(Fetty) Wap Wap Wap Waaaaaap

If you're confused as to what the title is referencing check out this link: (Wah wah wahhhhh)

Willie Maxwell is the new(ish) face on the scene of hip-hop, you probably know him as Fetty Wap.  His first hit song "Trap Queen" was released in 2014 and gained instant popularity overnight.  The evolution of social media has allowed for hits like "Trap Queen" to surface overnight, but more importantly social media has given us a window into the personal lives of celebrities like Fetty Wap.  Seemingly simultaneous with the release of Fetty's self-titled debut album was the news on Twitter that Fetty Wap had been hospitalized after a bike crash (see title video) near his hometown in New Jersey.  Luckily the singer was not seriously hurt and was stable soon after the incident.  And the accident did not stall or slow Fetty Wap's album sales with 129,000 unit total earned from the popularity of the albums' singles and the album as a whole.  Without social media forms like Twitter, fans of Fetty Wap would not know the play by play of how their favorite artist is doing during or after a serious incident.

That brings up an important feature of social media: how quickly relevant and current information can be communicated and broadcasted to millions.  Obviously the status of your favorite artist is not that important in the grand scheme of things, but this feature of social media allows it to be used in situations like natural disasters or mass terror acts to keep the public informed.  When hurricane Sandy came through people used Facebook, Twitter and other forms of social media to seek aid, check on the status of certain rescue areas, and communicate with loved ones about their current status.  Updates were constantly being sent out to keep the public informed about the progress of the hurricane.  Another example is the Boston Marathon bombings that occurred in 2013; the public used social media to identify potential culprits and find them as well (Boston Marathon Article).

Social media is connecting the world more and more each day, and now its beginning to save peoples lives and help people stay safe in dire situations.