Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to WASLY. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

WASLY, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I get asked this question a lot. I have had the opportunity to work as a full-time creative but I ultimately decided against it. In my circumstance, the work I had to do involved writing songs for people regularly as well as producing instrumentals and selling art on the side. I tried it for a month and it led to a full-on mental breakdown. The pressure of making ends meet was killing me and I no longer loved what I was doing.

After a few years of pondering on why this happened, I have concluded that being an artist and being an entrepreneur are as different from each other as having a green car AND being able to juggle. They are not the same things and though some people naturally acquire both of these skills, others do not. I have never found business to be my strong suit and the pressure of supporting myself and my family off random creative ideas I get in the shower isn’t exactly worth the payout. Our society puts an immense amount of pressure on creative people to make money through their work but the sacrifice is big when an artist can no longer create things that are true to themselves.

I choose to work a day job as a paraprofessional, helping special needs kids in school. This job is fulfilling in non-creative ways and keeps my family and me fed and healthy. I don’t need to worry about where my next paycheck is coming from and I like it that way. For now at least. When my kids grow up I might go live in a car with my wife and tour the country.

WASLY, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Wesley Ragland and I am a musician and visual artist who goes by the moniker WASLY (wah-z-lee). This moniker is the arabic spelling of the name Wesley and represents the intersection of my art and music. All of my records are either self-produced or made in collaboration with a St.Louis native musician. My art style is my visual version of sampling records. I combine elements of the world around me to create something new. Every one of my song covers is a painting I have made. I also do graffiti and collaborated with my wife and kids to create a crazy art car I drive to work every day. I love to be bold and colorful. My roots are fed through hip-hop more than anything else. The history and culture of Hip-Hop deeply inspire my work and I pride myself on being connected to St.Louis’ hip-hop scene. Business wise, I sell my art and throw shows that people can pay to attend. All my music is available on streaming platforms under WASLY. Other then that, I work part-time as a songwriter doing sync licensing for tv and movies and occasionally write songs for private clients.

What sets me apart creatively is my subject matter and artistic process. I regularly work with my wife and children (ages 8 & 10) to create songs and paintings about family and human nature. My music focuses on my personal journey as a parent and partner. Just to be clear though, I still make rap music and when I’m not creating with the kids Im cussing and talking about sexy times too . I create across the whole spectrum of my existence. I make music that is as close to a documentary film as I can get it. I try to keep things simple and understandable but also passionate and deep. I honestly loathe art and music that requires a plaque or lyric sheet to understand.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My mission is to make things that are as relatable as possible. I want to make art and music that help people love the little things in their life. Creativity is a pathway that broadens human connection and understanding. I don’t want people to hear my music or see my art and think “I wish I could do that” or “I wish I had what he has!” I want people to connect with my work and find inspiration in themselves. I know 1,000 songs about having a fast car and bunch of cash but not a single song about being a parent, or the frustrations of working a shit job.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A big lesson I had to unlearn was this: “substances make you more creative.”

I believed this because everywhere I turned I saw artists and musicians drinking and drugging. All the music I listened to referenced weed and what not. I live a sober lifestyle now and it has increased my creativity 10 fold. The more responsibility in my life, the more music flows through me. The creative process is already the greatest high in the world and I think that the more we work on living happier, healthier lives, the better our music gets!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waslyworld/?hl=en