eldee:

@Bamsyle

If rappers can't capture people's attention lyrically, it's not that they're not lyrical, it's the fact that people decided to pay attention to other things.
It's only reasonable that labels force rappers to do what people now pay attention to.

Nah . . . you're deliberately misconstruing what the OP stated up there . . .

He ain't talking about the listeners' refusal to pay attention to the lyrics . . . he's talking about the rapper's inability/incompetence at "capturing people's attention lyrically" . . . in essence, he's referring to rappers that are lyrically shallow/inept but would rather resort to using "razzmatazz" . . . what he stated is very obvious.

I've always said it, if Biggie and Pac returned today, they'll most likely be shifting crappy figures.

You started off on the wrong foot . . . so this leg of your argument is also totally flawed.

Letz assume (without conceding) that Biggie and Pac returned to the Rap game today . . . they're both known to be lyrically fit . . . their fans listen to them largely cos of this - not for the raunchy vids and blings . . . most folks don't even bother to see their vids . . . they're captivated by the lyrics, the flows . . . Pac and Big flaunted chicks and blings in their dayz, yet they got mad props for their technical abiltities, so how does "returning" affect anything?? How much has the game changed apart from rappers who now say the word "swagger" 20 times in a track??

Go and listen again to Pac and Biggie, Eldee . . . they ain't ya average Flo-Rida, Plies or Lil Boosie.

So it's your fault that rappers jumped on the autotune, it's your fault that gangster music is dead, it's your fault that acts like The Roots never get to MTV, if there was a demand for it, they'll be doing it.

Pffff . . . many folks would even argue that the death of Pac and Big led to all these things . . . that's by the way . . . peops choose to be what they want . . . and I ain't even for or against autotune, gangsta rap, and all that you mentioned up there . . . I'm all for skills and competence . . .

Peops wrongly think it's autotune, gangsta rap and all such other indices that determine how far you'll go in the game . . . WRONG - it's the skills you got that speak for you . . . with or without autotune.

Besides, Pac ain't sum saint . . . in his biggest songs he was either boasting about guns or just erm . . .boasting, how is that different from Jay-Z boasting about G4 pilots??

Yes . . .

Changes, Dear Mama, So Many Tears, Brenda's Got A Baby, Keep Ya Head Up, Baby Don't Cry, Lord Knows, Smile, Do 4 Luv, Letter To My Unborn . . . these were all about Pac's gunz and brags.

What a clever thing to say.

Hw kan u say rap is dead when d wutang is forever?

alisigwe:

Hw kan u say rap is dead when d wutang is forever?

lol. Wutang? Ghostface killah's album, one of the best this year didn't chart.

Dats exactly why they r forever,4uck d charts,it's all abt what u listen to and what interests u:lyrics,deep beats or kars and hoes,wackass beats dat takes u to d club and tells u to live ur life? it's a mind tin, say whatever u want i'll nvr leav rap alone.if rap is dead to u fine,am just starting!

@Bamsyle

I've got a train to catch . . . this is your chance.
Read my post and then edit yours.

@Eldee

I read it . . . there's nutin to edit

Jump on the train . . . and be a good bwoy

@Bamsyle

Aiite . . . just in case you can't read, I'm not trying to make sense out of what the poster said, I'm saying it's wrong.
There have always been lyricists, there will always be lyricists . . . the only thing that's changed is not the number of lyricists around but what the people are willing to buy/listen to.

And bout Biggie and Pac shifting crappy figures in 2010, yep they will . . . why??

'Letz assume (without conceding) that Biggie and Pac Nas returned to the Rap game today . . . they're both he's known to be lyrically fit . . . his fans listen to them him [/b]largely cos of this - not for the raunchy vids and blings . . . most folks don't even bother to see their [b]his vids . . . they're captivated by the lyrics, the flows . . . Pac and Big Nas flaunted chicks and blings in their dayz, yet they he got mad props for their his technical abiltities, so how does "returning" affect anything??'

Now look at that and answer your question.

Go and listen again to Pac and Biggie, Eldee . . . they ain't ya average Flo-Rida, Plies or Lil Boosie.

But they are Talib Kweli, Pill, Slaughterhouse, Elzhi, Nas and The Roots . . . now go listen to them and tell me they're not lyrically up there.

