The Musings of a Gangster and Gentlemen: Styles P Math Hoffa Interview “I sold dope and written songs. Feed your audience”
-For the Uncensored!
Styles P, the legendary multiplatinum member of the 90’s rap group, LOX, meaning Living off Experience appeared on youtuber/rapper Math Hoffa’s barbershop interview, was as candid as his rap songs could lead any listener to believe. The third member of LOX, alongside Jadakiss and Sheek Louch, my recognition of Styles P, nicknames include Styles Pinero, Holiday Styles, and the Ghost, began with his 2002 solo album “A Gangster and a Gentlemen” and the same man didn’t disappoint. To not cover the whole interview, I do think there is one point that relates to me and any reader, listener, and what my audience comes to know about me.
(Note: I get high is probably one of Styles most famous songs off A Gangers and a Gentlemen. Renamed Good times for the radio edit)
For a long time, I used to believe that an artist only gave his audience what they were need, not what they wanted. It’s extremely selfish because without an audience, you don’t have shit. You just have it in your collection or at least being propped up by fake news media types that won’t ever buy your shit. Or SJW kids who praise you but aren’t a paying customer.
(Note: “My Life” is probably my favorite song that Styles P has ever made. Highlight lyric is “I don’t have friends, I have enemies, that means if they whip me, they’re my brother nigga” hits me as a bipolar yet very grounded reality most thinkers live by).
What Styles P says, “I have sold dope and written songs. Feed your audience” to me is what the rappers of the 90’s understood about their audience. Feed your audience and you will be rewarded in dividends. Being an artist is hard if you create barriers between you and your art. Being a hero of the people means ignoring what media/academic/intellectuals will often harmonize in their small philosophy books. And even philosophers, true philosophers, would agree with Styles P.
(Note: Guns for Life is another highlight of the LOX, but when Styles P rhymes “I reminiscence and get high over a lot of weapons, got a friend named 9, caught up in the murder one, I ain’t seen him since cause my homie had to murder one, Homie named .38 he pop with me, and it ain’t too often that he’s not with me, you call him your guns, I call them my friends, pop it off or keep it tuck, guess it all depend” is what most felons often think about saying but a job in being an artist and a gangster is saying things people don’t want to hear. The song does have some great additions from Ghostface and Sheek Louch, but Styles delivery is what makes him stand out. Like someone’s breathing in gun smoke through a bong hit.)
What makes Styles P a man of Hip Hop, Rap, and a man of respect is realizing that your audience is still king. You are serving them, not the other way around. Being an artist, to me, is akin to smut peddling, you must know how to entertain and intellectualize your thoughts that help people get through a tough day.
Rap itself has always meant to represent the male dominated gaze, and male entertainers can and often feed their audience, both male and female. But to be feed your audience is a take that has largely been ignored these last thirty years. Rap in the 90’s was the dominant mode of self-expression for rage, anger, humor, laughter, that Styles P might agree, made them all famous next to any rock star, such as David Bowie or the Mick Jagger.
But feeding an audience means also accepting a raw WWE nature in life. People just want something fun and entertaining, and not a college lecture. So, Styles, a Gentlemen and a Gangster, is right, correct, and still as truthful as he’s ever been in rap.
-Louis Bruno is the author of more than 20 books, including, The Michael Project, The Michael Project: Book 2: The Lost Children of Eve, Thy Kingdom Come, The Disintegrating Bloodline Part 2: Chaos, The Data Chase, The Disintegrating Bloodline part 3: Solvè, The Disintegrating Bloodline (and the original text re-released in 2019), Apocalypse Soldier, The Data Chase, Selection: The First Book of the Life and Death Saga, and Blinking Eyes: The Second Book of the Life and Death Saga, Hierarchy of Dwindling Sheep, The City of Sand, The God of Curiosity, To the Moon and Back, The Villain Lives and The Villain Lives: The Divided Pinpoint, Come Home, Young One. He has a Bachelor of Arts in English from University of Phoenix. His books can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Lulu. He can be found on Gab, https://gab.com/thereallouistbruno, Minds https://www.minds.com/lbruno8063/. Instagram @lbrruno8063 and @louisbrunoofficialbook. Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouisBr88881650. He has written for the Intellectual Conservative and Ephemere. His newest book, The Voices Are Alive is out now: https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/louis-bruno/the-voices-are-alive/hardcover/product-mvggdg.html?page=1&pageSize=4. Also, if you can’t subscribe so that you can get members only content, please be sure to share the articles, as well. If you do Subscribe, you have long term access to the paid articles that some readers won’t get to see or access after the articles/books go private. If that doesn’t tickle your pickle, I am also selling merch from t spring, if you want to help support me in other ways. I sell hoodies, shirts, phone cases, and trying to find something there loved ones would like. Links here: https://thereallouistbruno.creator-spring.com/listing/too-many-strings-not-enough. https://thereallouistbruno.creator-spring.com/listing/duck-fuckery. https://thereallouistbruno.creator-spring.com/listing/headless-corpo. Every little like, subscribe share, helps. Thanks for reading.