We caught up with the brilliant and insightful OG NICK MARSH a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
OG NICK, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today.
There are a lot of things I have learned in the past ten years of running my own music blog. However, I think the most important lesson I have learned is to never be needlessly disrespectful. It’s kind of a universal lesson for me at this point, but when I started out as a “music critic” when I was 16, I was under the impression that the funnier and more brutal a review was, the more enjoyable it would be for my audience. I think most of the people who kept up with my output around that time were also minors, and I guess the demographic has evolved naturally over time. As I’ve grown up and become more self aware and mature, my writing has become far less irritating. The things I wrote as a teenager were harsh, strict, and frankly cruel and offensive at times. I’m a much more likable person these days because I like myself more. As I’ve become less of a rude jerk— or “keyboard warrior,” as some might say—my audience has grown and I’ve made connections with some of my favorite artists in the culture.
OG NICK, 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?
My name is OG NICK MARSH, and I run my own music blog called FocusHipHop.com. My reason for creating it in the first place was that I honestly didn’t really have many friends with similar interests, and I wanted some place to talk about the things I liked. It started out as a personal blog where I just posted whatever I felt was worth sharing with people. It was basically a glorified Tumblr page. However, one of the first things I started doing with it was music reviews. I always enjoyed watching creators on YouTube such as theneedledrop or Dead End Hip Hop discuss music, and I wanted to create my own version of this, but in written form.
Over the years my specific niche has become underground Hip Hop, which I suppose isn’t particularly unique. However, I think what separates my platform is just how far underground I am willing to dig. A friend of mine recently referred to someone I wrote about as “just some guy.” To me, there’s no such thing as just some guy. I’m not hesitant to write about someone with 3 monthly listeners or fewer on Spotify if I genuinely enjoy their music and feel the desire to share it with others. I’m always willing to give an artist a chance, even if I haven’t previously enjoyed their work. I think the fact that I keep such an open mind is what leads to some of the greatest discoveries that I get to share with my followers.
As far as what I take the most pride in, generally I would say I am proud that I was able to create something that I feel gives my life meaning and purpose. I have found joy and overcome intense mental difficulties thanks to this blog, and it has become a piece of who I am. With that said, if it somehow got wiped from the internet, I would still be proud of what it was because I know for a fact that I had an impact. If I had to choose one specific piece of content that I have published of which I am most proud, I would have to say my redux review of Atmosphere’s God Loves Ugly album, which was published on June 2nd, 2024. I feel like I was able to put my heart in this review. The best content comes when I am emotionally moved, and God Loves Ugly is one of the most moving albums I’ve heard, so the redux review just came out really well.
If I had to give one message to my followers, it would be that you don’t need to be spoon fed what’s popular. Give a new artist a chance no matter how small or nonexistent their following is because everyone starts somewhere and you may be surprised and pleased by what you find.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
At the beginning of 2018, I was hospitalized from January 18th to March 23rd due to a psychotic/depressive episode. At the time, I was hearing voices in my head and I was convinced that I was living on a movie set, and that everyone around me was an actor. This was kind of a dividing point in my life. There’s pre-psychosis OG and post-psychosis OG. My friend describes it as my rebirth. I’m a very different person from who I used to be. I’ve struggled with mental illness all my life, but this was by far one of the most overwhelming and turbulent experiences I’ve ever endured. To this day I am still recovering in some sense. My college experience was completely thrown off by my mental health struggles, and I am still in the process of getting my degree. I am currently at the fourth college that I have attended, and I intend for it to be the final one.
Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?
The best way that I stay in contact with followers and friends is through the official Focus Hip Hop Discord server. People who join can essentially talk to me whenever they want about whatever they want. It has really made me feel closer to the community in a way I can’t express. The most common compliment I receive in real life is that I’m a “chill” person, and I think this quality probably translates into my writing to some extent. I believe that’s probably what convinces people to stick around. People subscribe to the Patreon page because they like me and wanna show support, and I do everything I can to repay them with as much exclusive content as possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://focushiphop.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/OGNICKMARSH
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FocusOnTheHipHop
- Twitter: https://x.com/focusognick
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7cAx_9ccockxTbSieBeIWA
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ognickmarsh
- Other: Patreon Page: http://patreon.com/OGNICKMARSH
Join the Focus Hip Hop Discord Server: https://discord.gg/QtZKw2XeCn
Image Credits
Stephen Astor