Props vs Profits

I love The Gramophone. I don't own the place and I don't have stock in it but I love the place. I feel at home there and many of my fellow musicians in St. Louis feel the same. The homeboy Rocky said it's like the place Prince played all the time in Minneapolis. I feel the same way. I wasn't around the hip-hop scene as a major contributor during the "Hi-Pointe Days". I was more into other capital ventures even though my crew was killing it weekly at The Evening Shade. People here in St. Louis refer to 1999-2007 as the local Golden Era. I did music and had a plan but we were more in the streets then. Now for me it's about being a dope emcee as well as a competent businessman. Some people just want to rap and that's cool. I'm still working with a street mentality to make money except I do music 100% with more dedication. I could always craft complex rhymes and come up with real songs. I needed to capitalize more off my efforts. This is why we have paperwork. I just returned from Indianapolis where I performed at a seminar with people not from St. Louis. I represented well and those that saw me perform were entertained. I asked questions of industry vets and have some new contacts to work with. I have mixtape placements and shows coming up. Now the plan goes to another gear to make more money off the reputation I have more capitalistic opportunities based on my business and music reputation. It's happening so I just keep working. I get props for being professional at what I do. Now it's a matter of making more money with it. How does The Gramophone play into this? The Gramophone will host national to local artists that kill it on stage so it's taught me to kill it everytime I perform, even when I'm not at The Gramophone. Trust me. I KILL my performances. See me August 12 at Cicero's in the U-City Loop in St. Louis to see for yourself. Peace. Praise God. Moolah.