A monopoly (from Greek monos μόνος (alone or single) + polein πωλεῖν (to sell)) exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity. (This contrasts with a monopsony which relates to a single entity's control of a market to purchase a good or service, and with oligopoly which consists of a few entities dominating an industry) Monopolies are thus characterized by a lack of economic competition to produce the good or service and a lack of viable substitute goods. The verb "monopolize" refers to the process by which a company gains the ability to raise prices or exclude competitors. In economics, a monopoly is a single seller. In law, a monopoly is business entity that has significant market power, that is, the power, to charge high prices. Although monopolies may be big businesses, size is not a characteristic of a monopoly. A small business may still have the power to raise prices in a small industry (or market).
A monopoly is distinguished from a monopsony, in which there is only one buyer of a product or service ; a monopoly may also have monopsony control of a sector of a market. Likewise, a monopoly should be distinguished from a cartel (a form of oligopoly), in which several providers act together to coordinate services, prices or sale of goods. Monopolies, monopsonies and oligopolies are all situations such that one or a few of the entities have market power and therefore interact with their customers (monopoly), suppliers (monopsony) and the other companies (oligopoly) in a game theoretic manner – meaning that expectations about their behavior affects other players' choice of strategy and vice versa. This is to be contrasted with the model of perfect competition in which companies are "price takers" and do not have market power.
Alec Monopoly is an American street artist, graffiti artist, and painter. He is known for his satirical spins using the Monopoly man, in reference to contemporary styles or situations.
When asked by Complex Magazine about his brush with the NYPD Vandal Squad, and jumping through a garbage chute in an effort to avoid them, the artist had this to say:
Although graffiti continues to be conveyed as a crime, in his feature in Juxtapoz Magazine, the artist discussed his best efforts to avoid the vandalism aspect of the street art world:
In a December 6 2010 interview with Complex Magazine, Alec was asked about famous fellow street artist and Banksy prodigy Mr. Brainwash, and his influence on him, as well as other's lack of respect for the artist. Alec had this to say:
Complex Magazine continued on to ask the artist about his iconic character: "The Monopoly Man is your iconic character. It's a similar idea with which The Made U Look Crew gained notoriety when they bombed [graffitied] eight cars of a New York R train in late 2006. How does your work tie with that?" To which the artist responded:
It's good to see you
Would you like to sit and talk about it
Or do you want to waste my time
And sit around and play your games
This time I can't be wrong
I've got to get away from you
Don't even ask me for a why?
Cause you know that's because of you
I don't know what I've done so wrong
I can't believe it's come to this
Throw down my arms again
This time I hope
And I don't care what you do with your life
Stay away from me and my time
Just go away, Just go away, Just go away
Just go away, Just go away, Just go away now
Go away, Just go away, Just go away and leave me alone
It seems to be that suddenly
You mistake me for somebody who cares
I'm not your friend
So think again
It seems to be that suddenly
You mistake me for somebody who cares
I'm not your friend
So think again
I'm glad I found you
But I wish that I could lose you just the same
I know you want to waste my time
I don't know what else to do
I would rather do anything
Than write this song for you
And perpetuate this thing
In my head, in my living room
With the usual arsenal
Of broken chords and rusty strings
To surrender all
And I don't like to be so weak
Retreating behind these lines
The same old tongue-in-cheek
Regretting that both are mine
And I don't like to live this way
This is really true
But I know better than to pray now
About what I just have to learn to do
But imagine the nerve of God
Letting me let you in
And I thought I could let you go in grace
I've gotta think again
Because right now I would be bought
and sold
To see your face somewhere
I would sell your sweet soul
Just to touch your crazy black gold hair
I don't care what's really real
I was someone that you'd heard of
I saw heaven in your eyes
And we made a deal
And that's what I know of love
Music, it never goes
But I told you I hate that shit
When people say well you know
You got a song out of it
But I don't know what else to do
I would rather be anywhere
Than here without you
We're given life to live in
And we're never gonna live it again
Gotta lead it like a dog on a leash, yeah,
But my dragon kinda's wearing thin
Rolling dice with God as our witness
Down avenues, utilities and towns
It's survival of the richest
Moving our sinful pieces 'round and 'round
It's you and me on the Monopoly board
You land on the block where I got three hotels
But it's not like you want me to win
It was your face that placed the blame on you
And your kiss that turned to brown
Your face that placed the blame on you
And your face that turned me down
But when the night is over and you need a friend
Shame on you, You're your own Monopoly
Death is always annoying,
But then nothing here is meant to last
We're spending too much time on life's preparations
Haven't we lived and died before in the past?
I know we have
Now it's you and me on the Monopoly board
You land on the block where I got three hotels
Now you cheated before 'cause you know you're gonna win
and you do it again
It was your face that placed the blame on you
And your kiss that turned to brown
Your face that placed the blame on you
And your face that turned me down,
But when the night is over and you need a friend
Shame on you, you're your own Monopoly
'Cause when the night is over and you need a friend
Shame on you, you're your own Monopoly
Yes, you know you are
Your own monopoly
Yes, you know you are
Oh Monopoly
you don't know what you don't know
never reason with the undertow
can I splash into your sea?
