Published: Friday - July 18, 2008
Words by Donny Goines
Donny Goines (Photo: Don Michaels)
This past weekend I attended the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival and I really had a good time. From bouncing around the stage with Mickey Factz, to freestyling with Charles Hamilton and everything else in between, it was really fun and this blog entry is simple. Have fun.
Do you know what I hated most about 9 to 5's? They were boring. I would remember feeling really miserable going to work and I dreaded every minute of it. I used to think to myself "Why am I here?" and looking back on it now I see that those were just years wasted. For me, creating music and being around artists, doing creative things is fun. As a matter of fact, everything involving music (except the business aspect) is fun to me. Being in the studio, thinking of new ideas, listening to the final product, etc. -- all are enjoyable experiences and I really can't see myself doing anything else now. Understand something, I work HARD!!! Make no mistakes about it, even as I'm typing my body is worn and my mind is exhausted due to all the things I did today, but I still find these moments fun and my point to you is simple. Make sure you enjoy yourself when you're working.
I always thought it was funny that people stayed at jobs they hated just for a paycheck. What's the point? Yeah, you'll keep some money in your pocket and will be able to pay your bills and such, but where's the enjoyment in that? I have never been this bad financially, nor have I ever went this long without getting fly and such, but you wanna know something? I couldn't be happier. Many people in my neighborhood look at me like I'm crazy because they are use to seeing me in the latest gear, jewelry on, car, etc. but seriously speaking, I wasn't happy back then. I thought I was at first, but now that I am doing something with my life that I enjoy I see that I was just going through the motions in life. It was like I was just doing things just to be doing them and I had no real goals or direction. I don't want you to follow the same paths that I took in life because you will realize in time that you wasted the majority of your youth doing nothing really and will be unhappy in the long run. I don't care what you do in this industry, try to make it fun. Enjoy your job, have fun with the music and everything that it entails. If this is something that you want to pursue and make a career out of it, believe me when I say that you need to have fun in order to do this for longs periods of time if not your life.
That festival (and many other events I attend) really was a great experience for me. Not because of promo or networking, but because I got the chance to cut loose and just have some fun and at the end of the day that's all that really matters sometimes. Much love.
Side note: I've been nominated for an Underground Music Award. Please take a second and vote for me, by clicking here.
Editorials & Columns Hustle Harder: Travel Arrangements Recently I traveled down to Washington D.C. to participate in an event called the "Million DJ March," and I realized ... full story
Digg It
Del.icio.us
