Saddened by the accursed
As I was compiling this lesson, I found an opportunity placed before me. I was able to buy four tickets (or more even) to the Jay-Z / Beyonce OTR II concert set for Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium. I mentioned this around one of my techs and a person in my residency. That “opportunity” caused quite the buzz. They knew I would not be going, but might be buying and selling. Excited smiles showed up on their faces as they hoped I might flip these their way. There was almost a hungering hope as we stood and walked around talking about this “opportunity.”
If you follow my blog, you will realize that I am way beyond the half-way point of a Danielle Steel novel. I have been pleasantly surprised that my preconceptions were off1. While some language is present the theme is wholesome. I thought, “Could my preconceptions of Jay-Z be off base too?” So, I went over to my Amazon Prime account and began listening to some of those beats. After 30 seconds of one of his songs, I had clarity: not wholesome. Nearly every other line was a four-letter word. My preconceptions were not ill-founded in that sound-bite.
I began perusing some of his lyrics starting with his song: Encore on the genius.com website (be warned the language is not G or PG rated). The themes he raps out over his driving rhythms include exquisite pride, wealth-worship, boastfulness, and a full menu of four-letter words. I learned that he calls himself Hov’ which derives from Jehovah, and speaks of “breaking bread” regarding himself. On and on these topics run. Nothing at all like the surprise I found in Steel’s Blue.
I went on to look a little at his influence in the music scene, and it is extreme. Another article on genius.com labeled him as the greatest of all time and listed many of his accomplishments. GOAT is how the teenagers term it these days. Odd how GOAT has implications in the book of Revelation though drawing that parallel is a bridge almost too far.
To frame his influence in market value let us look at the invoices I have gotten from the Atlanta Falcons who are the purveyors of these tickets. The inaugural concert at Mercedes Benz Stadium was Garth Brooks, and these cost me $139 each. I have not bought any more concert tickets but was offered Kenny Chesnee at around $280, and now Jay-Z/Beyonce at $344 (which I will not buy). Ed Sheeran has come as well, but I did not make a note of that price.
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