Snap, crackle … POP!

When a famous band breaks up, fans have a field day choosing the odds of who will have the most successful solo career. Some go on and ascend to superstardom (one word: ‘Imagine’) while others end up on Dancing with the Stars. But is this rock star-blueprint unfair? I mean, why does that one girl from Destiny’s Child only sell one-sixteenth the amount of records as Beyonc’eacute;? They both came from the same pop group, spent years sharing a crappy tour bus and ate all their meals together. They probably even shared weaves! Now, poor Kelly Rowland is probably back home in ATL wearing some Jessica Simpson clip-ins while ‘Yonc’eacute; cruises around on a yacht in St. Barth’s and diddles around at Obama’s inauguration. Everyone knows Kelly’s one ad-lib in ‘Say My Name’ is just as good as ‘Single Ladies.’ Life just isn’t fair!

But for every flop star, there is a pop star; Michael Jackson is one of them. After the Jackson 5 disbanded, Jackson went on to record one of the most influential albums of the past 25 years. Is he crazy? Yes, but that is part of the genetic make up of a good pop star. He will probably never have another hit again, but he is still more of a success story than Kelly Rowland will ever be. Why? Because he’s crazy!

Kelly Rowland doesn’t run through Las Vegas antique stores with an umbrella and a facemask. Nor does she drape blankets over her kids’ heads and dangle them over a balcony. And, while it must be said that Beyonc’eacute; doesn’t do any of these things either, she does pull some pretty baller moves like get married and never acknowledging it ‘-‘- show that man you care, B! However, this is why Beyonc’eacute; and Michael Jackson are the band members the public embraced and cheered on to solo stardom.

Recently, both Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 and Aubrey O’Day of Danity Kane have announced solo efforts. As great as they were, or as great as Blink was, realistically they were a B-list band of the moment, they never had the longevity of U2 or Bon Jovi. As for Danity Kane, well, I think they can best be summed up by, ‘jingle ‘dem keys,’ and a reality TV show that featured a slew of other flops ‘-‘- remember Donnie? Didn’t think so.

Do either of these shady characters have what it takes to score a solo #1? Can Hoppus survive sans Barker? Can Aubrey even record a single track without taking off her clothes and heading to Sunset Boulevard? Or will her trashy ways be the real showstopper of her already dwindling career? I guess we’ll just have to wait and find out. Until next time’hellip;