'Sell-out'

[Iris]

It has been the most popular word in TR for the last few days. Its over-used. But, I'm not sure if I know its real meaning. Can someone tell me?

[Satire]

Sell Out has different definitions depending on who you ask. It's like why people get called a dumb ass for different reasons

The general consensus is that it involves you doing something for personal benefit (I.E. money)

One who betrays a cause for personal advancement is a sell out.

Anyone who sacrifices artistic integrity in an effort to become more successful or popular is a sell out.

When you agree to do something out of character, knowing you will lose respect, for money or fame, that is selling out.

Ludacris, although he hasn't completely changed his style and shit, made a single with Justin Bieber to promote his upcoming album at that time. That, by every definition, is selling out.

[RealSickLindley]

I don't believe in the word 'sell out'.

Acting/singing/rapping is a job. And why does anyone do a job? Cos they get money. No one is purely doing for the love, that's bullshit.

Do you HONESTLY think that Ludacris or whoever sits at home next to his swimming pool with a big ass tv and thinks.. 'Shit.. I wonder if people are questioning my reputation as an artist since that song with Biebs?'

The only people that have the undoubted passion and high and fucking mighty morality.. Are the people that aren't getting that money. And only say 'sell out', cos they've not been fortunate in life enough to be offered such a chance.

If you're a doctor, and you can earn more by treating middle class dicks privately, you're going to do it. If you're a teacher, and you can earn more by teaching in a Catholic school despite being atheist, you're going to do it.

As much as the fantasy land of the music industry provokes myths, what i just described was life. Get on board when you can.

(no hate to any poster, it wasn't aimed at anyone, just a rant and how i feel)

[Satire]

Do you HONESTLY think that Ludacris or whoever sits at home next to his swimming pool with a big ass tv and thinks.. 'Shit.. I wonder if people are questioning my reputation as an artist since that song with Biebs?'

That's not the point. Also how the hell do you say that's not aimed at any poster and then say this lol the fuck. And yeah, I guarantee you he acknowledges that people look down on him for that Justin Bieber song even though I know he doesn't give 2 shits about it. He's a self aware guy.

Whether you believe in the term or not, it exists, and nearly everyone in Hollywood has fit into it at one point.

[RealSickLindley]

Do you HONESTLY think that Ludacris or whoever sits at home next to his swimming pool with a big ass tv and thinks.. 'Shit.. I wonder if people are questioning my reputation as an artist since that song with Biebs?'

That's not the point. Also how the hell do you say that's not aimed at any poster and then say this lol the fuck. And yeah, I guarantee you he acknowledges that people look down on him for that Justin Bieber song even though I know he doesn't give 2 shits about it. He's a self aware guy.

Whether you believe in the term or not, it exists, and nearly everyone in Hollywood has fit into it at one point.

It wasn't aimed at you.. the fuck lol

You just used a great example of what people perceive as a sell out. So i used it in my argument cos it was in my head. I even put the bit at the end so you wouldn't catch feelings..

I know it's a term, but it's one that shouldn't be used.

The words 'Underground', 'Mainstream' and 'Sell Out' have lost all meaning these days. They're only used to degrade artists amidst musical paranoia, and to make people feel better about their own music taste.

Although i believe in the term 'media whore', to describe people that have no talent, yet do what they can to achieve fame. But that's different to Em.

Tell me. Is Eminem a sell out for doing 8 Mile?

I mean, he's by no means an actor, but he did a film about his own hard life to get money and more fame/relevance.

Where do you guys draw the line.

[Almostlity]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminem

[RealSickLindley]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminem

[Satire]

Do you HONESTLY think that Ludacris or whoever sits at home next to his swimming pool with a big ass tv and thinks.. 'Shit.. I wonder if people are questioning my reputation as an artist since that song with Biebs?'

That's not the point. Also how the hell do you say that's not aimed at any poster and then say this lol the fuck. And yeah, I guarantee you he acknowledges that people look down on him for that Justin Bieber song even though I know he doesn't give 2 shits about it. He's a self aware guy.

Whether you believe in the term or not, it exists, and nearly everyone in Hollywood has fit into it at one point.

It wasn't aimed at you.. the fuck lol

You just used a great example of what people perceive as a sell out. So i used it in my argument cos it was in my head. I even put the bit at the end so you wouldn't catch feelings..

I know it's a term, but it's one that shouldn't be used.

The words 'Underground', 'Mainstream' and 'Sell Out' have lost all meaning these days. They're only used to degrade artists amidst musical paranoia, and to make people feel better about their own music taste.

Although i believe in the term 'media whore', to describe people that have no talent, yet do what they can to achieve fame. But that's different to Em.

Tell me. Is Eminem a sell out for doing 8 Mile?

