All technology will become outmoded at some point. When The Matrix came out at the turn of the century it was the height of digital rendering. The Bullet Time effect was ubiquitous and John Gaeta and his team were the darlings of the industry and tech media. However, he was hard pressed to repeat his earlier success in the sequels to The Matrix for a variety of reasons.

Chief among these was the very real possibility that the original concept for that movie was juxed (jacked) wholesale from Sophia Stewart, whose lawsuit against the Wachowski Bros was either stuck in litigation limbo, settled out of court on the DL, or simply dismissed outright last time I checked. Regardless what you believe, It’s hard to repeat creative success when the original idea is yours, but when you swagger jack someone else, the odds of replicating that spark decrease exponentially with each subsequent viewing of your work as the fans forget about you, and move on to the next ‘expeditiously’ as Joe Clark might say.

The following most obvious case for dwindling interest in a given property or product is overexposure. The movie Blade Runner gives a great example. When Rutger Hauer’s demented Roy Batty character demanded more “life” from Tyrell he was ethered with the simple yet poignant response that The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long.

Who can forget the stranglehold that Master P and No Limit records had on the rap game in the late 90’s? Tupac had just died and Percy Miller and his brothers provided the requisite thuggin for the starving masses to the tune of platinum record sales. Nevertheless they were quickly upstaged by Cash Money records and Lil Weezy, who took their formula and essentially dumbed it down (That is-if you can fathom the intellectual distance between grunting UUUNGH and made up words like WOBBITY WOBBITY WOBBY) for a new audience. The point is that artists like DMX who used to put out two or three commercial albums a year and flooded the short run/ straight to video blockbuster category had a relatively short shelf life compared to “artists” like Diddy who seem to show up every three to four years with something new, and manage to stay ubiquitous by diversifying and never getting stuck on one specific style or promotion for any length of time. The need for this re-invention is only magnified in the social media age where sharing everything is the norm, and online inactivity is equated with death.

What have we learned so far? Number one, we need to stay abreast of the latest trends in technology and possibly innovate when faced with the opportunity. Two, we need to be original, but when ‘borrowing’ or ‘biting’ someone else we should try to improve on their blueprint by providing a fresh angle via the current zeitgeist or public sentiment in order to stay relevant in a rapidly changing digital marketplace. Finally, we need to understand that as technology improves, the masses get dumber. This is a natural outgrowth of the information age. Ergo- most overworked and underpaid consumers; when faced with a choice between just add water entertainment and something more substantive will more often than not choose the former. That is-unless the so called ‘deeper’ content is fleshed out thoroughly, fully realized, and vetted for cliches (ugh).

The latest Chris Nolan film Inception seems to reflect this idea perfectly as it is creator owned content possibly cribbed from other sources that successfully presents a fairly common subject matter like dream imagery (remember The Matrix?) in a visually compelling format utilizing the latest digital bells and whistles to maximum effect. Not quite re-inventing the wheel but possibly ‘throwin some D’s on that bitch’. Nolan himself is an interesting case as his two earlier films Batman Begins and The Dark Knight are based on a wholly ubiquitous property that has been done a million times over by an equal number of creators. What makes Batman so untouchable but the Matrix sequels so disposable? Why should audiences care what happens to an ageless (possibly immortal) character like Bruce Wayne over six decades but give Neo the gasface after only two?

The answer to that would probably fill up a War and Peace sized novel, but the basic rule holds true; work from a simple blue print (crime and punishment, sadomasochism, vengeance) and frame it in whatever contemporary jive the public is fixated on and BAMN, instant hit. This is why Hollywood is so obsessed with remakes and why every so called new artist is basically a rehash of a more talented older one.

The science behind it may not be exact, but it amounts to touching a nerve with a potential viewer on a visceral level while delivering the raw functionality and technological marvel that jaded consumers demand. Nolan understands this- which is why his version of Batman worked over Joel Schumacher’s if only for the fact that contemporary audiences value grit over glamor- psychological menace over campiness, and slicker- authentic looking technology over the clumsier, more stylized versions favored by earlier creators. In other words, improving on a previous meme and wrapping it in a different color iPhone case. The resulting product is still little more than a glorified PDA but your customer base will devour it because it feels new.

