around the globe, and live a lavish nice lifestyle there isn’t nothing wrong with that right?

2) Underground Artist aka Modern Field Negros: These artist are not mainstream and are lucky if their video get’s played at 5:00 AM Eastern Standard time in between commercials about Red Bull giving you wings. These artist don’t have BIG labels behind them so they can dedicate more time to writing witty punchlines and super lyrical flows over catchy songs for air play. These artist tend to develop superiority complexes in regards to their music feeling that they are “true emcees” as apposed to the mainstream artist on radio. Is there anything wrong with being an underground emcee? No. These artist are afforded the opportunity to express themselves without deadlines imposed by BIG labels only concerned about sales and trickin you out wit a 360 deal (if you don’t know what a 360 deal is, it is a deal that allows the record company to control every aspect of the recording artist career including ring tones, movies, commercials, and etc aka the pimp deal aka get yo ass out there 24/7 to get my money artist bitch!).

Main Point: My main point is that at the end of the day we are all artist that are attempting to express ourselves artistically and feed our families. Some of us may be more lyrical and some of us may be more commercial. But the bottom line is that if you are a hipster artist, super conscious, gangster artist, or soulja boy, we are all nothing more than slaves on the Music Industry Plantation. So what Soulja Boy is the classic house negro in the house pourin massah a cool glass of lemonade vs your ass sweating in the hot ass field pickin massuh’s cotton…ahem…we are all still slaves! As artist continue to rant about this Soulja Boy nonsense they fail to realize that their sorry asses are gettin pimped and raped with no vaseline as well. Our conditioning has been conditioned to make artist hate on other artist. Same conditioning that made the house negro hate the field negro in slavery days. Shit is sad. Do I like Soulja Boys music? No. Do I applaud him for making an honest living as opposed to being on the corner selling drugs. Yes. Niggas need to shut the fuck up and make music yo. I don’t like 90 percent of the music ya’ll sorry ass niggas make including some of you sorry ass undergound niggas. So I guess because you rap about the moon, the stars, bean pies, head wraps, black righteousness, rap over beats that sound like Premo and 9th Wonder wanna be tracks, and look in the dictionary to find complicated words to throw in your raps that makes you better than these other rappers? Nah…you just another jaded field nigga son. 100

-K. Sparks aka Mr Manic Mondays

Now when I say that I don’t mean to turn Hollywood on everyone that truly supported you (because that would only translate that you have no morals/standards).What I mean is that you have to leave behind the dead weight (certain old faces) that are not going any where and that are counter productive. And start to replacethem with positive individuals (new faces) that have drive and ambition. Thus when you surround yourself by new faces with positive energy you will begin to reap thebenefits such as new opportunities (new places). Man, in the last few months I had to cut off a lot of people, and this week I made a conscious decision to distance myself from even more people.

Now the main purpose of me writing this is to help YOU. I want YOU to sit down and actually think about all of the people that are in your life. And I want YOU to truly be honest with yourself in regards to who is bringing positive energy into your life vs negative energy. Now listen, negative energy doesn’t always mean the person does something directly to YOU. A person can also indirectly bring YOU negative energy. Do YOU know any people that always have bad things happening to them, people that always have an excuse, people that are always fucking shit up, or always can’t get their shit together. Believe it or not, all of that shit can indirectly affect YOU. If YOU are surrounded by counter productive people they will indirectly bring YOU down. It’s time for YOU to start putting YOU first. It’s time for YOU to let go of certain individuals that in simple terms ain’t about shit. Next time your phone rings and YOU see that name in your caller ID don’t answer, next time YOU have some down time dedicate that time to YOU, and the next time those negative individuals aka takers come to you over and over with the same negative shit tell them to keep it movin. The choice is yours, but if you don’t get anything elese from this, remember this main theme…once YOU put YOU first…YOU will see New Places and New Faces.

