Disclaimer: North Carolina A&T’s Homecoming Step Show is NEXT Friday, October 14th! Hosted by JAY DUKES! Dj T. Mobile IS on the 1’s and 2’s. Already prepared a KILLER show. Just perfecting it now! And you guessed it… That has NOTHING to do with this post! Welp… Here it goes:
The following words from Drake’s “Headlines” ring in my head as it gets closer to different Homecoming dates! “They saying I’m back, I’d agree with that. I had someone tell me I fell off ooo I needed that… I used to exaggerate things, now I got it like that…” Give or take some words/lines.
Above all, actually accepting the fact that you have moved to another level in life is more difficult than you think. Back at Claflin, which was two years ago- “Let it go boo boo! That was Undergrad” haha, I hosted our Que-Pollos and interviewed Bow Wow and Big Kuntry King and hosted The National Pre-Alumni Council Conference for 2 consecutive years AND... Our chapter brought in Sheryl Lee Ralph to speak for our Women’s Appreciation Week. So, I was like BAM, I am THE man! Woot! Woot! #leigo!!!! However, thinking about it, it’s easy to shine as an outgoing student. To look at somebody and say, “Let Dukes do it, I heard he “ok”. Then to their surprise, I put on a not “ok”, but “good” performance. Just like battle rappers in school. You might be the hottest at your school, but then a guy at another school is just as good or better than you. And you will NEVER know if there is someone better than you if you surround yourself with “yes men”!
And I don’t try to feed yall any BS. I keep it 100% on here. No, I’m not a celebrity YET, I’m a grinder! I love what I do. It’s like a sport to me! EVERY show is the Superbowl! But I constantly train and practice. I analyze the film from the last game and correct those mistakes for the next. I have ZERO percent contentment in my body. The day I feel like I have a perfect show and I don’t need to add ANYTHING else or switch it up, I will QUIT! My Clemson show SUCKED!!!! The organizations were REALLY good, but I was VERY disappointed in myself. I prepared a HBCU show for CLEMSON! #Dumb! So, I went back to the lab and said, “What if I misjudge my audience again? I need versatility!” Next- Coastal was a GREAT show. I brought a dancer with me, I gave away cash, etc. Next- FAMU was AWESOME! My first show out of SC. First arena. The dude that booked me found me after and we had to run back to talk to the Student Activities Director because she “LOVED ME”! Very humbling! Next- USC (No words). I had people tell me, “It felt like a concert”, “That was the most people I’ve EVER seen in that arena!” So, I was REALLY crushed to find out I didn’t get it this year. But I will definitely be there to support!
And for a lot of entertainers, money is the motivation. They “work” to live. For me, not so much. I have a job. So my paycheck is how I live. But these shows feed my addiction! I LOOOOVVVVEEEE IIIIITTT! *K. Hart Voice* But when you go from a Senior to a Freshman, considering the Real World, it is indeed a challenge. According to The JDD (Jay Dukes Dictionary) A PROFESSIONAL is: (Noun) Someone who does what they love, but well enough to get paid for it. So, being a professional for a year and some months compared to people who have been on tv and movies for 5+ years… They would call me an amateur on paper. And, better YET, the HARDEST thing is to try and convince your own peers that you are a professional now. “Like really, I’m not just the same dude! I’ve gotten better! I PROMISE!” Man… what’s the purpose?! I can talk till I’m blue in the face! I understand how butterflies feel. Think about trying to explain that ish to your people? You fly down and see Kahlil.
“Aey… Kahlil! What up?”
“Hello there Mr. Butterfly. But uuuhhh… who are you?”
“Really nigga? It’s me! Dukes!”
“FOH! Seriously?”
“Yea… boi. This ME!”
