What Is Support

Shoutout to everybody I rock with musically. Two years ago my cohort Zone Caleone and I embarked on a trip to Memphis to show out for a major label. We did our thing. Suffice to say neither of us are signed to a major record label though we've had bad contracts offered to us in our careers. A lot of my friends and associates in Hip-Hop have had major meetings and been on tour with independent and major record labels. The one common denominator in these shows, meetings and spins are this: none of us are ASKING for support. What is support? My guy designed a shirt that says "SUPPORT GOOD LOCAL MUSIC".  What is support? Is it going to every open mic in the city where there are shows with rappers performing for other rappers and then once a rapper's set is over they leave? The rapper that leaves isn't supporting the other performers or are they? I believe the best way to test new music is to try an open mic or rehearse performing it and let people hear it. Is support not telling someone their ideas are horrible despite their grandiose visions of making it big? What's support? I personally go to a lot of shows my friends host and perform in. I even download their projects. I hardly EVER ask for that in return. Why? Because I can't guarantee I can make it. If I can make it then fine but there are some that feel they should get "support" because they're doing something. Music is entertainment. Entertainment when produced well and marketed effectively can do a lot of things. If your entertainment isn't as good as someone else that marketed effectively, is it someone else's fault because someone didn't like it or support it? If someone drops a dud of a single or doesn't get off their ass to send an email you told them to send to help their career, do you continue supporting them? No. You tell them they fucked up and if you feel you can/should/are able to help then that's up to you. I've been on film in videos as a role guy and been on stage for my friends' battles (The Movement That's Moving). Respect was earned because I chose to support good work and I'm loyal. Now I've had friends that have lost battles. I kept it loyal and honest when they've lost. I've had friends release projects or songs that didn't do what they hoped they would do. I can say this: I can go to any music venue for a show in St. Louis and see someone I know. Big whoop. I can get favors a lot of artists can't and I don't have a manager. Big whoop. I know people high up in the music industry but they respect me because I don't ask for those favors. Big Whoop. I guess I have their support by supporting them and not asking for it in return. When I see a post on my Facebook wall for someone's project I don't know (and I am responsible for who I pick as a Facebook friends, I know) I want to listen but what do they want? Feedback? A listen? SUPPORT? A hookup? I get DM'd and @ mentioned on Twitter a lot to hear new music. I've laid low but when I do more shows in and out of town, I imagine my social media contacts will quadruple. I can't support that. I've done huge shows and promoted on my wall and went out to the street to promote. I didn't ask for support. I was selling a show. Support is priceless. If people like it and you show them professionally, they'll support it. If you don't, well...they won't support it and that might be the reason why. Peace.