Lessons from 2 legendary brands called TUPAC SHAKUR and NOTORIOUS B.I.G

1. In my book 21st century Joseph, I described Jail/Prison as something physical/mental or spiritual. There are various kinds of jails. Now, it doesn't matter if you've been to prison,what matters is how you come out and if your mindset is also free. Obasanjo went to jail and eventually made something of his life and is a major icon in this Nation's governance, Mandela went to jail and came out as President being a major icon in his country and the world, Tupac Shakur went to jail, came out and dominated the rap scene. Unfortunately, his body was free but his mind wasn't yet.

2. B.I.G was consistently "dissed"(insulted) about his size growing up. In fact, he seemed to be a joke to both male friends and the females. When success came, he became their meal ticket. Money has a way of decorating your defects. Stop complaining about defects. You and the rest of the 'player haters' are only seeing them cos you've not discovered your purpose. When you discover purpose and money starts following your purpose,people will want to have the so called defect u have..Hey, picture actor Sylvester Stallone. He has partial paralysis and many made fun of his speech and called him names growing up. Today, he's a success in his field and the females feel he's sexy in the way he talks. In fact, some acts portraying an Italian Mafia role copy the way he speaks.

3. East coast and West coast controversy has faded. When you ask most kids on the streets in the United States who they'll want to be like.. Most will say Jay Z, Will Smith... None will really say Tupac or B.I.G. Violence/madness/strife has an expiration date, lots of distant admirers but little or no proteges who like to go down the way mentors went down.. Music sensation Mary J.B said she totally stopped drinking after Whitney Houston's death. Hey, NO ONE wants to repeat a failed status

4. In the words of Coolio after his interview on the hit single " Gangsta's Paradise," he said,.. " Actually there are no gangsters living in paradise.". Hmm, Coolio, you're right. Hey, I say this without remorse, If you're a gangster, terrorist, etc... There's no place in Paradise for you. There's only a place called the BELLY OF FOOLS. Since no one can come back to life to actually tell gangsters/terrorists that they've been deceived, they'll keep living in such foolishness.

5. Physical rivalry due to music, football, etc seems fun to a lot of people but not me. Hey, Arsenal, Chelsea, Barca, Man U,Real Madrid etc don't know your names, addresses or bank details. They have not even influenced a bank loan application for you.. Why not just enjoy the game and let it stop there. I'm not old but I have seen some foolishness under the sun. While in Lagos years ago, Arsenal was playing against Man U. Heated arguements occurred btw Arsenal and Man U fans. Before anything could be said, one broke a bottle and warned the other. The other broke his own bottle. People started shouting and pushing themselves. The Man U fan struggled with the Arsenal fan and was able to stab him at the eye. Cut the silly story short, the boy was rushed to the hospital. When my friend went to visit him,...With a Bandage round his head and one eye buried underneath it, he raised his thumb up and said ARSENAL FOR LIFE.. Friends, how sick is that. Arsenal doesn't know u, doesn't even care about you, yet you were willing to lose your life. Hey, How much of Mikel Obi's money has come to you.. Friends, relax, enjoy the game and just go home. I almost got hit by an angry driver who was pissed his club lost. I had to park. I can't forget that day. If you love foolishness, by all means stay in it but do not extend the effects to us.

6. In the world of business, deal with the leader and the followers will calm down. It's a Mafia Manager technique. Currently, a bank used that principle. Most of the leaders have been taken by another bank. Little wonder, a news paper article came out months ago saying an entirely different bank is thinking of buying the bank that lost lots of its leaders. In business, staff must realise they are the life-line of any organisation. In Nigeria, staff feel the organisation is their life-line. Understand your Brand and your company will treat you right.

7. The Jonathan Vs Amechi thing reminds me about Tupac Vs Biggie... Long after you're gone, we'll still have Nigeria. Wake up. Learn from Abiola Vs Abacha.. Many wish they were alive today, unfortunately they are not. Nigeria has moved on.. We'll forever remember June 12 but I'd have preferred Abiola being alive than a date being alive.

8. There's a thin line between Love and Hate.. Tupac and B.I.G were very good friends. They would have made up and continued but they had a crowd of people looking up to them and that crowd often poured more fuel in the fire. The east coast-west coast feud became deep. Too deep the FBI had to step in. DONT LIVE YOUR LIFE FOR PEOPLE, never also judge things based on one person's side of the story. At a strategy session I had 2days ago for the senior management of an organisation, I asked 'How many of you think Dangote made his money in a clean way, How many don't, how many are indifferent.. Many hands went up for those that felt he made it illegally. Now, I asked for proof. Everyone told me about a source they heard from which heard from another source.. Now, I'm not saying he made his money in a clean way or not. I'm simply saying that everyone relies on some story from somewhere and that story relies on another story. No one has facts or proof. Do you not know the number of university students that claim their friend slept with a particular girl. Ask them this simple question..., where u there, did you see it yourself...they'll say the gist came from so and so. Or their friend told them. In the strategy session, I preferred those that were indifferent. Mind your business and Live your own life.
9. To entertainers... Most times, major wealth and fame come upon you unprepared. When they come, your best friends are often wild parties, drugs, weed,alcohol, late nights, drunk driving, fights etc.. Learn from those that got knocked down and knocked out in the "school of life." Life has a school, unfortunately, many keep failing classes their predecessors also failed.

10. Just the way East Coast- West coast battled for supremacy.. Various religions round the world will always want to battle for superiority, significance and supremacy. The funny thing there is long after lives have been sacrificed due to intolerance, the religions will still remain while you were simply a "burnt offering." We have not even said if the Almighty accepts your personal sacrifice of killing yourself or killing another. If He did, I'll rather worship the star or wind.
11. Never brag about sleeping with your friend's wife. You may end up concluding the story at the other side of the world. A man's pride and joy is his wife, whether he's still in love with her or not.

12. Individual, corporate, Group or National disagreements shouldn't be made public. There are some that can only pay their children's school fees, put food on the table etc, from these. They'll do what they can to escalate things and make sure people keep buying. Your stupidity can be someone else's meal ticket and opportunity to buy lots of real estate. I love the press

13. In the words of Chinua Achebe.." Death is a bad reaper, it often reaps the unripe fruit.". Death is like a Bank loan-facility application in Nigeria. It's a mystery; but if you facilitate the loan process, you may get the approval. Some live in a way that helps to facilitate the loan application for death. " Once again, there are no gangsters living in paradise."

Your Mind's friendly terrorist
DRL
239015A6

Wow nice write up. Touches practically all areas of life. Let them who have ears hear