So I’ve been a Hip Hop fan since I was a young little Desi boy who had nothing better todo but math and save up my allowance to afford cassette tapes! I still remember, asking my dad for some money, excited to go buy a new tape from the local music store (yeah, music stores were pretty awesome back then, and cassettes were cool) And when he would convince me to get my chores done first, I would, in fact, do everything I needed to do to go cop the latest Limp Bizkit or Eminem album. Of course, he wouldn’t necessarily know which music album I bought, and I would keep the Parental Advisory logo as far away from him as possible! Over the years, things have changed a lot but I still get excited before buying a new album, and I still buy more albums than I can handle sometimes. I literally go through albums like a coke-head goes through his stash after selling everything in his place to buy the stash. Yeah, sounds exaggerated, but music is a drug to me. But regardless of all this, I must have learned something from Hip Hop, right? …. Right? Right. These are some of the Principles of Success that I, personally, learned from Hip Hop. Have more to add to the list? Scroll down, and post a comment. That’s what those little blue boxes are there for!

 

Principle 1 – Go Big, Or Go Home
Big S#it Poppin – T.I.
This 2007 hit single still gets radio plays in the United States, and rightly so. T.I.’s perspective of thinking big never changed – from the days when he was an underground artist going through life, till today. He always puts on a huge show, and his awards shelf is over flowing. Even jail time couldn’t slow down this rapper!

 

Principle 2 – Sky is the Limit
Sky is the Limit – The Notorious B.I.G.
“Sky is the limit and you know that you keep on, Just keep on pressin on. Skyisthe limit and you know that you can have what you want, be what you want.”
Enough said.

 

Principle 3 – Keep pushin’ till you make it!
No Quitter, Go Getter – Lil Wayne
“If you don’t succeed now, Try it again. When you do accomplish it, try it again.” Lil Wayne, no matter what any one says, is one of the most successful rappers in the industry. This is a guy who showed his work ethic early on. Even when he was a teenager, he recorded ‘mixtapes’ and freestyle singles until his teeth fell off and he had to get gold teeth to replace them! Ok, that didn’t happen. But you get the point! Till date, he has more songs than any other rapper, and most of these were released before he was world famous. There’s something to admire about that hard work ethic that most people don’t have.

 

Principle 4 – Do what you love.
Lose Yourself – Eminem
“You better lose yourself in the music, the moment. You own it, you better never let it go. You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow.” This is a principle followed by every successful rapper, musician, doctor, engineer, writer, etc. It just makes life so much simpler when you can look forward to your day, and absolutely love the things you accomplish. If your life goals are not in line with your job, it might be a good time to plan out how you will get yourself to a position where you will love what you do.

 

Principle 5 – Look forward. Not backwards.
Kid Cudi – Pursuit of Happiness
“At the end of the day, you can’t regret it if you were trying.” Keep your eyes on the road to progress, there is no time to regret the past. Let the past be where it needs to be, in your rear view mirror.

 

Principle 6 – Have Patience, and Carry On!
Drake – Light Up
“Don’t get impatient when it takes too long, And drink it all even when it taste too strong.” When you are working on something, be patient with it. Remember, you won’t get results from it as soon as you started working on it. Everything needs time to develop, sometimes you just have to ride along and wait for it sprout.

 

Principle 7 – Believe in yourself
I can – Nas
“I know I can, be what I wanna be. If I work hard at it, I’ll be where I wanna be.” Strong words, legendary, unforgettable. In fact, these are the words that I need pasted on my wall! It’s an amazing reminder of what we can truly achieve if we put our heart into it.

 

Principle 8 – Have a clear Vision
One Mic – Nas
“All I need is one life, one try, one breath I’m one man. What I stand for speaks for itself, they don’t understand.” The truth is, when you have a real vision that defines you and your own goals, most people may not understand it. But that’s the inspiration to have your vision, and push for it. This clear vision is what gets us through the tough times, because without it, we sometimes lack direction.

 

Principle 9 – Take Criticism Lightly
Beamin – Lupe Fiasco
“So tell my enemies that they can’t injure me. I know that irritates, you have my sympathies.” When the going gets tough, its all the positive affirmations that are going to push you to the top. Any sort of negativity, or negative surroundings need to be weeded out. But, when you’re criticized, use it to your advantage and learn from it.

 

Principle 10 – Expect Greatness from yourself
Great Expectations – Jurassic 5
“My dream slash career appears ever so clear
Now I’m able to touch, smell, feel, speak, and hear
My fans cheer, my time is finally here
The past depart the present cause the future is near”
Perception is reality, and what you expect from yourself really plays an important role in forming your dreams into tangible objects. Expect Greatness. Nothing less.

 

So now you’re equipped. Be proactive. Got more to add? Comment below.