hollywood billionaire

Chapter 354 The big plan with the big guys
“My brother and I both wanted to get ahead;
Come and ransack that house, do you want to come along?
Dirty money can be easily obtained through burglary.

From nine to five, take away all the wealth of these office workers..."

In October 2016, Kendrick Lamar had not yet released his most commercially successful album "DAMN.", which made him a huge hit in the mainstream market, topped the Billboard, and received numerous Grammy nominations. The phenomenal singles "Humble" and "DNA" will not be released until next spring. In other words, Kendrick is at the peak of his acting career and a bright future beckons. 10 Grammy Awards, 17 Emmy Award, 1 American Music Awards, 4 BET Hip-Hop Music Awards, 29 VMA Awards, 11 Billboard Music Awards, and two stadium tours that can be recorded in history. None of the accolades that would put him on the short list of hip-hop’s all-time greats have yet become a reality.

But no one can deny that in 2016, Kendrick Lamar has created a Hall of Fame statue for himself in the halls of modern pop music.

The tools he used to build the statue were his classics that are regarded as the standard by countless hip-hop fans, including his second studio album "Good Kid, MAAD City" and his third studio album "To Pimp a Butterfly".

The former has a Pitchfork score of 9.5, and the latter has a perfect score of 10 directly from Spin. The former was called the greatest concept album in history by Rolling Stone, and the latter was directly ranked 2020th when the magazine updated their "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list in 19.

The former is Bob Dylan's pinnacle of folk rock "Highway 61 Revisited", and the latter is Radiohead's experimental rock masterpiece "Kid A". Kendrick Lamar’s musical attainments and artistic achievements are evident.

Han Yi, who has never liked hip-hop music, also has a special appreciation for Kendrick Lamar. Because, from the arrangement style, to the theme of the album, to the content discussed in each song, Kendrick Lamar is closely related to contemporary mainstream hip-hop music that is inseparable from the three elements of money, guns, and sex - or to put it more Precise words to describe, mumble rap wrapped in a trap music shell - very different.

Take "Good Kid, MAAD City" as an example. Using tightly arranged bass lines, subtly blurred background vocals, and soft piano as the soup base, Kendrick Lamar cooked a pot of abandonment for music fans. The artificial flavors of materialism and hedonism have been removed, leaving only the rich soup of American melancholy and dungeon family aesthetics in the post-industrial era.

As the most important ingredient in the soup, Kendrick Lamar uses 12 to 17 songs to record his growing experience and gloomy reality in his hometown of Compton in a non-linear narrative. Like other rappers who were born in Compton, Kendrick Lamar's lyrics also include violence, sex, drugs and all kinds of shameful ways to get rich. But his attitude towards these phenomena is not to praise or promote, and of course, it is not to belittle one-sidedly or create stereotypes. He discusses in depth the economic rights denied to African Americans by the social system, retaliatory gang violence, oppressed lower-class women, the shaping of personality by family and faith, a city's struggle on the edge of death, and these issues , what seemingly subtle, but actually far-reaching impact it will have on the individuals involved.

Your lifestyle is something we can never imagine,

As for "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back," there's no doubting its greatness. But countless people call it the greatest hip-hop album in history, more because it was born in the budding era of hip-hop music and played a pioneering and leader role. Judging from the song itself, Public Enemy perfectly expresses a radical collective subconscious, an aggression imbued with the spirit of punk. It vividly displays the chaotic situation of American society at the end of the Cold War, as well as the anger and confusion of the black community in this situation.

Han put so much effort into the scene, naturally it was not just for this one-and-a-half-hour finale performance. The drunkard's intention is not to drink. Han Yi hopes to accomplish two things by treating Aftermath's artists with courtesy.

But unfortunately, at least in Han Yi's eyes, the four members of Public Enemy failed to position themselves as story narrators. The four of them are more members of the African-American community, venting their anger unreservedly from a first-person perspective, making this album with a very epic title less of a majestic macro vision. .

It’s not that this is bad. On the contrary, musically speaking, Kanye West’s album is actually better. “Power” and “All of the Lights” are masters that transcend time and style. As a player, Kendrick Lamar can only hold back. But in terms of the impact and promotion of albums as a form of literary and artistic expression on social development, Kanye's fifth studio album has a rather limited effect.

Drink your poison and say your painful prayers.

