Many of the tips I am going to list can really be applied to any field of interest, but I directed this towards artists because I know many artist including myself who have made a few of these mistakes when getting into artistry. If you want to be mainstream and skip these steps so be it, its a free world but understand that the more people in on your artistry the less creative freedom you have, so it all depends on what you are in it for. Many people have the wrong impression, thinking all artists are reptilians or some evil demonic force. The art world has many layers and just like with anything you create your reality, you just have to know who you are.
Why do you want to become an artist? Is it who you truly are or is it who you think you are? There are two types of artist in the world. The first type is the genuine artist, a person who uses artistry as a release and has the intention of shaping a better world and healing others through their music. They speak truth and nothing but the truth. It’s never really even about the words they speak, it’s about the intention behind their music. These type of artist have a choice but don’t really have a choice because they give into the will. There’s always a pull on them to pursue a certain path in the world and if they don’t well they will never be truly happy in life (pretty much applies to ever person in pursuing what they love). The genuine artist are usually not mainstream and have their own lane. And even if they become mainstream they stay humble throughout it all. The other type of artist is the one only in it for the money, and the fame. The one who just treats artistry as a job, and they are the actors on the set. They become mainstream pretty fast and are replayed on the radio a hundred times a day. The can be controlled by a label and have little creative freedom or say in how they want to portray themselves as an artist. The one artist who has the same set of writers as the other mainstream artist creating the same negative ass frequencies that hold your mind in a more stuck and/or depressive state. Their music will never be timeless, it will only be a fad that will soon be forgotten, which will force them to have to find some other way to either keep your attention or make more money. Figure out if being an artist is really who you are not just who you want to be. Choosing the wrong route in your beginning stages of artistry can have really bad consequences. Sure everybody has to do a job but don’t do something because you feel like you have to, do something that you love to do and that you are gifted to do. If you go into music like I have to do this to get this money this and that you are in it for the wrong reason, but if you wanna go that route go ahead and try your luck. And don’t get it twisted, some artist start of genuine and get corrupted and loose themselves in the money but if you know who the fuck you are and what you stand for you should have no problems.
I strongly recommend staying independent as an artist. The more advances you get when doing your art the deeper down the rabbit whole you go. Who’s to say one project is going bring better results than another, regardless you are going to have to pay back those advances and you are bound for big trouble if you don’t. All those artist who spend their spend most of their advances on cars, jewels and so forth...well I can assure you they are not very happy people. Taking the independent artist route is not easy, it takes hard work, self discipline and management, and true passion for your art. A lot of times it takes you a longer period of time to “blow up” because you have to be consistent and you have to take your time. You will have more respect for yourself and others will have respect for you if you do this. Nobody can take your career from you because it is your hard earned career. Don’t you want to be your own boss and not be a industry puppet? You will eventually reach the point where you get to have freedom and live freely. Do whatever you please and make your art freely. While your'e living free that person who made one hit songs is on tour for the rest of their life or scrambling to find something else to make money. You will always have content because art is deeply rooted within your heart and soul.
Like I mentioned previously you need Discipline. You need to have drive and motivation when pursing anything artistic. Do not rush or force things. Sometimes you know deep down what you want to do but have to do things you don’t actually want to do to get there. You must have patience and if you don’t best believe the universe is going to humble your as. If something is truly meant for you it is going to take time. Consistency is key and it its truly not hard to stay consistent if it is really what you love to do. And please don’t force content, sometimes it is just not the right time.
Master your'e crafts before actual pursuing it as a career. You want to grow with your crafts. Like I said don’t rush the process. Don’t force others to like your content either. And don’t try to forcefully go out here and collab with any person you meet because you are trynna “get on.” Going out here trying to force yourself to fit into someone else’s collective will get you nowhere. Trying to forcibly find people to work with is just as bad as trying to forcibly find the love of your life. Once you start mastering your craft and putting yourself out there, your tribe will come too. Your fans and supporters will gravitate towards you. You simply don’t need to force it. And if your'e sitting somewhere trying to figure out what content to make because you can’t come up with anything, it’s probably not the right time to be doing your crafts. Don’t force yourself to make art, it should flow naturally. I personal don’t believe in forcing yourself to write music everyday so you can get good at it. Let your crafts be natural and genuine, when you really are feeling the need to express yourself that’s when you should express yourself. You will naturally get good at things over time, you just need patience.