Staying relevant then becomes less about creating new concepts and more about executing proven ones in a fresher, more emotionally satisfying context. The idea being there’s nothing new under the sun, but if you light it from a different angle the audience will come. As usual, all comments and feedback are welcome, and be sure to stay posted for the web-comic series How To Make Loot. ONE HUNNIT.

The How To Make Loot Seminar promotes the FBI or Four Basic Ideals. Today we’ll go over some bullet points relating to the second basic Ideal which is ‘Hard Work’.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that it takes hard work to achieve certain goals. Successful business owners know this. That’s why they typically require their employees to work a full eight hours every day. Workers that cannot follow this simple rule are quickly demoted or laid off.

If you are thinking about starting your own business and being your own boss, you should demand no less from yourself than a regular day job would demand of you. What is the alternative? Sure, you could possibly win the Lotto, or get discovered (saved) by some rich bankers that sign you to a multi-millon dollar record deal or movie contract overnight but what are the odds?

Hard work is the best way to reach your goals despite what lazy people and non-believers might tell you. A motivated person with average intelligence and a steady work ethic will almost always be in better shape financially than a unmotivated genius.

Ah yes, motivation…

What an elusive concept! Successful business owners all have this intangible in common. They share a desire to win that drives them to work harder than everyone else. Their motivation might be helping others, or seeing their creative vision come to fruition. Whatever it is, they use this inner drive to go hard, and they do it EVERY DAY. Of course they end up making a lot of money along the way, but money is simply a byproduct of superior effort towards a goal and not the goal itself.

Being the best at what you do should be the goal. And you are the only one who can make that happen for yourself. Which leads us to Part 3 of the Seminar on how to take responsibility for your own actions by “Not Making Excuses.’

Years ago I made the ultimate mistake of trying to deflect every criticism that random haters would lob my way. Not surprisingly, this would only exacerbate the problem; as once people found out that I gave a damn about what they said, they would just double up on the hate with extra hate sauce. There’s nothing funnier than seeing a cat that should probably know better reacting like an angry chimp to a bunch of haters- because in a what passes for a haters mind, the reaction is the payoff. This is the main reason why I created the HTML Seminar. I needed a personal reminder when my sizable temper started flaring up, that not only does the shit I’m pissed off about NOT matter, it’s actually totally irrelevant to my goals and aspirations.

This philosophy is much easier said than executed, and bears repeating on a daily basis in order to maintain equality. Part of the problem with trying to be positive is that misery loves company, and if somebody (even in your own family) that doesn’t have their shit together sees you trying to move forward they will automatically BLOCK your positive move and sabotage your efforts. Micheal Jackson would probably say it’s just human nature, but I happen to know it’s the devil at work.

What can be done about this? Obviously we live in the real world and there’s no such thing as a completely positive individual no matter how zen like his actions may seem, or how motivated he appears on the surface. I decided that rather than lash out against my enemies in futile fits of rage, I would put my struggle in my artwork. Unfortunately even this can be misinterpreted by the average layperson, because most people need shit spelled out for them with flash cards before comprehension kicks in. The fact that my work tends to skew on the surreal side is a bit off-putting especially considering that most black artwork and music is VERY straightforward and any reference to weakness or vulnerability will be considered an admission of weakness or vulnerability which is instant death to a black artist.

I’ve decided that I can live with that, because truthfully when the people who choose to make the assumption that I’m weak on any level ever have to deal with me in person for any amount of time, they always get the exact opposite impression. Most of the time I spend in damage control because I went guerrilla on some perpetrator and now they are copping pleas, and trying to get me caught up for being a menace. I’m not a menace, I’m a grown man trying to stay positive and get money. Anybody can do it, and everybody should.

