If no one ever looks at you funny, you’re not maximizing your potential.
“I wear khakis, while y’all wear silk, y’all drink 40s and I drink milk.” –Ice-T
In 1987, LL Cool J’s “I Need Love,” a track that dominated my middle school cafeteria. All the boys and girls at Portola Junior High loved it. The Beastie Boys’ “Fight for Your Right” was the only rap track on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1987; hip hop was moving in a pop direction at the time.
Ice-T rejected this mold. He took a fearless career leap, and his risk changed the genre, and his life, forever. It’s not a stretch to call NWA the pioneers of “Gangster Rap,” and Cube, Dre, Eazy and the crew deserve a great deal of the love for bringing us ground breaking work. A year before they hit the mainstream scene, Ice-T released his debut album, Rhyme Pays. “6’n The Mornin’” introduced us to a man running from the Los Angeles police:
Fuckin’ blue lights L.A. P.D
Pigs searched our car, their day was made
Found allmenn uzi, 44 and a handgranade
Nobody was spitting lyrics like this. To be fair, NWA and the Posse (pre-NWA) released a collection of tracks in 1987 with a similar LA feel before their widespread release, Straight Outta Compton. Ice-T, however, was the one to make the first real dent in the brains of hip-hop heads everywhere.
Independent of who deserves credit for the intro to the shocking (at the time) style, going to market with profanity and violence had an uncertain outcome. Ice-T courted peril, but came out on top. He wasn’t content to alter the future of one style of music. Later in his career, he tried his hand at thrash punk with his band, Body Count. His success with this venture was much more limited. Here’s a review from allmusic.com highlighting his perceived failure:
Divorced from the controversy that surrounded its release, Body Count’s self-titled debut is a surprisingly tepid affair. Apart from the previously released “Body Count” (which appeared on Ice-T’s 1991 album O.G. Original Gangster), the record is devoid of serious commentary, trading intelligence for a lurid comic book depiction of sex, violence, and “Voodoo.” All of Ice-T’s half-sung/half-shouted lyrics fall far short of the standard he established on his hip-hop albums.
Not a smooth transition. Life would be uninteresting if there were no bumps in the road. How lovely is the feeling when your wheels hit the deliciousness of freshly laid concrete after skateboarding over rough asphalt?
I can sign off and leave this as a music review, right? No, you want more? Okay, here we go.
Ice-T is an actor. He could have been any type of artist. He had the skillset to release party music and would have fit in better if he had. I’d probably not be blasting his tracks as I write. He could have worn silk. He wore khakis while his world donned sequins. Because he took those chances, his career flourishes even as he moves into his late 50s.
In my day to day life, I take those personal risks. I swing and miss. I fail often. Not once, but over and over. Here’s how it has happened in my baseball, television and writing work.
1. As a professional baseball player, I exposed myself by openly focusing on weight training and strict nutritional practices. My teammates made fun of me constantly. They put donuts in my locker. Curt Schilling mentioned sit-ups in every conversation he had with me. I love Schill.
2. On television, I cite advanced metrics in analyzing baseball. This is not the norm for ex ballplayers, who generally speak in catchy clichés. Executives and baseball fans accept this, but it’s not how my brain works. Sometimes, I struggle to get my words out or to articulate my thoughts in a digestible fashion. This can make me appear unpolished. I chance that so I can teach folks about a more scientific approach to devouring the sport I love passionately.
3. I am not a traditionally educated man. No big deal, just a fact. I struggled to graduate from high school. I went to my junior college courses just so I could play baseball. I still write every day, despite my non-existent classical training. Sometimes I use slang or vocabulary that forces the reader to work a bit harder. I do this to share my love of words. I expose myself by choosing topics that you may or may not appreciate. I have some unpopular takes. I may get judged for them. If I do, so be it. I’m willing to take that risk. The reward is great. I feel empowered. I may touch a man or woman in a business suit with a tattoo just beneath the collar. Perhaps you blasted “Fuck the Police” in your bedroom as a kid, too. We all learn our life lessons differently.
Fear of looking silly in front of people will stifle you. You may be safer and minimize your risk, but your ceiling will be substantially lower. Looking foolish isn’t so bad. In fact, if you’re not consistently stumbling, you’re probably not doing much traveling. Ask Ice.
Be you,
Kap
Chester says
I was wondering where you were going with this. Seems you touched a couple of issues here that have meaning for you.
Traditional education is fine but the seasoning of life is what gives meaning to traditional education. My grandfather told me when he was 88 that he learns something new every day; never stop learning just keep your eyes and ears open.
True, Kap, the only way you’re going to invent the wheel is by leaving the cave, and – if people keep laughing at you for that, well then maybe become a comedian also.
Gabe Kapler says
Comedian? Can you go to school for that (wink)?
Chester says
Here is an interesting article somebody just sent to me about a risk-taker named Ichiro:
http://m.us.wsj.com/articles/ichiro-suzuki-uncensored-en-espanol-1409356461?mobile=y
Voros McCracken says
Was a college radio DJ in the mid 90s and amidst all of the random things plastered all over the walls was my favorite tidbit of graffiti: “Conformity is worth it!”
There’s costs to striking out on your own and being ‘different’ and they are real and significant. For me the benefits have far outweighed those costs, but they will nag at you from time to time. “Normal” does have its allure.
