“Big Things Soon Come”

 

What’s up y’all? It’s been a while, but I’m back and have something extra special for y’all! For those of you who don’t know him, I’ll be introducing you to an immensely talented young man who never ceases to amaze me and for those of you who do know him; you’ll enjoy this just the same.

WhoIsAriel is an artist who hails from Elmont, NY and continuously churns out hit after hit. I had the opportunity of meeting him when I transferred to the City College of New York in 2015. Since then he has worked on numerous projects, one of which I have played so many times that I know the lyrics by heart. I haven’t quite figured who he sounds like in regards to flow as yet but when you check him out, leave me a comment, let me know and maybe we can debate about it. He doesn’t just write, perform and produce his own music, he dabbles in photography and graphic design as well.

Let’s get into it!

For the two years that I’ve known Ariel, his witty sense of humor and fun personality makes listening to his music that much more enjoyable. He’s never without a smile on his face unless he’s working hard on something, be it school work or another project for the masses. He makes sure that his music is heard and received well by dedicating a painstaking amount of hours to his craft. Passionate is an understatement when it comes to describing how Ariel feels about his music and artistry. I asked him a few questions in order to let you all experience his amazing energy that I’ve come to vibe with over the years.

I started off the interview by asking the infamous question, “what were your expectations upon entering the industry?” He led with an answer that is not only truthful but I completely understand and relate to it when I think about my blogs and anything else I’ve set out to do.

“I didn’t have much expectations because honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. I just knew I wanted to make music.”

When you know, you just know. Especially when it comes to something that you’re passionate about. Commitment is the next big aspect when it comes to procuring art. I know that Ariel is beyond committed. He doesn’t sleep when it comes to the music.

“I don’t sleep, at least not when I should be.  When I’m locked in on a project I’m working around the clock really.”

If that isn’t dedication and commitment then I really don’t know what is. I fall asleep on homework much less writing and producing music. SB: I actually fall asleep quite often LOL. Anyways, this just goes to show that you have to spend time on what you love in order for it to be what you’re expecting and much more. Time is a critical factor in making anything worthwhile and Ariel knows that. He spends time making sure that everything is pieced together in just the right order. It works too, because I personally only listen to music if I like the way it’s composed. He provides satisfaction with his work. With the hiphop we’ve been subjected to these days, it’s refreshing to know that we have somebody like Ariel who doesn’t necessarily subject himself to the popular societal beliefs of what music should sound like. He treats it as an art, he makes it personal. I asked what makes him different and I was pleasantly surprised with the answer.

“What makes me different is I don’t try to be anyone else.  I make all my own beats, write my own lyrics and I have an open mind. I also like to connect with fans and supporters personally, I keep in contact with them so it’s not hard to reach me. Since I make music that’s real to them I feel it’s important for them to know I’m a real person too.”

Moral of the story, be yourself. Individuality goes a long way when it comes to music or art in general, it makes you stand out in the sea of millions of artists out there. It allows you to create a name for yourself, no one confuses you with the any other rapper/singer/songwriter etc. Ariel uses his music and his sound to generate positivity, both for himself and those around him. His music not only creates an artistic outlet for him, but he is able to “vibe” with his friends, create different sounds for his clients and relate to his fans.

Music is a full-time job and it can affect your life either positively or negatively because people tend to not understand the reasons behind why you do what you do. I asked Ariel his take on this.

“I was hesitant to make music at first because I didn’t want to be seen as just another rapper since it seemed everyone at that point was a “rapper”.  In my personal life I feel it made the bonds I have with people stronger but also some others weaker. People go different directions and you’re going to outgrow them but it’s not a loss if they’re not helping you gain or adding value to your life. Sometimes it’s not you who’s become distant but they just distanced themselves while you did your thing. But I feel the people I value also value me and the people around me respect what I do so there’s definitely a growing love and support.”

Who wouldn’t be hesitant in a world full of so many critics, it’s really just up to the artist to filter out the negativity and push forward in their craft. I’ve personally seen that with Ariel. Although he may take some constructive criticism and improve, he doesn’t focus on the naysayers. It’s good to prove people wrong and show them that you are more than capable of success even if isn’t as quick as they want it to be. It’s all about you and perfecting your craft. Ariel embodies this, he makes sure to stay focused and keep his eyes on the prize. It isn’t all about music for him though, he has his sights set on a greater purpose.

“I feel the music has given me a greater purpose. Now people are inspired by me, I have people who look up to me, so now I’ve become influential.  That influence is only going to expand to a larger scale and I just hope I can change people’s lives for the better.  Music is powerful and I learned that through firsthand experience because even at my lowest points in life I listened to music. It’s the music that would switch things around for me and have a positive impact. I want my music to do for people what hip hop has done for me.”

