We were lucky to catch up with Configa recently and have shared our conversation below.

Configa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Basically put, it takes time, dedication and work ethic to be a success in any sphere of work. Opportunities aren’t usually given, they are generally earned and you create your own ‘luck’ more often than not.

In regards to myself, nobody has ever given me anything that I didn’t earn through my own hard work. I started out years ago with nothing – no contacts, no ‘foothold’ in the music industry and no ‘name’. I was also British in a U.S. saturated market. Slowly but surely I positioned myself to ultimately be able to work with notable artists that have won Grammys and are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Legends that I literally grew up listening to are now my colleagues. ALL of this derives from dedication and perseverance, you should NEVER accept ‘no’ for an answer.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started working in music in the late 90s. Back then it was purely as a hobby. I began rapping locally and as the internet picked up steam I started pursuing opportunities overseas. I self-released my debut album in 2000 and this resulted in me getting a record deal from a LA based label. I was with them for 2 years where I released a follow up album and was on various mix-tapes. During this time I was featured on MTV.com and had my music licensed for the first time.

After that, I won awards as part of an underground rap group called ‘Slept On Fam’ with a critically acclaimed album. I then started producing for numerous underground hip-hop artists and little by little became better known and established. This led to my music being placed in major films and TV shows and ultimately I was signed to a record label by Public Enemy’s Chuck D. This put me further in the ‘shop window’ as it were, and led to amazing opportunities such as working with Arrested Development as a Co-Executive producer for their last 3 albums. I was also named Producer Of The Year (by B-Boy Document magazine) a couple of years ago.

In terms of products/services that I provide – I produce music for artists, I mix and master records for artists, I release music via my Configaration Records label and through my Laidlaw Media PR company I promote artists. I also mentor up and coming artists.

What sets me apart from others? I’d like to think I am a rare breed of academic and creative. I hold a Doctorate, and my thesis is literally on hip-hop. And I actively work within the same field that I am also a qualified expert on. This gives me an incredibly valuable insight in to the line of work that I am in.

I am most proud of the authenticity that I bring. Everything is done from a place of integrity and knowledge. I seek to preserve and honor the culture and put that at the forefront of everything that I do. I am 100% artist focused, and always seek to go the ‘extra mile’ when working with a client or colleague. The quality of my work speaks for itself.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

The one word I would like to emphasize and encourage others to follow is: ENGAGEMENT. It’s quite honestly vital. I have around 200,000 followers across all of my social media platforms currently. I spend hours each day engaging people with content and also with replies to comments and DMs. Without wanting to sounding cliched in any way – I like to make my followers feel special, as they are. Laying back and not engaging will be detrimental to social media growth. It takes a LOT of time and work every day but it’s pivotal to success.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Talent, knowledge and personality/engagement. The talent is self-explanatory, as this is the foundation to everything. Knowing what you are doing, why you are doing it and understanding your market place is always vital – a game plan is mandatory to achieving success. Finally, and to reiterate what I said above, you need to engage your followers and let your personality shine. I believe I have displayed all of these areas to the best of my ability over the years.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://laidlawmedia.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/configa
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/configa
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-andrew-l-19a89274?trk=contact-info
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Configa
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/configa