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Saturday, November 28, 2009

DIVAS SOCIAL SALE, Postponed

On Blast: ROBERT THOMAS, world class dawg


So, I don't know what was so hard about not answering the phone and basically just saying, "Chris, I know you've been planning this event for a few weeks, and I know that I said you can have it at my loft, however, it's not looking too good, maybe you should check some other places out." And I would have gladly accepted that. But no, instead you repeatedly tried to get me to have secret "meetings" with you, you offered to buy me a phone when mines was turned off.

You lied about some random trip to Atlanta stressing that you were cooking for Tyler Perry, when I hear that you are nothing but a dish washer at your job downtown, and a maintenance man for Ford ... Then, your lying friend George, who took no time to hate on when you saw me at the gym, tells me that your girlfriend, some round the way old head, pays all your bills, kicks you out when she wants, is jealous, and basically has you tied down by the balls ... so you lie and squirm and put others in a bad position because you're such a self asshole that you don't realize that this is crap you get laid out for.

But I'm in public relations, and this is just some some simple damage control. So here is goes. This guy, Robert Thomas, is a cheater, he's been all over the city, spreading "seeds", making "connections" with women at the YMCA (who had to put him on blast months ago), with chicks at his job (which explains his annotated work schedule), go blue-ers in Ann Arbor (because their easier than the ones in Detroit, apparently).

So, Donna, its your call. What kinda woman are you about to be? Why would you allow this crap, when you obviously can do bad all by yourself. I mean, he ain't fine and he clearly ain't even that into YOU ... so why bother?

Any way, these two single handedly almost ruined my DIVAS SOCIAL SALE with their childish history, so why not put the bastard on blast. They cost me money, and I am tired of letting shit slide (and that a saying, if not, it should be) ... be glad I didn't go into detail about how I went to the bathroom and came out and this dude Robert had the nerve to be butt-naked in my living room ...like, seriously (too funny, SOOOO FUNNY), what did you think was gonna happen!?

Friday, November 13, 2009

Enjoying the hustle

I had the opportunity to sit in on a sales pitch today. And usually people don't necessarily volunteer to sit in on sales pitches, but I was kinda suckered into this ... a friend invited me to live blog from a meeting of "forward thinking" individuals. I arrive and find a hefty group of nicely dress African Americans. Not saying that I instantly became interested, but for a second I stopped thinking about my exit excuse.

This particular pitch offered an opportunity to tap into a market of approximately 340 million people ... coffee drinkers. OrGano Gold is a healthy coffee producer, personally I had no idea that coffee couldn't really be un-healthy. The presenters disclaimer, "Some things that you may hear about today may seem too good to be true" ... I completely agree, call me pessimistic. She strikes up a conversation with the entire audience, and engages us in talks of finding large sums of money, lifestyle changes, healthy and beauty in the bottoms of instance coffee boxes.

The presenter also manages to sneak diss a different network marketing product (Body Magic), which I thought was odd ... I mean, they aren't even in the same industry.

She reveals that she's tried other network marketing schemes, all of which have failed. Weight loss, coffee, super stardom, jet setting, coffee ... a $98 billion industry, one where people have addictions too ... therefore you know you'd always have a client (just like other vices that make bank, i.e. cigarettes, liquor, pharmaceutical drugs) ... this pitch is getting better and better.

But I guess I gotta get this blog together and talk about my respect for this ladies hustle. My friend, a co-worker, has no doubt been an influence on many lives. But she takes it in stride, she enjoys her hustle. A mother, author, executive, wife, teacher and friend, she handles her business.

The presenter is begining to talk about the money ... so she has to bring up (and the music begins to play), former wide receiver for the Denver Broncos, Mr. Rod Smith ... who also sales coffee. He begins his story, its a little cookie cutter, "I grew up in the projects..." ...well, I'm too sleepy for this...Back to the presentation, "No one ever gave me anything" ... heard it before. I'm beginning to get tired of this entire situation. And I look a little bit deeper ... I look at the mentality. It's inspiring, it's natural to some of them, because you just have to be a salesman.

And ofcourse you'll have to "remember where you came from" they obviously aren't signing Paris Hilton up to slang coffee.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Ellington on Music

"It's a record selling business."

I mean, how could I have not gotten that? It seems so simple.

Frontman, hustler, rapper, member of Detroit-based rap duo (City Council), Mayor Wills. I feel as if I'm taking HIP HOP Sales 101, taking notes.

For some reason I use to think that it was all about the music, it was about the message, the soulful journey lyrics take you...but apparently I had the game twisted. Janet said it, "Just give me a beat."

My mind wonders back to my father preached on the Devil in the beat ... sucking in the "young people". Is it wrong to say that I quickly snap back to reality ... Wills makes another point, there's nothing wrong with having a message, but its the catalog that gets you on the charts... you gotta appeal, to the market, and then to your audience. His method of rhyme isn't generic, Detroit-bred, knowledgeable, and the way he describes his music shows This is what he does.

Marketing methods for rappers hasn't changed, some people feel that all the best rappers, those with a message, aren't necessarily popular ... thlose rappers need to sit in on this conversation.
The "market" is the trend, its the mindset of the majority, its like black leggings in fashion - what everyone likes, "a good beat, catchy hook, a little comedy and bullshit"...apparently. Jeezy did it, Mike Jones, Gucci Mane, Tupac, Biggie, Diddy (especially Diddy) all captivated audiences by talking about themselves...how gangsta, how paid, how respected, how feared, how ... dumb, I mean, radical. And they've gone on to make a great fortune, with tons of screaming followers.
And Jay, Luda, Nas, Em and I wanna say Ghostface did the unthinkable...they broke out of market conforming traditions...although entertaining have begun to provide a message in their music.

Now, the question is, with all of the new fad rappers we got? what will their message be?...when will they realize that we'd rather hear "the message"?

MMMmm, marketing, music, messages and the whatnot. What are your thoughts on the future of the record-selling business?