Through a series of catchy naturalistic sketches, Kendrick Lamar tells several real-life stories and depicts several vivid images of the American underclass in a way that perfectly balances pop and art. . As a eloquent writer, against the background of gang violence and police brutality, he vividly demonstrates the collective moral dilemma and spiritual pursuit of a community.

Of course, Kendrick Lamar has another plus point here with Han Yi, and that is his love for Chinese culture. He calls himself Kung Fu Kenny, plays Xingyi Quan at Coachella Music Festival, and almost never leaves his body in Tang suit and Chinese tunic suit.

"You look like a weak target,
I can tell you were a sweet baby born with a silver spoon in your mouth.

In the hip-hop music circle, perhaps only Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" and Public Enemy's "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" can reach the level of Kendrick Lamar's album the height of. But in Han Yi's view, even they can't really compare with "Good Kid, MAAD City". Because "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" is an album floating in the air. It is a multi-millionaire who broke away from the traditional African-American community and became famous before the album was made. He created the music world in his heart. A castle in the air that is completely divorced from reality.

This is the case with Kendrick Lamar's lyrics. In this song "Money Tree", there are burglaries and violence involving shootings and deaths, but the singer's position is not on the side of the perpetrator, nor on the side of the perpetrator. The victim's side. He is like Morgan Freeman in the documentary, revealing the relentless pursuit of wealth and fame in modern American society in a satirical way. The so-called cash cow is based on the brutal plundering of innocent residents by thugs. The seemingly effortless path to wealth is actually paved with the bones of victims of various crimes.

Even if you are a pastor, you cannot escape our violence. "

Being able to use literary and artistic works as a carrier to let the public see a world that has been deliberately forgotten in the corner is an amazing thing in itself. More importantly, these literary and artistic carriers can also transcend the heavy content they carry and become a good-sounding and brainwashing commercial work in the sense of pop music. Those who can do this, looking at the entire history of pop music, are few and far between. countable.

And Kendrick Lamar does this very well, his voice is inherently calm and playful. It sounds cold and distant, with the cold texture of a modern city. He was like a new century bard wandering on the highways and dilapidated streets, with his hands in the inner pockets of his jacket, walking through the hail of bullets without changing his expression, no matter whether it was banknotes or blood stuck to the soles of his feet. Never pause for half a step.

After all, in his last life, Kendrick Lamar made big news like changing his music copyright distribution company from Warner to Universal. This time, Han Yi went a step further and tried to find a way to get all the record deals and publishing deals. It was not just an empty wish that could only stay on paper.

"Whether you choose Halle Berry or choose Hallelujah,

This kind of narrator who sits in the front row of the current of the times is the most shocking and moving.

First, impress Dr. Dre and convince this industry legend to officially board the thief of Han Music... No, big ship. Let this new music group have a leader who is capable and named. In this way, Han Yi, who doesn't like to be in the limelight, can naturally hide behind the scenes and conduct remote control.

Second, while acquiring Dr. Dre and Eminem’s manager Carla Lewis, they also acquired Kendrick Lamar, making this future contender for the GOAT seat. Become a leading figure in the hip-hop section of Han Music.

Who wouldn’t like this kind of foreign friend who is not for business realization but purely for the sake of longing?
This is why Han Yi insists on inviting Kendrick Lamar to attend the Mad City Music Festival through Dr. Dre - the performance price is easy to negotiate, and you can choose any location you want. He was placed in the second finale on the first day of the opening, and he also communicated with Kung Fu Kenny's team for two months in order to present the most perfect stage effect.

Everyone will temporarily surrender to the pressure of the gunman,
But the one who could live forever fell at the gunpoint..."

And how did these thugs put on black hoods and take to the streets of Compton?
That's a lifestyle that we never knew,

Go at a reverend for the revenue.

American society has blocked the upward path for the people at the bottom.

So if you want to break out of Compton, you can only fight your way out.

"It's...simple, yet profound."

Han Yi raised his chin slightly, looked at Kendrick Lamar on the stage, and sighed. Mad City’s real-life stage is most consistent with his music. There is no need for dazzling lights and flashing fireworks. A lonely searchlight, from top to bottom, bathes Kendrick Lamar in a divine glow. , behind him, the Compton neighborhood scene loomed in the thick night, echoing Kendrick's lonely figure, creating an immersive dramatic tension.

