Inspiring Beats

I was on youtube a couple of weeks ago...and I find this cat in Denver, Co named Boon Doc.
It was sooooooooo refreshing...because 7 years ago before I started drawing again...I was him. A long haired, bedroom alchemist making beats out of gold.



I don't even know this cat...but, I love him. I love him because he's pure. He hasn't been corrupted by money, the industry, mainstream styles, none of that...he's pure. and, now, becuz of the internet...he's exposed and can show you...not just his friends...but, outreach to potentially millions and be heard just like anyone else...SOOOOO INSPIRING.

Anyone who knows me, knows I am a HIP HOP head. And if you REALLY know me you know that I used to make beats...back when I wasn't really feelin' art. I started on an ASR-10 and touched every hot beat machine and keyboard there was for a few years until I got hit by the art bug again.
Sadly, I stopped making beats when $$$ came into the equation...I didn't like it anymore. I would be in meetings where they'd be asking me to change things to make it more commercial so we could sell more records. Some of you are saying, "well, isn't that what you're supposed to do?" Well...yes...but, my question back to those asking that question is, "If I change my beats to sell more records, how much is that going to cost me?"

In my mind, if I changed the way I wanted to express myself creatively just to sell more records then, I actually would have short changed myself.
And, that was the day I stopped making beats.

Fast forward 7 years and here I am drawing for money. Now, people might think..."well, isn't drawing for money the same thing...don't you have to make the drawings appealing for the masses...don't you have to make clients happy?"

The answer is yes...but, with art, my FIRST love, from the very beginning of my career, people wanted me to do things for them THE WAY I DO IT. They didn't ask me to change me. And, that's the difference.

Now, in animation of course, when you come onto set productions, they are styles to conform to etc...but, if you notice, all these productions hire people that have the same sensibilities already. It's not to say that X artist can't draw Superheroes nor is it to say that Y artists can't draw Cartoony Characters...but, it's about whether or not that artist is willing to show you he/she genuinely WANTS to and is interested in embracing another way of thinking.

Since I've matured a bit, I kind of think that I was immature in not wanting to bend AT ALL with music. Just like animation, I could have still kept what I loved at heart, but, been a little more willing to dance with the devil to provide avenues for what I really loved. Nobody's saying to sell your soul, but, I'm not telling anyone to starve it either.

I think I'm gonna start making beats again. :)