We recently connected with Jason Gilbert and have shared our conversation below.

Jason, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

Being from the Cayman Islands, at the time (2000) when I began to seriously pursue a career in the music business I realized early on that being in the right environment was key to my growth and success. I decided to further my education at Florida International University so I moved to Miami which was a larger city with more opportunities in music. Moving to Miami gave me the opportunity to collaborate with more creative individuals, which was a crucial part of my success. After I completed my Bachelors Degree I wanted to stay in Miami longer to continue working with my favorite collaborators so I pursued a Masters Degree in Finance. By the time I completed my Masters Degree I had landed a few major record label placements as a musician/songwriter; I had got my foot in the door. A few months after moving back to Cayman one of my main collaborators (Dwayne Chinquee A.K.A “Supa Dups”) had recently signed a deal with Sony and invited me back to Miami to continue collaborating. Within a year we landed a song on Eminem’s Recovery album which led to my first Grammy award. Knowing what I know now, and having made a few mistakes along the way, I didn’t take the time to fully understand and grasp the business side of my chosen field; the Music Industry. Therefore I would encourage anyone who is seeking to pursue this career path to learn both the creative aspects as well as the business side, equally as your ultimate success will be dependent on it.

Jason, 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?

At the age of 13 I started making my own beats and writing songs at home, where I transformed my bedroom closet to a mini studio. I would use the bedroom door to produce drum sounds for my beats, which turned out pretty good considering I spawned my first local hit song “Summer is Over”, using these methods.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the influence my father had on me from a young age, as he was a top local DJ in Cayman at that time. I was able to learn from him and also had access to all his vinyl records and DJ equipment which gave me the opportunity to learn how to use these tools to create songs. I was raised in a disciplined environment, with rules and expectations which grounded me as a youth. When my mom bought me my first desktop computer this really gave me an opportunity to enhance my skills and take my music to the next level. From here I would learn to mix, master, and produce music for anyone I collaborated with.

I provide all services related to completing songs. This includes; songwriting, producing, recording, mixing and mastering. Most recently, I have been offering educational courses to students on the aforementioned topics and successfully completed a summer music camp at HopScotch Studios where the students (ages 9-16) wrote and produced a song each week, with my assistance. This also included doing music videos with the respective students to showcase themselves, as would be expected. The fact that the students were able to successfully complete a song in a few days, as well as doing a music video, speaks to the level of experience and understanding in the field I have acquired over a life-time of being in the Music Industry. Not only did they successfully complete their songs and videos, but they had a super fun time doing it and even released an album (Hopscotch – “kids summer music camp” showcasing their hard work! This initiative will be carried forward as an after school program for students who are interested. This endeavor has been one of my most crowning moments, as I have been able to transfer the knowledge I have acquired over the last 25+ years to students, which essentially is giving them a great foundation for their future. I believe my experience and well rounded knowledge sets me apart as I can play all the required rolls. I also believe my ability and willingness to “pay it forward” via teaching the next generation, sets me apart.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I am from a place where I am considered a trailblazer. That being said, my mission is to continue breaking new ground creatively, whilst raising the bar so as to inspire and educate the next generation.

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

Seeing your creation work and ideas positively effect/inspire others. The feeling of knowing I contributed something that will outlive me, essentially creating a legacy.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.happyparrotstudios.com
• Instagram: @jasonjggilbert @skorchbunit
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCO5W94avfY
• Other: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Gilbert

Image Credits
Stephan Cotterell