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“For him it’s all a matter of the disrespect that he’s
feeling and them not listening to him,” King said.
“It’s all about pride and dignity. I understand him
completely because we share a common background
as rising from the ******.
“He wants his dignity, his respect and his pride to remain intact and he wants to get paid. That’s where
I come in. I’m the mix master.”
- Don King on Floyd Mayweather Jr., as quoted in “Promoter Don King says he and Floyd Mayweather Jr. are ‘hanging out to see what happens’” by Tim Smith; August 1, 2010; New York Daily News
Last week’s Hip-Hoppreneur ™ “D.O.L.N. (The Death Of Live Nation?)” (http://allhiphop.com/stories/editori.../22329846.aspx) produced incredible feedback which struck me because the theme that each of the numerous emails I received from AllHipHop.com readers shared was some form of respect, appreciation or gratitude for my consistent willingness to deal with business aspects. One individual wrote, “I’ve stated before Mr. Muhammad that ‘a lot of people that do business, don’t know business.’ However, if they read your weekly editorials, they’ll learn business. I thank you for teaching business through your writings.” Another sent in, “The BOTTOM LINE is we truly can’t be dreaming big but still be ignoring business (& not ‘handling our business’).”
While I am honored to receive feedback like this (though I don’t see myself as a ‘Teacher’) and it indicates that my perspective brings something of value to the world’s most dangerous website and its amazing viewership (whom I always love to hear from directly), I still, to this day, find it sad that in a culture and industry with so much to ‘teach’ about economics and business, so few artists, publications, and Hip-Hop talk show hosts are willing to deal with substance beyond the celebrities, gossip, and creative artistry, despite the fact that their fans and consumers crave this kind of knowledge.
What’s even sadder is that this is partly the case because so many ‘opinion leaders’ in Hip-Hop fear offending the wrong celebrity or industry power center by speaking truthfully. I respect (and even admire some) artists, celebrities, and the industry’s power centers but I fear none of them nor do I depend upon any of them for my credibility. Whatever credibility I have is not tied to any Hip-Hop personality or institution, and I like it that way. I think that is what people respect about my perspective, however much they may disagree with it.
I don’t say this arrogantly (and I too continue to mature) but anyone who can’t speak straight words in this culture and industry – no matter how much money they have - is still a slave to me, and will never reach a certain level of respect (no matter how ‘popular’ they may be). At the end of the day, I feel, we must strive to be self-respecting men and women who can look at ourselves in the mirror, and show someone younger than we are the pitfalls of this system and how to do better navigate it than we have.
Still more, beyond ‘navigating,’ I think we should be building an independent reality more than whining about the limitations of the current one.
I maintain that Hip-Hop is the only art form, culture and industry where public discussion of business activity (beyond sales data, record label signings and endorsement deals) is deemed as ‘over the heads,’ ‘off limits,’ or even ‘boring,’ to the degree that it is. One day soon I hope to get into why this is, as it relates to some ‘secret’ or hidden history regarding the science of business and how it has been systematically kept back from the people and communities who originated Hip-Hop and but who are still the backbone of its economic support. It is a huge subject that connects politics, economics, and culture with the 5%, 10% and 85% concept that so many of us make reference to.
There is a way to ‘teach’ business and economics to the Hip-Hop generation very easily, by using illustrations we understand from areas where we hold the most intense interest.
In this, my last column before taking a few weeks off for vacation, I highlight an example from the sport of boxing (is this not the most ‘Hip-Hop’ of all sports with its emphasis on individual talent, competition and ‘beefs’?).
As many of you know, I have a very high level of respect for Floyd Mayweather, Jr. I think he is a great boxer (his defense-first/counter-punch style based on timing is almost unreal in terms of how sophisticated it can be: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqOJp...eature=related) but I focus as much or more on his value as a businessperson. I see him as an intellectual too. He has mastered some pretty high level marketing principles which I wrote about a few months ago, “The Genius Of Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Caricature (And Character) Outsells Talent” (http://allhiphop.com/stories/editori.../22176925.aspx).
But it has not come without costs or a ceiling on his appeal and marketability.