-K. Sparks aka Neo In The Matrix

Black man: “What’s up homie?”
White man: “Can’t you coons talk proper English?”
Black man: (pulls gun out) Bang Bang Bang

That scenerio best displays how black people react to the word. But I have come to the realization that this auto tune shit has gotten way outta control like Halle Berry’s drivin ability. I mean God damn, I have yet to see anything make negros look this bad since the WB (remember the frog?). T Pain does it justice, but people have to realize that is HIS trademark. Everybody has a trademark and that is what makes them special right? Jordan’s trademark was when he would float in the air and stick his tounge out before makin another player a victim on his next poster, Kriss Kross’ trademark was their pants backwards, and George Bush’ trademark is being a dumb ass (stab stab twist twist). My point is simple, everything ain’t for aybody (<—intentional ebonix). Everybody wants to use this auto tune shit, and instead of being innovative they sound like clowns. When auto Tune first came out the shit was like the new chick that just moved on your block with the clear skin and sexy body so every time you see her everything moves in slow motion like Neo dodging bullets n shit. Aybody (<—intentional ebonix) was checkin her out, but after being around for a year everybody on the block done fucked her, sucked her tits, poked her in the ass, and now she got 10 kids, outta shape rockin a bad weave talkin bout “when I first moved hur I was the shit gurl”. She’s no longer new no longer sumthin fresh no longer sumthin that peaks your interest. Why? It’s simply because it is no longer a commodity, it is no longer sumthin of value, what gives sumthin value is accessability. If everyone can access it, it isn’t of value. If everyone could cop diamonds on the 99 cent menu at Wendy’s would they still be so expensive? Would they still be rare? Hell to the nizaw bitches, and this is exactly what the Auto Tune Coon has done. Taken T Pain’s trademark and ran with it like niggas stealin shit out yo crib.

Ahem…I digress to my point, artist be original. I’m tired of hearin all you lame ass niggas goin in whatever direction the wind blows. I remember a few years back when everybody wanted a beat with an Indian sample in it, then niggas started wanting beats with the sped up chipmunk sample, God damn what’s the next trend? Niggas fuckin animals on they album covers? Niggas rockin tickle me elmo slippers? Get it together niggas…ahem…my throat has been cleared.

K. Sparks aka Neo In The Matrix

NIGGA PLEASEEEEEE! Yo ass is stupid. You conveniently neglected to include the fact that yo dumb ass fucked everything up during your term of “terrorism” on the American People, and your brain is a “mass weapon of destruction” cuz yo ass is so dumb fool. Furthermore, what about all of the millions on top of millions of dollars being spent on this “war” that millions of people are still not 100% clear on exactly why we are over there. The Bush Administration sucks like hoes in the back seat of luxury cars and I’m glad they asses are gonna be out of office soon. It’s time for change…ahem…my throat has been cleared.

K. Sparks aka Neo In The Matrix

With that said the first record I put out is entitled “Dictionary” Produced By Glish Productions. The beat is sick, and when I heard it I wanted to do sumthin different. Papoose already did Alphabet Slaughter, but I wanted to put a twist on it, so I chose to start every bar with a different letter, and utilize that letter primarily for each bar. I figured it is sumthin witty, and different. When I make music I always push myself to be different. Today too many artist sound the same, and they suffer bacuse of it.

When it’s all said and done, I want Manic Mondays to be something that people will look forward to on a weekly basis. Good quality music that cats can vibe to. The music is gonna range from traditional Hip Hop to Jazz Hip Hop fusion. It’s really gonna show cats how diverse of an artist I am. Sometimes I feel like Little Brother in the sense that the fans only prefer me to do “jazz Hip Hop” but I do everything, and Manic Mondays will show that.

Signing Off K. Sparks aka Neo In The Matrix

Building a team is important to succeed in the music industry. However, the most important part of building a strong team is ensuring that you have strong team players that all bring something to the table.

What good is a team with 10 Jordans? Even worse what good is a team with 10 Scottie Pippens (aka fake ass Jordans) lawd knows the team won’t go anywhere at that rate. The whole purpose of having a “team” is to have a diverse blend of individuals that can all contribute something different to the team.

The first step to building a strong team is self realization. One must determine what exactly are they in order to know what role they will play. Teams normally consist of 4 types (a leader, the muscle, the followers, and the brains). For example, not everyone is a leader. Let’s break it down.

