There’s always an interest in the unfamiliar, combine that with a struggle and people will be coming in droves to try and understand someone that usually makes them uncomfortable. Last month, it was the extremely eccentric, but July has narrowed it down to street musicians and original CD peddlers.

Yesterday, the NY Times had an article about the rappers who sell their music on the streets. It’s always interesting to read a different side of things, since, for the most part, I’m one of the sunglasses and iPod clad people who pretend neither to hear nor see the guy yelling at me to buy his CD. These people deal with rejection and almost every minute of everyday before they can finally pick a customer out of the crowd.

Along the same lines, the MSG network has been advertising throughout subway stations about their new competition, NYC Sound Tracks, which is an American Idol type competition featuring the musicians from the subways and streets that premiered last night. I’m not sure how many people will follow the show since you can generally be serenaded at any given time on the subway with added bonus of a hip hop dance team, but the fact that there is a large enough interest in these people shows our obsession with the struggle and “making it.” On a side note, I’m pretty upset that the guy who sings back and forth as himself and God at my local station didn’t make the cut.

Youtube promo for MSG NYC: HERE