FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE B.E.T. HIP HOP AWARDS

As I approach the entrance to the presidentially secured B.E.T. Hip Hop Awards held in Atlanta over the weekend riding through the crowd on a golf cart that reminded me of an episode of the Little Rascals from my childhood. We approached a large crowd of people gathered around trying desperately to gain entrance to the grounds of the Atlanta Civic Center. Security was super tight and if you weren't prepared and holding the right credentials you weren't going anywhere. Celebrities including Joe Torre the well known comedian and actor almost didn't get in at all.
I was at the presidential Inauguration and it wasn't as bad as this. Suddenly I heard a voice in the crowd burst out very loudly and deliberately................
"I AM THE GREATEST PROMOTER ALIVE AND I DO EXIST IN REAL LIFE."
He repeated this chant several more times at the top of his lungs as we passed and went on in down almost two blocks to the Red Carpet. I had to pull teeth to get into this event at the last minute, but I was able to pull it off.


I had arrived a little later than I intended because of all the red tape, but better late than never. I stood out there at the front of the entrance of the event and got lots of great shots of the famous and the not so famous exiting their limos and entering the venue.
I was feeling pretty good about myself for getting where I was without the proper credentials.
I shot til I was tired and the last of the celebs who straggled in at the last possible moment arrived. I began my walk to the exit to get back to the truck and the rest of the crew so we could move on to the next event. I got to the exit of the perimeter barricades set up by Atlanta's finest
and stopped to take pics of all the last minute seat fillers and some of Atlanta's finest dimes dressed to the nines as they strolled to the gate to get their chance to attend the awards.

Then .....I heard it again.....
"I AM THE GREATEST PROMOTER ALIVE AND I DO EXIST IN REAL LIFE !" The security and B.E.T. staff were making jokes while the people outside the gate were having a great time at his expense as well. I joined in with a joke and comment or two myself. He was poised in plain sight to anyone who could possibly see him and undoubtedly hear him.
"I AM THE GREATEST PROMOTER ALIVE AND I DO EXIST IN REAL LIFE !"
He was holding above his head a large white sign with big blue letters on it. They appeared to be artist that he may be or may have promoted at some time or another. As I recall two of the names looked familiar however I was too caught up in my own work to remember.
He may have even been telling the truth since i did witness a B.E.T. producer who couldn't even gain access without working very hard to do so.

Finally I'm about ready to get back to the truck where everyone is waiting for me to finish up so we can have dinner before the next event that night which was an after party where several celebrities were scheduled to appear. We had just enough time to eat and chill a little.
Just then.............
"I AM THE GREATEST PROMOTER ALIVE AND I DO EXIST IN REAL LIFE!" I paused and thought to myself.......... If you truly are the greatest promoter alive and you do exist in real life, ...then why are you standing out here two blocks away and not in there? I had finally had enough and needed to eat. I meet up with the crew they were all loaded up in the truck ready to go. We went to have the closest thing you can get to an authentic Chicago Style deep dish pizza at Nancey's on Peachtree. We got there and ordered our pizza and all of a sudden it hit me,
"I AM THE GREATEST PROMOTER ALIVE AND I DO EXIST IN REAL LIFE !"
That chant was stuck in my head like the hook to a bad song that you hate but you cant get rid of. Stuck ........like a piece of well chewed bubble gum on the bottom of your shoe that only gets worse the more you try to get it off. Suddenly I felt like the biggest fool on the planet. Here was a dude who was willing to do what no one else was and didnt give a damn what anyone said.
Here is a man that believed every word that came out of his mouth. This cat had drive and conviction and again he said,
"I AM THE GREATEST PROMOTER ALIVE AND I DO EXIST IN REAL LIFE !",
like he meant it. He did mean it , he was serious while everyone else joked. The more I think about it....... I believe it. Instead of clowning I should have gave him my card and told him to call me. I could use a motivated hype man like that in my business. Through my own stupid arrogance I did not take one single solitary picture of this man. My loss. Whoever he does promote I am willing to bet you, we will hear from him again. It takes seven interactions or Seven times to hear something before it really sticks with people. What he said stuck,
"I AM THE GREATEST PROMOTER ALIVE AND I DO EXIST IN REAL LIFE"!
I wont soon forget that statement or him.

"It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not".
"If you really put a small value upon yourself,
rest assured that the world will not raise your price".
and lastly............
Whether you think you can or think you can't - you are right. ~Henry Ford

Please readers, Believe in yourself even if no one else does.