"Sorry, I didn't hear you just now." Dr. Dre, who was standing next to Han Yi in tight fitness clothes and shaking his head rhythmically to the drums, looked at the former and asked, "What did you say?"

"I say, simple, but profound." Han Yi showed a smile expressing approval and recognition, "He is indeed a disciple of the doctor."

"That kid's music is all made by himself, I didn't help much." In this regard, Dr. Dre has never been greedy for credit. He has been away from the front line of music production for many years. When Kendrick Lamar signed with Aftermath, his main energy was also focused on the buyback case of Beats and HTC. He did not have the time to sit in the recording studio, such as helping NWA produce Arranging like that, concocting a new single for Kendrick.

However, although Dr. Dre did not help Kendrick much in terms of music, there is no doubt that this new generation from Compton was selected by Universal Music in 2012 and signed a major label contract. Lie Yang's support and protection are extremely critical factors.

"But these songs are similar to your works..." Han Yi smacked his lips, as if carefully savoring the charm of Kendrick's lyrics, "it feels very similar."

"Really?" Andre raised his eyebrows and asked with interest, "In which aspect."

"That delicate but rough sense of authenticity." Han Yi raised his right hand in the air, gathered his thumb, index finger and middle finger together and rubbed them back and forth, as if imitating the action of rubbing gravel, "Interesting dual perspective, Swinging shots between perpetrators and victims, an empathetic dissection of street life, and... a Compton feel.”

"Man, how much do you know about Compton?"

Andre opened his mouth and laughed dryly. In the past few months, taking advantage of the donation from the University of Southern California's Jovin and Young College, Dr. Dre has become closer and closer to this young man who is in the same industry. He introduced his younger brother Snoop Dogg to work in his music group. Another younger brother Eminem also recently moved his management contract to UTA, which is under his control. Although each has a busy schedule and doesn't have many opportunities to meet each other, business partners never measure their intimacy by the length of offline meetings.

At the end of 2016, Andre Yang had thrown at least one-third of his chips to Han Yi's poker table. Even without officially joining the ship, he and Jimmy Iovine have more or less given a platform to Han Yi's Han Music in the Hollywood music circle.

Although they are only standing at the corner of the rostrum, in a delicate state where they can escape at any time if things go wrong, it is already a very special thing for these two industry giants to show goodwill and exercise convenience. A rare thing.

Because Beats was acquired by Apple, the two people who achieved absolute freedom of wealth are not giant Buddhas that can be invited by just anyone.

It is precisely because of the continuous deepening of the cooperative relationship that the conversation between Han Yi and Dr. Dre is no longer as polite, unfamiliar and formulaic as when they first met. They already have a certain understanding of each other's temperaments and chatting styles, so they can make some friendly jokes that don't cross the line and make some harmless jokes.

Therefore, Dr. Dre’s rhetorical question was not malicious or offensive, it was just pure teasing. After all, as a foreigner from the Far East, the young Han Yi talked about the "Compton feeling" there. For Andre Young, who was born and raised here, there is both a sense of joy and a sense of separation.

"Haha, of course... I don't understand it at all." Han Yi also laughed out loud along with Andre. He could understand the other person's mood very well. If a foreigner said in front of him that Dou Wei's songs were the real old BJ in his heart, Han Yi would probably have a bigger reaction, "But it doesn't really matter whether I know it or not, right? In the eyes of outsiders, it doesn't matter." Compton may not exist in reality, but he is still alive in the art world. And Kendrick can borrow this illusory vitality and give it a real undertone, which shows his extraordinary talent. It also made a great contribution to the rectification of Compton’s name.”

"That's deep."

Han Yi's words ran through his mind, and Andre snorted and nodded slightly. Although there is a big age gap, nearly three decades apart, Andre enjoys chatting with Han Yi - the latter does not pretend to be profound, but only talks about things that are meaningful to him in a plain and gentle tone. The hidden fact that he had been touched.

Allowing him to look at problems from the perspective of another world and re-learn everything he has learned is what Andre Yang feels most comfortable with and the most rewarding aspect of getting along with Han Yi.

"You're right, Kenny's music doesn't belong to today." Dr. Dre took a deep breath, put his hands in his pockets, and said, "Ah, of course, he doesn't belong to our era either. I don't I deliberately praise him, but the niggas who came out of our era couldn't look at problems and analyze problems calmly like him."

