121407_JoellOrtiz

Off the newly launched semi-beta Joell Ortiz personal blog (props to Mike H)…..

Joell analyzes the curious way that people spread what they think is bad news. We’re all guilty of it from time to time. Sometimes its personal, most of the time its not. Its just….a less than great aspect of human nature. Schadenfreude. Anyways….here’s Joell’s take on being so-called “Dropped”….

“It really fascinates me how much feeling people put into a word.  I starting thinking a lot about the word “dropped” recently. A few months ago after my former label mate Bishop Lamont told an interviewer I was, ”dropped” from Aftermath.  Very shortly after his interview the news of my being “dropped” was all over the net, announced on the radio and even ended up on the evening news in Puerto Rico. People I hadn’t heard from in years called to express condolences after they heard I got, “dropped”.

A few people in my Mom’s building even taped notes on her door to express there grief over my getting “dropped”.  My mom has stood by me throughout my struggle to get a record deal and she is really protective of me so that word “dropped” affected her a lot.  She called me crying when she heard I got, “dropped”

I explained to her that I asked to be released and not “dropped” but she kept asking me, “Why are doing this to you”  I told her no one was doing anything to me but that word,”dropped” had a grip on her.  She is cool now but it was hard talking to her during that time. All cause of a word. I’ve attached two conversations about me where people are using the word ”dropped”. You can hear the emotions and the acting out that goes on around the word.

The first is where the rumor of me being dropped started.  It’s the Bishop Lamont interview.  During the interview Bishop is asked about me and my situation at Aftermath. Bishop sadly says, “don’t quote me but I think he got dropped.”

If you listen you can hear the mock concern about my being, “dropped” The whole, “I am sorry things didn’t work out” story gets going then Bishop goes on philosophizing on my lack of business savvy while dealing with the big Interscope machine. None of this banter is based in reality but it sounds good.  Now By no means am I trying to disrespect Bishop or the interviewer. I’m simply pointing out something we all do.  We all put feelings on words then create conversation to justify those feelings.

more of Joell’s blog after the jump


In the next conversation  about me and and my being “dropped” the emotions are completely different than the Bishop interview.  This conversation takes place Between miss Jones and dj envy from the morning show on hot 97.  In this conversation you  can clearly hear the contempt with which Miss Jones ridicules me over being, “dropped”   You can also hear some anger.  All the while Envy plays the role of impartial dj that’s just reporting what he heard.  It’s all very entertaining but again, none of it based in reality.

My next example of how we sometimes add emotions to situations and words is based on a conversation I had with my dude Joe Buddens after he was ”dropped” from Def Jam   When I spoke to Joe he was wild happy that he got dropped.  I actually saw joy and relief in his face as he spoke. Joe chose a different way than most of looking at the situation.  He looked at the word, “dropped as opportunity and freedom”  That doesn’t make him right, it’s just the way he chooses to look at things.

In the past a few of my friends have accused me of over analyzing things. What do yall think?  Am I crazy or do people put way to much meaning into words.  please leave comments.  Would love to hear from you.

By the way, The reality is pretty simple. I asked to get released because I was told that a few albums had to come out before they could even get close to putting mine out.  Dre was kind enough to let me go and we worked out a deal where I will still be part of Detox.  I owe them no money and they cut me a nice check for my services thus far on Detox.  I am a relevant free agent with offers on the table and have more money from shows, writing and my deal with K1X then any advance I would get from a major label.  Most importantly,  I have publishing on one of the most important hip hop projects in the history of the genre.

Gotta Love it!”

PS: here was the interview me and Joell did to address those “drop” rumors….which for some reason caused the rapper that Joell disagreed with to then say “Fuck Miss Info” on a freestyle. Smh. (Actually, I share mutual friends with the rapper, and all of them say he’s a really nice talented guy. So that’s a shame.)