Email Update And Research, Plus Bonus Watsky Content

So, to begin today's post, I'm bringing an update on how things have been going with the mentor side of the project. I still have yet to get any sort of answer from the Macklemore team, but I'm trying to stay positive, as I'm sure they're busy and I have been able to talk with them on previous occasions. In light of this, I sent another email to the team just asking if they received my previous email and reiterating some basic information. The contents of that email can be found below.

If you're shamelessly self-promoting and you know it, clap your hands.

At any rate, if I don't receive a response by the next time I make a post, I'll really have to consider changing my plans for the "mentor" portion of the project. Maybe try getting in touch with local radio stations?

As far as research goes, I decided to look into ways that colleges might be reaching out to students with musical talent in the hip-hop and rap genres. And what I found. . . was really rather dismal. Though there are numerous scholarships for music, most of them focus on classical music and aren't really appealing to young artists. You can check out a list of available music scholarships here. Other than that, there were a few links to a specifically hip-hop scholarship, but it seemed like more of a one-time thing and there really wasn't anything else.

Finally, I got to see my favorite rapper/poet and idol George Watsky perform at Stage AE in Pittsburgh last Wednesday. Naturally I was pretty psyched about that, but I was even more psyched when I got to meet him after the show. A picture of us can be found below. (I know, I look terrified, cut me some slack.)

What's interesting about all this in relation to my project is that Watsky actually went to college. He attended Emerson College and performed slam poetry while studying there. I guess it might say something that my favorite rapper went to college, while rappers I am less fond of did not, though correlation does not equal causation. If you're interested in learning more about Watsky, which I'd definitely recommend, you can read up about him here, check out his website here, or listen to some of his music at his Youtube channel here.

You don't know true terror until you've seen a man meet his idol.

Ideas

I dunno I'm supposed to have ideas I think.

Probably thinking about doing something like:

1. College vs. going immediately into the work force after high school. I can tie this in with my musical interests too I think, seeing as it could be more beneficial for a musician to get out into the community and start making ties rather than spending four years in college.

2. Special Snowflakes - I dunno if this is a possibility without offending everyone. The issue I'm tryna look at is legitimate issues against the things that people are just making up for attention.

3. Education reform - This is something that's realistic, though maybe everything that can be said has been said.

4. Abortion I guess

5. Cultural appropriation isn't real probably