Top 5

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5. Kanye West's Yeezy Day Reportedly Responsible For 85 Percent Of Adidas’ Q2 Profits

You might wonder in the world we live in now, what do the most successful people have in common? Individuality, they have their own identity, a rhythm.

A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE

No matter where you come from or where you are going music, beats are universal, they speak to you whether it’s Nas or Jay-Z, J Cole or Kendrick, it could be a verse it could be a single beat that just awakens something within you where you want to push harder, where you see your path clearer that gets you closer to your purpose.

NAS

Raised in the projects of New York City, son of a postal service worker and jazz musician, Nas came from humble beginnings. Following his parent’s divorce, he was dropped from school in eighth grade. Struggling with the dangers of being subject to life on the streets never stopped Nas from learning about other cultures and ways of life, which reflected clearly in his music. He used his struggles to pour into his art.

Billboard has named Nas one of the top 10 rappers of all time. He has released consecutive platinum and multi-platinum records but apart from his impressive achievements in music, Nas has never forgotten his roots, he has played an active role in the Robin Hood Foundation fighting poverty in New York city as well as other charitable foundations, he used his clothing line, HSTRY’s proceeds towards the National Black Child Development Institute. He also co-founded mass appeal records to highlight new talent in the hip hop world.

“Don’t ever give up on yourself. Keep pushing because the change of guards is what life is all about. You’ve always got to stick with whatever you’re into because your day is going to come. Your day is destined. If you walk away from that, whether it be from fear or whether you’re just giving up. The greatest sin is fear and giving up” -Nas

JAY-Z

Born in the 80s within the midst of crack cocaine plaguing Brooklyn New York, as the elders of his family fell victim Jay-Z stepped up as the sole provider for his family. He consorted to the life of a hustler on the streets, hooking with a gang and selling the same drug that caused his family to break apart. There was a lack of control as the elders of the families dealt with addiction the children were left to fend for themselves. Deep in the street hustle he never gave up on his dream to become a rapper and once he made the decision to put his all into music and make a legitimate life for himself he never looked back.

One of TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world, Jay-Z has had multiple achievements over the course of the development of his career and entrepreneurial role. Jay-Z’s departure from the Def Jam label paved the way to a shift in power towards the artist, he is the founder of his own record label Roc Nation which has launched some of the biggest names ranging from Kanye West, Rihanna to J.Cole. He formed the Shawn Carter Foundation to improve opportunities for the youth at risk donating millions towards scholarships and professional opportunities.

He has played an active role in shedding light to the criminal justice system reform and police brutality, helping the families of those incarcerated, donating proceeds from his concerts towards the Black Lives Matter movement and actively bringing focus to policies and laws that have failed to provide protection to the community against the drug epidemic and predatory harm.

“Belief in oneself and knowing who you are, I mean, that’s the foundation for everything great” - Jay-Z

J.COLE

Born in an army base in Frankfurt Germany to his father, a U.S soldier and mother, a German postal worker. Once his father walked out on the family, they moved to a trailer in Fayetteville, North Carolina struggling to make ends meet. His mother re-married and fell victim to crack addiction following the abusive relationship with his step father. Through all the noise of life around him Cole found and kept his passion for music strong, teaching himself how to rap and produce while working multiple jobs till his dream became a reality.

Graduating Magna Cum Laude with a dual major degree in communications and business he made the most of his scholarship at St. John’s University while also being a president of the Pan African Student Coalition and coaching youth basketball in New York City. He founded Dreamville Records to promote new talent and the Dreamville Foundation to improve living conditions in North Carolina as well as providing school supplies to encourage the youth to continue their education whilst purchasing his childhood home with plans to use it as a safe place to live for struggling families. J.Cole has used his musical platform to shed light on issues plaguing the community like police brutality active racism through singles like “Snow on the bluff”.

“Anything’s possible, you gotta dream like you never seen obstacles”- J.Cole

KENDRICK LAMAR

Born in Compton California, Lamar was faced with a life surrounded by gangs, riots and police brutality. His parents survived on welfare and food stamps while his father allegedly worked at KFC who Lamar later realized was working off the streets. A loner as described by his mother Lamar had a stutter while articulating his words. His English teacher steered him into a world of poetry, rhymes and metaphors helping him express his feelings by leaving them on a paper which encouraged him to keep writing. Lamar penned his family’s struggles with addiction, life on the streets and running with the wrong crowd using it as a ladder to a better life.

Multiple Grammy Award winner, Lamar has also been named one of TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. Apart from his many musical achievements Kendrick Lamar is well known for his philanthropic work, donating towards the Compton Schooling system the very school district he came from, donating proceeds of his world tour to causes like Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity, as well as headlining the Global Citizen Festival that gave the community more access to education and aid the fight against poverty and gender inequality.

“Life will put many red lights in front of you, but sometimes we must push on the gas and trust god”- Kendrick Lamar

DON’T EVER LOSE SIGHT OF YOU

It is puzzling how all of us can zero in to that rhythm yet we lose ourselves within the noise of those around us, everyday life starts to set in and our vision gets blurry we get stuck in the now. We all have the capability to focus on that music on those words so why is it that we drown our inner voice, our intuition, our individuality?

Why is it that we value someone else’s opinions over our own? What if they are not blessed with the gift of rhythm? Would you still dance to their beat and box yourself with their understanding rather than your own? greatness cannot be boxed and the longer you spend there the further you are from your purpose.

You have the power to create. Nobody can write your story but you, every journey you have been on, every beat provides texture to your song that sets it apart from everyone else. Only you decide whether to stay stuck in the good or harmonize towards the great, the time is now.