Hip Hop Festival…Brooklyn
Tyler Perry….
Why did I put all my money into this? Is this going to work? God, do you hear me? Where are the people? I’m so scared. How will I pay these people? Why did I do this? I can’t pay my rent, they are going to repossess my car…
The year was 1992, July 8th-12th. All these questions were crowding my mind. I was a 22-year old wannabe… but what I wanted to be I didn’t know. All I knew was that I had written this play about adult survivors of child abuse and I wanted the world to see it. I was so sure that it was going to work that I put my own money into the show.
I had worked as a used car salesman and a bill collector and saved my income tax check and my bonuses. I took that money and hired a cast and built a set and rented a very small theater in Atlanta called the 14th Street Playhouse. I had done all the math in my head: I was going to perform 6 shows, 200 people a show, for a total of 1,200 people. The tickets were $12 and I was going to make $14,000 and be rich… LOL. I was going to give my tithe to the church, give my mother some money, pay my rent (that was two months behind), get my car payment caught up and live happily ever after. I knew as sure as I am sitting here that it was all going to be all right. I had prayed that thang out, as they say in the Baptist church… LOL. Looking back on it now I can laugh, but back then it wasn’t so funny. What I quickly realized is that prayer alone will not always get the results you want. As much work as I did, I didn’t do enough to promote the show. More work was needed to go along with my faith.
I was expecting 1,200 people but only 30 showed up. I was devastated. I thought my dreams were dead. Based off this one thing I thought my life was over. Based on this one failure (what I thought was a failure but it clearly wasn’t), I thought that the rest of my life would be ruined. Needless to say, looking back on it, it was all a part of God’s plan and amazing design for my life. And God has a plan for all of our lives.
Today I celebrate my 20th anniversary in show business. It’s been an amazing journey, one that I will detail in my autobiography one day. You would be surprised, inspired, angry and blown away with what I’ve endured to be here, but until then I’d like to share a little inspiration with you. So many times we think that because one thing didn’t go as planned we should give up on it. So many people leave their dreams dying on the floor, gasping for air because it didn’t work out the first time. Be it marriage, business, children, faith, whatever your dream is, you can’t give up because it didn’t go as planned. If I had walked away because it didn’t work you wouldn’t be reading this. I had to keep moving. Yes, there were setbacks. Yes, it was difficult, but I got to see my dreams come to pass because I never stopped moving forward, I never stopped praying and most of all I never stopped believing. DON’T STOP BELIEVING!!!! PLEASE DON’T STOP BELIEVING!!! Say this to yourself out loud right now: “DON’T STOP BELIEVING”, and repeat it to yourself whenever you doubt that you can make it.
What you must understand is that everything, all of it, the good the bad and the ugly, it all works together for your good. If you love the Lord you are called according to His purpose. What’s His purpose for you? If you’re not sure, seek it and all your dreams will come true.
To all my dreamers, to all the people who have invested in themselves, to all the people who have the same questions that I did, hear me when I say this: YOU CAN DO IT!!
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS IN SHOW BUSINESS TODAY!!!!
God Bless you, in Jesus’ name, AMEN!
-Tyler
Prosciutto wrapped figs.
Culture in America…Healthcare
Editors comments…….America is scared of Healthcare?
In America, we are well informed about the political climate that we are face with, yet we do not engage ourselves about our own personal welfare. The term “Obamacare”, is a scare tactic from a extreme group of people with money, who cant afford to keep things progressing as they are, to ensure that their lifestyle will remain the same. But the American Healthcare Act, is intended to provide a quality of life to 99% of the country and not to the 1% rich.
In 2014, the politicians on the republican side fear that they will be lost in the healthcare system that they have for so very long benefited from. Let me explain, 2014 all employees on capital hill, in our great nation of America, will have to look for health insurance in the healthcare exchange, just like every other American! Republicans are just to good to be pooled in a healthcare mandate, and loose all those wonderful perks that have afforded them quality healthcare.
Obamacare , as the term is deliberately used, was to further strengthen a person a failure!! Who wants to be ostracized as using a government subsidized benefit? Not the Republicans! Yet the Rich are afforded welfare to the extent that they outsource jobs to other countries and are rewarded for enslaving others. You may think this is really extreme for someone to say this, but think for yourself and read what the healthcare act will do, and stop relying on paid politicians to scare you!
I was completely shocked when a family member of mine, who lives a very good life, does not have health insurance! I refuse to go into details about their lifestyle, but it scares them that they are required to have health insurance in 2014. Yes premiums are ridiculous right now, but that will not stay the same, the more people who are involved in the system, the less everyone pays. This is the first of a series of informational comments, that will hopefully compel you to teach others about the benefits that will be awarded you, and generations to come…..
Block Party This Weekend…..
Brooklyn Circus will be hosting their 4th annual Block Party this weekend!!!
Sincere Vega……Brand New!!
Hello!! It’s Sincere Vega from Orlando, FL with a brand new submission!! I met the super-talented 17 year old Wesley Wright on twitter a short while ago, and through our conversations I quickly realized that we might share the same vision on a few topics, especially music. It turns out that Mr. Wright is a producer with a large collection of bangers. Out of the handful of beats he sent, this one truly spoke to me. I instantly began writing this song and was well into the first verse when Mr. Wright reminded me that I hadn’t responded to which song to write to. It was exciting.
“Forsaken” begins as a letter to a young intellect about my struggle with success as far as appeal and marketing and quickly elevates into an ideological and spiritual contemplation about our creator and her motives. As Mr. Wright does with his production, the lyrics bridge together two generations of Hip Hop styles and influences. The song also functions as an undercover guide to the aspiring artist on the proper direction to gain attention from the most powerful taste-makers in our present day: the blogs and websites. From staring up at the great beyond and awaiting a peanut-butter-colored deity to digging into the self for truth, “Forsaken” celebrates the artists, listeners and the sites. It is as dark as it is uplifting. You will enjoy this one.
The production is by Wesley Wright. Lyrics and Artwork by Sincere Vega. Recording and Mixing by Master Order. This clean version can be found and downloaded at:
As a bonus, the lyrics are embedded in the download, and included on the soundcloud link.
Please follow Wesley Wright at @NotEvenWes.
Please follow me, Sincere Vega at @SincereVega
and the facebook at Facebook.com/SincereVega
l3gaci.com 