Ariel’s artistry shows that he is on a mission to leave a lasting impact on the people who experience it. Every song on The Golden Tape and his more recently released mixtape Zoose tell a different story. Although this is true, they all come together to paint a bigger picture and allow the listener to visualize what the message is. The songs tell the story of WhoIsAriel and how he puts his all into his music and all the inspirations he draws from to put together these timeless classics. You can tell that he takes his work seriously and takes time to think about the formulation of every beat drop, the premeditation of his lyrics and how each verse will make you feel as you listen. For me, I listen with intent and purpose whenever I hear one of my favorite tracks and think “ooh yes, this is a bop.” I actually have a few favorites but I’ll let you guys decide on your own. Remember I said in the beginning that I know some of them word for word, well I wasn’t joking. Whenever Ariel would perform at our school, I’d literally be on the side of the stage rapping like if I wrote it. That’s what good music does to you. It allows you to feel the emotion and lose yourself in it. As the late great Bob Marley would say “one good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain.” I’d like to thank Ariel for allowing me to be exposed to a new sound and for me to be able to say I know a rapper. He makes me proud to know him and his artistry. His purpose is being fulfilled and I have no doubt in my mind that success is imminent. It takes time to master a craft and Ariel is well on his way to mastery. Hands down, I’d have to say he is one of my favorite artists outside of mainstream hip hop. Take a listen and I’m sure you’ll feel the same.

“The best advice I can give to young people is to stay true to yourself. You shouldn’t have to change who you are to satisfy someone else or become successful.  You got to understand what’s important to you, prioritize, set goals, and execute.  And always spread love and positivity because that’s the type of energy that’s going to push you forward.”

You heard the man, spread love and positivity fam and remember…

Life’s a trip, so hang on for the ride!

P.S. You can find WhoIsAriel on Instagram, Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, Apple Music and his own personal website WhoIsAriel.

You can also listen to his new mixtape Zoose right here. Let us know what you think!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXGe8mXDw5N/?taken-by=whoisariel_

 

Through my Lens

Hey guys!

I’m back, with spectacular news. Remember how last post I let you know how I felt and that I felt like I was losing my spark? Well, here’s my chance to make a change. I took a trip to NYC this weekend (exciting!) and my grandpa handed over his Canon and let me know that now it’s mine. That was my cue to revive one of my old hobbies and this time, I’ll make sure to follow through with it.

That same night, one of my friends and I went out and I decided to bring the camera to see if I still have that same creative eye and give my best friend an impromptu photoshoot. It turned out great. It showed me that I can continue to push past my discomforts and eventually get rid of my fear of failure. I shouldn’t be afraid to fail but in this world that we live in, people tend to highlight the bad instead of the good. I realize that more and more every day but I’ve decided to take back my life and spread positivity every chance I get. I’ll be going out and using my lens as a way to filter out the negative images that we’ve all gotten so used to seeing.

I’ll let you guys see the world the way I see it when I hold the camera up to my right eye and look through that lens to capture the beauty.  Whether it be the palm trees blowing in the South Florida breeze, the moonlight over the ocean, the sky as I fly from Florida to NY or the bustling streets of Manhattan, I’ll be getting it all. I just want to make sure that I stay true to something that makes me who I am and this is definitely a part of my ever developing personality.

So, take a ride with me on this wobbly bicycle called life and enjoy the scenes as I capture them and remember folks…

Life’s a trip, so hang on for the ride.

P.S. Enjoy a few of the pictures I took while in NY that will feature one of my friends, Toni. You can also find my pictures on Instagram @PersonallyPetes.

 

 

 

#FollowThePinkFro

First off fam, I know I’ve been missing in action for a while but here I am and I promise this post will introduce you to the amazing works and artistry of Flash. He’s an NYC artist whose works allow me and everyone else who has ever encountered him and his art to feel a sense of peace and satisfaction.

I had the opportunity of meeting Flash when I was in high school and to be very honest I didn’t quite understand his sense of style or the reason why he painted his pieces the way he did. It took time for me to truly understand Flash because his complexity and authenticity may be overbearing for some but after having countless encounters and conversations with him, I know that Flash is beyond amazing! Over the years I grew to love and appreciate Flash as an artist and best of all, as a person.

Since I know Flash and his artistry, I thought I’d share it with you guys. Flash is the physical embodiment of positivity, love and afrocentrism and it shows through his art. Since I moved away from NYC, I wasn’t able to have a face to face convo with flash about his art but I still felt the emotion and passion through the typed words.

I asked Flash the question, “can you explain the love you have for your art? because I know you love it” and the answer that I received let me know that there are still great people left in this world and that he doesn’t do what he does just for the recognition of others. He said to me “It’s more than just images it’s communication. I love to communicate through my art. I say it all there through colors and shapes. I love seeing people, puzzled, smiling, tearing, and feeling connected to the pieces I create. I love creating using different colors to evoke different emotion from what I express to reach the lookers. It’s spiritual war zone where I’m from, everyone have their role, this is how I fight.”  It’s more than just a picture on a canvas for Flash and I knew that even before he let me know. Throughout the years of seeing him grow and improve as an artist, I know that the fight is getting harder but he refuses to let up. His determination to win this war disguises itself in the plethora of colors, shapes and shades on every single piece that he creates whether big or small.

