Hip Hop is my first love, and when I began writing songs at age 7, it was for fun and the love of the art. Me, my cousin, and a few neighborhood friends formed a group called "The Fresh Crew" so we could compete in our elementary school talent show. By the time I was 11 I dreamed of pursuing a career in the music business. Like any business, the marketing strategy changed over the years according to the times, as well as the companies I recorded for. A good example would be back in '89 when Yo! Records released my first album, The Lyrical Midget. Lil Mac - I Need Wheels - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVvxuOnlyh0 Rapper "The Fresh Prince" (Will Smith) was one of the biggest names in hip hop at the time. And while I was more of an Eric B. & Rakim kind of guy, the label assured me that the comedic-style that The Fresh Prince displayed was far more marketable to my peer group. Some years and a few contracts after, I landed a deal with the fast-rising No Limit Records. By then Master P's company had an established market with a cult-like following and I'd just recently quit what would become my last 9 to 5 gig, -a job at an apartment complex. Not even Percy himself had to tell me what type of songs to record. I'd been in the business long enough to know that if you gave the market what it demanded, you'll see the biggest profit. Unfortunately, we were feeding a market that demanded songs about sex, drugs, and violence. As I look back, I regret that I didn’t use my music to do more positive things for my community. The vast majority of executives of these record companies have never lived in the environments that their artists depict, and sometimes glorify, through song. Even so, I do not blame them or the artists for giving listeners what they want, because after all the music business is about making money. The artists’ content will change as the demands of the market change. Simply put: When the people stop buying garbage, artists will create what the people would rather buy. I was arrested at 22, and this July I'll be 39. Hip hop will always be my first love, but I am grown enough now to love her on my own terms… -- Mac