How Long Should You Pursue The Dream & At What Cost?

What's really good hip hop lovers and others? I think it's only right that I properly introduce myself to the blogger world since this is my official introduction to the game. My name is Bey Bright "aka" FlamBey, former rapper and hip hop producer. Some of you may have heard of me and even bought my cd's Full Circle:BX Resurrection, Destiny & The Flamerous Life. Or maybe you've seen my BET Uncut videos Hot Girl Remix and Hot Girl. Anyway, I have decided to now focus primarily on my passion for writing and to bloviate on my life experiences as a rapper trying to break into the bigtime. I thought it would be great for me to blow off some steam and start some dialouge on something that millions of people out there grapple with everyday. How long should you pursue your hip hop dreams and at what cost? Real talk people. My journey started way back in 1988. After 2 botched major records deals with Jive & Arista, A first round elimination in the 1993 New Music Seminar, stolen demo ideas, 3 independent rap releases with BDS and Soundscan history, an mc battle with rap icon Jay-Z, radio spins on XM, Sirius, and mixshows, red carpets, BET, Video Music Box and MTV, underground music awards, divorce and over $250,000 spent I have finally decided to throw in the towel. 20 years of being so close only to see it all fade away and never quite happen in the major way we all dream about. Rubbing elbows with everyone from Diddy, Jigga, Nas, Clive Davis, LA Reid, EPMD, Easy Mo Bee, DJ Clark Kent, Ralph McDaniels, Will Smith, Andre Harrell, Big Daddy Kane and countless other hip hop stars. It seems as though destiny has her own plans for me and so many of us who shared those "Juicy" dreams the late great BIG rapped about. Like Pac said, don't shed a tear for me my n***as. I'm not here looking for anybody's sympathy. I'm sure there's someone reading this now who took it even further than I did but still couldn't reach that brass ring. When we think back on it all, maybe one day we may all look back and say that the glass was half full and not half empty. Maybe there was a possibility that we weren't as nice as we thought we were? Maybe the industry politics had the game all f***ed up? Maybe nepotism was the real culprit and we were too young and naive to realize it before it wreacked havoc on our finances and personal relationships? I can't believe 20 years have gone by already and I'm still not on! Damn! I can't call it playa! Can you?