Forget Opinions. Just create.

Photo: JEKY.

I just read about Joaquin Phoenix deciding to put down acting and pick up hip-hop. I couldn’t be more inspired! Why do so many people have to hate on him? So what if he plays a great Johnny Cash in Walk the Line, the brother wants to rap.

I find it unbelievable how people just cannot handle it when someone builds a reputation for doing X and then decides to do Y. Life is short. There are 50 billion things to do in this world, and the man wants to do more than one. Something that gets his creativity going more than acting. Cut him some slack. Seriously. And it matters little why he is making this decision.

How many white boys want to bust it straight up, but the stereotype is stacked against them? I hear all the time that hip-hop is an attitude, a movement, something that crosses all barriers to unify people with music. Joaquin’s a test, and so far, all I hear is negativity. Just like when Michael Jordan tried to play baseball. Just like when Garth Brooks went emo.

I had tinkered around with hip-hop when I played in a rock band back in school because I admire its passion, energy, and simplicity. Now, I just might pick up where I left off. Thanks Joaquin.