Joaquin Phoenix - Hip Hop?

Hip Hop Career?

Jeremiah Robinson

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line, The Village, Reservation Road, We Own the Night) recently announced that his current movie (Two Lovers) would also be his last. He has chosen to leave behind his successful acting career in pursuit of Music. What kind of music you may ask? No its not the country that fans grew to love from Walk the Line (for which Phoenix learned to both play guitar and sing). Instead he has chosen Hip Hop? "I love the storytelling aspects of hip-hop, but I love the wordplay, as well," Phoenix said. "I just think the rhyming is fantastic, and I love, like, the raw emotion of it." Whatever the reason that has caused such a major turn around for Phoenixes life, he has attracted bouts of criticism from both the film industry and the public. This criticism was only fueled on by a video that appeared on youtube of Phoenix rapping in a Las Vegas Night Club. At the close of the song (which by all accounts is not comprehendible due to the videos poor quality) Phoenix goes to walk off stage, and literaly does just that, falling face first off stage into the crowd. (AP)

But even admis the criticism and skepticism Phoenix has kept true to his goal, even going as far

to turn his house into a home recording studio. When asked how he thought his fans and the

public were going to take his musical career he said, "No matter how good it is, people are going to ... make fun of me. It's just impossible. It's just not going to happen, but I can't worry about that."  Phoenix plans to have an album out within a year, and rumors are that it will be produced by the legendary P Diddy. (AP)

My thoughts? Its awesome! It's not very often that we have seen such a mainstream figure turn around and show the industry, the world, that he doesn't have to do what they want. Yeah he may be a very talented actor (Both Walk the Line, and Signs, are favorite movies of mine) but if his heart isn't in it then he shouldn't force himself to continue. Yeah he may be crazy, everyone knows he looks crazy (he now has one of the coolest beards I've ever seen), but he has shown people that if you have a dream that you believe in pursuing, pursue it. Not matter what those around say or think, because everyone will always try and shoot you down. And who knows, he could go on to be a complete failure, or maybe by small chance of fate he could go on to be on of the rising stars in the Hip Hop Industry. (although either way it doesn't really matter since the current state of Hip Hop is pitiful) So give the guy a chance.