We were lucky to catch up with El G.Nie recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi El, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

As a professional creative, the most important thing you can do is study and learn your craft. Whatever your discipline – whether it’s music, visual art, performance art, or even business – studying your respective field and developing your skill set will bring infinite value to you as an individual and a professional brand. Practicing and honing your craft is the basis of a strong, creative foundation which will allow you to build a business and eventually monetize your art. It allows you to stand out by displaying excellence and professionalism, whereas others who may not give their all to their craft will fall short.

Writing became more than a hobby for me; it became a habit. Just as all great musicians practice their instrument every day, all great writers write every day. Anything you do constantly and consistently will evolve and become better over time guaranteed. Before I ever picked up the pencil and wrote down my first lyric, I studied. By listening to Spanish hip hop and reggaeton music, I got a feel for musical rhythm and lyrical cadences which I was able to replicate. As a child I wrote songs with the limited vocabulary I possessed, but as I grew into teenage hood I read dictionaries and thesaurus’ we had at home to increase my lexicon to be able to express emotion more intensely and invoke deeper audience responses.

Learning about measure, tempo, syllables, rhyming words, time signature, and general music theory helped expand my understanding of music and allowed me to apply it to the genre of hip hop. I was then able to create songs and poetic pieces that were polished and begin my professional journey into the entertainment industry. In a transition from simply being a poet and songwriter, I began rehearsing and performing my original pieces at home, church events, and open mics, which led to doors opening up and eventually garnering additional performance opportunities. I am always grateful to God for the talent He has placed in me and the doors He has opened in my professional career.

Remember: even when the seeds are placed in your hand, it is your responsibility to plant and nurture them to grow a tree that will feed you for life. Learning and honing your craft IS that nurturing.

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

First and foremost, my name is El G.Nie (pronounced “El Genie”). The name is derived from my actual name: Eliezer Gabriel Nieves and to this day my brother and I fight about who created the stage name (I still think I did, but he can take credit for it). I am a hip hop artist, spoken word poet, author, and Latin GRAMMY® award-winning album executive who has performed award-winning pieces in concerts and festivals across the USA and internationally.

Music has always been a part of my life ever since I can remember. From my mother being into Broadway musicals to my father playing drums at church, I was surrounded by live performances and musicianship. It was only a matter of time that I took after my mother and began writing journal entries, except mine were in the form of poetry and song. My newfound love for writing was joined with my natural performance ability and I began writing and performing songs at 11 years old. The more I developed and evolved my talent, the more my desire grew and eventually decided this was what I wanted to do with my life. Work ethic, practiced talent, and consistency have allowed me to create and expand a career as an artist and music business executive.

As an entrepreneur, there are various products, services, and creative works I provide under the Gold Lamp Enterprises brand. The primary product is music, which comes in the form of hip hop, reggaeton, and spoken word in not one, but two languages: English and Spanish. Additional products include physical merchandise (such as officially branded apparel) and my published books, which can be purchased through my website. The services provided include live performances, keynote speaking, and educational music workshops. Creatively, I collaborate with other artists and brands to produce, compose, arrange, and write music, as well as direct, produce, and create high quality video productions. You can find my work on my website at www.elgnie.com.

The thing that I am the most proud of is my ability to combine and fuse different elements of music and poetry across two languages to form my own style, as well as deliver over any style whether it be hip hop, reggaeton, jazz, salsa, classical, or r&b. Also, I take pride in connecting with various audiences of diverse backgrounds. All ages from elementary school students to retirees and everyone in between can be inspired by my works whether through watching a live performance or reading books. Overall, I am proud to be working in a field that is filled with amazing opportunities where I can network and showcase what I love to do everyday.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is viewing the world through a creative lens. Creativity allows me to look at problems differently, where I can think outside the box for a solution. Creativity translates into other aspects of life and business. My mind is always on the lookout for fresh ideas to bring melodies and words alive through meaningful lyrics and intentional productions. Whereas ordinary people observe a building as just a building, an artist may see it as a canvas, as an inspiration for a song, as a beautiful portrait. There is a story in everything and my job as a poet is to tell those stories in engaging ways that resonate with anyone who hears it.

Another rewarding aspect includes traveling and experiencing new cultures. As a young boy, I always wanted to travel the world and during my career, I have been able to take my talent and share my songs internationally. All praise to the Most High for allowing me to experience what I have so far and I look forward to traveling more frequently in the near future.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

One characteristic of a successful entrepreneur is flexibility. When you are flexible, you can adapt to any situation that arises and any problem that comes your way. Another characteristic is impeccable time management. Time is the one finite resource that is constantly depleting and must be used wisely in order for business to thrive.

There came a time in life when my business began to pick up and the opportunities started presenting themselves more frequently. Since I worked a full time day job in the retail industry, my schedule would not allow for adequate planning and executing within my musical career as the hours were inconsistent and impractical. I had to make a decision to drop my status as full time and go part time so I can take back control of my time and have a consistent work schedule, which accommodated my day job and business career.

Sometimes decisions are hard because you think about the worst case scenarios and everything that could happen if it doesn’t work out. However, if you have a dream with a passion and you focus all of your time into building it and making it happen, it will work itself out. The most successful individuals in history pushed passed fear and jumped into the abyss of the unknown. The only thing they were sure of is their confidence in problem solving and the determination to making their dreams reality.

If you feel stuck in life, lay out all of your options – pros and cons. The beauty of life is that we can pursue multiple careers and create a living from what we love. It is possible to combine what you’re skilled at and what you love to do. You just have to find a way to budget both your time and finances. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do, just because they are not willing to put in the work to do it. Pave your path in life and let God guide you. As an entrepreneur who constantly pivots and adapts to the times, I can confidently say that whatever you focus your mind, time, and energy to do, you can do.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.elgnie.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elgnie
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elgnie
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/elgnie
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPUzPWesa620VG2xtcnp0Sg

Image Credits
Larzhay