We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Hickman L.A. a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hickman , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

There are so many ways to learn how to Rap. Some learn by ear, some read books/watch videos. It’s different for everyone.

How I learned was a combination of EVERYTHING, and I started around 14-15 years old. I first would listen to the songs that I liked, then look up the lyrics to those songs. From there, I would read the verses and analyze the rhyme schemes, the rhymes, the build ups, core theme and overall song structure. I’d then REWRITE the songs from memory onto my notepad, so I could actually execute the writing techniques by hand. After doing that for so long, I would just plug in my own words. Eventually, I was able to put together well-structured songs, with two 16 bar verses, a hook, and a bridge if necessary. When I got older, I started to read books on songwriting, Hip Hop songwriting, and the How to Rap books. I’ve always been a good student, so these tools really helped me learn the basics of songwriting. I was able to apply most, if not all, of the techniques and tricks I researched. I also attended Hip Hop conferences to learn from my peers and stayed caught up with new innovations in the industry. I was just always a Student of the Game.

Knowing what I know now, I would have put more emphasis on reaching out to people for help. I thought I had a lot figured out myself, and I did. At the same time, if I would have sought more help in the beginning my growth could have been sped up or multiplied by who knows what! Nowadays, I consider consultation in almost every avenue now, even if I’m well versed in the matter. I’m taking a Sell Music Masterclass at the moment and it’s going really well, opening my eyes to some marketing ideas and philosophies that I’ve never even considered.

The ability to learn and apply the teachings were the skills most essential to my growth as a writer. Most people listen to music simply for the sound of it. Some even listen for more technical attributes of the sound like delivery, pitch, tone, or melody. Because of all the STUDYING and RESEARCH I’ve done on Hip Hop and songwriting, I listen to music with a completely different set of ears and I think most musicians can relate. When I listen, I’m listening from a structure point of view. How the song is written, what did the artist do with their pen to make the lyrics match the beat so perfectly. There’s actually a mathematical approach to it as well when you consider syllable count. But the ability to take from other artist and covert their strategies into my own writing process, on top of studying the game really made it easy for me to come into my own as a writer.

Funding is a BIG part of the learning process. Often you have to have some money to even obtain knowledge, and that’s in any industry. I was not making much money before, so there were just some rooms, opportunities, and courses I couldn’t take advantage of. So, I strongly advise that if you actively invest money into obtaining knowledge. Money talks! You can buy books, documentaries, and even access to conferences that can help you learn a lot more than if you were doing it yourself. I got creative and launched a pretty successful merch campaign that brought in enough money to fund my project, open new relationships and invest in more knowledge about my craft.

Hickman , 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?

So for those who don’t know, I am the West Kept Secret, Hickman L.A. I’m a Hip Hop Artist & entrepreneur, influenced by the likes of Tupac Shakur, Lupe Fiasco, Drake, and Nipsey Hussle. I went to 32nd St. USC Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School for middle school, so I’ve always had an appreciation and involvement in The Arts. I started writing at 15 and recording actual songs in college with my homie BROWNTIME, who’s a crazy producer. At Tuskegee University, I started honing my craft and eventually started doing college tours in all the major schools in the area. Auburn University, Alabama Roll Tide, you name it. Even opened up for artist such as Wale, Kid Ink, DJ Paul, Juicy J, Chiddy Bang and more. Once I realized that I actually had the talent to share the stage with well known Hip Hop Artist, I decided to get a job in Atlanta once I graduated. Atlanta is such a melting pot for so many creatives and musicians, so I knew it was the right move. Since then, I’ve made some CRAZY connections/relationships within the industry and performed all over ATL. I’ve KILLED the stage at events and festivals such as The Bar Exam, Fresh and Local Festival, ATL Korean Festival, and A3C Festival and Conference to name a few.

What I’m most proud of is actually what sets me apart from others: I’m unapologetically me when I speak on wax or on stage with a mic in my hand. I’m going to give you bars, I’m going to give you Los Angeles. I’m going to give you deep perspective and transparency. That’s just who I am as a person, and it’s gotten me pretty far in life. People love me for it, and it shows heavily in my music. Is my music for everyone? I’d like to lie to myself and say yes, but I know I’m different from others and that’s ok. I just hope to offer new perspective and understanding in my music and my life in general.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Being able to articulate how I think and feel, through an artform that I’ve truly loved all my life. Hip Hop is really my life. My mother grew up a hip hop head, and it’s just been passed down to me. I get to speak my own dialect, and express myself however I see fit. There are a lot of people on Earth who DON’T get the opportunity to even have a outlet of expression, so it’s something I take very seriously.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Oh wow, that’s a great question. Well, I can’t really BLAME society for this one because we’ve been thrusted into an era of “Instant Gratification”. BUT, I do think people can take the time to actually understand what creatives are trying to say. We just want to be heard end of the day, and often we are trying to speak up for our audience and fans. Nowadays, especially in the realm of music, we focus too much on the “Quick Fix” or the quick hit. Labels are even encouraging artists to make songs that will pop on Tik Tok, which requires only a clip of the music to be good. That stuff is cool to do, and there’s a market for it so I’m not mad at it. My point is, let’s ALSO have a balance of music that is real art, that speaks to the soul.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/realhickmanla#
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realhickmanla/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HickmanLA
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/RealHickmanLA
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBeUIGG_L00t7BYow4Kv5uQ

Image Credits
ADT Images GPDXP Visually Chris D Castro Schweinbeck