Wealthy and Ambitious Entrepreneurs Network

I know a rapper who was so talented that I couldn’t believe there will be any point in his music career where his popularity would wane.

Unfortunately, he’s begun falling gradually and I was so sad to see it.

To me, the problem is mentorship. When artists get to that point where they are managers of themselves, write and edit their own songs, produce their own music and at the same time at the forefront of marketing their brand, then I think we have a problem.

Nobody ever gets to that point where there’s no one to correct them. You need people around you with whom you can share ideas and get feedback as to how to better implement your ideas. When you reach that point where all the people around you are subordinates and admirers who cannot give you blunt criticism of your work and ideas, then you are on your way down.

If you are an artist in a developing world, you risk not going as far as you should really go. Not because of lack of funds or resources but due to lack of humility. In Africa for instance, some upcoming artists have a friend or a local producer as manager. If the artist becomes popular, it is hard to submit to this local producer or friend with whom the artist began with as a manager.

There is nothing wrong with firing a manager you think you’ve outgrown. The most important thing, is to find someone you deeply respect, someone resourceful who has what it takes to coach you to get to where you intend going as an artist.

Talent is a seed that takes so much discipline to nurture. Without humility, talent risk contracting terrible infections.

Talent is like a tree. When you harvest, you need to nurture it by giving it space to bud, flower and produce new fruits again. The soil around the tree needs manure to help replenish lost nutrients, and the tree itself might need some pruning.

Some artists produce new songs all year round, from collaborations to singles. There is nothing wrong with that if the artist is inspired to do so. But there should be a fallow period to reflect on what has been done so far, a period to hide oneself. You shouldn’t be in the spotlight 24/7 every year.

Hiding yourself gives you plenty of rest and energy to spring back with innovative ideas in your industry and fresh perspectives on your career.

Don’t deplete your talent. Nurture it.