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Shock G Calls it Quits
Shock G is out of the rap game.
Shock G, real name Gregory E. Jacobs, cites depression among other things, that have led him to quit the music industry altogether. In a rant that has been posted on many hip hop message boards, Shock makes it clear that he hates recording and producing. " I get no satisfaction or fulfillment from it anymore," Shock says in his rant. "It doesn't make me happy. On the contrary, it depresses me."
Shock's long winded outburst continues: "Every man has the right to the pursuit of happiness and should first try a job that he might gain happiness & fulfillment from. This doesn't make me happy anymore; it makes me miserable and a drug addict."
Shock wants to pursue writing and acting (doesn???t every rapper?) in the future.
Although many people will only know Shock G for his alter ego, Humpty Hump, and lines like "just grab 'em in the biscuits," true hip hop heads will remember Shock G for his long and stored career. Shock introduced the world to Tupac Shakur.
Since his Digital Underground days, Shock has been producing, touring, and recording. Last year, Shock released a CD entitled Fear of a Mixed Planet, which has recieved stellar reviews. However, recently Shock was in the news for his erratic behavior at this years BET Awards. (via hiphopmusic.com)
Full Rant after the jump:
I'm retiring from all forms of studio work and song writing.
My reasons for retiring are:
1. I get no satisfaction or fullfillment from it anymore. It doesn't make me happy. On the contrary, it depresses me.
Normally I'm not depressed, it's only surrounding the studio. I'm happy when I'm away from the studio.
2. Can't make a living at it. 90% of the studio work I've done in the last 6 years has all been either for free or for peanuts, and hasn't generated any income since.
3. It drives me to do drugs, cause I HATE BEING IN THE STUDIO. To much pressure & expectation for me to make/save/spark someone elses career or project.
4. I quit the studio. Fuck the studio.
5. I can't win in the studio, It's pointless, it's a "catch 22" for me, watch:
If what I do sucks, it tarnishes the legacy, hurts the family, and even lowers the price, and also leaves the artists & involved-companies unhappy;
But if what I do shines, it generates more studio work for the future, and furthur traps me in the music business, a business I have no intention of slaving to the rest of my life. I gave it 20 years. I'm done.
6. Every man has the right to the pursuit of happiness and should first try a job that he might gain happiness & fullfillment from. This doesn't make me happy anymore, it makes me miserable and a drug addict.
7. I'm done widdit. Whew!
YES, it already feels great already just to say it!!!
I most likely will try my hand at some of these:
> writing (Afeni assures me this is my true calling everytime she see's me. Maybe she's right?)
> acting
> stage performing, meaning accepting tours or positions in other bands doing keys & background vocals. (IF it's real and if the moneys good. No amatuer or free stuff anymore.)
> regular jobs in service (like clubs, hotels, TV show bands or staff, resturants, who knows?)
> ..and of course still do digital tours cause it PAYS and people don't expect me & Mon (grown men) to work for free, like all the studio requests. I'm 42 and have wants/needs/bills/responsibilities.
So there it is, spread the word, I quit.
I don't make beats, I don't do vocals, I don't write vocals, NONE OF IT.
Those of you who are friends, will be happy for me. Happy that I shook something that was making me miserable.
Those of you who had plans to "use" or manipulate me at the expense of my own health & happiness, will be upset about this. All I can say to those would be, you're free to do whatever you wish, and so am I.
I choose to QUIT.
there it is.
Thanx everybody, spread the word
shock