Music industry vet Ray Daniels shares his tips for emerging Black artists and professionals.
There’s nothing more dangerous to America than a Black person who is equally as talented as an artist as they are in business. That’s something I’ve come to understand throughout my career. From sports to music, all white-dominated industries fear the intersection of raw talent and refined intelligence in Black figures. Where our culture is seen as a commodifiable source more than as our authentic stories, I’ve found it to be important for the future Jay-Z and Serena Williams’ of the next generation to understand more about how much power they can truly wield with the right strategy.
As someone who still has to work through feeling helpless for the folks in my community (especially the younger kids coming on the scene), I wanted to share some of the things I’ve learned that would help fellow Black brothers and sisters on the come up, maintain their power and help make the world a better place for others like us.
Money Buys You Time, But It Doesn’t Always Buy You Freedom
Black people aren’t afforded the same luxuries of grace to make mistakes and learn. That’s why we’ve adopted “Black Magic” over the years, pulling out tricks from our as*es for generations to prove what we can do with the smallest window available to prove it. Knowing this, it’s important to understand that without an internal set of rules and structure, you can fall into traps and contracts that have those immediate dollar signs but can snatch your long-term freedom just as quickly. Never lose sight of your values and your sense of self. I’m fair game. I believe in capitalism, but I also love my people. I believe in doing right and making money rather than making more money by doing wrong. We don’t have to sell our souls to get to success.
Investing in Your Community
You gotta be willing to make the sacrifices that will take you to the next level. For example, if you keep your eyes focused on that new car, those new threads, you’re missing the mark. Investing in the Black community really starts with investing in yourself, your health, [your] mental well-being, and [your] environment. Focusing on the things we can’t see first, learning to see your brain as an important investment. Feeling good before looking good is what creates a long-term success for yourself, which in turn, inspires others in the community to follow in your lead. That’s influencing at its finest. If you have to pay for a mentor or [for] information that will help you win, [it] is just as vital [as] using that gold chain/fancy car to attract attention. When you open your mouth and people see you’re more than just talent, [it] will give you the upper hand in any environment where your talents will be shown.
Owning Your Seat At The Table
In our world, if you have talent, then you’re gonna get in the room. If you have the knowledge to protect the talent, you are told or at least made to feel like you have to stay the f*ck away.
I used to feel like I was lucky to be in the room, thinking to myself, “Wow! They asked me a question.” But later, once I figured out that part, I spoke up more because when I was first welcomed in the room, I was just happy to be there. The same goes for you. If you’re in the room, it’s because they’re talking to an audience that listens from YOUR background, which means you have an understanding. Knowing your worth is important in these moments because it reminds you that you carry influence because of who you are. A lot of mistakes I see young artists make is when they sell themselves as an artist first when they should be selling themselves as influencers instead. Artists sell their music; influencers sell everything in them. You are more than the things you make, and it’s because of the voice behind the mic that people will come to listen.
These are just a few big things I remind myself of in today’s world when it can feel helpless to make it a better, more inclusive place where Black men and women have other Black men and women in the room with them when they’re making important decisions. We need to look after each other, and a way that we can help is by calling out each other’s blind spots. Even as Black people, we have different perspectives and different vantage points. Let’s use that to help spread information. Because, like I said before, there’s nothing more unstoppable than someone who knows they have talent and knows they have intelligence, too. The bottom line is we have to trust each other and trust ourselves. If someone is talking to us that means their is a value there, learn your value and build yourself and your people.
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