5 Things You Need to Know Before Becoming an Artist

The stretch of teenage and adolescent years between 13 and 18, as I remember them at the very least, were mortifying in regards to having any grip on being in control of my own direction. The people I remember most fondly during this time were all equally confused on where their own desires particularly fit in the status quo of the, ‘High School to College to Workforce,’ fast-track program.  We could discuss paradigms causing this phenomenon, the corporatizing of the American University, the generations before us that perpetuated that system, the ever prideful hard-on for traditional education; the factors are endless. If one is forced to be honest, I think it’s unanimous to have no idea what the actual fuck is going on during this time. 

So what happens when you wake up with the conviction one morning to do something you may want to or need to do to be yourself and it doesn’t fit particularly well with the plans, expectations, and wishes surrounding you?

It’s important to note that sometimes that day doesn’t arrive for a very long time, even past those adolescent years. And truthfully, sometimes it never comes, which we hate to see in those closest to us. Wasted potential.   

If or when it does come and you find yourself wanting to join the ranks of musicians, you should know you’re out of your goddamn mind, just like the rest of us. 

From a personal standpoint, the most important thing to understand about entering this industry is that it is just that. A true titan, violently diverse and specialized, supported by Sales, Marketing, White Collar Labor, Technical Skills, Contracting, and a hundred more business components. And that means it will always, unfortunately, be about more than just music. This single truth will define your ability to properly scope, plan, and blueprint how to charter your career. Research is important before making any decision. Spend a lot of time finding ways to immerse and learn at little to no risk before taking larger steps. This can include listening to podcasts, watching Youtube tutorials, reading articles, or soaking game from an OG. Test your interest every day to grow your interest and make sure it won’t feign. Investing and diving with no educated thoughts on what to expect will bankrupt you quickly. Whatever pathway you want to walk in the Music Business, you’ll need a reality based knowledge of how it operates. Compiled below are 5 realities with which to cope with.

Reality 1: We’re not all rich (why are you here?)

This profession is not a get rich quick scheme, not by any stretch of the imagination. If you have an interest in becoming a Performing Artist based on the lifestyle you see other Performing Artists live, you should know you’ve drunk the Kool-aid. For as many artists as there are living perceived lifestyles how many do you see on Forbes? How many own property? How many run an independent business venture? Some are and do these things, which speaks to other factors in their success, not just performance alone. We use props. Sometimes the diamonds are SI or crystal, not VVS. Who can tell through a screen? There is absolutely smoke and mirrors and manipulation of perception, but that’s how business works. If you’re pursuing a career in anything exclusively for the money and the lifestyle, you’ll find the truth out quick. You’re simply not built for it. 

Reality 2: Success vs. Appearance

You will most likely (VERY LIKELY) not make it off a single release. You will not blow up overnight. This is not easy. Everybody say it with me: ‘The only way to manifestation is hard work.’ Be sure to curb your enthusiasm and ground your dreams; opt for reachable and realistic goals instead. No matter who inspires you or whose faces are on your Mt. Rushmore of Hip-Hop, you should know they worked an amount you may not be capable of understanding yet. Regardless of what you think of what it takes, those artists that resonate with you are living examples of what it actually took. Study their stories and the only quantifiable commonality is hours of work invested. Think of Nipsey Hussle’s marathon. Artists that make this look instantaneous and easy rarely find longevity in the industry. The time you should expect to take climbing the ladder towards being lauded for your work and considered a master at your craft is 5-10 years. However, also be sure to measure and track your own success. This ties back to creating goals you can chart and reach, daily, weekly, and quarterly.  Don’t buy into the hype.  Nobody with a Grammy did it on accident. You may have to try harder than you assumed, so make sure your drive matches your interest and proclaimed passion for the craft. Stay patient.

