I started writing this blog post the evening that I heard about Gucci Mane’s recent arrest (a mere few hours after he had been taken into custody), and yet it has taken me days to publish. It seemed like a pretty straightforward entry – “Popular Rap Artist Arrested” – just that easy, right? And then it dawned on me why I was having so much trouble getting my thoughts together. Because it WAS just that easy. I wake up every morning and expect to hear news of the latest celebrity being hauled off for one thing or another. Like many others, I’ve become desensitized to the legal troubles that occasionally befall entertainers. It is difficult for me to call attention to a news blurb that seems to be the rule instead of the exception. And that was it, being carted off to jail seems like no big deal these days. But you know, I haven’t taken leave of my senses. Going to jail is a big deal. Gucci Mane is just the latest high profile rap artist that is currently in lock-up (or en route). T.I. was sent to federal prison this past spring on weapons charges. Last month, Lil Wayne pled guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon (what is with rappers and guns?), and he’ll likely serve jail time next year. And now Gucci Mane is in jail due to a parole violation. He has failed to make any headway in his community service, which seems like a pretty nice deal if you ask me. (I am in no way under the allusion that community service is a cakewalk, but my options were that or jail time, I’d be out on the side of the road in my orange jumpsuit next to Chris Brown.) I know that some might say “Oh, they are rappers. What do you expect?” Well, I expect more than this. I’m not interested in hearing about a revolving door that leads from the Billboard charts to the pokey. I’m sad and angry. Sad because all of these men are fathers and it seems as if they’ve become a cliché (“young, black male in jail”). I’m tired of hearing that, because honestly, I don’t know any black men that have been to jail. I see them in the office, attended school with them, exchange pleasantries at the market, but I digress. But more than that, I’m angry because these grown men have seemingly everything at their fingertips and yet they’re blowing it for no good reason. These men have worked hard to overcome many of life’s challenges on their journey to stardom, only to go skipping back to a life that they’ve worked hard to escape. But perhaps old habits really do die hard. Is this life imitating art or art imitating life? Either way, it is old. It is also interesting to note that T.I. most recent album, Paper Trail, was certified double platinum WHILE he has been in jail. Gucci Mane’s album The State vs. Radric Davis (hmmm…aptly named, don’t you think) will be released on December 8th…while he is in prison. And Lil Wayne’s debut rock album, Rebirth, will be released one week later, on December 15th, a few months before he’s expected to go to prison. There used to be a time that an album would tank if the artist wasn’t able to promote his work. I suppose those days are gone. But only if you’re at the top of your game.