My current ability in music entrepreneurship is at the very beginning on a professional level, but my passion for music began at a very young age. Growing up, I was surrounded by music. There was always beautify music playing in the car, around the house, and through stereos at all of our family events. It was nonstop. I was hearing these vocals, these beautiful instruments, these magical melodies and I was almost immediately enticed. I started to learn the songs that played on the radio, and I mean every song.
One of my earliest memories was singing “Love T. K. O. ” in the backseat of my Aunts car at 7 years old. She couldn’t believe that I had even heard the song before, let alone would be about to sing the lyrics to the entire song. That trend continued on as I got older and started experiencing more genre’s and artists. My older cousins would play along and quiz me on the songs that they loved to see if I’d picked them up. To their surprise, I had. I was to good at this game, I could learn more than half of a song after the first listen.
It become like second nature to, but that just wasn’t enough. I needed to know more. I had to know who wrote the song, who produced it, the name of the album it was from, if there was a video, just anything that I could learn about this music that I loved. I asked a million question to anyone who would answer! My granny had a subscription to Jet magazine, a weekly news and entertainment publication. They had a section in the back where they put urban chart standings and that was what | looked forward to reading.
She’d give me a new stack of books to read every week at the table while she made me and my little brother dinner. I’d read the older ones and learn about artists | never heard of or just find out new things about artists that I was familiar with. I was 12 years old and this was my happiness. Everything changed for the better when I found out about BMG music service. It was incredible! I could order 12 albums for the price of one and receive them all at once and then order more! Not to mention, you could choose a bill me later option.
I was completely blown away. I’d already had my own stereo, so I was just anxiously awaiting the arrival of what would solidify my passion for this art form. My albums come and I am ecstatic! This would the beginning of my collection. I was instantly attached to the feeling of opening the packaging, reading the booklet, carefully putting the CD and the player, and most of all, hearing that first song play! One by one I learned everything that I could know about the contents of these albums. From lyrics to the songs being sampled on certain songs.
I loved every second of getting to know the studio where Michael Jackson recorded “Thriller”, the co-writer’s on Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love”, and the composers who helped make “Song’s in the Key of Love” by Stevie wonder so magical. I continued to order albums from them until the they shut down in 2009. That was the year I graduated high school so you can just imagine how many albums I’ve owned thanks to BMG. I’d also give thanks to and R&B group by the name of B2k, meaning boys of the new millennium for shaping wholam as a supporter of and artist.
Even before I used BMG, I was collecting every single thing that I could that had anything to do with them. I had every magazine they’d ever been on the cover of, all 4 albums they made, and every DVD they’d released from the year 2000 until 2003 when they spit. My very first concert was they’re headlining show at the Fox Theatre. It was called “The Scream! Tour” and boy did we scream! Me and my cousin’s were decked out in out matching velour suits and walked out of that place even more in love.
But, unlike them, the love I felt was not just from my favorite group putting of an amazing show for sold out crowd. It was the energy of the building, the electricity in every moment, the feeling of connection between them and us. Us meaning, every one of us fans in the building. I will never forget that night because that was one of the early moments in my life where I just knew that this is where I wanted to be. I knew that I wanted to be closer to all the things leading up to that moment. I wanted in. Going on, I started surrounding myself with anything music related. I joined the music recording club at my high school and participated diligently for 3 years.
I took video production classes for 2 hours a day, for 2 years, where I practiced writing treatments, directing, and editing music videos. I’ve attended over 50 concerts, sometimes even traveling to different states to see my favorite acts. At this point in my life, I just want to continue engulfing myself in music and all of its aspects. My long term goal is to one day, start and run my own record company, but I want to begin as an artist manager. I already have a few artists that I advise and hope to really to orchestrate their dreams in a way that is unique and inspiring to others.
Passion, admiration, and inspiration lead me to D. I. M. E. I’ve been wishing for a school like D. I. M. E for what seems like my entire life. During my tour of the school, I felt an energy just as the one | felt at my first concert. Like this is where I was meant to be. This is the place that is absolutely going to shape and develop my career in unimaginable ways, I can feel it. It will be my pleasure to be able to be educated and inspired by these wonderful people who have been all of the places that I dream to be.