Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Zack Rippy aka Nixed. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Nixed, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. One of the toughest things about progressing in your career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?
As an artist, we are always on the chopping block. We always run into financial burdens as well as creative blocks. As a rap artist in Nashville, I have found myself having issues with booking shows or even getting my music out in this saturated market. It can really put you down as an artist and really have you considering putting this passion on the back burner. What I’ve done to deal with these issues is to understand that not everyone is going to like or dislike your work. What matters the most is what you do after you have failed.
Nixed, 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?
I began writing poetry at an early age to help deal with some of my personal problems. Poetry then turned into rap music and from there, I’ve devoted my full attention to the music industry. I am my own work horse. I write, mix, master, produce and market my music. I have formed a music group called “NIICE” right here in Nashville with my friend Juice Brown. We decided to have a conglomerate of hip hop/pop artists come together to make the Music City more than just country. I’m most proud of my son. He is a big supporter of mine and I can see he has the love for music in him. I’m only wanting people in the city to give us a listen on any streaming platform and to know that we are more than just “rappers” or “singers” we are artists!
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
My best advice I can give to any upcoming independent artist is to never give up on your dream. Music is more than a hobby, it’s a lifestyle and no matter how tough times or shows can be, keep pushing. The right person will hear you eventually.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
My first ever show was in a coffee shop in Hendersonville, TN. I didn’t know what to expect but I knew that I had to give it my all. Back then, I had to bring a CD with my music on there to give to the DJ and so, I did. I get there and it’s my time to perform and there were maybe 20 people inside watching the show. My music comes on and I barely got past the first verse and the CD started to skip. It skipped and skipped and none of the other songs would play. So, I stood up there and performed everything acapella. I could’ve just ran off stage and disappeared and never returned to music again because it was embarrassing. Instead, I faced that adversity and learned that when things go bad, push through.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/niiceentertainment?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/niiceentertainment/
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/616LL9AVKYUXGZPp66OrDq?si=ySWDSd9mRIGgcNfRo04KqQ