Rock Star Vs Pro Baller

“Revelations” serve as a mini essay / blog that may be converted to a Podcast Episode and or published to print.  Written by Magico777 * Copyright 2022

Welcome to Revelations on Rock Stars Vs Ballers

At the highest professional level – Are Ballers (NBA Players) more skilled than Rock Stars within their domains?  Michael Jordan does not think so and greatly respects the skills and commitment needed to be a professional Rock Musician or Rock Star.

Let’s review what Michael Jordan said about comparing a Rock Star to that of being a Pro Baller when he was talking to Oprah Winfrey –

In our sport (professional basketball) you get paid off of potential…

A Rock Star, you have to be good.”

Michael Jordan, NBA Basketball Legend

It is interesting that the ultimate NBA Basketball Legend, Michael Jordan, basically thinks that pro ballers are given a predetermined value without actually earning their value.  To be fair, Michael Jordan is focusing on when young men enter the NBA they are given an elaborate salary and royalty package that they haven’t yet earned based on their performance within the NBA. 

The fascinating aspect of Michael Jordan’s sentiment is more or less true, however there is a specific “plug and play” machine that works for athletes that is not available for musicians. 

The “machine” is an ecosystem of leagues and tiers starting with pee wee leagues that are designed to structure, focus and train athletes starting as young as 6 years old.   If parents constantly push their children to get involved with sports and their child or children develop exceptional skills or even grows solid athletic skills over time they have a chance to keep “plugging and playing” their way to becoming a professional athlete.  In America (for those who do not live in the USA) the system is structured so that when kids are in High School they strive to get into the Varsity level of playing Soccer or Basketball or Football. Junior Varsity exists for boys from age 14 and 15, however, exceptional athletes at a young age are able to join the Varsity level and based on their performance at the Varsity level they are eligible to be given full athletic scholarships to play their sport at a university. Basically, work hard within the athletic system, perform well, and get a ticket into the college arena. Rinse, wash and repeat at this level and proceed to becoming a pro athlete.

For basketball, the NBA can actually draft players from High School like they did with Kobi Bryant but as of late, all the professional teams such as the NBA, NFL and MLB draft out of college.

Now for those athletes that don’t make it into the professional arena after college, there is a minor league or a league that is used to filter the ordinary from the extraordinary and the extraordinary end up in the pro arena by virtue of hard work, determination and destiny.

That ecosystem of structure, tiers and an organized system to the path of becoming a professional Rock Star does not exist.

Furthermore, unlike House, Trance, EDM, Hip Hop and Rap Music, which predominantly are produced with software programs, Rock Music can’t rely on digitally engineered music because if they did – the rock star would basically be a –  KARAOKE STAR. Rock music means that actual instruments are expected to be played at a concert. Playing a recorded music track and having a lead singer basically sing over the music track is not acceptable, hence that is not Rock (music) it is Karaoke. Rap and Hip Hop gets away with this but with Rock Music the crowd expects the musicians to fly the plane – no ‘auto pilot’ or laid over pre recorded music allowed.

Ultimately, a Rock Star has to be beyond proficient at their craft in music – be it singing, or playing an instrument.  Skills are not developed in “Rock Star Camps” or “Rock Star Varsity Leagues” in high school.  The amount of discipline and hours upon hours of practice a musician has to endure just to get to a proficient level of playing or singing is hundreds upon hundreds of hours of self-disciplined practice.

Let’s listen to what John Frusciante, of the Red Hot Chili Peppers thinks about the importance of music education, theory and practice –

This is one core attribute that makes all musicians fall into Michael Jordan’s sentiment that to be “A Rock Star, you have to be good.” All dues have to be paid in full with a background in practicing to play an instrument and learning music theory. Even then, there is 0.00% probability that someone can actually rise to the ranks of being a Rock Star, which will take luck, a significant amount of playing live and garnering exposure. Connections can help but in reality success equates to having exceptional skills that is the root foundation that carries over if a musician crosses over from being an amateur/hobbyist to a bona fide professional rock star musician.

Respect to Pro Athletes –

Not to convolute the opinion of Michael Jordan – it takes a great amount of time, practice, conditioning and performance to make it to the NBA – nothing is given to players; and all who are drafted as a pro baller have; in fact; earned their way there – it is just that Rock Stars have earned their value by the time they arrived as a professional Rock Star while NBA Players are given an “advance” on their value is what Michael Jordan was communicating to Oprah Winfrey.

Let’s listen to one of the greatest Bass Players of all time – Flea, from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, on what it takes to be a good bass player which encompasses a musician and can escalate into striving to be a Professional Rock Star – Interestingly enough, Flea makes a Basketball analogy tying music and basketball.

For those not familiar with Flea’s work –

In closing – respect is always earned and never given and it is nice to witness the most legendary NBA Basketball Player of all time, Michael Jordan, respecting how challenging it is to be a Rock Star and how much present value is earned by those who are determined to make it in music and become a Rock Star.

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