Mark Wahlberg Doesn’t Regret His Failed Rap Career (But He … – TheThings

These days, Mark Wahlberg is known more for his work on the big screen, with films grossing over $100 million than he is for his rapping career. While the latter is what got Wahlberg noticed in the entertainment industry, the type of hip-hop artist that he was being molded into was not something that the Father Stu star wanted anything to do with. Walhberg needed to find a way to make money that was not necessarily music-related, and that career choice became acting.

While his career in the music industry did not pan out to be what Wahlberg had envisioned it to be, he does not regret getting out there and using music to express himself. But when comparisons to Eminem, who had a troubled background and was white like Wahlberg, began, the Uncharted actor did not take kindly to them.

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It was at this point that Wahlberg did everything he could to distance himself from Eminem, not wanting to be seen as a performer who does things for shock value. Instead, Wahlberg wanted his work in the entertainment industry to have a message and wanted that message to resonate with critics and fans alike.

Mark Wahlberg Wanted To Be An Influential Rapper

Before Wahlberg was signed as a rapper, he had run into some tough times that found him on the wrong side of the law. After spending several months in jail, Wahlberg recognized that he had to turn his life around. The way he saw to do this was to put out an album. Not an album that would make him a bad influence for fans though.

Wahlberg, instead, wanted to be a positive influence on his fans. But when the studio explained their vision of Wahlberg’s career, it was clear that what Wahlberg wanted was likely not going to happen.

“I think I could have been a lot more successful, had I been allowed to do what I wanted to do. I think the record company had one specific idea, and they wanted to go for that,” Wahlberg explained.

“I had just gotten out of jail and I wanted to make a record. I saw my brother making millions of dollars and I’m still struggling, so I kind of compromised a little bit.”

Wahlberg went on to say, “But, when they continued to push me further in the opposite direction, that’s when I decided not to make another record and to wait out my contract.”

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The “more commercial” look that the label wanted Wahlberg to have did not line up with the way the Joe Bell star saw his career progressing. That direction was having a harder exterior like Eminem and using that exterior to bring a shock value to Wahlberg’s albums.

Mark Wahlberg Had No Desire To Be A Rapper Like Eminem

When Eminem raps, while he is very structured when in the studio, he has no problem calling out his mother, the mother of his child, or anyone else he has beef with in the industry.

This has proven to be a successful formula for Eminem’s career and album sales, even without teasing albums before dropping new music. But regardless of how rich and famous taking a similar route would have made Wahlberg, it was not the career path he wanted to take. As such, Wahlberg turned his talents to acting instead.

“Could I have been Eminem? I certainly hope not,” Wahlberg explained to IGN when asked about being like Eminem. “I like Eminem, I think Eminem’s really talented, but I’m trying to go a completely different route.”

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Wahlberg went on to say, “No, no. I love my mother, man. Are you crazy? No, I can’t be a bad influence on anybody. But, I think there’s a lot more to what he does than that. There’s certainly a shock value that’s kind of gotten him to a certain place, but the guy’s got a lot of talent.”

“It’s just, you know, I came from the real thing and I was trying desperately to get away from that. I’m trying to work as hard as possible to be the best person I can be, to everybody,” Wahlberg stated.

“I mean, my faith and the love that I have in my heart is something that I want to share and spread. Doing s**t to get paid is not okay, because I truly believe it is extremely difficult for a rich man to get into heaven. You know what they say, it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to get through the gates of heaven.”

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As such, Wahlberg turned his back on the music industry before his career ever had an opportunity to take off. That proved to be very successful in the long run given that Wahlberg is one of the highest-paid actors of his generation.

Why Mark Wahlberg Quit The Music Industry

Given that Wahlberg had signed a multi-year contract with his record company, he was unable to find representation with another label until that contract ended. This became the catalyst of change in Wahlberg’s career and why he ultimately quit the music industry.

“I was going through hard times as far as how I was being perceived in the music world, because of my association with my brother’s group, and then I had had a troubled past, but like most rappers they go out and talk about it to kind of help their career,” Wahlberg explained to IGN.

“I didn’t think it was something that I should be promoting, so I didn’t say anything about it.”

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Wahlberg went on, saying, “Then, when it came out, it was like, ‘Oh, this kid is a monster …’ so, acting was the last thing I wanted to do. I was put in a position by my record company, and kind of pushed in a direction that I didn’t want to go, you know, obviously for their financial benefit. So, I said I was going to wait out my contract, which would have taken six years.”

Instead of waiting six years or making albums he was not proud of, Wahlberg switched careers to become an actor. But that does not mean that there is no possibility of Wahlberg coming out of retirement as a hip-hop artist, as Wahlberg admitted that “under the right circumstances” he might be willing to rap again.

“Give me two days to rehearse,” Wahlberg stated. “I can just get back into the swing of things. I need to just hear it and feel it.”

Will Marky Mark give fans a thrill and come back for a limited engagement? Only time will tell!