In this game it’s hard enough trying to find anyone that remotely expresses this feature, but there’s two particular individuals that immediately come to mind when I think of consistency. And despite their two entirely different worlds and backgrounds, this quality they share; both Alicia Keys and Eminem. These two in there respective genres of influence have made heavy waves that have impressed the media, the industry, and of course…US. And similarly they both experienced life-changing events that are also reflexive in their work, which ultimately makes it very clear to us what their lives consist of. And considering the rollercoasters and the upheavals they’ve gone through—coming out on the other end victorious is greatly due to the capacity of being consistent. And after all of that I must say I respect them both, whether I agree with said life-changing choices or not, they’re still here, still loved and greatly appreciated.
Alicia Keys:
This most recent album that she gave us, in my opinion lacked a whole lot of luster. Though it was very Alicia, it was a different side of her that I didn’t understand. In only 14 tracks she went from being this young, old soul heartbreaker that lived to tell the stories of her own heartbreak to that “lost and in love” type (damn you Swizz Beatz). I missed her crooning days, her “I’m better now, cuz ur gone now” steez. I mean honestly it was her incredible strength that heralded her to the top. And I’m not saying I was a fan because she knew how to reach out to the broken-hearted, she just simply knew how to tell it like it was, and that being true to yourself is the only necessity that one has to ask for. “Fallen”, “Lesson Learned”, “You Don’t Know My Name”, “If I Aint Got You”, “Like You’ll Never See Me Again”…the list could go on!! And as a matter of fact it does, throughout albums 1-4 (including Unplugged).
But then I had an Alicia day, I sat there and I listened through all the albums which carried me to The Element of Freedom…and I have to say I rethink my feelings, just slightly. I may have disregarded the album when I initially heard it because I refused to understand what she was saying. But when you take her journey as a whole, you realize that the reason why she tells a story so well is because she lived it. She’s IS in love right now; practically barefoot, pregnant and happy about it. So I have to say, she didn’t drop the ball like I personally thought…she was [is] being consistent and I have to remember that’s why I like her so much. Looking forward to the story about the hereafter.
Eminem:
Man o man, where to start? Well, I wasn’t always a fan. I thought he was too rambunctious so I never stopped to listen—a fault of mine that I’m presently working on. I only liked a few of the early tracks, you know like “The Way I Am”, “Stan”, “Lose Yourself”, “Mockingbird”, “Superman”…typical right? He never had to openly say he was on drugs, we could see it—literally, ‘member 8 Mile (the movie). So I guess Eminem always remained as a hindsight entertainer. I only noticed when he did something really ridiculous like embarrassing another artist or whatever. He wasn’t a serious contender, even though I knew he was viewed that way by so many others out there. Then he all of a sudden decided he was going to get clean and unfortunately failed, and in the process released a not-so-hot album (Relapse) revealing all of that. And finally 2010 happened, and that boy blew the hell up AGAIN. This time he got clean for real, with Elton John as his AA sponsor and everything, and is killing the game even more. His consistency: being honest and telling the truth. So speaking for those that could never commit to being his fan, like I struggled to do, take a listen to Recovery, it’ll change your mind. This album reminds me of his early years but to a more mature level. He’s still a stupid sick lyrical emcee with a talent of pissing off the right people; his targets. He can only get better now.
Consistency is key.
