if a creative falls out of a tree...

i'm generally not big on cliches. i frequently mangle them. lately i've been thinking about that cliched riddle about the tree in the forest. the line of thinking being if a creative expresses & no one ever experiences it, did creation occur? are you only an artist if you &/or your works are recognized/credited?

i would argue no, but i suppose i'm biased.

these thoughts lead me to thinking about the idea of selling out or crossing over. i remember toward what turned out to be the closing years of the golden era of hip-hop that selling out was a major issue. many respected artists spoke out against it & dissed anyone who appeared to be doing it. how many songs come to mind about the artists who were considered to be blatantly selling out?

getting back to how this relates to being an unrecognized creative, what is considered acceptable when there are bills to be paid? family to be fed? health to be maintained? how does all this relate to signing away creative freedom & knowingly or not walking into the belly of the beast? idealism doesn't pay for expenses like studio time or anything else that relates to pursuing artistic crafts. it definitely doesn't pay for any life expenses.

it's really easy to talk about artistic integrity when you don't consider such issues. the lines between mainstream/underground are not always as clear as they used to be when it comes to hip-hop. the reality is these same ideas apply to just about any creative expression that has lent itself to commodification.

there are those who are willing to do certain things that others will not. find enough people who don't give a damn & you're likely to find the person who does chillin' in a tree in some desolate forest...

PEACE
...be calm...