With anything that you're trying to sell, you have to create a brand. Something that briefly and clearly defines what you are selling and once the brand is created, it has to remain consistent. It can't change on a whim and if it does change or shift at all, it has to be over a period of time; a smooth transition from one stage to the next. But how do you brand humans? We are the most complex, and honestly, inconsistent creatures on the planet, with the ability to change our minds, emotions, stances, and opinions in the blink of an eye.

Now let's add another layer. Let's factor hip hop into the equation. This is the one genre of music, the one culture that is supposed to keep it realer than real. Yet, label execs, we as fans, and even artists themselves in boxes and we all tend to limit what it is that they can do and say.

Probably the best representation of this is Ice Cube. We all know that Cube ushered in gangsta rap and for the longest time was Amerikkka's most wanted. However, after making his way into more kid friendly movies, many started claiming that he could no longer do gangsta music or that it was no longer believable. Ice Cube's brand as a gangsta rapper was so strong, that the contrast in movies got a lot criticism. What I applaud Cube for is not limiting himself and really having the guts to risk his "brand" taking a hit because, at the end of the day, we are all humans and have multiple facets.

I have to admit, the very first time I heard Jay-Z on a track with Dead Prez when they did the "Hell Yeah (Remix)", I was a little thrown off. Even know, Jay-Z's "brand" doesn't quite align with Dead Prez's, when we strip away titles and preconceived notions, we realize that most artists' messages overlap. But, if Jay-Z were to come out with an album tomorrow that sounded a lot like a Dead Prez album, would we write it off and say that it wasn't believable? Would we not buy because it's not what we're accustomed to? Or we can flip the script. What if Dead Prez, for one time and one time only, made an album that sounded more like a Jay-Z album? We would probably all say that they sold out. Even if the underlying message was the same, but the way it was presented was different, we would flip out.

Brands can be very strong and powerful tools and may be a necessary evil for anybody that is successful. However, I wonder if we lose out on many emotions, feelings, and thoughts from our artists because they can't, don't want, or we won't afford them to step outside of "the norm" for them. Tupac was such a prominent figure because he wasn't afraid to give us all of that. He gave us "Temptations", "Dear Mama", "Death Around the Corner", and "Heavy In The Game" all on the same album. We saw everything from Pac, but we don't get that from many artists.

As much as hip hop fans, myself included, always talk about artists staying true and not doing certain records (specifically pop records), we have to allow them to do that because there are times when people will just want to have fun. There are times when "conscious" rappers might have to release some steam and get "gangsta". There are times tough guys will become weak and show emotion. Even as artists establish their brands, we have to understand that the brand the put out still only represents part of them. It may be a big part, maybe even a majority, but it is still not the whole. If we do that, maybe we will be more accepting of new music, ideas, concepts from people we wouldn't have expected it from. That should in-turn make for even better music and culture.

What are your thoughts on brands in hip hop? What do you think about Lupe Fiasco and his brand when he says "L-U-P the man cause a brand that the fans trust"? What about Snoop Dogg with his brand of constant weed smoking? KRS-One as the teacher or philosopher? Leave all thoughts and comments below. You can also send any e-mails to straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.

Peace.