FIRST!! hah ;)

I love this video. Rings soo true. BTW - I think I've read the Artist's Way like 200 times. I'm going to keep this video handy. :)

Dag, this is relevant, forreal! Even this isn't a new topic -- and you've taken it and elevated it to a whole other format! I see you, bruh.

Great post, man. I'm psyched to see a new post here--you never disappoint.

I feel you on this and the last video. I let my Lil Haters get to me way too much, I've wasted a ton of precious time messin with them.

I think there are a lot of First people who really need to see this video. We live in a copy-paste blogosphere it seems.

Tru Dat! :D

That reminds me of the myriad typical, redundant, derivative gossip blogs that all show the same picture of Beyonce's ass-control panties on the same day... with.ZERO.ORIGINAL.CONTENT. :/

lame. Take a few minutes, hours or days and come up with something that demonstrates your *true* skills instead of your skills at copying and linking to JPGs. :D

Well said Jay! I've been thinking about deleting my subscription to blogs that want to be first to everything for those exact reasons - the dilution of content! It just gets boring...Mattafact, I'm going to do it right now.

Don't worry though, you're more than safe!

Peace.

Thank you for your insight because I FEEL u on all respects. You have to just flow with people who seem to have the same mind set as you, but then you have to listen to others just to see what other angles they can give you on the world.

I am not into a lot of the popular media only because that is not my main interest but I wish the popular media would take a look at the underdogs who are trying to do good for humankind too! Thanks for your thoughts and positivity.

Thank you for your insight because I FEEL u on all respects. You have to just flow with people who seem to have the same mind set as you, but then you have to listen to others just to see what other angles they can give you on the world.

I am not into a lot of the popular media only because that is not my main interest but I wish the popular media would take a look at the underdogs who are trying to do good for humankind too! Thanks for your thoughts and positivity.

Oh snap, got namechecked. I guess I really *am* a blog pioneer (or just old). This episode hit me at a good moment as I'm trying to switch my game up.

Never really thought about how many who are always "first" on a story rarely have any analysis (or the complete picture for that matter). I'm back on track with the hustle. Thanks, man!

Thanks for this Jay. You know for a long time I worried about losing steam as a blogger - for one I don't have as much time to post, well bc I work for a living. And two, bc these new crop of blogs were always getting to a story "first." But then it dawned on me, people keep visiting my site, no matter how infrequently I post bc of what I have to say and how I say it. So if it takes me a month or two to get to some news, it really doesn't matter, I bring my individual perspective, one that some people are still interested in hearing. After 6 years of blogging and seeing that the blogosphere is cluttered (a clusterfuk to be exact) this vlog post brings me hope.

Wow. I really like your fresh perspective. You really hit the nail on the head with this one.

I always called my 'Little Hater' 'doubt'.

Love your blogs. I check every day for new ones.

Brilliance once again Jay. Brilliance. Thanks again for making my work on the web feel relevant. =) I owe you big time.

That was great, Jay.
I feel the same way; the whole point of a blog or personal website or any artistic venture is to be able to interpret the world through your own perspective.
I've seen in hip hop blogging for example, people getting bitter that Nah Right beat them to posting a song, video or news item by a few hours.
I've even seen bloggers angry that Eskay (of NR) posted something they posted a few months ago.
But you can't let that thought possess you or you'll get nothing done.
Props for this, man.

That was great, Jay.
I feel the same way; the whole point of a blog or personal website or any artistic venture is to be able to interpret the world through your own perspective.
I've seen in hip hop blogging for example, people getting bitter that Nah Right beat them to posting a song, video or news item by a few hours.
I've even seen bloggers angry that Eskay (of NR) posted something they posted a few months ago.
But you can't let that thought possess you or you'll get nothing done.
Props for this.
P.S. What happened to our interview, man? I thought we had a deal ;)

Do you!

Real players are late to the game. :)

Yo, that was deep and ish... But no really, it made me think.

Nicely done. Will be hurling some of NY's finest high school students through here every time anyone starts doubting the creative genius that they are.

You are the man. and thanks for showing the War of Art book.
It sounds very Tao Te Ching:

Care about people's approval
and you will be their prisoner.

Do your work, then step back.
The only path to serenity.

Keep on keepin' on Jay.

That closing comment was the truth man. Felt that.

Best vid yet IMO & like the community says..
good work, keep it comin.

When Jay Smooth speaks I just listen. Hate to sound like a flag waver but I totally relate to what both of Jays last 2 blogs. Would love to hear Jays thoughts on the assasination of Benazir Bhutto...

jay, as always, an inspiration :) if i worried about being furst or purfect, i'd be back in rehab!

Always getting better and better. Thanks for this.

SMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE is back in this! Good to see 2 more classic knowledge droppin posts from ya!

Ok.... first off, thanks for the namecheck! It totally made my day :-).

Second, word to everything you said about being "first." Something I learned in j-school was that when someone scoops you, you can always improve upon the who-what-where-when by going in-depth about the "why." Did that make sense?

First! Wait.. only on Perez.

I try to remind myself that when it comes to making the pig vomit I do, that I'm not the first person in history to do a interpolation of You're a Customer, but I my version was still pretty good. Better than Mario Whining's verison.

