Comparison of people.... Why?

So today while trying to focus and finish up as many PCR for my project I was listening to different artist and musicians. I realized that the difference between why some blow up and other don’t marketing and publicist. I have known this for a long time but finally have a second to sit down and flush out some of my thoughts on this subject. I will only use a few, nothing major. Most of them are within the realm of hip-hop and R&B. 

Let take our first comparison, Kelly Rowland and Beyoncé. Both of them are original members of a very successful R&B/Pop group Destiny’s Child. Both of them have amazing voices that have different Range. When Destiny’s Child first broke up I was pretty sure both women would have amazing careers. I realized that through Kelly has a stronger voice. Beyoncé had an amazing marketing team. So you may ask what does this mean, well this means that Ms. Rowland would always play understudy to Beyoncé.  Kelly Rowland first album was panned by critics in America. While Beyoncé went on to win a Grammy for Dangerously in Love.  As they embarked in about 10 years later Beyoncé still holds reigns as the most successful member of Destiny’s child. Kelly Rowland has found success in Europe, doing dance music and she is one of the baddest R&B chicks in the game with a beautiful body.  She has a fitness DVD which will tear up your abs. In addition, she has done more features on other songs, but will never hit superstardom as her counterpart Beyoncé. One thing, I will give to her, some of her songs are definitely aimed at a more adult audience. Pretty much you can put some of her songs on when you are with your lover.

Second comparison is Drake and Kid Cudi both Rappers, that got their start as hook men (singing or rapping the hook on other track). Neither of their styles are the same, but they are pretty much emo (emotional).  At one point I, though Kid Cudi had an opportunity to define his career and be ultra-successful. Alas, Drake has the Cash Money/Young Money marketing machine, and was able to get more fans and producers on his team. Drake also has an upper hand due to Degrassi past.  The thing is when you listen to both men’s first album Kid Cudi had a much stronger lyric content and actually shared a part of himself with his Fans. Drake was very beat heavy and was great for working out. It took about three listens to hear that he was actually sharing parts of his past with the world.  Both men had great coming out albums, but then came the second album, Drake showed that he was here to stay and that he knew how to market to both the R&B crowd, Hip-Hop crowd, and the Pop market. Kid Cudi fell into the sophomore slump and only had one hit off his 2^nd album, “Erase me”.  In my humble opinion, Kid Cudi is the better rapper, but Drake has the better appeal to the music market.

The comparison doesn’t stop with just Musicians but also Comedians and Actors.  Kevin Hart and Katt Williams are both extremely funny men. They both have had respectable careers, with top rated comedy shows, appearances on different musicians’ albums. At one point both men will be inducted in the comedy hall of fame if they ever created one. Sometime in the last two years, one man’s careers have skyrocketed to infinite heights, while another one has feel victim to the Dave Chappelle Syndrome.  The only thing I can pin point was Kevin Hart’s publicist is amazing, navigating and probably advising their client how to appeal to his fan base and increase it. While Katt Williams’s publicist is collecting a check on a beach in St. Topaz as his client kamikaze the amazing career he built.

Early in 2000’s two R&B divas came out one with a soulful voice that could rock your soul, another one with amazing range and clear love songs. These Divas were Amerie and Alicia Keys. Both of these women have backgrounds in music.  Both artist had amazing hits off of their first albums and had woman car-oking to their songs. As above the sophomore slump came and Alicia Keys, soared to new heights, getting parts in movies, singing along some of the greatest artist from the 70’s-80’s.  Amerie fell off quickly with no more than a whimper. Yes she came back with a few other CD’s but never was able to hit the heights that were set by Alicia Keys.

I could go on the list for days but I won’t, the same goes TV shows, look at Emily Owens, M.D vs. The Mindy Project.  The Mindy Project had better marketing, along with better material. Amy Adams vs. Isla Fisher, hands down Amy Adams is winning the red head funny girl battle along with Oscar Nominations. The oldest comparison that was not mentioned was Jay-Z vs. Nas but well as you see Jay-z owns 1% of the Nets and is makes making money look like child’s play.  Furthermore, “Don’t Trust the B---- in Apt 23” vs. New Girl for odd main characters. Well New Girl still on and the aforementioned apt. 23 has been cancelled.  All I was trying to allude to is that marketing plays a big role in whom, what has a bigger legacy when etched out in the history books of pop culture.