The Key to Success Inspired By Donald Glover
How do you make it in life? The question has plagued mankind for centuries and it changes with every growing generation. Making it in the ’80s and most of the ’90s didn’t involve internet, but now we have this option to make a living based on our activity online. I think about this idea a lot. What will it take to achieve my dreams? I’m far from an expert on the subject — I’m just a guy who listens and reads more than talks — but there’s a quote I’ve been coming back to all week. It really connected with me.
“Make stuff that no one else will make. Part of the reason I do what I do is because I’m the only one who can do it.”
This quote comes from Esquire’s profile on Donald Glover. It was in response to the story’s writer, Bijan Stephens, asking him what he would do with more freedom. It’s a fascinating quote, because it works well to sum up how to make it in life. Not only get to the level you desire, but also sustain it. That’s the part I see a lot of rappers struggling with.
Over the last month, I’ve been listening to more music from new artists. I’d browse the trending section of Audiomack and feel disappointment with each listen. It’s all rappers trying to emulate trap sounds and styles with a few gems here and there. We already have enough rappers in that lane. Future, Migos, Young Thug, etc. are the leaders of it now. Most of the new rappers are just following.
What’s sad about it is that they don’t understand how identity is the first step toward longevity. Look at history. What rappers have been able to have a lasting career? Names like Dr. Dre, Lil Wayne, Ghostface Killah, Kanye West, LL Cool J, and countless others have their own identity. Many of them were trailblazers in pushing the hip-hop/rap genre forward.
It goes back to Glover’s quote. Who else could’ve made The Chronic? What other group would’ve created and succeeded with “Fuck Tha Police”? What rapper you know from the ’90s could’ve given us both “Mama Said Knock You Out” and “Hey Lover”? The answer is nobody. Those records and the moments they spawned were tailor made for those individuals only.
This is what I think is lacking from this generation. We’ve been discussing music, but it’s everything online nowadays. Did you write something that nobody else could? If your clothing line didn’t exist, would any of the designs eventually be created by someone else? Is your identity unique?
Long before I discovered that Donald Glover quote, I was living what he believed. I wrote pieces that I knew nobody else would. A fictional story of G-Unit vs. MMG in the style of a wrestling event. Yes, I did that. Connecting Daniel Bryan’s career of being the underdog on a long journey to my own. Also did that. Why Sisqo could’ve been one of the greatest R&B artists of all time. I did it while “The Thong Song” played on repeat.
My choices as a writer haven’t catapulted me to the top of the list, but each piece played a role in making sure I wasn’t a carbon copy of somebody writing for XXL or Vibe. I never wanted anybody to think that my work or style could be duplicated. I’d imagine many artists feel the same way.
Something that is always said but not necessarily heard is that it takes time. Let me reiterate: IT TAKES YEARS. Most of the artists who achieved longevity and established an identity have a story about grinding for years to get to where they are now. With the internet playing such a significant role, you could go down two paths:
Will you hop on the “what’s hot” train for short term success, or will you spend countless hours developing your voice, your brand and your identity in order to experience longevity?