Jsmooooth the 2k8 Marvin Gaye running this online video blogging ish!!! that's trademarked too. haha. Love the blog and look forward to this upcoming year and your unique perspective on all things...peace peace

ur lyke.. a psychologist or something right jsmoothe?

love this!
good to see your productive again.
oh, and: congrats for the first six months - and cheers to many more to come, haha!!!
peace from bln.

ps: still love your cat!

Jay, when your little hater wears the P hat- procrastination, the trick is to feed it!
Yes, feed your little hater. Ok, say you need to commentate, cause it's been three days. You say, "Little Hater, I'll trade you 10 minutes of surf time, for 20 minutes of pith (got that word from you, oh wise one." "Little Hater wants more tantra, ok 2 hrs of tantra- for 4 hrs of pith. It's all about the art of negotiation. I don't know, it worked for me for all six yrs. of undergrad. hehehe. As for being first, hey tweak it- make it yours and then say like little kids do, "Yeah, but did you do this to it,No, I didn't think so."

wow, very inspirational. I always prided myself in always trying to be first, but maybe your right its about doing it right. Look at the Iphone, perfect example of waiting and doing something right. This post might have changed my whole life perspective now.

Yo Jay,

loved this and the last video (and all the vids for that matter). for the record, as a filmmaker and writer, my little hater always takes the title or theme of my works and trades it in for a condescending pun.

Matt Raz

It is about quality. This is what lasts. This is what people remember. When someone makes something strong, this is what gets weaved into our minds.

This new year, Ryanne and I plan to take time to tell deeper stories. Not worry about popularity, but usefulness and strong connections. It's the art of the long view.

I agree with Mr. Dedman. Quality always trumps quantity in the long run.

When was the last time you named, or heard anyone name, say, "Titanic", as the best film ever? Or "Bodyguard" (yeah, the soundtrack) as the best album ever!?! They made a lot of money within a brief window, but that was the only influence they've had on anyone. The only people inspired by that meaningless trash are the get-rich-quick people, who, by definition, can never be considered artists.

Take, uh, Britney Spears. The same people that made money off promoting her pathetic music are now making money off destroying her image. There's nothing meaningful on either side of her journey, and, in time, it will all be forgotten. It will be forgotten because it doesn't have any meaning; it's meaningless.

You won't find past artists like Eric B. & Rakim, Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth, or BDP (to name only a few amongst the many) on any list that focuses on the quantity side of the biz. Search "most influential" and their names will magically appear. Current artists like the Roots, Common, or Mos (again, a few amongst the many, THANK GOD!!!) are a continuation of that. And they'll be remembered far longer than, say, 50 Cent.

I wanna thank Jay Smooth and Jay Dedman for inspiring this response. Later.

also happy birthday jay!

I've heard that before, and I'll need to hear it again. Thanks for being the one saying it this time!

I've always thought that we're all manifestations of infinity. Each of us possesses our own small, tiny, unique new twist of this shit which we call DNA and below it the atoms that constitute it that has existed since the beginning of time. And that's where all creativity comes from, being the latest person to very slowly expand what exists.

On a separate note, Re: the cat that thinks the Roots, Common and Mos Def will be remembered more than 50 Cent. Unfortunately, I don't think that's true. Who do people remember more, Run-DMC or the Furious 5? I would argue that Melle Mel in particular was far ahead of his time lyrically and superior to Run-DMC, with beats that were also groundbreaking. Don't get me wrong, Run-DMC is one of my favorite groups ever and really got me into hip-hop, but you can't deny that just because something is deeper and more meaningful lyrically that it will be remembered more. 50 Cent, an artist who I personally don't listen to, makes fun music that appeals to the masses. The Roots, Common and Mos, although all have had success, appeal more to the hardcore hip-hop audience. But what's great about hip-hop is that there's room for both, and room for both types of creativity. The one thing that I can't take away is that 50 Cent does his gangsta thing different from Mobb Deep, who did it different from Biggie, who did it different from Kool G Rap, etc.

I guess you took care of that little hater after all :)

I agree with this totally. Considering I've been struggling with writer's block for two years because of over thinking every word, line and page of every novel I try to write.

I've made a resolution to correct this and hopefully get a book done before the end of the year.

great post man, as usual. you never disappoint. I don't think you should worry this much about your work. I think most of us do enjoy your work but at the same time don't always expect you to say something different. it doesn't always have to be so no need to put pressure on yourself.

you should be a motivational speaker

hey i'm new to the site but i really like what i've seen so far. keep up the good work, and let true hip-hop ring throughout.

Man...
I really needed to hear this right about now!
Thank you!

my friend (a writer) calls her little hater 'oprah', because often when she tells someone she's writing a novel, people say, 'oooohh! maybe one day you'll be on oprah's recommended reading list!' it sunk into her head, and when she writes, she started to wonder if oprah would like it. now she has fights with oprah in her mind. you gotta fight the hater.
i think oprah would laugh if she heard this. nothing against my sister.

Thank you so much for this. I needed this like yesterday. It inspired me to write a new blog which is always cool but more importantly, it will help me refocus on what is really important as far as my creativity is concerned. Thanks again. And btw, I love your site. I just found it today (Yeah I know, I'm late as all hell) and I've been enjoying your insight into many different topics. Keep up the good work! :)

I know this is late, but what is the instrumental playing in the background of this video? Great sample!!!!!

awakened to the consciousness of the need--for the health of our own at my sudden disorder, that they came about me, and importuned me "Stupid superstition!" muttered Oswald; then controlling himself by an