Pffff . . . many folks would even argue that the death of Pac and Big led to all these things . . . that's by the way . . . peops choose to be what they want . . . and I ain't even for or against autotune, gangsta rap, and all that you mentioned up there . . . I'm all for skills and competence . . .

Peops wrongly think it's autotune, gangsta rap and all such other indices that determine how far you'll go in the game . . . WRONG - it's the skills you got that speak for you . . . with or without autotune.

Erm . . . why're you giving me Tales By Moonlight?? Did I ask you what you thought bout the autotune??
Aiite . . . I'll break it down for you . . . the type of music you see on MTV isn't decided by the rappers themselves, it's decided by you and I and what we like has changed a lot over 20 years.
Anglais isn't difficult. . . but if you don't get this I'll be forced to use a football analogy.

Hehehe . . . I do know Pac's most popular song is California Love, Hit em up is also up there along with songs like Hail Mary, Against All Odds and the likes.

eldee:

@Bamsyle

Aiite . . . just in case you can't read, I'm not trying to make sense out of what the poster said, I'm saying it's wrong.
There have always been lyricists, there will always be lyricists . . . the only thing that's changed is not the number of lyricists around but what the people are willing to buy/listen to.

And I'm saying what you said makes no sense.

How can you decide to read a post out of context just to make your own silly point?? If you wanna make a point different from what the OP meant, create ya own thread.

And bout Biggie and Pac shifting crappy figures in 2010, yep they will . . . why??

'Letz assume (without conceding) that Biggie and Pac Nas returned to the Rap game today . . . they're both he's known to be lyrically fit . . . his fans listen to them him [/b]largely cos of this - not for the raunchy vids and blings . . . most folks don't even bother to see their [b]his vids . . . they're captivated by the lyrics, the flows . . . Pac and Big Nas flaunted chicks and blings in their dayz, yet they he got mad props for their his technical abiltities, so how does "returning" affect anything??'

Now look at that and answer your question.

But they are Talib Kweli, Pill, Slaughterhouse, Elzhi, Nas and The Roots . . . now go listen to them and tell me they're not lyrically up there.

Biggie and Pac were not underground catz . . . they were mainstream acts who still maintained their appeal to fans of underground/hardcore rap . . . apart from Nas (who still gets mad props) from your list, you can't compare the style of any other cat listed there with what Biggie/Pac did.

Erm . . . why're you giving me Tales By Moonlight?? Did I ask you what you thought bout the autotune??
Aiite . . . I'll break it down for you . . . the type of music you see on MTV isn't decided by the rappers themselves, it's decided by you and I and what we like has changed a lot over 20 years.

Again you fail to reason . . . rap execs turned the game to a money-spinning business . . . they determine what rappers rap about, what plays on MTV . . . and ultimately what folks are forced to listen to . . . you must have been under a rock for a decade not to see how Rap fans have been criti'cing the watery rap we get to hear these days . . . the Flo-Ridas, the Soulja Bois, the Kanyes 

And in case you're still stuck on your "you and I theory", you can edit "you and I" to read "me" . . . it's ya taste, not mine.

Anglais isn't difficult. . . but if you don't get this I'll be forced to use a football analogy.

Your argument was flawed from the onset . . . so keep your football stories in your skirt . . . it still won't make sense . . . 

Hehehe . . . I do know Pac's most popular song is California Love, Hit em up is also up there along with songs like Hail Mary, Against All Odds and the likes.

Hehehehe . . . songs like "Changes" and "Dear Mama" are conspicuously missing from your list . . . why am I not surprised??

You should have included "Joromi" and "Rumba Dance" . . . 

@Bamsyle

You said my point is 'silly' . . . but you just said the people that buy albums love lyrics.
I don't need to create a new thread to disagree with every OP, that's why it's a thread . . . I'm the moderator here, you're just the erm 'active poster'.

Hehehe . . . so 'mad props'=sales?? No wonder Nas is struggling to pay divorce settlements.

Slaughterhouse is signed to Shady Records, The Roots got signed by Jay-Z, they prolly had more acts with non rap acts than all of Jay-Z's albums before Black Album, Common is signed to Kanye . . . I guess they're not lyrical enough to be loved by the 'album buying' hiphop heads.