But I just smile because being underrated is a better position than being “famous”. My new favorite saying is, “I hate being doubted, but I LOVE making believers”! And I whole-heartedly believe that if it was God's will for me to stay in one spot, without progression or moving up, I would be in a box. You better believe that I AM coming to YOUR city, your school- SOON. It may not be today, may not be tomorrow, but just hope it’s before my prices go up! Haha
Jay Dukes qka Mr. Million Dollars qka Mr. “Hey… You Look Familiar”
The following words from Drake’s “Headlines” ring in my head as it gets closer to different Homecoming dates! “They saying I’m back, I’d agree with that. I had someone tell me I fell off ooo I needed that… I used to exaggerate things, now I got it like that…” Give or take some words/lines.
Above all, actually accepting the fact that you have moved to another level in life is more difficult than you think. Back at Claflin, which was two years ago- “Let it go boo boo! That was Undergrad” haha, I hosted our Que-Pollos and interviewed Bow Wow and Big Kuntry King and hosted The National Pre-Alumni Council Conference for 2 consecutive years AND... Our chapter brought in Sheryl Lee Ralph to speak for our Women’s Appreciation Week. So, I was like BAM, I am THE man! Woot! Woot! #leigo!!!! However, thinking about it, it’s easy to shine as an outgoing student. To look at somebody and say, “Let Dukes do it, I heard he “ok”. Then to their surprise, I put on a not “ok”, but “good” performance. Just like battle rappers in school. You might be the hottest at your school, but then a guy at another school is just as good or better than you. And you will NEVER know if there is someone better than you if you surround yourself with “yes men”!
And I don’t try to feed yall any BS. I keep it 100% on here. No, I’m not a celebrity YET, I’m a grinder! I love what I do. It’s like a sport to me! EVERY show is the Superbowl! But I constantly train and practice. I analyze the film from the last game and correct those mistakes for the next. I have ZERO percent contentment in my body. The day I feel like I have a perfect show and I don’t need to add ANYTHING else or switch it up, I will QUIT! My Clemson show SUCKED!!!! The organizations were REALLY good, but I was VERY disappointed in myself. I prepared a HBCU show for CLEMSON! #Dumb! So, I went back to the lab and said, “What if I misjudge my audience again? I need versatility!” Next- Coastal was a GREAT show. I brought a dancer with me, I gave away cash, etc. Next- FAMU was AWESOME! My first show out of SC. First arena. The dude that booked me found me after and we had to run back to talk to the Student Activities Director because she “LOVED ME”! Very humbling! Next- USC (No words). I had people tell me, “It felt like a concert”, “That was the most people I’ve EVER seen in that arena!” So, I was REALLY crushed to find out I didn’t get it this year. But I will definitely be there to support!
And for a lot of entertainers, money is the motivation. They “work” to live. For me, not so much. I have a job. So my paycheck is how I live. But these shows feed my addiction! I LOOOOVVVVEEEE IIIIITTT! *K. Hart Voice* But when you go from a Senior to a Freshman, considering the Real World, it is indeed a challenge. According to The JDD (Jay Dukes Dictionary) A PROFESSIONAL is: (Noun) Someone who does what they love, but well enough to get paid for it. So, being a professional for a year and some months compared to people who have been on tv and movies for 5+ years… They would call me an amateur on paper. And, better YET, the HARDEST thing is to try and convince your own peers that you are a professional now. “Like really, I’m not just the same dude! I’ve gotten better! I PROMISE!” Man… what’s the purpose?! I can talk till I’m blue in the face! I understand how butterflies feel. Think about trying to explain that ish to your people? You fly down and see Kahlil.
“Aey… Kahlil! What up?”
“Hello there Mr. Butterfly. But uuuhhh… who are you?”
“Really nigga? It’s me! Dukes!”
“FOH! Seriously?”
“Yea… boi. This ME!”
But I just smile because being underrated is a better position than being “famous”. My new favorite saying is, “I hate being doubted, but I LOVE making believers”! And I whole-heartedly believe that if it was God's will for me to stay in one spot, without progression or moving up, I would be in a box. You better believe that I AM coming to YOUR city, your school- SOON. It may not be today, may not be tomorrow, but just hope it’s before my prices go up! Haha
Jay Dukes qka Mr. Million Dollars qka Mr. “Hey… You Look Familiar”
No comments:
Post a Comment