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Dear D. Dot Omen,
What’s up? I typically save the "Dear John" commentary for the rappers in our community. For example, like earlier this summer when he was feeling down because the game was so fake, Waka Flocka Flame wanted "to quite rap". Or last summer when Bawse was clearly encroaching on Young Jeezy’s fan base, and I was kind of worried about what was going to happen with the #1 Thug Motivator.
Even though you’re not a rapper D. Dot Omen, in the words of my elders, you appear to be "going through". I know you didn’t ask, but I’m going to take a moment to see if I can help you strategize through this situation. A little crisis management, if you will. For de free.
So you snuck in with a connect’s help found a way in to Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch The Throne listening session a couple of days ago? I’m not mad at that. Truth be told, most determined and well meaning hip hop fans can be enterprising, and given the right circumstances, with the stars aligned and all that kind of stuff, would have taken the opportunity as well.
Everybody in attendance at the listening session had to give up all cellphones, digital recorders and the like. You knew that, even Tweeted about it. The problem is, you don’t live what you Tweet. You decided to keep a device on your person and record snippets of the album. But you didn’t stop there.
When you got home, you not only wrote a review of the album and posted it on your blog (I don’t see a problem with that), but you posted audio snippets. (I see a problem with that). And then you had the nerve to brag about it on your site? Boy you’ve got gumption!
In the words of the cop from Menace To Society, "you done f*cked up, you know that don’t you?". It’s crystal clear from the posts on your blog today regarding the situation, you’re highly aware of the precarious predicament you have placed yourself.
But I’m not here to roast you like 2 WHITE GIRLZ did, or say you’re f*cking up the blog game even worse for up and coming bloggers (in a way, you are); I’m just trying to give advice as best I can as an outsider looking in. So D. Dot, here are four things you might want to do to help get through this fiasco.
1. Man if you haven’t, you need to call Roc Nation, G.O.O.D. Music, Bonsu Thompson and Combat Jack over at The Source IMMEDIATELY and apologize. Now is the time for you to eat crow. Be humble. Cry if you have too! Let the snot run! I know yesterday RapRadar.com made you the "You Played Yourself" poster baby, which lead to even more roasting on Twitter, but you should apologize to Elliot Wilson too.
If no one is answering your phone calls, then you need to show up at their offices (and hope that security isn’t overzealous), or wherever these industry heads hang out, and say you’re sorry. Saying "I’m sorry" goes a long way. Send handwritten letters if you have too.
2. Hit up DJ Chuck T and humbly ask for advice. Back in June 2008, Mr. Down South Slangin’ famously leaked Lil Wayne’s The Carter III album well ahead of it’s release date. The industry backlash was severe, but DJ Chuck T seemed to come out OK. He pretty much went through what you appear to be going through now. Sometimes the best advice is received from folks who’ve already gone through a similar situation.
3. Hire a publicist. The best you can afford. Matter of fact, this probably should have been #1. Now is NOT the time to go cheap homie.
4. Pull out your resume, dust it off, and complete an honest assessment of your skills set. "You done f*cked up, you know that don’t you?". From what I recall a couple of weeks ago, you leaked a Yelawolf track and got him all upset. But then you turned around and apologized to Yelawolf on DJ Green Latern’s show.
So it looks like you have a habit of "leaking and apologizing". Let’s just call it what it is. Start thinking about what you can do within your skills set to turn this negative situation into a positive one, and land a new gig. Granted, it might not be in the music industry, but at least you’d be able to put food on the table.
On the real though, if this whole fiasco was a publicity stunt to get hip hop fans talking about Watch The Throne, it surely worked.
If not, and you truly f*cked up and none of the tips above help, what are you planning to do with that Blackberry with all your industry contacts?
Run That Back:
*Update*:
So it appears that this was not a publicity stunt. From the update I’ve received, D. Dot Omen has no connection to Bonsu Thompson, Combat Jack, or The Source Magazine. There’s no ties. D. Dot, "you done f*cked up, you know that don’t you?"