We were lucky to catch up with Larry Legend recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Larry thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?
Being an artist is what I love to do, it’s my passion, my escape, regardless of any issue that can occur. To wake up and do what you love to do for work and get paid for it is probably everyones dream and the dream I am still chasing. I still work a regular job on top of creating music. The thought of not wanting to work a regular job and just make music is my motivation and I constantly have these thoughts nonstop. I say for anyone chasing dreams and tired of working that 9-5, instead of looking at is as a regular job ask yourself, “how long do I want to do this for?” Tired of your boss? How bad do I want to be the worlds next big artist, writer, illustrator, etc. and become my own boss. I use this thought to keep me encouraged to keep pushing and fighting until I can say I secured the bag. With my small, but strong support system, I try not to highlight the negative outcomes, but use those negative thoughts as leverage and keep me in the fight against that small success percentage.
Larry, 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?
Ayyyyyooooo! Its Larry Legend, singer, songwriter, producer. I started writing music when I was 19, but grew up singing in the church choir. My first song I wrote was called “Stop Looking Back” a song that was focusing me to look ahead and not what’s behind me. I uploaded the song and the feedback from all of my peers was mind-blowing! I had no experience in mixing or mastering my song, not sure how to properly use melodies, but I was sure on how to tell stories and how to write them. I continued what was a hobby at the time and tried to perfect the craft to spread more messages to my listeners. Years later I created my project, “Who’s Next” which is on all streaming platforms which was an overall body of work waking up those who didn’t believe in me. I woke you and you up so who’s next? I started rapping and was like oh wow all of Colorado raps, so I transitioned into pop music where later came my next project “Legend’s Chronicles” which includes some rap, but mostly pop and club music, I wanted to set myself to be different from the rest, all social media Colorado artist are fighting to be the best rapper, but no one is fighting to be the best pop artist so decided I want to take that spot. My recent project is “Sapphire” which is a world I explore in my mind. Some people take drugs to be in a new world, maybe alcohol, but mine is authentic and just a relaxing, safe place in my head where I can be creative. Sapphire is a pop and r&b project where everyday I learn new things to make myself harder to compete with. Reminiscing on where I started and where I am at everything I have accomplished or made happen was self made, meaning no major team, no manager, no major features, just being ambitious. I’ve done shows with Nessly, Joyner Lucas, K Camp, the late Slim 400, Blueface, as well as performing in Austin for SXSW. I’ve captured amazing insight from Colorado’s own Top Flight as well as from Grammy nominated Trev Rich and Broncos End, Shelby Harris. I am proud to just being brave enough to take these risk and telling myself anything is possible and that you don’t need a blue verification check to make things happen. I want those who look at my pictures, hears my music, or even those who is on a path like mines to know I am not special, or famous, or using my name to feel relevant, but just an artist trying to make it in the music industry with the resources I have or find what I need to retain the resources I will need.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is sharing your art to the world. I have had listeners from other countries giving me amazing feedback, parents sharing that their young kids dance to my songs in the car when it comes on, and just looking back on where I was to what I have now and still growing as an artist.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
Artist support systems is probably the hardest thing to gain. In Colorado everyone has their “favorite” local artist therefore if you aren’t that artist then they won’t listen to you. Artist even had troubles supporting other artist because everyone wants to be the only one who’s made it out of Colorado. No one likes to hype other artist, assist each other, or share what they have going on and it’s embarrassing. Artist, videographers, producers, in Colorado feel they need to move to high rent states like California, Atlanta, Miami, to get heard, but what makes us different than those states? We have the exact same talent if not better, but we refuse to help each other grow and wait for that one person to blow up.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/official_larrylegend/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLarryLegend/
- Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/larrylegend21?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=366962a6-f7a9-4a54-830e-13b87dfa29c8
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC2rGDCcAErS4lrP6Sa2onPg
Image Credits
Shelbee Reed, Mitchell Ward