Following the passing of my brother, I returned to Florida and settled in Boca Raton. I swiftly found a job at Whole Foods selling vitamins. During the precious moments between my shifts, I poured my heart and soul into perfecting my craft as a hip-hop artist and weaving soul-stirring songs. Guided by the support of my dear friends Xavier and Renda, I stumbled upon intimate poetry nights where I bared my musical creations to the world. Though I never saw myself as a typical poet, these events felt like poignant rehearsals that fueled my passion for sharing my art in open mic performances.After gaining some traction in the local music scene, I began securing gigs and building a following. A newspaper article in Boca Raton even dubbed me as the "medicine man."
I recall a particular evening after work when I received a call from a gentleman named Sam. He identified himself as a producer and expressed interest in collaborating on a record with me. Excited about the opportunity, I mentioned that I had an apartment in Boca Raton, Florida and was in search of a roommate. Sam, who was still residing with his parents after recently graduating from high school, seemed eager to embark on this musical journey.
As Sam and I chatted, he fondly recounted the day we first crossed paths, a memory that had slipped my mind entirely. He described a scene from the past where I found myself in the back seat of a car driven by his friend, with him in the front seat, playing beats he had crafted. I had shared with him my ability to rap, and for the entirety of the two-hour journey, I freestyled over his beats. When Sam eventually arrived at my doorstep, his youthful enthusiasm mirrored the excitement I had experienced during my inaugural visit to Mount Shasta years ago.
Without wasting any time, we delved into the production process that very night. Sam swiftly set up his MPC player and began crafting instrumentals for me to pen lyrics to. We spent our evenings after work writing and composing, resulting in the creation of approximately 11 songs. Together, we decided to curate an album titled "Intergalactic Vibes."
With our freshly minted tracks in hand, Sam (who went by the stage name Sleepyhead) and I decided to take our music to the stage. Collaborating with someone who shared my passion and drive for creating and performing music was a truly invigorating experience. Witnessing the audience's reaction to our live performances was nothing short of exhilarating.
One evening, Sam shared an intriguing tale with me about a music festival on a cruise ship known as Jam Cruise. The concept of numerous talented artists congregating in one space for several days piqued my interest. Having never been on a cruise before, the idea fascinated me even more, especially since it was the last topic I had discussed with my brother, adding a deeper layer of significance to it.
The following morning, as I was arranging vitamins at Whole Foods, a man strolled down the aisle inquiring about cough remedies. I promptly offered assistance, noticing his shirt emblazoned with the words "Jam Cruise." Taken aback, I did a double take at the shirt before excitedly mentioning, "Jam Cruise! My roommate mentioned that to me just last night." The man, named Mark, then introduced himself as the organizer of the festival.
Mark proved to be incredibly friendly and approachable. After a brief introduction, I took the opportunity to share a snippet of my musical endeavors with him. In response, Mark mentioned a competition hosted by Relix Magazine on Sonicbids that I could potentially participate in.
Excited by this opportunity, I hurried back to the apartment to share the news with Sam, who was equally astonished. Together, we swiftly set up a Sonicbids account and submitted four of our latest creations for the contest.
A few weeks later, while I was at work in Whole Foods, I received the life-changing call informing us that we had emerged victorious out of a pool of thousands of entries. To add to the thrill, we were the sole hip-hop DJ duo chosen for the cruise. Sam and I were overjoyed; it felt like hitting the jackpot. This win instilled in me the belief that my music was leading me down a path where faith, intuition, and signs all aligned harmoniously.
As you reflect on your own journey, have you ever encountered a moment that felt like a clear indication guiding you towards your true purpose?
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