Never let it be said that Allah won’t test the believers. I was taught long ago that I’m no better than the prophets who came before me, so why should I expect to have it any easier than them? That’s why I promote the platform everywhere I go, and that’s why I believe self help and self determination are so ubiquitous in today’s tough financial climate. I’ve done numerous speaking engagements on the power of the FBI or Four Basic Ideals. Sometimes spoken word, other times in more informal settings like a movie set, or on the streets hustling mixtapes. In every case the person I was talking to was more than willing to hear the positive message I was bringing especially when I related it to everyday circumstances they were going through.

The fact is, there is so much negative propaganda and subliminal hatred being force fed the public through the media, that it can be nearly impossible to wade through the bullshit to find something useful. It’s no coincidence that celebrity gossip shows and (un) reality television are the greatest sources of entertainment along with their counterparts in cyberspace. People need escapism and celebrities provide a glimpse into another world in which the bills aren’t piling up and luxury cars and million dollar homes are the norm. Even the so called serious cable news like CNN will frequently derail themselves with ignorance about the latest Kanye West stunt, or whatever minutiae they can dig up about non-celebs like the Kardashians and similar black holes of personality. Any environment where a toxic show like TMZ can flourish ain’t a healthy one.

The common thread in all this obsession however is the vitriol the average citizen holds in their stomach for these people they follow so religiously. The greatest thing going on the internet for example is not checking for creativity or excellence, but lurking around to witness the latest epic FAIL or meltdown. People take a certain perverse pleasure in seeing their fellow humans degraded and humiliated in the most public manner imaginable. (Yung Berg and Charles Hamilton being some of the more obvious examples, but we’ll throw Joe Budden in there to round it out). Even the music biz which once had an element of journalistic integrity has deteriorated into a feeding frenzy where shock bloggers and petty individuals that normally wouldn’t have had a voice eek out a meager existence taking shots at those more courageous than them who actually try to contribute to the artform.

The problem with this overdose on the hate germ is that it’s a temporary crack high that diminishes rather quickly and leaves everyone feeling lethargic and depressed. No amount of hate directed at the latest celebrity embarrassment on YouTube or World Star Hip Hop is going to fulfill your existence, only the creator and self meditation can do that. If we want to stimulate the economy and bring America back to some form of prosperity we’re going to have get off our ass, log off the computer for a change and stop hating if at all possible. Energy is a powerful thing, and negative energy only serves to rob others of their power, but it also robs you of yours in the long run. You can’t possibly effect the kind of change in your life that generates income and wealth if you spend all day being petty online or wasting your time watching Maury to see who is or is not the father. I’m not saying I’m innocent in all this, I’m saying that I’m at least trying to present an alternative despite how contradictory it may seem coming from me. That’s the essence of self help, taking stock of who you are as a person and making the EFFORT. Positive energy elevates and motivates people to build, not destroy. Let’s build with the Four Basic Ideals. One.

The Wackness is a poignant but meandering coming of age movie about a young weed dealer set in Manhattan circa 1994. The year is important because most people over a certain age (25 and up) tend to regard that as the golden era of rap music, myself included. I’m sure one could make an argument for the 88-93 era being more important to the genre as a whole, but whatever. Anyway, the main character Luke has a problem getting laid despite being a drug dealer; a fact his main customer and psychiatrist (Ben Kingsley in a mullet wig) is only too happy to point out. Luke and his shrink have a casual friendship based on mutual gain but eventually grow to be best friends based on the fact that Luke eventually gets mad lucky (putting mad in front of everything automatically says 90’s) and sleeps with his stepdaughter. I won’t go into the obvious conflict of interest that a psychiatrist who likes to get stoned presents, but all the relationships in this movie are fucked so I’m sure it was intentional on the filmmakers part.  Method Man also makes an appearance as Luke’s supplier sporting his best Miss Cleo patois accent, and I was annoyed at the fact that they layered The What on top of his dialogue.  Being that Luke’s main issue is getting some- after this gets resolved, the second half of the movie drags on interminably shifting from one depressing vignette to the next (word). Themes like suicide, and separation are explored but there is never any real climax (swidt)  presented for the viewer to sink their teeth into. Overall this flick is a real dud but I definitely shed a tear for Hip Hop after hearing all the good music from a lost era that defined a whole generation for better or worse.