To the people who have "made it"

[IrOnMaN]

Whether it's STEM industry, music/entertainment industry, business, or just making it out of a bad situation. Did you achieve what you wanted in life?

[Rev Jones]

It's hard work every day but it's enjoyable.

I never really thought about what it would be like to work on my own career instead of working for an organisation

I put in six to ten hours in a day working on my own career and one or two in my paying job

am I successful yet? IDK. I have two books lined up, contracts signed, I help put out a classy magazine, I publish reviews and stories in various magazines, I run two websites and I get books sent for free to do reviews. I am being interviewed for a big genre website this week.

This was not my life in 2022.

tbh I lost a shitload of time posting my bullshit on wucorp, listening to nutters on wucorp (pro tip : these are not the peoole who are still on here) and watching tv shows ad infinitum

I definitely want to go forward in this direction. I was just looking into book trailers and how they are put together. I'd like to either make or get one for one of my upcoming books

It's 2023 and only now do I feel like I found my lane. I am 45. 2014 to 2022 was mostly a waste of time, also due to bad health.

I used to read posts like these and think 'oh that guy thinks he's all of that'. no, it turns out it's just doing what you enjoy doing and being creative and diligent about it. Linking up with people online and offline to put passion projects together. everybody feeds off each other's enthusiasm

I don't need money to feel like I made it. I want to share creative projects and see people enjoy them.

It's like putting out rap albums. I think I never really grasped the joy artists get from putting a project together, not *really* until I found my own lane

negative energy is a ton of wasted time.

[IrOnMaN]

It's hard work every day but it's enjoyable.

I never really thought about what it would be like to work on my own career instead of working for an organisation

I put in six to ten hours in a day working on my own career and one or two in my paying job

am I successful yet? IDK. I have two books lined up, contracts signed, I help put out a classy magazine, I publish reviews and stories in various magazines, I run two websites and I get books sent for free to do reviews. I am being interviewed for a big genre website this week.

This was not my life in 2022.

tbh I lost a shitload of time posting my bullshit on wucorp, listening to nutters on wucorp (pro tip : these are not the peoole who are still on here) and watching tv shows ad infinitum

I definitely want to go forward in this direction. I was just looking into book trailers and how they are put together. I'd like to either make or get one for one of my upcoming books

It's 2023 and only now do I feel like I found my lane. I am 45. 2014 to 2022 was mostly a waste of time, also due to bad health.

I used to read posts like these and think 'oh that guy thinks he's all of that'. no, it turns out it's just doing what you enjoy doing and being creative and diligent about it. Linking up with people online and offline to put passion projects together. everybody feeds off each other's enthusiasm

I don't need money to feel like I made it. I want to share creative projects and see people enjoy them.

It's like putting out rap albums. I think I never really grasped the joy artists get from putting a project together, not *really* until I found my own lane

negative energy is a ton of wasted time.

I'm glad that things are working out for you. Good to hear.

As for me, I'd say yes. I have a dream job and I recently received my professional certification (9 years in the industry) because seeing where I came from, no family support, I thought it was impossible.

[RADIOACTIVE MAN]

i will say this, in terms of the music. when i started this shit. i was hoping to at least have even some kind of local acknowledgement, to be cosigned and become friends with some hip hop legends, have my music played on a worldwide scale, to be paid for it and most importantly, to enjoy the perks of it is beyond everything i ever imagined.

but...you know what's the most rewarding thing here? when someone inboxes you and tell you that your music saved them from ending it all. THATS ALL I EVER WANTED. THAT ONE PERSON ALONE is symbolic of everything i was trying to do. i accomplished what i was trying to do

[IrOnMaN]

i will say this, in terms of the music. when i started this shit. i was hoping to at least have even some kind of local acknowledgement, to be cosigned and become friends with some hip hop legends, have my music played on a worldwide scale, to be paid for it and most importantly, to enjoy the perks of it is beyond everything i ever imagined.

but...you know what's the most rewarding thing here? when someone inboxes you and tell you that your music saved them from ending it all. THATS ALL I EVER WANTED. THAT ONE PERSON ALONE is symbolic of everything i was trying to do. i accomplished what i was trying to do

Good stuff. I think I might've asked you this, but why haven't you been signed to a major record label yet?

[ShaDynasty]

^ I want to see Shifters response but this is my take.

Shifter makes underground hip hop. There was a window in the 90s up to the early 00s where underground rappers got signed to majors but thats over. Can you imagine a major label signing Killarmy now?

In the streaming era you're better off being indie unless you have a big viral hit that a record label can push and knows how to monetize.

[RADIOACTIVE MAN]

Shady nasty is very right , let me also add that i have had offers in the past to sign with labels and join groups under labels , little known fact, when bronze naz and Kevlaar 7 were starting the wisemen, i was one of the first people they reached out to to join the group, unfortunately at the time , i had a lot of issues lifewise. I also had offers from no limit records back in the day (i know, very weird match up) but i will say this , i have never met a more amazing , great group of people and i will always be grateful to master p and John the A&M’s for considering me . A lot of what we wanted for my vision didn’t align , they proceeded to link me with other major label A&r’s who wanted to manufacture me into a drug dealing killer for the mic/ camera and i just couldn’t do it because i am NOT THAT.

it was after years of putting out free tracks and finally selling my official first record that i realized the indie route is for me and will be the way to go. I’m not bragging in the least but if i show you receipts of how much i sell per album i dropped , it would shock you. And the caveat here is that most of my sales come to me , minus production from one or 2 other producers , i produce, mix and arrange my own work so i make a profit from my music compared to someone on a contract/ label . And if anyone is reading this, I’m gonna share a secret with you. STAY AWAY FROM SPOTIFY!! GO TO BANDCAMP, it’s a far musical trading hub with options to sell your own merch. You take away most of your money earned and guess what, they won’t require you to have 200000 plays just to get a check for 2 dollars at the end of the month line Spotify lol.