got me wishing
we are magic in the world
secret like evening wind so
silent as the meassages we speak
when you are dancing with me
like a refrigerator snow
hold me tight until it's time to go
playing monopoly with me
roll the dice cause
to to too toot toot
feed the fire inside with what you want to know
to to too toot toot
no more heroes
Ohh you want to talk around them, talk about me, talk about what this that and everything
Every way I been f***in you but you don't have a clue
How while you sit there pointin' fingers at, imagine that, I'm the real vision of the person
that you want to be
It's never been you it's always been me
Isn't it funny? When every money's
What you're trippin' over, leaving a paper trail
When matter of fact I don't regret the things that I have done
And if I do I'll never dwell upon a fallin' sun
When matter of fact I have respect I feel for everyone
So let me be and you will see I'm not a fallen son
Even though its still in my hands and you time after time wanted to work it through savin'
myself so I won't be joining you
Sadly enough I'm letting go of you
You want to hate me cause you quit on me, you didn't believe I would never give up or never
give into negativity
But you never believed in me
Isn't it funny? When every money's
What you're trippin' over, leaving a paper trail
When matter of fact I don't regret the things that I have done
And if I do I'll never dwell upon a fallin' sun
When matter of fact I have respect I feel for everyone
So let me be and you will see I'm not a fallen son
When matter of fact I don't regret the things that I have done
And if I do I'll never dwell upon a fallin' sun
When matter of fact I have respect I feel for everyone
Te dejar dinero, te ayudar a salir
Tu crisis engorda mis intereses
Un pas favorecido por mi ayuda comercial
prestamos para pillar lo que queda por chupar
¿Cmo me lo hago?
Pues me asocio algn paisano con orgullo en la cartera
y con mi ayuda militar
yo lo pongo a gobernar mi finca particular
Colaborando al desarrollo de los pueblos...
si se atreven a piar, yo puedo garantizar
la puta estabilidad
¿Cmo me lo hago?
Pues jubilo a mi mueco, pongo otro orgulloso
y con mi ayuda militar
yo lo pongo a gobernar mi finca particular
Relaciones sexuales entre nuestros dos gobiernos
Las medidas oportunas si vens de buena fe
Un repique de campanas cuando yo te conoc.
The hybrid smoking on papaya
That give you niggas bronchitis
What you write is vagina
What I write is Wall of China
Nigga that's great
Like 8ths of grape ape Stuffed in my suitcase
Ready to hit the studio and shit all on yo mixtape
Naw literally shit all on yo mixtape
Wipe with the credits leave stains on the jewel case
In just two takes then the booth is soufle'd
Your hiding something like toupee
Truthfully my friend touche
You gone get exposed like and up and coming model
And to me your label seems like one of them pagent mommas
So guess who's the lil bitch? That's you
You must suck alot of dick that's true
I misuse with issues and pistols
Mind racing like bristol heart on igloos
My nigga you ain't been what I been through
And if so you'd take a pencil to yo temple
Cause I done served fiends on they menstrual
Ain't even have pads stuffed they panties it tissue
And still hit the ave cause they mouth ain't bleeding
And yo style is like fried chicken without seasoning
Nigga that's bland fuck you and ya mans
Smack you like bitch nigga, that's openhand
Fuck you and yo tough talk
When I monopolize I'm a throw yo ass off the boardwark
Fag don't play sports but he stay at the ball park
Type of nigga u see rocking Crocs at the fucking walmart
Drunk like Stallworth, riding in a fiend car
Get flicked guess what? I'm running from this fiend car
I know a nigga dirty and got a hammer
But Kush got me high like Pac's bandanna
I'm a smart nigga that do dumb shit
In ya babymomma crib not flushing after I piss
I'm Ferris Bueller with Frank Muellers
You blank shooters on stank hooters
I'm in aruba sippin wine coolers
Mind ruler flow sort of like hypnotism
That's why all these white bitches wanna get with em
I smack me up flip em like Mik Bivens
And to me your flows like Ronny Devoe's
My hoes got pretty toes in expensive high heels
And your hoes toes is fucked in beauty supply sandals
I'm a vandal handling any situation
I smoke blunts to the face to stay motivated
Irratated when I'm not sedated
I fuck her face like I was obligated
And still fucking with them freak hoes
See I'm the law
See I'm the blow
I fill the pipe smoked by a hog
Why all the new things mean nothing...
Why you use me to wipe your nose...?
[Chorus]
Digga' digga' monopoly
I can eat the mould
I can crawl like slow-worm
I can wear rags - foul -
If it helps to bring it down
Why you eat me to vomit
Why you drink me to piss to a crown
[Chorus]
I can eat the mould
I can crawl like slow-worm
I can wear rags - foul -
If it helps to bring it down
They don't know if I bite
(So) muzzle me, keep on leash
Just don't know if I'm bad
Shut my mouth "it's not allowed !!!"
Then want more- damp me down
I don't know what I did wrong
again again I fell in love
this girl was pretty young
she broke my heart
I wrote this song
message on my mobile phone
I still like you, I still like you
shut up bitch and fuck you now
you make me fool and I taught you how
Everyone that came along said
beware of her, beware of her
and I just came around and said
never, never
Your cutieness dazzles me
but you won't no longer mystify me
you sweet eighties girl
you know to hurt, you know to hurt
Your cutieness dazzles me
but you won't no longer mystify me
you sweet eighties girl
you know to hurt, you know to hurt
I love you, I really love you
I was blinded by the light
you brought to me a lovely sight
but after all is clear
all my worlds where full of tears
but you did never care
my love was good to kill your fears
I'm sitting on my ass
still believing you where the best
Everyone that came along said
beware of her, beware of her
and I just came around and said
never, never
Your cutieness dazzles me
but you won't no longer mystify me
you sweet eighties girl
you know to hurt, you know to hurt
Your cutieness dazzles me
but you won't no longer mystify me
you sweet eighties girl
you know to hurt, you know to hurt
You sweet eighties girl
you sweet, you sweet eighties girl
sweet, sweet, you sweet eighties girl
sweet, sweet, you sweet eighties girl
sweet, sweet, sweet,
you sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet,
sweet, sweet, sweet,
sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet,
sweet, sweet, sweet,