The Business Of The Grind
There’s plenty of examples of this Lin Manuel Miranda, I think it took him 7 years to finish writing Hamilton. There’s actually footage as far back as 2009 of him performing a finished piece from Hamilton he was working on the completion of the musical- for then President Obama. I’d be willing to bet he sure is thankful he didn’t throw in the towel. Lucile Ball another great example, Dorothy Dandridge finally achieved her breakout role in the 1950’s rendition of Carmen Jones after minor and or stereotypical roles, Jennifer Lopez had been in Hollywood nearly 10 years before she landed her role as Selena in 1997 prior to that she was one of the Fly Girls on the smash hit TV show In Living Color. I think she was 27ish which for that time in Hollywood you were thought of as “old” by typical Hollywood standards especially in pertaining to Women and Women of color at that. So much so in fact Taraji P Henson (who came to Hollywood in her mid 20’s) around the same time was told she was “Too old for Hollywood.” George Carlin is a great example of this as well. He spoke on that in an 2008 interview that he had 200 television appearances but didn’t have any major success until he was in his 30’s which again at that time was thought of as middle aged by Hollywood standards. Tina Turner another poignant example after she broke away from the infamous abuser husband Ike Turner, who kept her very stifled and very much away from her highest potential via extreme abuse and control. She was penniless, had no record contract, no proper management and was literally middle aged. She began doing shows in Vegas in the mid 1970’s until the early 1980’s when a manager from London (now her husband) came to see her perform and of course signed her. The rest is history. Dwayne The Rock Johnson often tells the story he was in his mid 20’s his football stardom hadn’t materialized, he was totally broke, depressed and didn’t appear like football stardom was going to happen so instead he took up wrestling, then as the globe now knows acting, and then of course the successful businessman he is now. There’s a whole list of people that success didn’t happen overnight or as adolescents. I can’t totally add Mariah Carey to the mix because she was 18 when she landed a record contract dropped her chart topping album by age 20 and was already a legendary status by the time she left her self admitted controlling husband and record CEO Tommy Mottola in 1997 but I will say as she has stated openly she really grew into her own hence the incredible ,Butterfly, album was her first emancipation album so in a sense that could apply to her as well. Cher a very similar situation. Sometimes it’s about getting the right timing, the right space, the right people, what works for you, etc. In the arts and fashion fields it’s all about inclusion more and more so for those who are not “the norm” by CEO standards as we’ve seen are becoming more welcome as where even several years ago it would be a flat out “No” without even a second consideration. Now you almost have to be authentically different (not the same as freakishly trollish to be something you’re authentically not really to attention grab because that doesn’t last and it has 0 to do with talent) to be seen or considered because everything has been done and seen already. Little is interesting anymore because it’s all been done before. Clean has been seen, the immensely gifted that can’t be duplicated, the risqué has been seen, porn level God knows has worn out its welcome, the bizarre but not necessarily lasting talent, whatever it’s pretty much all been done and regurgitated over and over again in the arts field. Now as the late Prince said many years ago not pushing the envelope IS pushing the envelope when it comes to arts because it’s just not interesting anymore. There really isn’t a definition of “edgy” anymore and hasn’t been for a long time because it’s all been done. So you have to have something authentically unique of not attempting to be something one isn’t if not totally ripping off someone else’s style and identity to bring to the table otherwise it’s not even going to be considered at OR has little longevity to it. This is becoming most true in fashion, in the arts if we’re talking mainstream not so much as it’s pretty much required everything sounds cookie cutter based on cost reasons.
Would a Mariah Carey, a Prince, Queen, or Whitney Houston be signed to a major label today? No, probably not because that’s not what they’re seeking. Hollywood doesn’t want artists or musicians any longer. They want those they can mold and don’t have a strong sense of artistic merit or even voice of their own for that matter let’s be honest. That’s why so many talented artists are becoming independent more and more if they can afford to because it takes money to make money in that business major label or not, besides record companies totally control those who sign contracts with them as well as reap the bulk of the assets earned. Those signed to major labels don’t make what the public often thinks they do. They make the bulk of their money from tours, merch, etc more than anything but of course if you’re making 25 cents a song and the record company makes the rest per download or stream well you do the math. It’s about percentages and honestly now with the lack of quality that’s out there in the mainstream for the most part it’s really not worth going into the mainstream anymore. Personally I hope the music industry especially will change and revert back to artists, writers, and musicians not image — post COVID but who’s to say at this point? Point is now not being the norm and authentic is what catches the eye of Fashion and Talent at least to some degree anymore because everything else has been seen and heard. You bring your authentic self typically not someone else that’s already been heard or seen a million times. Talent and fashion people almost search for watered down, natural, and very organic these days depending on the person of course. That’s all part of the grind of the arts and fashion businesses. It really is a gamble. If you don’t know it when you go into it those entering it find out soon enough that maybe you’ll hit big maybe you won’t maybe it will take a lot longer than some maybe it won’t. It’s about staying grounded in reality and not looking at someone else comparing yourself to someone else because many times you have nothing in common and are in totally 2 different spectrums so yes their life is going to look radically different than your own. That’s in any field. Always stay in your lane not veer over into someone else’s. That goes for life too. Unless you have connections giving someone a hand up into where they should be or supporting them the lives of other people ,spaces, careers, and successes aren’t your business or concern. Otherwise other people have nothing to do with you always remember that and you’ll never be envious, miserable, or lost another day in your life to be honest.