[RADIOACTIVE MAN]

Oh yeah , i also had a tentative deal with loud records west SRC, for a short while but that idea fell through , the whole coast to coast loud records venture never caught on sadly .

edit: this is one of my fav messages from a listener . >>>https://imgbox.com/yLgOdtde

[Sky Blue Bally Kid]

For me, I always want to achieve that next goal, so in a sense I don't ever want to feel like I made it. But I guess people will have different interpretations of what that means. Right now I feel like I am where I want to be career wise, but I want to build assets that I can live off later in life, so that is my next goal. I would never have had this mindset 10 years ago, but going through some difficult times has made me more determined to succeed. I realised that most people who achieved great things in their lives didn't have a special formula, luck, etc. but they had their goal, figured out the steps to achieve it, and put the work in.

[ShaDynasty]

Shifter as a No Limit soldier would have been amazing.

[TSA]

Idk if i've 'made it' because I set my ceiling way higher than where I'm at now but I'm moving in a good direction. I work for myself 100% which is something I spent decades trying to do and I'm able to support my family w/ it. But there's a lot more to be done and always will be.

I don't think I had to 'overcome' much though, my life's been pretty easy and straightforward. Only real hurdles have been myself, bad mentality, bad habits, and general lack of direction for a lot of my early adulthood.

I'm glad that things are working out for you. Good to hear.

As for me, I'd say yes. I have a dream job and I recently received my professional certification (9 years in the industry) because seeing where I came from, no family support, I thought it was impossible.

Damn dude, I know how much you've overcome based on what you've shared here. Congrats man.

[RADIOACTIVE MAN]

Idk if i've 'made it' because I set my ceiling way higher than where I'm at now but I'm moving in a good direction. I work for myself 100% which is something I spent decades trying to do and I'm able to support my family w/ it. But there's a lot more to be done and always will be.

I don't think I had to 'overcome' much though, my life's been pretty easy and straightforward. Only real hurdles have been myself, bad mentality, bad habits, and general lack of direction for a lot of my early adulthood.




Damn dude, I know how much you've overcome based on what you've shared here. Congrats man.

dude, you work for yourself. thats a success most don't even have the heart to attempt. you are your own boss, i'd call that making it

[RADIOACTIVE MAN]

Shifter as a No Limit soldier would have been amazing.

i appreciate you man, really i do.
i do sometimes think of the what if's of the whole matter, especially that particular label, they were so gracious and shockingly a tight knit family, and the respect for each other was visible when i was around them. let me put it like this, that one time master P checked charlamagne the god for dsrespecting one of his artists did not shock me at all. it aligned perfectly with the character of the man i met. really stoic, stern and respectful man. meeting him made me understand all his success. The money did not corrupt his sensibilities.

^^^this vid

[TSA]

Appreciate it man

[IrOnMaN]

Shady nasty is very right , let me also add that i have had offers in the past to sign with labels and join groups under labels , little known fact, when bronze naz and Kevlaar 7 were starting the wisemen, i was one of the first people they reached out to to join the group, unfortunately at the time , i had a lot of issues lifewise. I also had offers from no limit records back in the day (i know, very weird match up) but i will say this , i have never met a more amazing , great group of people and i will always be grateful to master p and John the A&M’s for considering me . A lot of what we wanted for my vision didn’t align , they proceeded to link me with other major label A&r’s who wanted to manufacture me into a drug dealing killer for the mic/ camera and i just couldn’t do it because i am NOT THAT.

it was after years of putting out free tracks and finally selling my official first record that i realized the indie route is for me and will be the way to go. I’m not bragging in the least but if i show you receipts of how much i sell per album i dropped , it would shock you. And the caveat here is that most of my sales come to me , minus production from one or 2 other producers , i produce, mix and arrange my own work so i make a profit from my music compared to someone on a contract/ label . And if anyone is reading this, I’m gonna share a secret with you. STAY AWAY FROM SPOTIFY!! GO TO BANDCAMP, it’s a far musical trading hub with options to sell your own merch. You take away most of your money earned and guess what, they won’t require you to have 200000 plays just to get a check for 2 dollars at the end of the month line Spotify lol.

I hear you. All the stories I've read of people signing 360 deals...and still doing it to this day. It's like they have no other options.

Idk if i've 'made it' because I set my ceiling way higher than where I'm at now but I'm moving in a good direction. I work for myself 100% which is something I spent decades trying to do and I'm able to support my family w/ it. But there's a lot more to be done and always will be.

I don't think I had to 'overcome' much though, my life's been pretty easy and straightforward. Only real hurdles have been myself, bad mentality, bad habits, and general lack of direction for a lot of my early adulthood.

Damn dude, I know how much you've overcome based on what you've shared here. Congrats man.

Thanks, man. I appreciate it. I'd love to go into business myself but the environmental consulting industry is hardwork both office and field. I'd need big loan. Perhaps in a few years.