Again you fail to reason . . . rap execs turned the game to a money-spinning business . . . they determine what rappers rap about, what plays on MTV . . . and ultimately what folks are forced to listen to . . . you must have been under a rock for a decade not to see how Rap fans have been criti'cing the watery rap we get to hear these days . . . the Flo-Ridas, the Soulja Bois, the Kanyes

And in case you're still stuck on your "you and I theory", you can edit "you and I" to read "me" . . . it's ya taste, not mine.

How many times will I say this . . . no one forces you to listen to one type of music, the businessmen market the ones more people are willing to listen to.
Where the Bleep is Jay-Z when you need him . . . 'if skills sold . . . Talib Kweli' but skills don't sell hence the Nelly, gerrit??
My Lord, haven't you heard of demand and supply?? Isn't Economics a core subject in WAEC??

I've used English, I've used basic anglais, I've used Jigga, I might have to use football next.

Hehehe . . . I said his most popular songs are California Love and Hit Em Up, if you can't prove that wrong go use straw drink eba . . .jor oooh.

eldee:

@Bamsyle

You said my point is 'silly' . . . but you just said the people that buy albums love lyrics.

What I said is simple - 2pac n Biggie may flaunt hot chicks and blings in their videos but they’re still dope and that’s why they sell . . . not cos they flaunt ‘em chicks n blings.

I doubt that you saw the words “flows” and technical abilities” used in that same paragraph . . . you’ve gotta be the human version of Tintin’s “Thomson and Thompson” rolled into one person . . . 

I don't need to create a new thread to disagree with every OP, that's why it's a thread . . . I'm the moderator here, you're just the erm 'active poster'.

Congrats Mr Moderator . . .

I hope you slaughtered 10 cows when you were crowned . . . 

Hehehe . . . so 'mad props'=sales?? No wonder Nas is struggling to pay divorce settlements.

If Biggie n Pac were alive, they may not be the best rappers alive but they’ll still be getting mad props and moving impressive units . . . I said it, sue me

You brought up Nas . . . I didn’t.

If you must know, Nas doesn’t come close to Pac n Big by my rating . . . and if our argument is limited to Pac n Big only, I’m telling you that your theory on crappy sales is flawed . . . there’s a reason some of the albums by these 2 catz are some of the highest-selling ever in the history of Rap . . . and don’t gimme the “cos they’re dead” theory else Big L, Big Pun, etc would be in that category.

And hey, I guess I need to explain that when I said Nas ain’t close to these catz, I didn’t mean “lyrically” only, I’m talking about all the indices that make a dope rapper . . . I trust you to miss that one again . . . 

Slaughterhouse is signed to Shady Records, The Roots got signed by Jay-Z, they prolly had more acts with non rap acts than all of Jay-Z's albums before Black Album, Common is signed to Kanye . . . I guess they're not lyrical enough to be loved by the 'album buying' hiphop heads.

Lyrical, lyrical, lyrical . . .

You don’t need to rap your knuckles on your head to know what my taste in Rap is . . . all those rappers you mentioned up there ain’t even in my Top 15 . . . meanwhile, some not-so-lyrical rappers like Redman are in my Top 10 . . . there’s a reason for that.

Na una dey chop lyrics for Nairaland . . . . my best nairaland quote this year is from Krayola - “dem nor dey sell punchlines for market”

No need for me to argue too much over this . . . google the “Lyrics versus Rhythm” thread and see what ma stand is on issues like this.

How many times will I say this . . . no one forces you to listen to one type of music, the businessmen market the ones more people are willing to listen to.
Where the bleep is Jay-Z when you need him . . . 'if skills sold . . . Talib Kweli' but skills don't sell hence the Nelly, gerrit??

Jay-Z is a skilled rapper . . . much more skilled than Talib, Common and most of these underground catz . . . I dunno what your definition of “skilled” is but if you think it’s all about lyrics, you’re terribly mistaken . . . and it amuses me that you take some of these rappers’ words as “words on marble” or interpret them literally . . . when Jay-Z says Talib is “skilled”, you think he’s saying Talib is more skilled than he is??

My Lord, haven't you heard of demand and supply?? Isn't Economics a core subject in WAEC??

And I guess you skipped classes when your Economics teacher taught you about the several other factors that affect demand?? Have you ever heard about “elasticity of demand and supply”?? Chief Moderator Eldee, the relationship between demand and supply ain’t always a strict one.

