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

Donnie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

First and foremost, to be successful, you have to clearly define what your idea of success actually is. Personally I don’t think success can be quantified by your status, income or possessions but rather by your fulfillment and joy that each day brings you by doing a job you genuinely love. If your means of income is also your passion and you wake up everyday eager to get to work while maintaining a healthy work/life balance than that to me is successful. The way to do that is to say true to who you are and to your vision, never compromise or give in to negativity, understand that time is the most precious commodity and to take pride in your craft and its execution. These are, in my opinion, the most essential keys to truly being successful.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

I’ve been an artist for my entire life. From the time I could pick up a pencil I was drawing. As a pre-teen, I was cutting out pictures of my favorite basketball players, (manly Michael Jordan) and making massively intricate collages on my bedroom walls. Throughout my youth and into adulthood I continued to pursue art, even when i was told it wasn’t lucrative and I’d never make any money. But it made no difference because I knew early on it was my passion. I became a professional graphic designer in 2009 after I lost my job and had to drop out of art school. I started out making $20 flyers for nightclubs all over the Washington DC area to keep food in my fridge all while sitting in my studio apartment perfecting my craft. Fast Forward to 2022 I am an award winning, published designer and my client list includes Iconic Filmmaker Spike Lee, NBA Hall of Famer Ray Allen, Legendary Rap Artists Fabolous, Curren$y & Consequence, Duke University Women’s Basketball Team & President Barack & Michelle Obama. I also own a successful apparel company “theDopeOnes” which is my artwork sold on wrapped canvas and apparel. What I am most proud of is the fact that I have never compromised my art along the way to reaching my goals creatively and professionally. That is the reason why I believe artists who I admire, such as Spike Lee have reached out to acknowledge my talent and collaborate. My defining moment as an artist was when I took my family to Brooklyn, NY to see my mural immortalizing the legendary career of Spike Lee. It is currently emblazoned on his garage at his 40 Acres and A Mule Filmworks HQ in Fort Greene Brooklyn. Another career defining moment was when I was personally asked to create a motion graphic based lyric video for one of my favorite hip hop artists, New Orleans rapper, Curren$y for his song “Signature Move” It can be seen on Youtube and has almost 500k views. All of my accomplishments as an artist are a testament to my unwavering desire to be recognized as a stand-out creative in my field and especially for black and Brown creatives.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I gained a social media presence over the years by staying true to my creativity. Particularly through Instagram, I made social media my living portfolio in real time. It took a little while but eventually I gained a decent following. A big push came in 2016 when I created a viral graphic of Michael Jackson wearing Air Jordans while sitting on a Mercedes Benz. This image was re-posted EVERYWHERE over the course of a year. Subsequently, I gained a few celebrity followers and the rest is history. Social media can be tough to break through especially now. But my advice would be to stay the course, be consistent, and remain genuine. At the end of the day just create content that feels authentic to you and the followers will come.

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

By far the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is having the ability to communicate my truth with total autonomy and seeing that truth inspire others. Creativity is communication and a lot of communication in today’s society is stifled whereas art is one of the last honest forms of communicating ones perspective. Whether its political, social or personal, being an artist yields an honest platform of insight. When the late, great Nipsey Hussle said “the highest human act is to inspire”, it was not hyperbole. Its a fact.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thedopeones.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/donisdope/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/donisdope
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/donisdope
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/donisdope
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCYuWWX6u1qJhpwSPg-Ba1gA/videos

Image Credits
Pics taken by @eraeholland