Facebook turns 10, so does The College Dropout

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I love music and I love technology.  And it’s cool to experience both things that re with your passions and reflect on them.  Like most developers, I typically spend time leaning back in my chair, striking at the keyboard, while bumping some tunes. I listen to a wide array of music from classical, jazz, soft rock, to blues, and r&b.  But without a doubt, hip hop is my favorite.

While in undergrad, a hip hop album dropped that really paved a new lane for the hip hop community. Of course there were several underground, conscious, and critical thinking artist out there – but few saw mainstream success in all venues (north, south, west, club, radio, car, dorm room). Until, Kanye West came onto the scene with The College Dropout which, in my opinion changed the direction of Hip Hop.  His production skills, lyricism, and showmanship allowed this album to break all kinds of barriers in terms of mass appeal and acceptance of the ‘other rap’ when ‘crunk/dope boy’ music was topping the charts.

Similarily, around the same time as the internet was reaching more people in different ways a web site emerged that provided a cool way to socialize and network online.  Ironically, I remember the day I had a conversation with a classmate about the site and I spoke about how I was reluctant to sign up for another ‘fad’ site.  He insisted that this (thefacebook) was different, and eventually explained that the site was virtually an online yearbook.

The cool things about both projects are that both have had great impact on society in one shape or form, both projects became classics in their own perspective, both Architects of the projects have seen great success over their careers, and both have encountered much criticism but somehow have remained relative 10 years later when many of their counterparts have dwindled.

And I’m still hot that Ye used an actress (Ella Mae) to represent Mobile BADLY on the Workout Plan Track. You owe us for that! Ha!

“One wall twenty plaques, dues paid, gimme that”