Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Not just Nashville, not just the south. I want to leave this country
I want to learn, grow, gain experience, observe cultures, be influenced by things other than what I am now. In my song "Product Of The Game" i talk about how I am a product of all my influences, whether it be my favorite artists, producers, people, mentors, places I've lived, media, etc. All of that has made me who I am today. But I want more. I want to grow more. I want more life experiences, a change of setting, people, culture, etc. In the end it is all reflected in who I am. And I want to be more culturally rounded.
I feel sheltered here in Nashville. Same university routine. Same church. Same venues. Same short weekends. Same emotions over and over again. Now dont get me wrong, this has all developed for me a feeling of comfort and peace when I think about Nashville. You know, "click your heels together 3 times"-type feeling. This is my home. Everything is ok here. But the thing about it is, I'm in control. I have conquered my current environment. People like me, Im the man on campus, Ive played literally every venue in town a bagillion times. I dont want to be in control anymore. I thought I wanted to. I thought I wanted to be so in control of my surroundings that only I could affect the end outcome. So i finally have acheived that.
Nashville has nothing left to offer me that will allow me to grow mentally, spiritually, even musically. I see the same artists, doing their same styles as they have been the past 10 years. I dont want to get stuck in a genre. For those who have The Sci Fly EP im sure u realize that now. I refuse to get stuck in any type of box. And Im ready to not be in control of my life. Throw me a surprise. I want more disappointment. I want a reason to work harder, to feel like I am challenged. I dont feel challenged here. I know im the best at what i do, in a 500 mile radius atleast hahaha (excuse my cockiness). But i want to feel inferior. I want to go someplace that I dont belong. Cuz i fit right in here. And i dont mean that I fit in the crowd, i just mean that I fit into the social puzzle here. I am apart of this place. I dont want to belong anymore. I want to be a social outcast somewhere. I want to start at the bottom like I did in Nashville and work my way all the way up just like I did here. Actually, its more than a want or desire. Its a need. I feel it in my gut, soul, spirit, whatever. If I dont get out this place and go somewhere Im not gonna get anywhere in life, music, im not gonna achieve what I want in life. I could stay in Nashville. Network with the same label ppl, do the same shows, same songs, blah blah blah. If i leave Nashville, trust me I wont miss anything. Back to my song, I am a product of my surroundings. And as of right now, my surroundings have produced nothing new in a long time.
Imagine trying to learn about life from the people that are at the same level or lower than you. Or like asking a virgin for advice about sex. They can tell you whatever but at the end of the day you know what they say isnt gonna help you period. And thats how I feel about people here. Ive grasped and gleaned from them all I can. Its time I do my own discovering.
So...
I wanna go abroad. Study abroad I guess. I have to say "study abroad" for an excuse to reasonably and affordably go out of the country. Hahaha yall already know how much I hate school. But If it gets me out of the country I guess i might just have to stick it out.
I really wanna go to the UK. London perhaps. Eventually China and even Japan. But 1st, the UK. Why? Well, mainly the music. UK is always ahead of the US in music. Often times the entire world is ahead of the US. Anybody watch the Grammys this past year? Did you notice how majority of the winners had English accents???!! SERIOUSLY!! From Coldplay to Adele, even some of the presenters like Duffy. My whole life I have relied on the US Billboard charts, radio, and MTV to pre-determine for me what is the best pop music in the world. But actually, I have just recently came to the realization that Ive been missing soooo much. Alot of international hits never hit American airwaves, and regular citizens like me never hear about them. And when u think about it, America is one freakin country. It feels so big. But its only 50 freakin states. My whole life Ive glorified the idea of conquering US
F*** that.
My entire EP was a product of international artists: M.I.A., Calvin Harris, Dizzee Rascall, Justice, and even Drake (does Canada count, eh? lol). So theres no point in me forcing myself to just keep tryna make music here and get ppl to catch on. Cuz the direction that Im going musically and mentally, is sooooo far removed from Nashville, the south, rap, America period. I need some place that I can grow, be so immersed in a completely different culture and lifestyle that I cant help but be influenced and pick up things....
I always say that I am bigger than Hip Hop, bigger than any genre. I always talk about how my music appeals to the masses and any crowd. But thats really not ever gonna be true if Im stuck in Nashville and can never experience those other crowds. My personal growth will be limited, and I will never reach my full potential. I want it all. A little bit of everything. And ive had my fair share of Nashville. I wanna take it to the extreme now. I want to go to London.
The plan is Spring or Summer 2010. Peace out niggaz
Check out this song by Dizzee Rascall, Chrome, and Calvin Harris that was #1 last summer in the UK and Australia I think. Have u ever heard it? I didnt either til a few weeks ago. Thats still so crazy to me.
Dance Wiv Me (radio mix) - Dizzee Rascal featuring Calvin Harris and Chrome
PEACE
Labels: calvin harris, dizzee rascal, london, nashville, study abroad, the sci fly ep, UK
| 2 Comments: |
|
| << Home |
This is exactly what I am talking about!!!! I am so proud of you Harold because people like staying in their comfort zones where they know everything. You could be the biggest person in your town/city/wherever and still be a nobody (I am definitely not saying you are a nobody I am talking in general). Look at artists around who started out small in their hometowns, they were still nobodies and they stepped it up and went the extra mile to make their careers boom. I think that Study Abroad will be a great experience for you. You will learn so much. You will come back with so much knowledge that it will help you in your life.
If you don't like who are you change it. If you want to be different, don't tell us about it BE about it and do something. (Even though you should tell us so we know...haha...)
Luck to you!