Followers
Some people are meant to be followers. However, being a follower is not necessarily a negative thing. Followers often have passion for the one ultimate goal at hand. If you believe in someone and realize that they have that star quality, it is a follower who can enhance that individuals position within the industry. Without followers/supporters no one is able to make it on their own.

The Muscle
The muscle aka the goons are those people that don’t have the talent, however they will and can beat a niggas ass that act crazy at any given moment. Every team needs muscle. I don’t care who you are or where you are, you will always need someone that can knock a nigga the hell out when needed. Why? Cuz niggas are crazy that’s why dumb ass! If your from the hood then you already know how to scrap, but what you gonna do when you at a show and 30 niggas bumb rush yo punk ass? Pause, this is when the muscle aka the goons come in. All purpose ass woopins handed out when needed.

The Brains
The brains are normally not scrappers, due to the fact that they would rather use their brain to rectify a situation instead of physical force. The brains are normally the ones that live on the internet and are always networking. Why? Because they are smart number one, and number two they are normally more articulate than the goons. Example given: The Brains “excuse me sir, my artist was supposed to perform at 11:30 PM sharp, and I noticed that it is presently 1:00 AM. We would like to expedite my artist performance”. VS Example given: The Muscle aka The Goon “Yo mufucka, my mans was supposed to be rockin dis mufucka at 11 dirty nah mean, and my nigga still ain’t perform nah mean, if he ain’t performin we gone be beatin somebody ass up in here! Yadadamean bitch!!”

The Leader
Despite popular belief, the leader does not have to be the smartest out of everyone. Leaders normally are placed into position because they have a certain vision along with the talent to execute that vision. Leaders normally have swagger and personality that attracts others. Followers, Goons, and Brains normally gravitate to the leader due to the fact that leaders have likeable personalities. Leaders are also normally individuals that can motivate. They have the ability to be persuasive, and encourage others when needed.

In summary, determine which one you are and begin to build a strong team. If you do this you’ll certainly go far.

I am speechless in a sense, but I can’t be at a loss for words because that would be an injustice to how great you were. So here I stand cousin, to let the world know how much of a great support, motivator, and friend to K. Sparks you were. I remember several years ago when I first started rapping and was pressing up my third mixtape project, Q said “listen, I believe in you, I’ll make it happen”. And he actually went into pocket and helped pay for some of my CD covers to get pressed up. He never asked for the money, never stressed me for anything, he just wanted to help. This is the type of person Q was, he would always help if he could.

Q was only 28, but this makes me want to go even harder with this music, not only was Q a friend, he was one of my number one fans. Q would always push K. Sparks to go harder as an artist and as a person, I know a lot of the struggles that he was dealing with in regards to this bullshit industry, and we shared the same views in regards to a lot of the bullshit that is going on. The last time I saw him was on Jamaica Avenue and Parsons. This was right before I released my Eclectic album project. I wanted to get some covers pressed up, and plus I just copped a new BMW so Q wanted to see the wip. We chopped it up and spoke about how lame the industry is, not knowing that would be the last time I saw him. Lastly, all I can say is that I will make a mark for you cousin. You will be missed

R.I.P Sequain http://www.myspace.com/qdzco

This is dedicated to you…

Problem 1: Niggas that Can’t Properly Network!
Why is it that niggas always want me to do shit for them, and they don’t do shit for me? Man I have literally helped more niggas than Harriet Tubman and what do I get for it? Nothing. Now don’t get it twisted, for the record I don’t ever help people with the intention of getting something in return, that’s not my style. But when a nigga bring that shit to me talkin bout “you got me” I expect you to show and prove and prove that yo ass ain’t another shiftless ass nigga flappin your gums. However, Shiftless negro after shiftless negro continues to ask for favors “can you do this for me” “can you do that for me” and of course you always know shiftless niggas because they hit you with the notorious fantasy line “I got you” or “I’ll look out for you” (Studio audience response “booooooooooooooooo bitch”). Ya’ll motherfuckers know exactly who ya’ll are, but riddle me this. How do you “got me”? How are you gonna “look out for me”? Obviously YOU are coming to me because I have something YOU lack. So how can YOU help me? The answer is simple, yo ass can’t, so stop frontin like Rosa Parks on a bus full of crackers.