You think these execs don’t know how to market stuff to the extent that sales become definite?? You think “you and I” asked for the likes of Soulja Boi and Nelly?? Think again.

I've used English, I've used basic anglais, I've used Jigga, I might have to use football next.

You’ve used lopsided arguments, theories and conclusions . . . save your ‘brilliant’ ideas for your next exam

Hehehe . . . I said his most popular songs are California Love and Hit Em Up, if you can't prove that wrong go use straw drink eba . . .jor oooh.

Nah . . . “California Love” and “Hit Em Up” ain’t as popular as “Changes” or “Dear Mama” . . . shows how much you know bout his songs . . .

And . . . erm . . . I go wait first make you take diesel drink garri . . . u don dey madt abi??

I hope you slaughtered 10 cows when you were crowned . . .

I don't eat beef, I'm vegetarian
And it's kinda fun to tell you 'shut up, I'm the moderator here' any time you try to tell me the rules.

Can't be arsed to read the rest of your Tintin and Thong thin B.S . . . no offeinse

But I'll just quote you . . . 'The question is - did Pac capture people's attention lyrically?? Yep . . .'
Did Nas and Jay-Z capture the minds of people in the 90s through lyrics?? Yep. Is Nas less lyrical than he used to be?? I don't think so, he definitely knows more bout the world and sociopolitical stuff and his descriptive abilities are better with time . . . why do fewer people listen to him these days?? Erm, because he gained weight and people like slim rappers.

Why do rappers tend to employ the methods highlighted by the poster to sell records now?? Erm let's go back to Jay-Z'Truthfully I wanna rhyme like Common Sense, but I did five mil and I ain't being rhyming like Common since' why?? Because as Nas said 'Put a famous beiatch on the hook there you go with a platinum CD' . . .

Is Talib Kweli better skilled lyrically than Jay-Z?? Erm, I think I'll go with Jay-Z's opinion and not yours, last time I checked you thought Ice Prince was more lyrical than Vector.

Changes I can understand but 'Dear Mama'?? Come on, I understand the fact that you don't want to suck eba through a straw but did you have to go this low??

hax:

awww. . . you like Pill. . . that's so cute.

see? one rapper we both like.

You're such a self-servicer.

eldee:


I don't eat beef, I'm vegetarian
And it's kinda fun to tell you 'shut up, I'm the moderator here' any time you try to tell me the rules.

Yeah . . . I've always known that . . . Eldee the p[/i]uss[i]y 

Tell you the rules?? So everytime someone says ""go create ya own thread", (s)he's gotta be referring to the rules??

You're an arsehole 

Can't be arsed to read the rest of your Tintin and Thong thin B.S . . . no offeinse

More like "I really can't counter any of those arguments" . . . nor be today me n you dey argue and I'm used to this defeatist part of your scripts 

But I'll just quote you . . . 'The question is - did Pac capture people's attention lyrically?? Yep . . .'
Did Nas and Jay-Z capture the minds of people in the 90s through lyrics?? Yep. Is Nas less lyrical than he used to be?? I don't think so, he definitely knows more bout the world and sociopolitical stuff and his descriptive abilities are better with time . . . why do fewer people listen to him these days?? Erm, because he gained weight and people like slim rappers.

You're stuck with your BS . . . I stated in black n white that rappers need more than just lyrics to be labelled "dope" . . . but as usual, it elopes you . . . even a Tumfulu would understand that 

And when you say fewer peops listen to Nas, you need to task your thinking capabilities . . . you think artistes maintain their sales/fan base for their whole lifetime?? I guess MJ continued to sell like he did in the days of "Thriller" till he died?? The factors responsible here are even more than the artistes themselves . . . peops' quest for newness being one . . . and I need not go into the rest.
 

Why do rappers tend to employ the methods highlighted by the poster to sell records now?? Erm let's go back to Jay-Z'Truthfully I wanna rhyme like Common Sense, but I did five mil and I ain't being rhyming like Common since' why?? Because as Nas said 'Put a famous beiatch on the hook there you go with a platinum CD' . . .

"Put a famous biatch on the hook" is different from "Put a raunchy dancer in the video" . . .

One of the reasons rappers like Jay-Z continues to move nice units is cos he tries to cut across all audiences, not cos he puts n[/i]ud[i]e dancers in his vids.

