We were lucky to catch up with Dusk Raps recently and have shared our conversation below.
Dusk, appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
Everyone who decides to make a real effort to make a living from their creative endeavours is deciding to take a risk. This is the turning point. You change from a hobbyist who creates at their leisure, to a dedicated professional who is clocking in to work. You tell everyone your plan & prepare for the journey ahead. Time that would normally be spent at a regular job, socializing, relaxing, watching tv, etc, is now spent working on your craft. The stakes are higher now and you’re officially playing for keeps. There is no time to waste. It can be scary when you leave the stability of a full time job and shift the burden of generating income to your own operati0n. Scared money don’t make none. You have to roll the dice. You have to risk falling and failing. Speaking from personal experience, transitioning from 9-5 worker to full time artist has been equally challenging and rewarding. I have seen successes and failures and I know that I will continue to have ups and downs as long as I continue making my own way. I wish that I would have made the leap sooner. Eventually I realized that I would never win big playing it safe. To anyone considering a similar move, I say go for it. Be smart & boldly do your thing.
Dusk, 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?
I’m born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. I’m a lifelong artist. These days I’m focused on painting with acrylics, making mixed media illustrations and painting the occasional mural. My style is influenced heavily by the interests of my adolescence. I grew up mainly fascinated by skateboarding and hip hop. My art is a distillation of 80’s & 90’s skateboard graphics, graffiti, album covers, cartoons, movie posters, traditional tattoo imagery, religious iconography, pulp art, show fliers, art deco and a few of the old classical master painters.
I have also been a bit of a creative jack of all trades. I have also spent years rapping & making beats, playing shows locally, regionally and touring nationally. I’ve dabbled in djing and graphic design. I’ve booked hip hop shows, put on art shows and curated other events. I started a lifestyle brand called Camo Towers that acts as an outlet for my other interests and projects. This includes limited run merch drops, vinyl mixes, curated playlists & Events.
I’m most proud of the overall body of work that I’ve amassed over the years. I have been able to find a way to make my mark in everything that I’ve decided to do. I have followed whatever sparked my interest and curiosity & have been fortunate to find a platform and an audience to share with.
It has also been important to help other creatives that I meet. I’m happy to share any advice, insights, words of encouragement or opportunities that I’m able to. I’m competitive with myself, but not with others. I know how hard it is to get your foot in the door, in terms of breaking into a creative scene. I learned a lot of things the hard way, so I try to pass along what I know.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
I have learned a lot and taken endless inspiration from reading biographies of all kinds of high achievers. There isn’t always a clear way forward when you are blazing your own trail, but when I began studying the stories of people who lived larger than life, I began to see a map I could follow. Here is a list of a few of my favorites.
Shoe Dog – Phil Knight
The Fish That Ate The Whale – Rich Cohen
Dreamer Of Dune – Brian Herbert
The Autobiography Of Gucci Mane – Gucci Mane
The Evolution Of A Cro-Magnon – John Joseph
You Belong To The Universe – Jonathon Keats
Ernest Hemingway – Mary V. Dearborn
These last few aren’t biographies but, I believe they’re essential reading too
The War Of Art – Steven Pressfield
The PMA Effect – John Joseph
Mastery – Robert Greene
My last recommendation is a podcast called Founders, hosted by David Senra. Every week he breaks down the biography of history’s greatest entrepreneurs. As I have committed to learning more about the business half of my art business, this podcast has been endlessly informative and inspirational.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
My favorite part of being a creative is the endless possibilities. There really is no end to this for me. As long as I stay curious and work hard, I know that where ever my interests take me that I can make interesting work that is worth sharing. I find enjoyment in every part of the creative process. I love getting lost in the act of creating. Whether it’s painting, illustrating, writing songs, making a beat, putting together a mix, drawing a flyer for a show, it all scratches the same itch.
I also love the other half of the creative process, which is being inspired. I always have little stretches of time where I don’t worry about making anything & I intentionally focus on my input. I spend hours and hours listening to music, watching movies, reading books, listening to interviews, looking at art, watching tutorials and hang out with friends. I have a thirst for knowledge, new ideas, sights and sounds. When the sponge that is my mind can’t soak up any more information, I know that it’s time to sit down and make something of my own.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.camotowers.com
- Instagram: @duskraps @camotowers
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dusk.raps
- Twitter: @duskraps
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@duskraps
Image Credits
I took all the photos myself