Overlooked, under-booked, overwhelmed, underpaid. These are The overs & unders of the "upcoming artist." The joy is in the journey. it must be, cause otherwise a lot of us would have fallen into oblivion yesterday or the day before it. I mean even Lauryn Hill who we've now immortalized got booed at the Apollo - she persisted tho and won them over at the end- as a young teenager. So who are we mere mortals to be discouraged when we meet roadblocks.
Granted I've been very very fortunate to have been very well received since my debut record in '07 and had some really great opportunities come my way ever since... but ladies and gentlemen of the jury, there's lotsa bumps on this road. Brushes with opportunists, janky promoters, bills, false promises, redundant collaborations, snaky middle-men, frustrations with music outlets and media, non-musical businessmen at the helms of power, a lack of capital capital capital! etc. without enjoying the journey many of these factors can be dream-killers and unnerving.
everything in good time tho'... everything. And its amazing how some total strangers become the strongest allies and supporters without asking for a dime eh. i love it.
Reason I'm having this retrospective? I'll be speaking to students of the High School for Recording Artists (HSRA) in Saint Paul this Wednesday about my journey and how I'm utilizing social media in my journey as an artist. Had me thinking of the good, the bad, and the fugly of the journey. to be uncompromising sometimes is necessary on this journey, hence why i made a song like "Pardon me" on the birds and the beats.
woe to them that are picking up this artistic journey for the wrong reasons; ye shall experience shock and awe. But not to worry, everything in good time... everything.
Peace peace
m diggy
PS: i despise the term "upcoming artist" anyway. when does one stop upcoming and just be? when you make your first millie? do tell.
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