Is Talib Kweli better skilled lyrically than Jay-Z?? Erm, I think I'll go with Jay-Z's opinion and not yours, last time I checked you thought Ice Prince was more lyrical than Vector.

And for the umpteenth time, Jay-Z was only tryna explain what I've been saying here all day . . . you don't sell just cos you churn out mad lyrics.

You might climax all you want on Jay-Z's statement, but I fail to see how it helps your argument . . .

Or are you saying we can paraphrase his statement to mean "lyrics don't sell, so I relied on blings and n[/i]ud[i]e chicks"??

Changes I can understand but 'Dear Mama'?? Come on, I understand the fact that you don't want to suck eba through a straw but did you have to go this low??

"Dear Mama" was the first time a rapper was eulogizing his mom so much on a rap song . . . it showed 2pac in a new light and put him on the map.

Suck eba with straw?? You must be dancing to some strange music coming outta that popular Aromental Hospital at Yaba 

Long live hip-hop music from the 1980s to the mid-1990s. To hell with today's garbage "hip-hop". It's more like crappy pop music.

wat is dis guy saying, dere r real rappers in naija jor, mode nine, m.i, have u heard of show dem camp. check out www.hoodcraft..com for the truth in naija hiphop

people say rap is dead but i dont believe it, in 9ja we are repping rap hard if you doubt me listen to the song on the link below



listen to the song that will change the hiphop industry in 2011, it is by Raptor a rap juggernaut respected by all in the industry and it features the Blaise, Pherowshuz and lyricist and presenter K Show.
would love this song posted on your , site. please send me a message on how to do it after you listen to it or download on the links below. pls make a brothers day.

http://www.360nobs.com/2010/12/360fresh-like-a-bird-of-prey-raptor-wants-to-seize-1-of-the-top-hip-hop-spot/comment-page-1/#comment-6029
http://www.4shared.com/audio/62kFcoCA/CLOUDS_REMIX__RAPTOR_FT_PHEROW.htmlSee More

listen to the song that will change the hiphop industry in 2011, it is by Raptor a rap juggernaut respected by all in the industry and it features the Blaise, Pherowshuz and lyricist and presenter K Show

http://www.360nobs.com/2010/12/360fresh-like-a-bird-of-prey-raptor-wants-to-seize-1-of-the-top-hip-hop-spot/comment-page-1/#comment-6029
http://www.4shared.com/audio/62kFcoCA/CLOUDS_REMIX__RAPTOR_FT_PHEROW.htmlSee More

raptor123:

it is by Raptor a rap juggernaut respected by all in the industry

rap juggernaut ? in which country?

Everybody's got viable points. For me, i see it this way: label bosses dictate that rappers churn out dumbed-down songs for a new generation of low-intellect listeners who dont even listen. Nas puts out a lot of useful knowledge in his songs, same thing with Talib, Mos def but ppl're mostly too dumb to appreciate them.

Blah blah blah, rap is as alive now as it was 30 years ago, rap is music, music is art, and art just acts as a medium for the artiste to portray his perception of the environment. Rap has always been about fun, look to the oldest of rappers; the beastie boys, flavor flav, slick rick, they rapped about having fun, partying,and they didn't feel they had to to send a 'socially conscious' message(who on earth is a socially conscious rapper by the way?). Even the ill rappers of the 20th century; BIG, 2Pac, Big L, rapped about cars and blingz, and guns and shooting cops, cos that was what they saw around them (was 10 crack commandments about helping the poor? who doesn't think it's a classic?), gangster rap didn't start today, it's been there since the days of N.W.A, 2pac had love songs, so why can't Drake? The way I see it, rap's message hasn't changed, it's the way it's being passed across that's different, there's still lotsa ill rappers, and we still have a lot of wack ones, you choose who you want to listen to.


#np: Show me a good time- Drake . Orin toh bad!!!

Back in the day you could be hardcore and still sell but these days you just have to dumb down your music to survive. Methinks pop culture has switched their attention from rap to other genres of music and the main players nowadays have followed suit. But i think music as a whole has gone down south not just rap. Listening to mid-late 90's rap and early 2000's you dont need rocket science to tell you Rap is Dead

@Bamsyle
Let me attempt to rationalize the B.S you've put in your posts.
I said I disagree with the poster . . . you say 'go start a new thread'. . .I don't eat beef, I'm vegetarian . . . you say 'that means you're a pussy.

