We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ishmael McDaniel. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ishmael below.

Ishmael , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

The first time I knew I wanted to pursue a creative/ artistic path professionally is when I released my first album as a solo artist. At the time it wasn’t the best music to hear but the people around me saw that I had potential and wanted me to keep going, years later at the age of 22, I’m still going and trying to take my talents even higher than before. Throughout the years I’ve had a lot of setbacks but the one thing that has never changed for me is improvement and to pursue this career it takes hard work and dedication, which I’m willing to accomplish.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

The way I got into this industry was very unexpected I made my first song my freshman year of high school, but I never took it seriously until I was 18. Many people ask me how I became so creative with my work, and I tell them that I come from a family full of talented individuals. My grandfather played guitar and piano my uncle and brother were R&B singers and Hip hop rappers, and my auntie is a gospel singer for churches and events. So naturally this business was in my blood. As being a solo artist, it has never been easy for me, I believe what sets me from another upcoming artist is the way I approach my sound and lyrics. Many people in this day of age don’t listen to rappers or pop stars that make songs based on stories, most want to hear about expensive cars or the women they’ve slept with, nevertheless my music isn’t based of that. For the people I’m around I try to be the realest I can be with the songs I create, the next generation needs role models and people that can lead them into the right path and not the path of destruction and with my music I believe that I can lead the future generation into a positive path. I’m wholesomely proud of how far I’ve come, sometimes I look back and notice the changes within myself and music and I’m very pleased with it. When others read about me or listen to my music, I want them to know that everything about me is real and 100% genuine and there’s nothing I can’t do or won’t do to make something of myself, every day is a grind to become a better version of what I was the day before and with God on your side anything possible.

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Family is the driving goal for my creative journey, at the age of 5 I lost my father and watching my mother compose herself and grind to make our lives better every day motivated me. My stepfather always told me that the world doesn’t owe you anything and that you have to work for it, those words stuck to me for years, which is why I started to work even harder as an artist. Seeing that I am a role model to my younger sister pushes me even more I don’t want her growing up knowing that her older brother was a failure, so every day I push myself to try and be the greatest that I can be for her, my mom, stepfather and other family members. My biggest fear is letting my family down knowing that I could have been more than they perceived. Without family my goals and ambition wouldn’t exist, my passion for music came from them and would of never saw the light of day without them.

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

I built my audience strictly from my YouTube channel. before I made music, I created a YouTube channel full of gaming and reactions videos once I started creating music my audience had my full support and was willing to give it a chance. My advice for others that want to start building a social media presence is marketing, that’s the biggest way to grow yourself as an artist once you have the support and the right people around you, marketing your music or YouTube channel becomes easier than before.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/issac_reid5x/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/henry.mcdaniel.9
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/issac_reid5x?lang=en
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7j12Wcb8xyuDk_1ONb1pTQ
• Other: Spotify Link – https://open.spotify.com/artist/0abn69aI4NzGhqggN6PPQ2?si=LPSdjICvQa-JsUpCtC784w Apple Music Link – https://music.apple.com/us/artist/issac-reid/1232404716

Image Credits
Terell Jones, Darren Alexander, Breana Graham