Rap artist Jay-z has become an absolute icon in the world of music. From a young hustler in Marcy Projects to the president of Def-Jam records Jay-z is the definition of the American dream. The music world is buzzing about the September 11 release of The Blueprint 3. Jay-z’s following is almost religious; he has met platinum status on almost every album he has released since 1996. Jay-z is a house hold name not only in the world of hip-hop but has made a stake in the world of fashion and professional sports.
Like many of his albums before people intend to line up to be the first to grab another piece of the Jay-z legacy. This will be Jay’s firs studio album since signing a 150 million dollar contract with Live Nation. Many Jay-z fans are waiting to see if this trend setter can change the world of music once again. Jay’s release of the track D.O.A. or Death of Auto tune has shook up the word of music, the current music scene is littered with uncreative heavily auto tuned tracks. The D.O.A track is said to be a challenge to hip hop artist to be more creative and stop relying on auto tune to make hits.
As an artist I am a Jay-z fan because his talent as a lyricist, and his charisma as a performer. As a business student I am impressed with the way he has built and ran his empire. This pop icon is on the way to joining the ranks of Michael Jackson and Madonna. Coming from similar hard beginnings I can relate to the crack dealer turned mogul.

Three examples of contemporary icons are the I phone, Family Guy, and You Tube. These three icons have rocketed in to popularity and become house hold names. The i phone is Apples version of the smart phone. Sprig boarding off the success of the I pod, Apple created the must have phone of the decade. Family Guy a controversial cartoon once rejected by Fox is quickly reaching the popularity of the Simpsons. Finally YouTube met instant success by letting the world broadcast them selves for free.
I chose these thee icons because there growth in popularity was a phenomena. For example when the phone was released it instantly sold out. People lined up and camped outside of buildings to be the first to get there hands on the new phone. The i phone has developed a cult like following. In the case of YouTube there are many people who cannot go a day with out logging on. Some people can achieve over a million views in a week. YouTube has become a it own world with its own people.
I have chosen these three icons for what they mean to me personally. I chose the i phone because I am part of the i phone community. I use my I phone for almost everything and I continue to download new applications everyday. I chose family guy because I have seen every episode and will continue to watch the controversial cartoon. Finally I chose YouTube because it has given many artists such as me the opportunity to show there art to the world. I often use YouTube to showcase my own music.

It’s kind of strange to me how it has been over 2 months and Michael Jackson is still not burred yet. How do you hold a body for 2 months!? I understand everybody was doing autopsy because of the suspicion of murder but taking 2 months seen a little disrespectful to me. On top of that, they still have not found any solid evidence to confirm their suspicions. Of course they are questioning several doctors but they are still keeping the family in pain as well. They need closure and they will never get it as long as his body is still above ground. Not to sound harsh but regardless how he died, he’s not coming back even if they find out that it was murder or natural.

Then on top of this fact, theirs still the fight about who should get the kids. Their should be no fight about this, they should go to their grandmother. The way I see it, if their biological mother wanted them she would have had them in the first place and not Michael. I’m not saying she’s a bad mother but, it seems like she only in it for the money. The whole time Michael was alive you hardly ever seen them kids with their mother or heard anything about her. Now that Michael is dead she wants to step up and try to be this loving mother. Now we don’t know what their parenting arrangement was like but it seems like the kids hardly ever saw her. They should be placed with someone they know and someone who understands what they are going through. Not saying that their mother wouldn’t but she couldn’t understand as well as their grandmother or aunt would.

It also amazes me how for 2 weeks straight all you would see on T.V or read on a magine would be something about Michael. But he had not been on the TV or any magazine covers for years UNLESS it was about something negative. For about the last 3 years or more, anytime someone mention Michaels name it was in line with something to do with child molestation or some other crazy story like that. To me, I think it’s more disrespectful to talk and think so highly of him when just the other day you were calling him a child molester. Regardless of if he did or didn’t do it, Michael should have always been remembered by his music. All these feeling and all these stories people are bring out now they should have brought them out back then and never forgotten about them.

Last but not least, I believe that when any celebrity dies, they should all get the same kind of treatment. Farrah Fawcet died the same week as Michael but not many people knew it because Michaels face was on every magazine. Farrah was not as big a celebrity as Michael but she was big. But you would never know that. I do not believe their was one magazine that had just Farrah face on it at all. You never heard about her funeral or how her family felt about losing a member for their family. Farrah was an icon back in her time but she did not get that treatment because Michael passed as well. I believe they could have shared the spotlight.

I am a Michael Jackson fan just like everybody else. Not of my statements are meant to offend anyone nor am I trying to take shots at Michael or anything like that. I just believe in equal for all. Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcet, 2 great icons who just happened to pass in the same week. We love you both.