By Cynthia Gross
On March 1, Oklahoma City-based rapper and producer Josh Sallee released his latest single, “Hollywood Hoax,” and it’s a verified banger. The magnetic, hard-hitting track exposes the dark, over-glamorized side of Hollywood. All that glitters is not gold, and Sallee is setting the record straight.
Sallee notes the “dark feeling” at the core of the song “is attributed to all the souls that have come to Hollywood expecting to make it big or rich or whatever they dreamed of, only to be met with a city that can eat you alive if you let it.”
Case in point, Josh Sallee recalls how he packed his bags with only the essentials and hopped on a one-way flight to LAX, as a “20-something kid with a smile and big dreams.” When he arrived, however, he realized immediately that the allure of the city was misleading. “And everybody in LA on the same shit / Everybody acts like they’re famous / I ain’t got time to explain shit / I gotta get back home / Cause I heard that it’s contagious,” Sallee sings.
The track reveals how Hollywood can bring out the worst in people, turning “folks” into “fiends” and “talk” into “lies.” “Hollywood hoax / One month in L.A. / That’s Hollywood broke / Hollywood hoax / Everyone dreams / Room full of snakes / That’s Hollywood things,” Sallee sings in the chorus. His passionate, compelling delivery makes this song one that will stick with you.
“Los Angeles had parts of it that were amazing and that I love dearly, but Hollywood had this dark undertone,” explains Sallee. “Nearly every time I was there, I had encounters that made me not want to return.”
The accompanying music video for “Hollywood Hoax” produced by R3x Wonders, is brilliant. Sallee finds himself in the middle of a carnival in the company of caged animals, an empty carousel, and no shortage of theatrical tricks. At one point, he becomes a listless puppet on a string, a hollow pawn in a game in which he does not control the pieces.
“Hollywood Hoax” offers a timely message for audiences everywhere. A fast track to success is an illusion, and hype is often overrated. Instead of chasing an illusion and possibly losing yourself in the process, learn to reach for your goals from wherever the energy feels right. You might just find that you end up where you wanted to be in the first place.
Stay tuned for upcoming releases from this star in the making. Follow our Alchemical Multigenre Mixdown playlist for more great music featured on the site.
Cynthia Gross is a freelance writer and award-winning spiritual pop artist based in Maryland. With more than a decade of experience as an executive ghostwriter, she understands the power of each individual’s voice to create positive, meaningful change.
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