Jobs are Scarce ! And Some aren't worth the hassle!

I am back from bloggation [meaning: 10 or more days without blogging]. I had many wonderful conversations with my mom about many issues and as promised I will share those discussions with you. They are.... to say the least... the real deal. But first, let's get back on this unemployment stuff.


Here's the good news [if you want to call it that] fewer jobs were lost in July, the unemployment rate is expected to rise to 9.7% from June's 9.5%. Most economists now expect the jobless rate to peak above 10% later this year or early next year. It is possible that the post-World War II record high of 10.8% could be breached, although few are predicting that. Already, the unemployment rate has risen from 4.4% to 9.5%; the 5.1-percentage-point increase is the largest in any recession since the 5.2-percentage-point increase in the 1948-49 recession.

At 9.7% everyone is feeling the pressure of the rise in unemployment. For example, when I was back in Pittsburgh at a local hang -out in the "Hood' on Frankstown Ave., many of the patrons, would jokingly state the only job that was available was that of becoming a rapper- "because they make mad loot". Well, my dear friends back in the "Hood" and for those young cats, who believe the statement, "rappers make mad loot".

I want to provide you with some facts before interviewing for this job.

#1...rappers are ALWAYS the last to get PAID. The label, the manager get 15%-20% of all the rappers income; the lawyers 5%-10%; accountants get 5% of all income; and UNCLE SAM always gets 30% or more....

#2.... the rapper then gets paid about 12% on average, then after paying back all the advance allowances, he/she is usually in the negative. The results in the artist having to produce on average 3 albums before he/she can see any real income.

Here's an example: (assumption: rappers makes 3 albums, and produces his/her own tracks)

Suggested retail list price (CD) $10.98 (7 tracks or less per unit) less 15% packaging deduction = $9.33. This means the that all mentioned in #1, and #2 above gets paid on 85% of records sold =$7.93.

Yeh, see the point, The rapper's 12%(point #2 above) is equal to 96 cents per record sold. And if the rapper didn't produce all the tracks he/she would have to pay 3% of 96 cents to his/her producers. What does this pan out in real money ? Well take a deep breath.... on a gold album (that means having sold 500,000 copies) a rapper makes about $19,333.

My point, this isn't a job worth the hassle!

The real deal, ....Our youth need to focus on participating in the economy of "real jobs" and the

BLUEPRINT for JUSTICE in seeking "good" jobs.