Gabe Kapler says
Fancy meeting you here, VM. Glad you stopped by. Love the anecdote. Thanks for sharing.
Voros McCracken says
I only frequent the finest establishments. Us celebrities have a reputation to uphold.
Michelle says
Great post OG, I’m glad you Express Yourself…can’t wait for the Next Episode
Gabe Kapler says
You just got the belt back. Congrats.
slappythefishman says
Love this post
The journey to find oneself is incredibly empowering and the ability to find oneself will bring you peace and an added bonus the ability to enjoy the world for what it is.
If you accept failure as part of the growing process, then all that is, is progress
In the ultimate stream of consciousness…
sketchy if somewhat rickety segue…
have you ever heard from Soxfan since the post?
Chester says
Yeh this post sorta reminded me of Soxfan also.
Gabe Kapler says
I have not heard from Soxfan. Hope he’s listening. Come see us, brother.
kbeyazdancer says
Wow this brings back memories!
If you never put yourself out there, you never fail and you never grow.
I put myself out there on a weekly basis performing so I can speak to this first hand.
Thanks for the throwback-Peace out!
-Kelebek
Gabe Kapler says
Have a great weekend, Kelebek.
Duane says
Damn fine post “special-K” or “Ice-G”.
I’m always stumbling, tripping or falling. Taking that chance everyday. Isn’t that what life’s all about?
Musical side note for a fellow fan: Miles Davis album Doo-bop was his way to add hip-hop to jazz… A man willing to stumble
Have an outstanding weekend Kap!!
Gabe Kapler says
Miles Davis as an example for taking risks? Love it. You too, my friend.
~Al~ says
Getting weird looks from people is normal for me. I’m a country boy who drives a diesel truck wearing cowboy boots and hat, bumping Back Spin from it.
Tupac got me into hip hop. I’ve been listening to him for over 20 years, and hear/learn something new every time I sample a track of his. History remembers him as nothing but a Thug, and the gansta rap didn’t stand the test of time too well, but he was a genius. Kap, sendin’ one out to the old school…I came through the door, said it before…great topic!
Found myself listing to Eric B. and Rakim a lot lately. LL’s Rock the Bells and I’m Bad is on the playlist for sure. Any time I hear Rapper’s Delight it’s hard to believe that was from 1979! They don’t make music like that anymore, and that’s not a good thing.
This freak only comes out at night,
~Al~
Gabe Kapler says
Love the fact that you started with 2Pac and went back to Rakim. Nice post, Al.
kbeyazdancer says
Nice Whodini reference!
Matthew D. says
Full disclosure, I almost did not click this link. I am not the least bit interested in what the title said. I then remembered the number of times you’ve taken a risk in writing what WE want you to write and remembered how you challenge us to research and be open to new things, so I clicked. Seems like that was your intent. Write something different to encourage us to be different. I like it. Thanks, Gabe.
Cheers,
Matthew D.
Gabe Kapler says
Thanks, Matthew. This feedback teaches me. What more can I ask for.
Kap
Jay says
I like the saying “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life’s about creating yourself” from George Bernard Shaw. I think it says a lot and relates to your post. It doesn’t matter if you “found yourself”, but you sure created yourself (in many ways) into a someone who is impacting many people in a positive way.
I turn 56 in a few days and have seen/done and had done to me a lot in this world. My experience tells me that in the end, we can only try to the leave the world better than we found it. My prick-ish nature also says: If you have to scramble a few eggs along the way, “fuck them if they cannot take a joke”.
Keep on posting, we will keep reading and maybe even learn a thing or two.
Gabe Kapler says
You have a deal, Jay. Thanks for the support.
Msquared says
Kap-
This blog seems to get better every day.
I often wander down memory lane while listening to T, Cube, Ez, Dre and the boys…. I do not, however, ruminate on the assembly of their success in relation to career risk.
You, my homie, went deep on this one…. And I dig that about you.
Today’s commentary couldn’t have been composed at a more pertinent time.
Read you mañana.
Gabe Kapler says
Glad this one hit home for you, blood. Appreciate your consistency.
Jonathan Jones says
Love your stuff! As a player currently in the minor leagues grinding, your posts are always on point!
Gabe Kapler says
My man. Thanks for swinging by. I know how hard it is. Hang in there. It’s worth it.
Steve says
It’s too bad that passion isn’t focused on in our education system. It seems that most successful people have at some point deviated from a societal norm to reach a goal. Rather than letting life guide you, you must guide your life. We are in control of our own future and more people need to recognize that!!!
Thoughts become things.
#MassUp
Gabe Kapler says
Keep bringing this level of enthusiasm to the comments, Steve. We all thrive on it.
Kap
AJM says
“Fear of looking silly in front of people will stifle you.”
I was so worried about this when I was younger. I kept quiet to avoid the possibility of a peer laughing at me. Now I teach middle school and I regularly (and willingly) make a fool of myself to drive home points with my students. When I see them decide to take a chance in front of their classmates I’m envious of their strength at such a young age.
Having said that . . . I saw Body Count play in 1992 with Metallica and Guns and Roses at Jack Murphy Stadium. It was solid.
Gabe Kapler says
Whoa. What a lineup. Thanks for sharing, brother.
darby wright says
Never was into hip hop but beastie boys all ways had great grooves in there songs.