In the past year when discussing the triumphs of recently successful people, I found much emphasis on the concept of strength in numbers. Whether we're talking about having a team of supportive folks urging you forward to new heights, or a squad working with you to realize your goals, or having just one partner to hold you down as you conquer your world on your own, loyalty is always held in high esteem. Or... At least it once was.
Let's be real, how many of us can claim to be loyal? Oh, all of y'all, huh? What about when your loyalty is tested? Will you uphold or crumble?
Relationship loyalty is generally a no-brainer of sorts. Most think being faithful is the extent of loyalty. Yeah, that's real cute. Loyalty goes far beyond committing your fuck parts to one person. Loyalty is in the trials, the tribulations, the shouting matches and tears. Loyalty is in the tests and stress of a relationship. I saw it quoted that a woman's loyalty is tested when a man has nothing and a man's loyalty is tested when he has everything. It's easy to be loyal when you are getting everything you've ever wanted, or when the best thing in your life is already yours. But when the struggle is real, or when temptation is in abundance, your loyalty is not only tested but comes into question. Most people can not handle their loyalty being tested, so they give in, they falter, they slip. Often times there is no way to recover.
Team loyalty is often the strongest because it relies on the strength of many to be strong. It is based upon a group having the same desires and motives to reach individual and collective goals. Rappers are a perfect example of this. Every rapper has a crew behind him (with the exception of very few such as Nipsy Hustle). TDE, ASAP, MMG, YMCMB, OVO, XO, Taylor Gang, Coke Boys, G Unit, Rocafella, Dipset, DBlock, Wu Tang Klan etc.. Seeking strength in numbers is no mere coincidence in the music industry. An industry with a reputation for bringing out the most deplorable, back-stabbing, fugayzi behavior out of otherwise genuine, upstanding and real people. Seeing disloyal behavior in these groups is depressing. Why? Because we hold them in high esteem hoping they will be the examples we want them to be. They're constantly in view so we secretly hope they show us that loyalty is not a façade. Instead the end up being the example of how friendships, business partners and alliances get fucked up.
Friendship loyalty has become nothing more than an urban legend. A naive myth we believe in because we are taught to. Females have to worst time with this it seems. I don't know a single female who hasn't said "I don't like/fuck with/have girl friends". It's a sad thing but nonetheless a reality of the times. I'm not even sure how to expand on this. Truth is, and believe me I've reflected deeply on this, of all the friendships I've had and lost, I can't say I was responsible for the demise of any (I have a post dedicated to these friendships so stay tuned). But what I will say is that from an outside perspective on many other friendships, jealousy is usually the cause of a betrayal proving their disloyalty. With females it's usually a nigga who sets in motion a chain of events that sends the already fragile dynamic crumbling. In the end girls always say "I'm not even fighting over him," which may be true, but the rift started because of him so ether way, you take the L.
Yet still, there are those who feel loyalty is OWED to them. Never. Loyalty is like respect and money, it is worked for and earned. No one owes you loyalty without you first deserving it.
The Articulate Bitch
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