In 2000, I hit up a local studio and created my first music demo CD. It wasn’t nearly as simple as it may now sound. Back then, I had no car and no money. And when I should have been focused on sustaining myself, I was pawning my stuff for studio money. People thought I was wasting my time, and nothing I said would convince them otherwise. Looking back, I can honestly say my demo really wasn't that great. The CD only contained four tracks, one of which was a half completed instrumental. But in retrospect, that little demo was probably the first real thing I ever accomplished on my own, and the process of creating it taught me a valuable lesson. When you have a goal, you always have to be willing to invest in yourself despite what people think, because if you’re not willing to invest in you, nobody else will.

 

Shortly after my demo was completed, I met a guy who owned a local music video show. At the time, I had no idea that meeting him would be one of the greatest blessings of my life! With both of us being very passionate about music and media, we instantly clicked. He put me on his show as a cameraman, and within two years I became his assistant producer, overseeing all technical aspects of the show’s production. Although the show was only broadcasted on public access, it had achieved a huge following throughout the city. The show was also blessed with a continuous flow of celebrity appearances ranging from actors and comedians to major recording artists. I made sure everyone got a copy of my demo.

 

During my time with the show, I learned more about the music business than I ever would have imagined. But ironically, the more I pursued a major recording deal, the more I realized I didn’t really want one. I learned that to sign with a major label as an unknown artist (1) was nearly impossible, and (2) would require a huge sacrifice of the ownership and control of my music, which was something I was unwilling to compromise. So the next logical step was to go the independent route, but that too wasn’t really appealing to me at that time either. Although being an independent artist would allow me creative freedom, unfortunately I was not a man with deep pockets. I couldn’t afford the expenses of operating a company, producing a full album and somehow finding distribution. So by the time 2003 rolled around, you could say I was pretty disillusioned with the whole music thing. 

 

I put music on the back-burner for a few years and focused on the media side of things. I freelanced on a number of projects including a start-up cable music network and a hip-hop based cartoon. I also worked at a couple of major television companies and learned everything I could about the media industry from the inside. 

 

As time progressed, I witnessed a major merge between media and technology. Computer and technology companies began dominating their respective industries. Social networks were appearing out of nowhere and were suddenly connecting individuals by the millions. Internet based content began flooding the market, and by 2006, digital technology had been successfully integrated into most professional industries. This proved to be an incredible time for independent producers. Where once upon a time, thousands of dollars were needed for production, the average person could now achieve the same professional quality at home with a reliable computer system and software!

 

The advancement of technology inspired a renewed sense of purpose in me. There were many new opportunities being created in the new digital age, and for the first time in a long time, I saw a new opportunity for my music. Utilizing digital technology, I finally could produce my own music independently and distribute it globally through the internet. So in 2007, tapping into everything I had learned over the years about music and media, I began structuring what would eventually become my company, Idea Fortress Media Group, LLC. And throughout 2008, I recorded my first music project: Primordial, which was finally released in 2009 after a very long ten years.

 

As I sit and reflect upon the journey that led me here, I don’t want to give a false impression that my path was as clear cut as it may now seem. It was not. There were countless moments of self-doubt, missteps and flat-out failures. There were also numerous times I just wanted to give up. But the thing is, I couldn't give up!  Despite external obstacles, I had to believe in myself and my abilities.  Aside from patience, faith in oneself is perhaps the greatest lesson I've learned in life. Because with it, you can achieve anything. It only takes time...