What’s in a name?

Your name. It’s one of the ways people identify you. You name alone can be associated with a wild act you committed, determine if you are a punk-ass bitch, or if you are not to be f*&ked with. It is synonymous with your reputation.

Make one false move and your career can end. Pee-Wee Herman aka Paul Reubens is known for indecent exposure first and a beloved Saturday morning TV character second. His career hasn’t been the same since. Barry Bonds will forever be linked with the Balco scandal before his title of home run king. Michael Jackson = weirdo pervert.. Muhammad Ali = G.O.A.T. The list goes on and on.

Marlo, the character from the critically acclaimed show The Wire, knew the importance of his name. Unbeknownst to Marlo, the neighborhood stick up kid Omar had returned to West B’more calling out the drug kingpin to avenge the murder of his friend. While Marlo’s cohorts kept the news to themselves, as not to have Marlo rattled with such trivial things, Marlo erupted when he found out that someone had been “calling him out in the streets.” He understood that any blow to his reputation meant that he was falling off and that the next man could be lurking and strategize to take him down. Your name must be maintained at all times.

In the world of Hip Hop, your name is everything. Back in the day (pre-internet and mp3s), an established rapper can drop an album with minimal marketing and promotion and still generate sales. Produce a dope debut LP, establish your fan base and they will cop the next album with minimal radio airplay. Hip Hop fans are loyal as opposed to your average r&b fan who has to actually listen to an artist’s next album before purchasing it.

Maintain your rep, cuz you’re only as dope as your next hit. Also, make sure no one jacks your name, cuz there’s a sign at the door, “No Biting Allowed.”