I know I’m not the only one who finds inspiration in art, especially music and fashion. But I do think the importance and relevance of art is often overlooked, particularly in the worlds of STEM and business which I usually frequent. Art isn’t just about the final product that inspires us, it’s also about the process: pushing boundaries, questioning the norm, and imagining things that don’t exist yet.
The arts are an invaluable piece of the puzzle when it comes to understanding me and my work. I draw a lot of inspiration from artists, both those I know personally and those I’ve never met — some of whose quotes you’ve seen on these pages.
MY SHit is deep, deeper than my grave g
I'm ready to die
and nobody can save me
THE Notorious b.i.g
Ready to die
Ready to die
One of these men is Christopher Wallace, aka The Notorious B.I.G. His first album, Ready To Die, and the song named after it, is not just about literally being ready to die — a meaning that still makes sense considering the frequent shootings in the Bronx at the time. Instead, it was more about Biggie figuratively dying, leaving behind a life of hustling, drugs, and poverty to become successful, wealthy, and a better man who could take care of his kids without risking jail time. This wasn’t an easy choice back then, when improving your life was often seen as "betraying your roots." But Biggie was ready to adapt, leave his old life behind, and start fresh. He risked everything, gave it his all, and made it. His music captures this mindset while staying real about the struggles. He’s the original “rapper come-up” story — a story that still inspires people today, and has been replicated countless times.
But the artist who’s had the biggest impact on me — creatively and artistically — is Kanye West. Ye's music and his approach to creating things have taught me so much. His way of collaboration is unique — always seeking other's opinions, he is a master at gathering people and bringing out the best in each of them to produce something magical. While creating My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, he apparently even asked the pizza delivery guy for his thoughts. His commitment to his craft is incredible, especially because he never settles —he’s always reinventing himself. From soul samples to electronic pop, from minimalism to maximalism, he’s done it all, and then he went into fashion and did it again.
His art shows what extreme confidence in yourself and your abilities looks and feels like. His music conveys the extreme faith that he has in himself, and the extreme faith that you should have in yourself. It's this faith that motivates me the most and keeps me going the most, no matter how much there is in front of me. I absolutely believe that I'm on the trajectory to something great, and I know that I am incredibly talented at certain things. I’m really grateful for where I am, for my family who always supports me, for the privileges I’ve had, and for the journey I’m on. I’m super excited about everything I’m working on — whether it’s with my amazing clients at Jelly, collaborating with the Sidemen, or building Creatorland. Godspeed.
Go listen to all my music
it's the code to self esteem
it's the code to who you are
if you're a kanye west fan
you're not a fan of me
you're a fan of yourself
kanye west
YEEZUS ALBUM BBC INTERVIEW
YEEZUS ALBUM BBC INTERVIEW
