We were lucky to catch up with TGC Johnny Stone recently and have shared our conversation below.
TGC Johnny, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
I learned to rap from writing poetry and watched my classmates freestyle in high school. Before rap, I had a true love for writing and telling my own stories. I wrote comic books filled with creative artwork and dialog about super heroes and villains. I learned to trust in my own ability at an early age and that mindset followed me to adulthood. When I write a rhyme, my background in story telling allow my words to have visualization with a strong feeling and tone. I don’t allow my pen game to be dusted and disgusted because I understand that words have power and I have a responsibility.
Knowing what I know now I wouldn’t had trust other people to get my career further than I could. Before I was confident in my own skills, I never gave them the chance to develop in the first place. I was trusting untrustworthy people with my career. I was neglected, lied too, cheated out of money and ultimately undermined. I was and still am a great artist but I was with the wrong people. I had to buckle down and learn about the music business so I could protect myself. I wish that I choose independence in the first place vs looking for validation somewhere else It taught me to always bet on yourself even if your not 100% sure.
The skills I developed that were most essential was learning to record myself. Getting familiar with my own sound was important Controlling my own media: my brand, my marketing, my press even my reputation. I built everything from scratch so ownership is very important to me. I developed people skills, listening skills, talking skills for the business world and I developed spirituality, self value/worth and awareness for my personal reality. Wholesome with a great attitude has been my claim to fame.
The only obstacle that stood in the way was low self esteem and confidence. Feeling like no one you love support you is a bad feeling. It takes the motivation from your body and you just want to play it safe. Mental problems were draining me and I didn’t deserve it. I had to give myself more appreciation and spend more time with myself. I discovered self love and all my problems are now a thing of the past. I made it my mission to put myself first.
TGC Johnny, 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?
I got into the entertainment industry for the love of networking and music creation. I was influenced by Tupac Shakur from his music to his movies. He inspired me to diversify my abilities and to think for myself. I started off a pure artist that loved to rap over dope instrumentals. As I developed, I wanted to own my own publishing and have the rights to my masters without question. I learned about the music industry and the different roles being played in a record label.
From P/R to Finical advisor I knew i had to develop these skills for myself if I wanted any longevity in the business. A list of skills I developed overtime are: Audio Engineering (mix and master) marketing, artist development, graphic design, press kit design, website building, P/R, song structure/writing, communication with confidence and charm. Discipline was what made me last longer than the peers i started with. I am most proud about that.
After years of development I became a Marketing Manger with EDST (EveryDaySuccessTeam) we are a online community of 100k+ featured on Forbes, Entrepreneur, Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, ABC News and Fox News, What we do is help online companies expand their brand through social media marketing and popular news outlets. A lot of people get stuck when it comes to online marketing, that’s where I step in. I consult with my clients to understand the problems they are having, offer solutions to their problems with offer service I know that will benefit them in the long run. I have seen my clients go from less than 900 followers to over 25k followers. I helped niche their content, target their audience and got them connected with 100k+. active people ready to support. It wasn’t easy and it took a while but they followed my main advice and that was to stay consistent. They sell product and are now making a steady passive income online.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the freedom of manifestation. Words are spells (spelling words) when we speak we cast a spell. In a rap, if I talk about a luxury lifestyle I’ll align myself with that because that’s the lifestyle I want to live rather than living a Thug Life. We are creators with unlimited power. What we say as rappers can influence the mind good or bad. Being a creative is important because it breathes life into those looking for inspiration. The music is the voice of the youth and what I say can and will affect my environment. Blending that creative mind with a logic businessman is the best mindset a young artist can have nowadays. I’m living proof of that.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
The problem with non creatives is that they think they are non creatives. They compare what they got to other people. They wear discouragement on their sleeve and they always take the safe route without taking risks. That’s the issue with low self esteem people. They doubt their abilities without giving those abilities the proper chance to grow. To be a creative is to bring light energy from within, transform it into something meaningful to place impact on the people your in business with. You might not understand being a creative until you decide to strengthen your confidence to become one. I build self esteem. Let me be your guidance counselor for your creative career.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tgcjohnnystone.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tgcs
tone/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tgcjo
hnnystone - Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/tgcjoh
nnystone - Other: My email is [email protected] or
[email protected]
Image Credits
TGC Johnny Stone Alpone Da Producer Cocofunfilled Photography