"He is the kind of observer who floats in mid-air. Compton's past, present and future are all in his mouth."

"Compton's past, present and future." Han Yi praised Dr. Dre's exquisite comments. "I can't find a more appropriate adjective than this. His lyrics are simply works of art, Manet and …the kind of artwork that Sixty Minutes holds together. Impressionism with a strong realism touch.”

"Stop showing punchline, Yi, you sound more awesome than him." Andre pointed at Kendrick on the stage, "I know you like Kenny very much, and he also happens to like your culture. .I will introduce you to him after I get off the stage later."

"What are you introducing to him?" Han Yi looked at Andre with a smile, "There are many things that we can't talk about now."

"Can't..." Dr. Dre clicked his tongue and understood quickly. He shook his head and showed a helpless smile, "Don't think about it, Yi. Calvin is here, Marshall is here, if you dig again, I will be hollowed out."

"I have never poached your corner, Andre. I have poached Universal. You should know this very well." Han Yi shrugged, "And you know better than anyone else what my real goal is. .”

"Aren't I here?" Dr. Dre spread his hands, "Tomorrow I will have to drag this old bone to help your Mad City platform."

"You know that's not what I'm talking about."

"But it's the only thing I can do right now."

Dr. Dre turned around and faced Han Yi directly. Several clear and deep lines appeared on his raised forehead.

Of course he knew what Han Yi's real goal was.

Ever since the meeting at the Gouye Mansion that day, Han Yi had been testing Dr. Dre's intentions intentionally or unintentionally.

Up to now, Hanyi's music sector is still composed of five independently operated subsidiaries: Han Music, Han Distribution, Han Live, Renyu Management and United Artist Management Company. It has not yet been integrated and unified under one group, that is, Hanyi One of the many sincerities Yi showed to Andre.

This meal cannot be served until you are present.

One of the four major music groups in the world, the only black person at the helm.

For Andre, such a title is indeed extremely tempting.

But at the same time, he also knew how many difficulties and obstacles he had to encounter on this path.

To cut a quarter out of a cake, Dr. Dre must be prepared to make a complete break with the first half of his career.

NWA, Death Row, Aftermath, the influence and power he has accumulated in Universal Music for decades may all be wiped out in an instant.

Han Music, which operates as an independent label, can still gain some breathing space by taking advantage of the fact that it has not been established for a long time and is not large in scale. But once it operates as a group and enters the capital market, Universal, Sony and Warner will definitely try their best to strangle it in its infancy.

For no other reason than for the financial consortium behind them to continuously inject blood to them, the three major music groups must do their best to extinguish the flames of resistance of Han Music.

At that time, how will Dr. Dre, as the character on the stage, be treated?
This doubt, like the sword of Damocles, hangs over Dr. Dre's head all the time.

From midsummer to late autumn, Andre still failed to lay down this chess piece.

“I haven’t really worked in the music industry in a long time.”

"But few people have had more influence than you."

"These things you want me to do...I have never been exposed to them before."

"There will be a top team in the industry to assist you 24 hours a day."

"Why not go to Jimmy, he's a hundred times better suited than me."

"Jimmy has already walked this road, and he has walked it more than once. It's hard for me to believe that he will have the same passion for this new career of Han Music." Han Yi explained seriously, "In addition, he and Universal The binding is too deep and the level of the binding is too high. Even if he is willing to help me, I dare not let him help me."

"But you're also working together, I heard Jimmy say that."

"Yeah. Something different."

"what?"

Although he and Jimmy Iovine are close partners, after Beats was acquired by Apple, their careers are no longer closely linked at all times. Jimmy Iovine is the boss of Fang Qiu at Apple Music, and his role is more of an industry consultant.

I get a lot of money every year, but I don’t always get to participate deeply in Apple Music projects.

"Jimmy didn't tell you?"

"We haven't talked about that."

"understood."

After glancing at Andre, Han Yi had an inexplicable smile on his lips.

He imitated Dr. Dre's movements, put his hands into his trouser pockets, and then licked his lips, gesturing for the other party to look towards the main stage.

"This secret project we are planning with Apple Music is similar to Mad City."

"You replace Kendrick Lamar on stage with NWA, and then replace the artists who performed in front with Stevie Nicks, The Beach Boys, the Eagles, Queen, and... ABBA, that’s it.”

(End of this chapter)