My Journey into the World of Music
Music has always been a part of my life. From the earliest part of my childhood, the melodies of my favorite songs were the soundtrack to my days. The way I performed in sports contributed heavily to my popularity and notoriety in the city of Baltimore. I can honestly say that those performances were inspired by the sounds of some of my favorite moments in music. I had no idea that I would find a new passion when I became an adult. A passion that would turn into a fulfilling career. This blog post ain't nothing more than a little glimpse into my journey from a music lover to a creator, and how each step has prepared me for who I am.
The Early Days: My Love for Sound
Music was always playing in my household when I was a kid. My parents and my siblings had a diverse taste in music so I was exposed to all types of SOUL music from Luther Vandross, Gerald Levert and MJ to Trap Anthems by Three Six Mafia, The Hotboys and Jay Z. And you know Granny had me listening to my fair share of Marvin Gaye, Patty and Ms. Anita Baker. One of my favorite sounds I loved was that damn guitar from Carlos Santana. It wasn't too long before I started sing along some of my favorite songs like they were duets made just for me.
In high school I joined the choir and took up music 101 classes as an early enrollment college student. Some of them early experiences seemed to just be extracurriculars at the time. Once I got to step away from my sports and experience real life, everything came full circle.
Discovering Streets Love: My Voice
High School was the time of my life. In high school is when I started to make my own lyrics and melodies. Any body that went to St. Frances with me would vouch that I had a new song every day. CSP was my first group I was in (laughing). We always was singing or rapping around the school. Having full rap battles in between classes and having damn near the whole school in the “Tunnel” listening to us rap(laughing).
We drew some real inspiration from my brother Rease's family band and one day wrote our own church song “I Just Want To Say Thankyou” in Rease kitchen. We even performed it at the reunion for the band with the band. CSP ain't ever make it big but the experience taught me to collaborate, be confident and served as my introduction to songwriting. It definitely solidified my desire to show the world my gift.
The Business: No Longer A Hobby
I studied business in college, I had no clue that it would be useful when I decided to work for myself and be my own business manager. I freestyled a lot in college and I didn't care who was around. When I asked my friends that did music if I could come to the studio with them I always laughed like I was joking but I really wanted to do it. Once I understood that studio time costs money I knew I needed to tighten and start getting ROI on my music that I initially intended to record as a hobby. I started to study the business.
The Leap: Going Full Time
After graduation I started working sales and started making money to develop a lifestyle that I could enjoy. My heart wasn't in the job and I wanted to become a performing artist. I've started taking on various gigs from collaboration tracks with local artists to small free performance. The best part about the journey is that it has to start somewhere. Every job isn't glamorous or your ideal booking but it's a step forward into replacing my former income from working for someone. I spent months in the studio before I dropped my first project “Saved By The Streets”. That process took a lot out of me because I was grieving the loss of my older sister and my mother. I needed therapy and the music was just that. I just needed to get in a place where I felt comfortable pushing myself as an artist to the world.
Seeing my work come to life is extremely rewarding. I received crazy positive reviews and that turnt me up to keep pushing!
Building My Brand: Social Media
In Today's digital age, social media has been a game changer for independent artists like Streets Love. I started by sharing my music on Instagram. Then I went and put it on streaming platforms. Engaging with supporters allowed me to build a community around my music and gain valuable feedback.
Collaborations with other artists have helped me to expand my reach. Every new connection brings fresh ideas and helps push my career.
Reflection: The Journey
Looking back, my Journey into the world of music been nothing but a mix of passion, hard work and Allah's will. There's been times of doubt and uncertainty, but my love for music always keeps me going. today, I continue to write, perform and strive to create something inspiring and authentic.
For anybody that wants to make music their career, my advice is to stay true to you and your voice. Embrace the grind and don't stop learning. This path is challenging but the reward from sharing what you created with the world will be immeasurable.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. I look forward to sharing more of my experiences and music with you in the future.