You never know what an artist uses as an inspiration for their artistry and it amazes me and I know that life carries people on different journeys that may influence their creations. So, I continued by asking, “what inspired you to create the #followthepinkfro movement?” because I feel like Flash’s artistry is more than just visually appealing shapes and figures painted on a canvas, wall or person. Flash is doing something that not many artists have done and it makes an impression on people on a deeper level. He disagreed with me about the word movement and said, “I wouldn’t call it a movement because it’s a story that anyone can relate to. I’m not sure what to call it in place of the word movement as of yet. But I wanted a character that I am able to express through and send my messages and message I receive. I wanted a character that was versatile enough to embodied a warrior spirit and the grace like no other with a hint of chic and sass. So I designed “Oshun Kemekolah” or “Kemekolah” to put it all in to shape and form. I started this as a way to document my art journey. Meeting people, seeing things, creating things, little travels, and inspirations all make the journey greater. I thought why not record it with images and events that resonate with others who are on similar journeys. If some one follows the pink fro all they gotta do is recognize the fro lol. And go “hey I know that girl” and let whatever emotion(s) come to you when you see her that day. Through “followthepinkfro” I like to share messages on life, love, Afrocentrism, spirituality, and nature.” I personally take interest in the African Orishas and the fact that Flash chose that name for his character is one of the reasons I was initially interested in his work. He opened up my curiosity and that’s why I will continuously follow the awesomeness that is his work. Oshun speaks to me on a different level just because of her similarity to that of the African goddesses Oshun/Osun and Yemaya. Oshun is the mother of the rivers while Yemaya rules over the seas. Yemaya was said to keep the slaves safe in the ships when they traveled across the oceans and is strong and devoted. Flash’s character Oshun comes to us as a …pirate from Mozambique who helps others ships on seas She has pink hair that is magical and able to stretch and form In to many things. All of the pink ever seen in my work is a product of her hair. She likes to love, spar, dance and she loves tea. She has friends that are animals and some she created through her hair. She is a free spirited character that is strong on ideals. She reminds me of Yemaya and Oshun/Osun in more ways than one and it amazes me that Flash allows me to open my eyes to my interests in the Orishas and want to know more. His character may open your eyes to other things that you feel interested in and you will want to relate to her in some way or another.

Flash’s humility is what draws me to his work the most. He takes pride in his work but is not egoistic or self-centered, he makes it about the audience and what they feel when they come across his works. It shows through the intricacies, details and every single brush stroke. He puts his all into every piece and leaves a piece of Flash right there on the canvas. When I asked him what his favorite piece is, he let me know that he doesn’t have one. He said, my favorite piece to date ….I definitely am not able to answer that. I can say I love doing murals because it’s like a bigger battle to win. I love the challenge as a brush artist to take on the big space nothing against artists that use spray. they are a different kind of awesome. You just gotta love him.

“Is there any one person that you can say is your reason to create or is there a deeper reason?” One person???? No absolutely not. I met, sparred, cooked, play basketball, danced, sing, laugh, cry, grieved, missed, helped, been blessed by, been loved by, been cared for and etc, with so many amazing souls in my life alone. From on this journey to beyond to before the journey. Alive and passed. It’s those people that are the reason I create. I love to create internally but what keeps it fueled as my reason is all these souls. All of them make me wanna create. More and more. My nephew and his youth and growth makes me proud to create something he can see one day. I met so many souls that have passed. I grieve and allow my memory of them to be another wing on my back to aide my flight in this journey I take.

“What is your motivation to create the original pieces?” A lot. I’m a music collector so I enjoy good albums that inspire to create at times. Most of my motivation comes from the journey I’m taking to share my art. It’s a piece of me every time you see a piece. So the journey is always replenishing inspiration every time it’s needed. This showed me that the Flash that I know is an amazing artist not only because of him being a great person but because of life’s experiences and he channels those experiences and uses them to construct the pieces that all of us who know him, have come to love. His pieces stand for more than inspiration and allowing people to relate to them in my eyes, they are bits and pieces of Flash’s persona that will be frozen in history whether we know it now or not.

Flash loves animals, his favorites are wolves, birds, raccoons, and other bears and told me that “You may see them in a lot of the works I do. In my art I like to bridge a gap between the world I see and the world that exist. I have much more to show and much more to work on so more of what I see can be visible for others.” Flash is doing a wonderful job of what he set out to do. His efforts aren’t going unnoticed. So thank you Flash, for being the amazing artist and individual that I know you are. I want the world to experience your works and share them as they go along.

You know what I always say friends,

Life’s a trip, just hang on for the ride and remember to #FollowThePinkFro.

P.S. Flash says “Be the best you you can be. No matter what it is think of the best and do your best.”