We were lucky to catch up with Kyree Fleming recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kyree, thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Going to college for music production and audio engineering was a big risk for me because I would have a huge workload. I enrolled at a time where I was figuring out who I was and I was unsure of my future. A lot of people doubted me and suggested I get a job or take up something more stable. I’m glad I didn’t listen and I appreciate those tough experiences because they made me into something stronger.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Junior year of high school I began to become easily influenced by my surroundings, partaking in drugs and losing sight of the direction I was taking my life. I started staying out late, missing school, and became taken more to the “street life”. My mom took me out of school and enrolled me in a homeschool program basically for troubled youth. I was always a good student and a creative kid. I began reading more, drawing again, and allowed my thinking to expand. I was able to graduate in 2017 at age 17 with a clearer mind and optimism of a better future for myself. End of senior year I began making beats on my phone and ended up taking a certificate program in music production and audio engineering. I had no secure transportation and took a 2 hour bus ride to and from the college everyday. It was a struggle for me to stay committed to my choice, but my new discoveries of the craft had me hooked and I kept coming to class. As I got older I saw how the music industry really worked and how hard it would be just to be heard. This did not scare me and I began spending all my money on new equipment while still living at my parents house. Getting deeper into understanding the business side, I became fascinated with the entrepreneur lifestyle and began my journey of learning how to grow a business. I couldn’t see beyond my everyday after graduating high school, but taking that course was a glimpse of light at the end of a tunnel. I went through a lot since starting the program and I can say that’s a risk I’ll take a million times over. Today I look for new risk whether in music or business, and I appreciate the experiences that I have gained by doing so. Now I am making a name for myself as an independent music producer/artist known as Pax Terra, which is Latin for “Peace Earth”. The meaning of my name goes deep into my origin of a chaotic upbringing and also my mission to find inner peace. I aim to become global and have a reach way beyond the US. This is also driven by my interest in different cultures and how every culture is connected by our human nature. This also drives me to connect with artists and producers of different genres. I also DJ and engineer my own songs. As a businessman I aim to produce multiple streams of passive income and I have a goal to open multiple studios throughout the country.

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

Yes. I want to be able to spread as much connection and peace throughout the world as I am capable of. I’ve seen a heightened amount of violence for majority of my life and I’ve been blessed with an opportunity to spread positivity in my community and beyond. Nothing in me want to waste this. Being an example of fearless authenticity for the next generation and a blueprint for the youth growing up in violence, crime, and drug plagued environments that want to be more than what lies outside their front door.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

A lot of non-creative people don’t understand the beginning struggle, but I think that’s needed for a creative to create that individuality they need to create something authentic. Some people wouldn’t understand why I chose to go to college even though in this field it’s not necessary. I say I’ve made a lot of connections, not just my peers but with staff that are willing to share opportunities and knowledge. It was a good propeller for me to stretch my reach beyond Baltimore City and connect with the surrounding areas as well. The actual experiences, connections, and knowledge mean more to me than the certificate itself.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @pax.terra.4e
• Other: SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/ANUQy5YqXR1ebHqeA Enginears: https://engineears.com/paxmusic