Problem 2: Unreliable Motherfuckers!
Maaaaaaaan, lawd have mercy on me. If I gotta deal wit one more mufucker that talks about they gonna do something for me and doesn’t follow thru I’m gonna kill a nigga. How many times do niggas tell me they gonna do sumthin for me by a certain date, and ALWAYS when that date comes ain’t shit done. I’m still at square motherfuckin one, why? Niggas say they gonna do shit and it’s never done. I’m tired of you bumb ass niggas, if you can’t do sumthin just say it. My pops always said if you can’t complete a task, there is no shame in saying you can’t. But mufuckers just don’t have morals no more. I think niggas are so drugged up off weed and alcohol that their brain cells don’t work anymore, so they just say yes, meanwhile their brain is like “damn son, you know you not gonna have that done, why you say yes?”. Fuckin losers man, please get far away from me with that bullshit. Even further, my manager keeps tellin me mufuckers keep tellin her they gonna do shit and still don’t follow thru, well in my personal opinion ya’ll niggas are bitches without the pussy, and ya’ll can kiss my ass a milie a milie a milie a milie a milie times.

Hopefully next week will be better, but the way I feel now I got a long ass shit list, pray yo ass ain’t on it.

K. Sparks aka Neo In The Matrix

In other news, it has been brought to my attention that niggas feel the need to make fake K. Sparks Myspace pages using my name (pause) what are ya’ll niggas doin? I only have two Myspace pages (myspace.com/ksparksmusic, and myspace.com/kdotsparks) these other pages floatin around are in no way shape or form mine. They say imitation is the greatest form of flatery, so I guess I finally made it big right? (Sarcasm).

And lastly, what the fuck is wrong with Ice T? Why is he goin at Soulja Boy so hard? Earth to Ice T, he is a kid!!!!! Chill homie, you are goin way to hard at a young cat. Soulja Boy did not destroy Hip Hop music. Hip Hop is at the point it is at due to several things, and to keep shit 100, there are way many other factors that play into this shit. So leave youngin alone and chill. What about Laffy Taffy, Pumps and a Bumps, and all the other classic sell out songs that contributed to this Hip Hop cancer? When you really look at what your sayin you sound like a retard. And truthfully I don’t even like Soulja Boys music, but once you cross the line and tell the kid to eat a dick you deserve to get called an old ass nigga.

That’s all for now, next week I’ll get back at ya’ll.

In my personal opinion I think that there is no one in particular that can be blamed for the present state of Hip Hop music. The bottom line is that the internet has changed the way in which people have access to music. Back in the days people were forced to buy a whole album, even if the whole album sucked they had no choice but to buy the whole album. Nowadays all of that is out the window. All a consumer has to do is log onto itunes, and they can get their favorite song for 99 cents. To be honest with you, a lot of these albums aren’t worth paying full price for anyway. This economy we live in is hard body right now, gas is $4.50 a gallon. With that said who wants to waste money on something that isn’t worth it? I think that artist need to start making quality albums again. Remember the days of The Bush Babies, The Fugees, Pete Rock and CL Smooth, and others? Those were albums I didn’t mind spending my money on because they were classics from start to finish. Nowadays these labels are only concerned with making singles/ringtones, thus we are now living in a world of 1 hit wonders. I think that once we get to the point where artist continue to make quality music and raise the bar album sales will continue to do well. As long as the music stays sub par, sales will continue to be on the decline. I always push myself to make great music, if I record something that is subpar I scrap it and refuse to pit it out. My next project Hip Hop 101 will continue to raise the bar, and staisfy real Hip Hop fans. For more details.

Check back at myspace.com/ksparksmusic. Until next week, stay on the grind street family. 1

What’s good street family, this weeks journal is about some real shit that ya’ll can get into. The topic I’m talking about is positive thinking/taking action. Alotta niggas live life day to day with no real sense of direction, wake up, get high, drink, fuck, go to work (not in that particular order) and then do it all again the next day. But at what point do you decide to take control of your life? At what point do you want better? At what point do you want to stop being the black version of Bill Murray in Ground Hogs Day (same shit different day).