In that article I made the following points:
“In trying to balance a billionaire’s caricature, with his more genuine personality as one who gives back and who is a thinker-strategist, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is dealing with some of what such wealthy men as Andrew Carnegie once experienced. In his excellent biography titled Andrew Carnegie (which I hope someone will give to Floyd) David Nasaw writes of the dilemma of the self-made millionaire, “He was thrilled with his success as a businessman and capitalist, but far from satisfied. He wanted more from life – and would spend the rest of his days in pursuit of it. His ultimate goal was to establish himself as a man of letters, as well known and respected for his writing and intellect as for his ability to make money.” The author sums up the challenge of the billionaire’s brand when he writes:
‘Yet for all that he accomplished and came to represent to the American public – a ferocious businessman and capitalist, a self-educated writer, peace activist, philanthropist, lover of culture, avid self-promoter, and vehement proselytizer of the virtues of American democracy – Carnegie has remained, to this day, an enigma and a man of striking contradictions.’
When you hear or see Floyd speak intelligently on the realities of race relations, poor communities, and even bringing standards to the sport of boxing you can see a bit of the struggle he faces as he wrestles to reconcile the self promoter in him with the philanthropist-activist – an image that his external business partners and associates have little interest in promoting.”
It is from that point of view that I appreciate the latest - that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Don King are publicly flirting with one another in a possible business courtship.
People have underestimated Floyd Mayweather Jr. for years. I have always seen more than the ‘Money’ Mayweather persona and have felt that if he were guided into a more public embrace of his consciousness, he could become a ‘Diasporic Personality’ on the path of Muhammad Ali – someone who is bigger than boxing not just because they are more entertaining than other boxers and can attract casual fans to the sport, but because their ‘story,’ and ability to represent causes and connect with cultures makes them popular at home and abroad.
In short, with the right moves and advisers, Floyd’s ‘Money’ caricature could become a ‘Movement’ character.
As good as he is of a boxer, and as brilliant as he is as an entertainer ,and as shrewd as he is as a businessperson, ‘Money’ Mayweather has yet to become an international icon with a Diasporic Personality and the ability to influence social and ‘geopolitical’ change. He has a ‘positive’ image and has movement potential but no movement energy, and no movement persona, yet.
Linking up with Don King I believe could give him that.
feeling and them not listening to him,” King said.
“It’s all about pride and dignity. I understand him
completely because we share a common background
as rising from the ******.
“He wants his dignity, his respect and his pride to remain intact and he wants to get paid. That’s where
I come in. I’m the mix master.”
- Don King on Floyd Mayweather Jr., as quoted in “Promoter Don King says he and Floyd Mayweather Jr. are ‘hanging out to see what happens’” by Tim Smith; August 1, 2010; New York Daily News
Last week’s Hip-Hoppreneur ™ “D.O.L.N. (The Death Of Live Nation?)” (http://allhiphop.com/stories/editori.../22329846.aspx) produced incredible feedback which struck me because the theme that each of the numerous emails I received from AllHipHop.com readers shared was some form of respect, appreciation or gratitude for my consistent willingness to deal with business aspects. One individual wrote, “I’ve stated before Mr. Muhammad that ‘a lot of people that do business, don’t know business.’ However, if they read your weekly editorials, they’ll learn business. I thank you for teaching business through your writings.” Another sent in, “The BOTTOM LINE is we truly can’t be dreaming big but still be ignoring business (& not ‘handling our business’).”
While I am honored to receive feedback like this (though I don’t see myself as a ‘Teacher’) and it indicates that my perspective brings something of value to the world’s most dangerous website and its amazing viewership (whom I always love to hear from directly), I still, to this day, find it sad that in a culture and industry with so much to ‘teach’ about economics and business, so few artists, publications, and Hip-Hop talk show hosts are willing to deal with substance beyond the celebrities, gossip, and creative artistry, despite the fact that their fans and consumers crave this kind of knowledge.
What’s even sadder is that this is partly the case because so many ‘opinion leaders’ in Hip-Hop fear offending the wrong celebrity or industry power center by speaking truthfully. I respect (and even admire some) artists, celebrities, and the industry’s power centers but I fear none of them nor do I depend upon any of them for my credibility. Whatever credibility I have is not tied to any Hip-Hop personality or institution, and I like it that way. I think that is what people respect about my perspective, however much they may disagree with it.
