We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rayshawn Grissom a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Rayshawn, appreciate you joining us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

I used to be a rapper and in the mid-early 2000’s the genre began to change. It moved towards the down south mumble rap/which latter became trap music.

I found myself stuck wondering do I conform to this new style or do I continue being true to myself.

The answer was unexpected, I began deejaying first at a coffee shop and then I found myself getting more gigs. Then I realized I was having more fun as a dj then I ever did rapping. Long story short I completely reinvented myself as a dj.

Sometime in this creative journey you have to know when to pivot and move on to something else.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Rayshawn aka Dj Y’z(Wise) I have been djing serously for about ten years now but prior to that I was a rapper/producer. Born in the 80’s and raised in the 90’s in California. I grew up in an era were the culture of hiphop was highly revered. It was a time when rapping was considered an element of hiphop that me and my friends would practice.

After an long and unfruitful side hustle as a rapper producer, I ended up conecting with and organization called “All of The Above HipHop Accademy”. I was there that I discovered my passion for deejaying.

Fast forward I now own a side business called Impact Sound where I provide dj, production, and audio services.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Seeing myself get better, and being able to solve problems for my clients.
Adding value with my craft.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think non-creatives look at success in terms of money. But a creative might do something for a cause, especially if it’s something that lines up with their values. Many times this leads to a paid opportunity. In the end it’s not about the money you make but the value you can add to someone else.

I am a huge advocate for arts education. I believe arts education teaches people creative problem solving. This is a soft skill that can change the world. Inventors use creativity to make things that solve problems. I believe that more problems you can solve in this world the more money people will give you.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yzcouncil/
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/yz-council
• Other: https://councilmusiq.bandcamp.com/