What does Kurupt, Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, Daz Dillinger, Dr Dre, Tupac, MC Hammer have in common?
They were all mates at Death Row Records.
Death Row Records was literally the sound sultan of the hip hop and rap music world in the early 90’s. It boasted of great artistes that took the music industry by storm. Many of their songs like, Doggystyle, All Eyez on Me, California Love and The Chronic were all platinum songs. Winning awards left, right and centre.
Death Row Records was actually started by Dr Dre, Surge Knight and The D.O.C. with the intention of making music but over time Surge became destructive and and turned the label into something more than music. It literally became the home of gangsters, folks with criminal records and run-ins with the law. The label began to release songs like Hit ‘Em Up and many other songs which dissed Puff Daddy and his Bad Boyz records, The Notorious BIG and several other New York artistes, including Jay Z.
To cut a long story short. Dr Dre left. D.O.C left, Snoop Dogg in an interview said he was no longer comfortable with the direction of the label. He said on national television that he signed up to make music not to be a gangster. Tupac turned on Dr Dre and released a diss track dissing Dre, stopping short of calling him a coward.
The exit of Dr Dre, D.O.C and Snoops comments on television marked the beginning of the end of a once blossoming empire.
The new direction ended up claiming the life Tupac. Surge ended up in prison for 5 years. MC Hammer left, Kurupt left, Snoop left and joined Master P and began to churn out hit after hit. Dr Dre would go on to become the richest musician alive courtesy of his Beats business.
Death Row Records would go on to fold up. A business that was making over a hundred million dollars per annum with a potential of making billions folded up.
There are so many lessons we can learn from the demise of this empire but I will talk about one. – FOCUS.
American columnist and bestseller author, Karen Salmansohn said, “Choose to focus your time, energy and conversation around people who inspire you, support you and help you to grow you into your happiest, strongest, wisest self.”
In life, you will have a lot of things seeking your attention, trying to seduce you out of your calling, but you have to stay focused on your calling. You have to stay the cause.
Your calling is bigger than the things that attempt to seduce you.
Your calling is sweeter than the things that attempt to seduce you.
Your calling is better than the things that attempt to seduce you.
Your calling is more profitable than the things that attempt to seduce you.
Your calling has a better reward than the things that attempt to seduce you.
Cut off anyone or anything that attempt to seduce you out of your calling. Many of you are in a relationship and partnership that is antithetical to the direction of your calling; this week, resolve to move away from them and go in the direction of your calling. Be like Dr Dre, move away from destructive tendencies and people who want to derail your journey.