Reality 3: Sacrifice and Investment

What you’ll have to turn away and go without to make a clean living off of music is exceptional. Contemporarily, we have an entire wave of trappers – turned – rappers, a phenomenon created through trap music in and of itself being widely accessible across almost all demographics and socioeconomic statuses. At an interesting junction, trap has created a holistically black-run market into a self investment tool used to bolster the music, ‘bag,’ secondarily. If you’re prepared to do what some have to do to forward your career then that weight is your shoulders, no pun intended. For the larger majority however, a clean music career comes with the massive burden of financial despair. The stereotype, ‘musicians are broke,’ isn’t a joke. It’s not a lifestyle and it’s not dope. Prepare to continuously reinvest any money made off your music back into your business. Prepare to not live lavishly. You’ll couch surf, you’ll struggle to make rent, your apartment will be low budget, and you may need to live below your means. This is really all just a reality of getting out what you put in. Drowning in work is one thing, and not always necessary, but know you’ll need to turn down that pre-game to get that beat right. You’ll miss a birthday for a gig, and partners and friends will absolutely have to compete with your taxing and time consuming side shawty that is a Music Industry or Performance career. Be ready to lose and crawl and make sure you can take the punches. If you’re not ready to sacrifice, you’ll notice you won’t really move anywhere beyond releasing music on Soundcloud for your buddies to hotbox the car to. 

Reality 4: You’re not enough.

This can’t be stressed enough. Get a team. Meet trustworthy, competent, and hard working professionals.  Keep company that inspires you, challenges you, and makes you feel like you could be better. Cut the bad fruit off the tree. You’ll become the individuals you surround yourself with, and for all realities, if you’re being held back or not pushed you’ll falter. This Industry is wide and multifaceted. There are hundreds of jobs to be done by differently trained professionals and you’ll more than likely not be capable of doing all of these at one time. As popular as the Independent Artist wave is, remember that they still compete with the industry in terms of sales.  Margins may be lower consistently without the help or advising of people who can, at the very least, contribute to your wealth of knowledge. Pat Corcoran, Chance the Rapper’s long time manager, cites learning by himself to clear Samples, do distribution, organize events, credit properly and collect royalties, navigate features, tour and merchandise, and deal with the labels. That’s a gargantuan task and simultaneously an exceptionally small list of agenda items, especially considering the business models for much larger artists. Stay on top of your interactions and networking. Learn to ask for help, learn to know your value to others and their value to you. Be discerning and calculated. There was a time in the industry where musicians were just musicians, some thirty years prior to recently. Now we’re a commercial brand, even down to the Engineer. Who do you want to associate with? Who wants to associate with you based on your brand alone? The fabrications of friendship and associations are roaring on social media platforms currently. Taking a picture with someone at the club and captioning, ‘Big things coming soon,’ isn’t indicative of a relationship, working or otherwise, let alone that any actual big things may come soon. 

Reality 5: Do you actually love it?

There will be so many roadblocks in your lane you may forget you’re even on a road, sometimes. You’ll be told no and advised against around every corner. Why would someone believe in you?  With everything we know about the human condition on this planet, another rapper in an oversaturated field of know-nothing/do-nothing uninspired individuals is… well nothing. Parents advise against this profession religiously because of what it takes. To be young is to be passionate. Assess if you’ll keep that same energy after your fourth consecutive studio album fails to sell more than one hundred copies. Do you really live for this? Is it really in your soul?  That’s a question that requires honesty. You can really do anything you work at and when you truly love something you get the shield of not giving a fuck about what anybody thinks. Is it a lick, is it a job, is it a profession, or is this your destiny? The only thing Musicians hate more than inauthenticity is working hard to actualize themselves only to see someone else who doesn’t actually love music receive the same acclaim they do. Be true to yourself and become what you know you’re meant to be. 

Music is for everyone. A solidified position in the Music Industry or as one of the best to ever do it is earned. A task not be taken lightly. If you find yourself with a strong understanding of the reality of this situation, the only option left is to take the plunge!