To make it as a hip-hop artist these days you need to be a great musician and a savvy entrepreneur. Here's what one rising star has to say about his journey to the top.
Growing up in the '80s and '90s in hip-hop's golden era, I listened to a lot of rap. We played it on our boomboxes in our bedrooms (that is until our parents came in and shut it off). Then in high school, we played it on our car stereos usually with the bass turned way up. Classic hip-hop acts like The Beastie Boys, Dr. Dre, Tupac and so many more defined the era.
Having grown up listening to rap, I've remained curious about what the current music artists are producing. So when a rising star in hip-hop connected with me on Twitter recently, I was interested to hear what he had to say.
Christian Vind and I began chatting about his career as a hip-hop artist and his entrepreneurial aspirations within the industry. Christian has toured in multiple states, and his songs have received thousands of plays on Spotify. He's getting ready to put out a new album and go on tour again.
I enjoyed my conversation with Christian so much I thought I would share it with my readers on Inc.
John White: What do you like the most and the least about your career as a hip-hop artist?
Christian Vind: What I enjoy most about my career is networking with people in the industry, because it gives me a broader perspective on how to continue growing my career as a musician as well as pursue other business interests within the entertainment industry.
The thing I like the least is when people try to tell me I'm not good enough and then they try to pitch me their services. Let me further explain what I mean by that. People approach me daily trying to sell me their secrets to success in the industry.
Their first move is to criticize. They try to shame you into buying their services and make you feel like an idiot if you say no.
I know it's a scam when they say, "Without me, you will never succeed." I have an excellent set of mentors that I work with that I know I can trust to give me solid advice. Without the training I've received from mentors, there is no way I'd be on the course in life I am right now.
John White: What advice would give others in the industry about avoiding scams?
Christian Vind: Always ask questions about who they have worked with in the past and then VERIFY it. I find that a lot of people make some pretty big claims about the success they've had and who they have worked with. If you do some research, you can quickly find out who the real deal is and who is simply out to make a quick dollar off of you.
Work with people that are willing to listen to your ideas and avoid the ones that tell you they know everything. The final step is to create a contract that is mutually beneficial. So many artists have limited their success by entering into bad business agreements. Always consult with a lawyer to read the fine print and help you understand all the details of the contract before signing it.
John White: What would you tell someone that is considering pursuing a music career in hip-hop?
Christian Vind: This career isn't for everyone. The reason I say this is because you have to be mentally prepared to go outside of your comfort zone, overcome most of your fears, invest lots of money, and put a lot of time and effort in it before you see any return on investment. You will have lots of people telling you that you won't make it and that you should just go get a job like everyone else. But I don't want a job like everyone else. I want to create my own opportunities and do something I love. Not a lot of people can say they are doing what they love as their job.
I will say, the grind pays off. Work hard and surround yourself with passionate, loyal, and honest people.
John White: Do you get nervous before a performance?
Christian Vind: Yes, and here's why. Some people may know I have anxiety, it gets intense from time to time, and sometimes tries to control my life. What makes me nervous is when the time comes for me to perform. Trust me, I love performing, but anything could go wrong during a live performance, like forgetting a word to my song. I always pray before I perform. Praying to God helps me stay focused, and gives me the confidence I need to go out there and be my best.
John White: So, you've started a business in addition to your music career. What are you doing?
Christian Vind: I look at being a musician like being an entrepreneur and the founder of a startup. When you're a startup owner, you have to be able to look at all of your skills and combine them in a way that you can monetize them. When you're starting out in the music industry, you cannot rely on album sales or appearance fees to pay the bills.
You've got to have a side hustle or two.
So, I started a social media marketing agency. Growing my social media pages has helped me reach a massive audience for my music. I use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
However, I have found Twitter to be the best platform when it comes to reaching an audience and creating opportunities. Without my Twitter account, I wouldn't be where I am today. I managed to get a verified page and grow my following to over 280,000. Along the way, I developed some tricks to the trade on social media that have enabled me to capture the attention of a broad audience in a relatively short time.
I'm helping other musicians, and business owners grow their following on social media at scale and create engaging posts for their community. It's been the perfect side gig for me because social media and my music career go hand in hand.
John White: What is your number one career goal?
Christian Vind: I want to make an impact on society by creating positive music that everyone can listen to and enjoy in a way that unites people. I know that if I can do that I will be successful.
John White: Christian, thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me, share your journey, and provide these valuable insights!
Source: Here
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