We were lucky to catch up with E Shore Rig recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi E Shore Rig , thanks for joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
I have been making music for 20 years as a hobby but also interested in pursuing it as career and make a full time living from it. I’ve always been active in taking the necessary steps to promote and expose my music as far and wide as possible, whether it be traveling to different cities to perform, running advertisements all over the world and networking with artists of all different genres of music. The most underlying issue I always faced was not having enough time to complete all the tasks necessary because of maintaining full time employment. On November 8th, 2023 I was terminated by my employer of 7 years because of company downsizing. After facing the reality of the current situation, I decided it was time to change my reality and instead of searching to gain new employment right away, I have been pursuing music as a full time living and working constantly to grow my brand and platform.
E Shore Rig , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m E Shore Rig, a Maryland based hip hop artist and podcaster. I’ve been recording and releasing music for 20 years and have recorded thousands of songs and released several projects, including 4 EP’s and numerous singles in 2023,which are available on all major streaming platforms. When I originally started writing songs, it was just a hobby and a good way for me to express myself through art as I have in the past with journalism, poetry and theater. I eventually started sharing the songs I wrote and recorded and received positive feedback from listeners and was motivated to take it more seriously. I have performed and recorded music in different parts of the US, and have gone out of the country twice within the past year for musical purposes. The first time going to London, UK in December 2022 to promote and record music. And the second time was going to Toronto in March 2023 to perform at a 3 day music festival. I’m currently still recording and releasing music on a regular basis,. I have also recently launched my first podcast titled “Not The Average Local Rapper”, geared towards informing and conversing with up and coming hip hop artists like myself about relevant topics. In the near future I will be releasing my first piece of merch, the “Bars Still Matter” tee shirt There are many aspiring artists like myself and the number grows everyday, but what will always separate me from the others is the ability to vividly depict my reality as well as others through making music that’s relatable and refreshing.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
My goal is to make positive and relatable hip hop music that brings a nostalgic 90’s feel, and being able to make a living off of it. My mission is to spread awareness to positive aspects of the culture and prove wrong the stigma that all hip hop has a negative influence on the masses., I also aim to inspire other creators of all walks and genres to be true to themselves with their art and not feel pressured to do what’s trendy or popular.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
In my experience, non-creatives generally tend to not understand the time, dedication, and risk it takes to being a creative. I often find myself discouraged because the people closest to me may not understand my perception on certain things that go against the standard way of thinking and living. I’m not sure if there’s anything that could persuade a non-creative to understand or much less support their creative loved ones and peers, but I would say it all goes back to the classic cliche, “to each their own”.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eshorerig410
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@eshorerig
- Other: http://buymeacoffee.com/eshorerig
Image Credits
Anne Whyman Nikol Dehaan Fred E Fame Designs by Eddy