We caught up with the brilliant and insightful LowKey AsMe a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
LowKey, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
Yes. I earn a full time living from my creative work. But it didn’t start that way. I worked as a bartender for years. It allowed me to meet a lot of people in the city. I slowly developed relationships at the club, while I developed skills, and business plans at home. Thats where I met The Vibes HTX crew. Thats the dj crew I’m currently a member of. As I got better I got booked more and slowly became my own boss. I still bartend one night a week at the avant garden on Wednesdays. Its the places where everyone in the industry goes. So I’m in constant contact with the scene. Relationships are everything.
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
I balance 3 main small businesses. First is the Djing side of my life. Most people don’t realize that if managed correctly. Djing can be very lucrative, and dependable. Its something I had to be shown by people like The Vibe HTX crew and The waves on crew. Even knowing lots of djs is an asset. There a few clubs that pay me just hirer dependable Djs for them.
I also have a 360 photo booth company. I Do everything from weddings, corporate events to graduation parties. This was my Hail Mary doing the pandemic. Money was getting slim, about the time the world was starting to open back up. I noticed that regular photo booths at events, were getting replaced by 360 photo booths. I also noticed that they all looked the same. I remember thinking that it had so much potential to be so much more. So I took all the money I had and bought a basic set up. I dedicated myself to learning the process inside and out. Eventually I was able to develop some very different looking videos using ligh from Home Depot , and different software that no one else had thought to use. Turning something into a creative outlet is a great way to get really good at it.
I also produce live shows, and help others put on live events. Live events will all ways have a special place in my life. I don’t care how good streaming or videos games get. Theres nothing like seeing a live show.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
I think there are 2 sides a creatives mind. The creator, and the hustler. The creator has the burning inside them. They spend all day digesting ideas, and feelings. Figuring how to present them to other. Then bring those ideas and feelings to life. The huster spends all day finding ways to present that finished artwork to as many people as possible. Then finding ways to turn that presentation into a pay check. When a creative person is able to go through all those steps. From feeling, to paycheck. Its truly a life changing experience. That make every dollar made from creating something worth 10 dollars that was made doing something else.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I think the world can take a lesson from Houston. Its a city that truly supports itself. The clothes I wear, the food I eat, the music I listen too, even the soap I use. It all comes from people I know and support. I learned that when I moved here years ago. This place is built different than most. If you are good at what you do, this city will support you.
Contact Info:
- Website: three60photoflex.squarespace.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lowkeyasme/
- Facebook: 360photoflex
- Linkedin: @lowkeyasme
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCodmkqhqSqQAKJnUPMy1Vtg