Be versatile, Remove Fear. Don’t be afraid to experiment with all kinds of art forms, concepts and perspectives. It’s Just art! Who cares what another motherfucker has to say about you. Always be open to trying new things, and playing a different role. If you want to switch up your style, just do it already. Stop being scared of what people are going to think about you. People have tried to call me demonic and all kinds of shit, but they don’t know my heart like the most high does. Like I have mentioned earlier everything is about intention. It doesn’t matter what it looks or sounds like it is just about the intention behind it. People will call every artist who screams on a track demonic, when in reality the intention behind it is pure love. Artists are put on the planet to help others heal and that even means heal are deepest, darkest wounds. Be yourself, in everything you do! And if you don’t know who you are yet, don’t be afraid to experiment with different things.
Know the business side to your craft before pursing it as a career. Here’s where so many musical artists slip up at when starting to get into the music industry. You need to know the business aspect of your craft or you will end up short handing yourself in the long run. If you don’t know the business it’s easy for a shark to take advantage of you and use you for money. People will see potential in you and know your worth before you even know your own worth. Never give into any deal because it sounds and looks good. If you don’t have a lawyer before signing any major deals or allowing investors to put money into you, you better know your shit, or there’s a possibility your gonna end up in deep shit.Do as much research as possible on your craft, read up on it, know your rights as an artist. I recommend not going into the art industry naive or money hungry. You need to be gifted and you need to let shit come to you. You must have a strong head on your shoulders and be able to discern people for what and who they really are. You have to be able to smell a persons intentions off your first interaction with them, so that you don’t get played or even cheated out of your whole entire life. Discernment is very very important!
How are you going to pay for your art? Pursuing Art is Expensive! If you are going to become an artist you need to know how you are going to pay for your art. Have a plan and this comes with being disciplined. If your family is not well off like most people your’e going to have to work for it and that’s just how it is. This means you might have to do something you don’t really want to do first before pursing the thing you love. You need to make sure you have a rough budget idea of how much your projects are going to cost and how you are going to raise the money for them. For those who can’t get a family loan which pursuing their art, here are your main options. Work a job, become an entrepreneur, or do illegal shit. I don’t recommend doing illegal shit because truth be told a lot of that shit catches up to you in the long run and even if you are an independent artist you still can’t escape karma. Either one you choose you need to save up enough money that is good enough for your start up. Who care’s how long it takes, just know that one day you are going to be the person you always dreamt of being. Don’t look at people who you may feel are surpassing you, there is a time for everything and your time will come when it is meant to come. Quick money, and short cuts while get you right back to square one. You won’t ever receive your blessings in life until you are actually ready for them, if you get them too early it might be too much to handle, so don’t rush.
When promoting yourself get back to the basics. We are now in the digital age and many people who see people on social media think they just blew up out of nowhere. Sometimes people have that kind of luck but it is truly rare, the majority have to work for what you want to obtain out of life. Many influencers still have to do the on the ground work to build an image and name for themselves. You don’t see the hard work that goes into the art, you just see the finished product. Thinking that you are going to get on through just the internet is not a healthy way of thinking. The internet is already over saturated as it is so chances are your'e not going to be seen. You have to be involved in the streets, you have to promote yourself on foot. You have to do the work! Start local, expand from where you are before trying to go to a big city hoping someone will discover you. Get business cards and flyers, attend local events, do small city to city tours that don’t eat up your pockets. You are wasting time if your’e just sitting around waiting to “blow up,” you gotta go out here and get what you want. The best time to put in the work is now, especially if you are young and energized to do so. Don’t waste time on parties and stuff other foolish young people are doing, because you have your whole life to party. You will get to retire early and live life while those people will be working until old age. Party after you have accomplished your goals. Understand, that after you hit a certain age, a lot of time you won’t really have the energy to go out and hustle so you better start as soon as possible. Stop procrastinating, and push through. And for my older people who still have dreams you can do it, just make that step.
I hope this list has answered some questions for you and given you a bit more insight on becoming an artist. Whoever you are, always do what you love and are gifted to do. Pursuing what you love will bring much more reward than working a 9-5 job for the rest of your life. There are enough people on the planet who love to work in each different field of interest, so there is no excuse to not follow your heart. Never settle for less because you are a limitless being. It is time to stop building other peoples dreams and start building your own.