These are all real questions that niggas need to ask themselves, cuz without taking action to change your life and positive thought you gonna be that old nigga in the club with tight dress pants and an even tighter suit doin the same shit. First step is to get a plan. Sit down and figure out exactly what is it that you want out of life. After you figure that out, then you gotta proceed to take action, cuz nothing comes to a lazy ass. Work hard to get your goals accomplished.

This means if you are an emcee, you need to constantly push yourself to make good product and network, don’t sit on your ass cuz ain’t shit comin to you but hard times and heart ache. Lasty, think positive. Along with the action taken, think positive that you will attain your goals. Negative thoughts and negative people only bring you back and hold you down. If you keep pushing you’ll ultimately get to where you want to be at.

Last week my Director got a call and told me that this cat wanted me to come up to The Source Magazine for an “interview and to spit some bars”. I was actually busy that day, but I still found the time to shoot over there… and needless to say that shit was a complete fuckin waste of time. When I got there shit was in no way shape or form the way dude made it seem. First of all, there were about 25 niggas in there all feenin like junkies waitin to spit a 16 for some bull shit segment. Now listen, I ain’t on no cocky shit, but I’m at a point in my career where I don’t have to do no bullshit like that. I repeat, I ain’t on no cocky shit, but I’m at a point in my career where I don’t have to do no bullshit like that. I done performed at several shows, countless mixtape slots, sold thousands of indie albums, countless Magazine interviews, Radio Show interviews, awards won and etc etc etc, feel me. After a certain point as an artist you have to decide what’s your worth and what you will and won’t do. To make shit even worse, the niggas video camera kept dying so they had niggas just sittin around waitin like groupies. But the thirsty niggas still settled for that shit and one after one spit 16 after 16 after 16…why? Shit was a waste of time. Once my ride arrived (a bad bitch in a BMW might I add) I rolled out in true boss fashion bitches. Once again we are faced with a situmation that involves niggas doin nigga shit. Why can’t niggas ever be truthful and keep shit 100? If the nigga woulda said from jump, “listen we are doing a segment for The Source where we ask 25 random emcees to come down and spit, also our camera will die at any random moment so be prepared to waste your time” I would said hell to the muzufuckin nizo bitches!

Well, either way what’s done is done. But it boils down to standards, always remember in life “people do to you what you let them”. I got some new heat comin for Summmer, “Definition” album produced By Pajozo from Sweden, and also a Double Up Entertainment Compilation album featuring Dave Barz, D Roof, and Tina Quallo. Check www.myspace.com/ksparksmusic for more details.

Signing off K. Sparks aka Mr I Get Money

Hip Hop culture has inspired, and motivated a large generation of urban youth to persue greatness. Growing up I was (still am) a part of this movement. People often misunderstand Hip Hop culture due to the images that are shown via the media outlets such as television, movies, and etc. The images we see are often tainted and far from what the true “essence” of Hip Hop culture was build upon. The present images we see consist of guns, violence, sex, drugs, and money. Mix that elaborate imagery with excellent content such as hoes, weed smoking, gangs, money over bitches and poof…magically the steryotype is fulfilled. I think that somewhere along the way Hip Hop culture became tainted by the “music industry”. After a certain point and time, the suits and ties decided that sales are more important than content…furthermore, sales are more important than the Hip Hop culture. As a result of this the focus became less on Hip Hop culture, and more on making records that would generate an increase in sales/revenue. Some may argue that at the end of the day this is a business…the “music business”…and with that said the focus should be sales. Correction, Hip Hop culture is different from the “music business”. Hip Hop culture is grafitti, the DJ. Two turn tables and a mike, and freedom of speech. The music business is contractual agreements that bind, album points that don’t add up for the artist, and stipulations that shackle the creative mind. At the end of the day my goal is simple, to keep Hip Hop culture alive with every hook, every verse, and every song. When Nas said Hip Hop is dead I understood what he was saying. Hip Hop is dead in terms of the “music industry” investing in putting real Hip Hop music out. However, true Hip Hop culture will never die as long as we continue to keep it alive. Change is soon to come.

K. Sparks