I don’t say this arrogantly (and I too continue to mature) but anyone who can’t speak straight words in this culture and industry – no matter how much money they have - is still a slave to me, and will never reach a certain level of respect (no matter how ‘popular’ they may be). At the end of the day, I feel, we must strive to be self-respecting men and women who can look at ourselves in the mirror, and show someone younger than we are the pitfalls of this system and how to do better navigate it than we have.
Still more, beyond ‘navigating,’ I think we should be building an independent reality more than whining about the limitations of the current one.
I maintain that Hip-Hop is the only art form, culture and industry where public discussion of business activity (beyond sales data, record label signings and endorsement deals) is deemed as ‘over the heads,’ ‘off limits,’ or even ‘boring,’ to the degree that it is. One day soon I hope to get into why this is, as it relates to some ‘secret’ or hidden history regarding the science of business and how it has been systematically kept back from the people and communities who originated Hip-Hop and but who are still the backbone of its economic support. It is a huge subject that connects politics, economics, and culture with the 5%, 10% and 85% concept that so many of us make reference to.
There is a way to ‘teach’ business and economics to the Hip-Hop generation very easily, by using illustrations we understand from areas where we hold the most intense interest.
In this, my last column before taking a few weeks off for vacation, I highlight an example from the sport of boxing (is this not the most ‘Hip-Hop’ of all sports with its emphasis on individual talent, competition and ‘beefs’?).
As many of you know, I have a very high level of respect for Floyd Mayweather, Jr. I think he is a great boxer (his defense-first/counter-punch style based on timing is almost unreal in terms of how sophisticated it can be: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqOJp...eature=related) but I focus as much or more on his value as a businessperson. I see him as an intellectual too. He has mastered some pretty high level marketing principles which I wrote about a few months ago, “The Genius Of Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Caricature (And Character) Outsells Talent” (http://allhiphop.com/stories/editori.../22176925.aspx).
But it has not come without costs or a ceiling on his appeal and marketability.
In that article I made the following points:
“In trying to balance a billionaire’s caricature, with his more genuine personality as one who gives back and who is a thinker-strategist, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is dealing with some of what such wealthy men as Andrew Carnegie once experienced. In his excellent biography titled Andrew Carnegie (which I hope someone will give to Floyd) David Nasaw writes of the dilemma of the self-made millionaire, “He was thrilled with his success as a businessman and capitalist, but far from satisfied. He wanted more from life – and would spend the rest of his days in pursuit of it. His ultimate goal was to establish himself as a man of letters, as well known and respected for his writing and intellect as for his ability to make money.” The author sums up the challenge of the billionaire’s brand when he writes:
‘Yet for all that he accomplished and came to represent to the American public – a ferocious businessman and capitalist, a self-educated writer, peace activist, philanthropist, lover of culture, avid self-promoter, and vehement proselytizer of the virtues of American democracy – Carnegie has remained, to this day, an enigma and a man of striking contradictions.’
When you hear or see Floyd speak intelligently on the realities of race relations, poor communities, and even bringing standards to the sport of boxing you can see a bit of the struggle he faces as he wrestles to reconcile the self promoter in him with the philanthropist-activist – an image that his external business partners and associates have little interest in promoting.”
It is from that point of view that I appreciate the latest - that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Don King are publicly flirting with one another in a possible business courtship.
People have underestimated Floyd Mayweather Jr. for years. I have always seen more than the ‘Money’ Mayweather persona and have felt that if he were guided into a more public embrace of his consciousness, he could become a ‘Diasporic Personality’ on the path of Muhammad Ali – someone who is bigger than boxing not just because they are more entertaining than other boxers and can attract casual fans to the sport, but because their ‘story,’ and ability to represent causes and connect with cultures makes them popular at home and abroad.
In short, with the right moves and advisers, Floyd’s ‘Money’ caricature could become a ‘Movement’ character.
As good as he is of a boxer, and as brilliant as he is as an entertainer ,and as shrewd as he is as a businessperson, ‘Money’ Mayweather has yet to become an international icon with a Diasporic Personality and the ability to influence social and ‘geopolitical’ change. He has a ‘positive’ image and has movement potential but no movement energy, and no movement persona, yet.
Linking up with Don King I believe could give him that.
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