I made a statement supported by Jay-Z and Nas bout how lyrical skills don't count for mch commercially these days and you write some long B.S that I can't be bothered to read.
And then you go on to contradict your long B.S I can't be bothered to read by saying sumn like 'actually, Jay-Z sells because he reaches out to pop music(the biggest audience)' . . .

'It's the fact that people decided to pay attention to other things . . . e.t.c' . . . but in Bamsyle's dictionary, other things is nude chics and nothing else . . . despite the fact that I used the autotune as an example of deviation from the lyrical base of rap in the 90s.
So basically, you agree with what I said in my first post but you typed about 1000 words raising an objection?? Seriously you need to start getting laid.

Then I said, Nas stopped selling/being as famous as he used to before . . . your reply, 'he gets mad props' . . . and then oh he only stopped selling because he's been there for long.

And then the peak of the argument . . . I said, the CEOs of record labels tend to listen to the most commercial demographic and market artistes that are willing to please the buyers, you said CEOs just force us to listen to what they like and they've decided to force Soulja Boy on us

Hit em up is more popular than Dear Mama . . . you said 'That's a lie because Dear Mama was the first time a rapper was eulogizing his mom so much on a rap song . . . it showed 2pac in a new light' what the hell is my business with who first eulogized his mum?? Is Halftime more popular than Ether because it 'put Nas on the map'??

Oga, it was fun while it lasted, but I've got less time-wasting things to do . . . maybe I'll just go dance to that strange music, it's called Jor ooh, one of the biggest rap songs from Naij this year, infact Eldee, Ice Prince and Ruggedman must be Aro patients cus they killed the song. . .Happy New Year in Advance.

i dont agree rap is dead,it's just evolving, but dere a number of rappers doin injustice to d rap game. u guyz should visit www.hoodcraft..com for real news on naija hiphop and upcoming artists, plz follow d blog and leave comments.

@Eldee

The moral of the story is this - learn to shut up when you've got nuffin to say.

This is gonna be one of my shortest posts ever on nairaland , Why?? There's no part of your last comment that deserves any reply from me,

How can you disappear for some days only to come back and regurgitate all the bullcrap you'd been spewing before?? You need to stop mastur.bating (advice from Rhymestein).

Compliments of the Season to you too.

Aww . . . someone's telling us the moral of the story . . .lol

There are two possible reasons you disagreed with my first post on the thread, it's either you jumped in without thinking and finally saw the B.S you were saying or you're just an attention seeker, I'm leaning towards attention seeker.
It's good that you're learning to shut up when there's nothing to disagree with . . . baby steps bruv, baby steps.

check nairalandwarcraft email address

@Eldee

Hehehe . . . I laugh in ougadougou.

Attention seeker?? From who?? Your major prob is you like thinking you're fly/smart when you're actually daft.

You know we've had this argument in the "If It Ain't Shaking, It Ain't Selling" thread . . . and the more you argue about it, the dumber you sound.

From "I've got a train to catch" to "I just can't be bothered to read" and bla bla . . . how much bull.poo can you chat in a day??

And BTW, I listen to "Jor Oh" on my iPod everyday - and it's listed as one of my best naija hip hop tracks of 2010, curtesy of Rapjunkie's thread . . . but me saying you're dancing to some strange music means you're losing the nuts in your head.

Flashes of grand delusion.

It's not 'bull.poo' . . it just means I haven't got time for you, I'm not trying to hurt your feeling, it's the truth.
Erm . . . according to the summary on this thread I put up there, the joke is on you.

@Eldee

You don't need to have time for me . . . actually I wish you never do.

You just don't enter into an argument when you knew ab initio that you've got nuffin sensible to say.

Pity I'm using ma fone so I can't use 'em smilies . . . I'm having a laugh.

Hehehe . . . you know you like to stalk me, dunno why Rhymestein stopped though.
I didn't enter into an argument, I made it a good point, you made it a boring debate.

Hehehe una nor dey tire!!!

lmao@stalking . . . I'd rather be out there draining the Mississipi Sea than stalking a non-entity.

I know the real eLdee the don . . . why bovver maself with a dunce??

Hurt me?? You'll do better hewing down Mount Everest with a razor.

Rhymstein?? I can bet ma bottom dollar he suddenly realized he had been wasting his precious time.