I Don’t Ask for Opinions When I Share My Art

It’s not that I don’t care what people think of the art that I create. I just happen to care more about how I feel about the art that I create.

It may seem like a weird way to be for someone who (predominantly) makes Hip-Hop music — known to be seen by many as a “competitive sport” of sorts, but I see it differently. I’m not interested in the competitive side of it. I don’t look at other emcee’s or producers as my competition. I’m not looking to out-shine, out-rap, out-produce, out-anything when it comes to my music. I’m simply trying to express myself and if people can both relate to and enjoy, then great. If not? Cool. I still appreciate the listen.

That’s not to say that I don’t appreciate the competitiveness of the genre — within reason. I do. I’m just not interested in participating. Maybe it’s age, but I don’t think so. For me, I’m simply expressing myself. I’m writing to touch on topics that matter to me, to vocalize issues I might be working through in the “real-world.” I write to educate, inform, raise awareness and sometimes, simply as stress relief. When I feature on songs with others, I’m thinking about how best to add value to the song, rather than how I can “out-rap” my colleagues.

For me, I look at my music as paintings. I don’t ask for opinions, because I wouldn’t ask someone how I should paint a traditional art piece that I’m working on. I wouldn’t hand someone my paintbrush or ask them to guide my hand, or pick out colors, etc., to help move me in the direction that would appeal more to their sensibilities. At that point, it would no longer be MY painting.

I’m not selling commissioned art pieces. I’m creating works from my very own soul. I want it to appeal to those with whom it resonates.

It’s the same for those that I ask to feature on my songs. The only thing that I ask of artists who feature on songs that I create, is to touch on the subject matter. How they do that, is completely up to them. I may add limitations such as — going back to the painting analogy — we’re only using these colors, or we’re painting with broad strokes, or I want the finished piece to have extremely fine detail, so that people can peel back the layers, if they care to.

I trust artists to be artists, and listeners to find what resonates. I don’t need what I create to resonate with everyone, just those that find value in it. I’m not seeking to be the best anything, or a “hit maker.” I’m focused on being genuine and creating the art that exists in my heart. In my soul.

I’m expressing myself. Not what I think people want to hear.