A young man was once given a job as a lumberjack, and he was eager to begin work.
“The more you fell, the more you will be paid” the foreman told him.
The eager young man set to work with gusto. By the end of his first day of work, he had felled many trees. His boss was happy with his performance.
But on the second day, his productivity was cut by half.
By the time work stopped on the third day, he had felled only a few trees.
The young man was distraught, confused. For he had worked equally as hard on each day.
His boss was at a loss and disappointed by the poor performance. But a wise old lumberjack who had watched his performance suffer asked him a single simple question…
“When was the last time you sharpened your axe?”
The young man was embarrassed. He had spent too much time chasing the goals of his boss, felling as many trees as possible, that he had no time left in the day to sharpen his axe.
He was working hard, but a blunt axe serves nobody any good.
When Jet Set Radio burst onto the scene in the Slaughterhouse, they did so with the gusto of the young lumberjack.
Eager to do their master’s bidding and fell as many trees among the lambs of the Slaughterhouse as they could.
And they set to work, making a splash.
But Wiz, over time your productivity has fallen. Your axe just doesn’t seem to cut like it did when you first started swinging it.
Sure, you’ve imprisoned Pyre. You’ve played keepaway with the cure to Luke Storm’s ailment.
You’ve even earned yourself a Rewind Championship for your work. You’ve felled some trees.
But as sharp as your axe may have been to claim that belt from The Generation Kid, the trick is in keeping the blade in fine working order. When push comes to shove, that axe of yours seems to never come up sharp enough to break through that glass ceiling.
That next level.
One must keep the axe sharp to hold onto their accomplishments around here. I should know, for I’ve held my share… I’ve worn that belt of yours too.
I am the test, the mighty oak that stands between you and a proper legacy.
When you come to fell the Mighty Mountain, you had better come with an axe sharpened from the finest grindstone you can find, for this oak falls for no mere man.
If you want to reach that potential you see for yourself, that which Simon dreams for you, then you cannot falter at the final hurdle like you have each and every time you’ve faced Bad Mother Fuckers.
Your axe must swing true.
I stand before you, ready to feel your blade. Swing with pride, and a sharpened axe. Swing not with the blunt end of your scooter…
For this tree fights back and it will snap you like a twig.
When was the last time you sharpened your axe, Wiz?