I mean, he's by no means an actor, but he did a film about his own hard life to get money and more fame/relevance.

Where do you guys draw the line.

You asked a question about Ludacris and his Bieber song after I just said that is definitely him selling out (which it is, btw). How else am I supposed to perceive that?

By no way have those words lost meaning lol. That's so over the top dramatic. Everyone knows the definition fine, the thing that's fucked up is how people perceive them. There are people who are mainstream, there are people who are underground, and there are sell outs. It's fucked up when you dismiss someone because of the category they're in.

We draw the line in the fact that films are part of another art. It's acting. It's exploring other ventures. It's growth. Doing a 30 second voice over commercial during the Superbowl is not. You can pretend it's acting, but it's actually just him reading a script he didn't write into a mic for half a minute.

If 8 Mile was just a cheesy movie with a corny script where he put no emotion and effort into it, then yeah, I would totally call him a sell out because then I would know he wasn't serious about the acting or the plot, he just wanted the cash. But he benefits from the tea commercial in no other way except money. It doesn't give him any credit as an actor, it doesn't improve his acting skills, it's not even him promoting a film/album. It's just money.

[RealSickLindley]

You're not getting me, they DO have terms, they just get used for anything now.

We're at a point now where

Underground = better (not someone who hasn't got the coverage yet to break through)
Sell Out = anyone who does something different/has a female singer on the hook (not someone who will do anything for money)
Mainstream = anything that's got popular, isn't as exclusive to follow, therefore is inferior to Underground (not the music that people in the masses love and find inspiring)

I just think that Sell Out is overused, and can be a scapegoat for decisions that an artist makes that you don't particularly like, but gets the artist more success.

I won't get in to the acting thing, cos i'll get too passionate about it. Most people talk about acting as if it's the type of art you can just 'have a go at' and you might be good at it cos you're creative elsewhere. WRONG. I'm an actor myself, and the training you have to do to be at the level you see on your cinema screens is a long process believe me. So by your definition of sell out, i'd say that a rapper trying to be an actor to make money off of selling his life is exactly that.

For the record, saying that he got nothing out of it. What's saying he didn't just get offered the advert, and thought it'd be a laugh, putting the million towards the fees for dope producers on Slaughterhouses next album lol

[dR3]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanye_West

[Satire]

I'm going to sleep so this will be my last response for a while..

You're not getting me, they DO have terms, they just get used for anything now.

We're at a point now where

Underground = better (not someone who hasn't got the coverage yet to break through)
Sell Out = anyone who does something different/has a female singer on the hook (not someone who will do anything for money)
Mainstream = anything that's got popular, isn't as exclusive to follow, therefore is inferior to Underground (not the music that people in the masses love and find inspiring)

I just think that Sell Out is overused, and can be a scapegoat for decisions that an artist makes that you don't particularly like, but gets the artist more success.

I won't get in to the acting thing, cos i'll get too passionate about it. Most people talk about acting as if it's the type of art you can just 'have a go at' and you might be good at it cos you're creative elsewhere. WRONG. I'm an actor myself, and the training you have to do to be at the level you see on your cinema screens is a long process believe me. So by your definition of sell out, i'd say that a rapper trying to be an actor to make money off of selling his life is exactly that.

For the record, saying that he got nothing out of it. What's saying he didn't just get offered the advert, and thought it'd be a laugh, putting the million towards the fees for dope producers on Slaughterhouses next album lol

I am totally getting you, you said they've "lost their meaning". They have definitely not lost their meaning, and what you said is not them "losing their meaning", and it's, like I said, people being fucking retarded and perceiving shit in a retarded way . People never view mainstream and underground as just "good or bad", they view it as "They're mainstream, so they're bad". Yes, there is a difference.

What is using the word "Sell-out" a 'scapegoat' from lol.

and a rapper trying to explore other arts isn't the same as doing something strictly for money, even if it's naive to think "Oh, that's easy, I'm gonna try it".

And production for an album doesn't cost a million dollars except for maybe an album entirely produced by Dre.

[RealSickLindley]

X = Artist without gimmicks, popular, but closer to the Underground.
W= Artist that has had hits, is known to be dope, but has worked with people from other genre's.

'Eminem should work with X, he's dope as fuck. Fuck that W shit, fucking sell out, these kids and their mainstream music '

That's just an example of the kind of post i see around.

The idea of namedropping a respected 'Underground' Emcee, before namedropping someone successful and well followed, linking money with sell out, and using the word mainstream as a negative word.

So by using the word sell out, success of an artist can be flipped on them, usually undeservedly.

That's what i mean.


Oh, and i was just kidding about that. But it does blow my mind thinking that all Eminem has to do it give his voice for 30 seconds, and that's one of his artists albums covered financially lol

[Almostlity]

dr3 mad.