The machine gun American singer and rapper Kelly has become very well-known in recent years. His remarks capture the conflict between becoming well-known for one's work and becoming well-known only for being well-known. During his career, he observed that a lot of people approached him just because they knew he was famous, not because they enjoyed his music.

Kelly, who considers himself primarily an artist, was deeply troubled by this observation. For him, making music, not gaining attention, is the core of what he does. His remarks draw attention to the difference between sincere admiration for one's work and flimsy admiration motivated solely by celebrity. It's similar to getting recognized by fans who only know you from your social media posts or posters, as opposed to those who have actually listened to your music and are aware of the depth of your body of work.

Kelly is well-known for his honest, heartfelt rap songs, which frequently discuss relationships and personal hardships. His wish to be recognized as an artist highlights how crucial it is for him to engage with viewers via his work rather than merely being another celebrity. Many artists can relate to this sentiment because they experience a similar pull between their love of creating art and the sometimes unbearable pressure to achieve fame.