SXSW 2015: The Week That Changed Everything

Left to Right: My bestie and me

          SXSW, South by southwest, is a great event that occurs in Austin, Texas in the spring to showcase movies, music and interactives. This year for the first time I went to the music week and attended several of the showcases that went on from March 17-March 21. I was able to purchase a music wristband because I resided in the greater Austin area and was allowed to buy only one additional for a guest who resided outside the region, who was my very best friend. During this week, artists from all over the world come together to showcase their talents, spread awareness, network new connections and attend seminars from people who are able to impart their knowledge about many different topics and fields. So as a spectator, I went and what I received from the week is something more great than I could have possibly have imagined. More than either of us could have imagined.

J Cole

 

        As an observer of humanity, I noticed the drive and sheer motivation of everyone out there hustling and bustling to make something of themselves. It was downright inspiring. There was just no way that you could walk away from meeting, discussing and exchanging ideas with dedicated artists so determined to do what they loved without it rubbing off on you too. I had already determined before this event that I was unhappy with my life as it was and disappointed that my career choice I had pursued had somewhere along the way became a “job”. The hardest part of pursuing a dream is actually knowing what you want to do. How can you harness, focus all your ambition and create goals for something when you’re not sure what it is you want to do? Sometimes you just have to figure it out, and go take risks/chances in order to better your life.

OG Maco

 It was actually that energy I felt coming from those magnificent artists that inspired me and my intelligent, ambitious friends to create this blog. For as long as I can remember, me and my friends would sit around talking about "the grind”, what we want to do, pursuing our dreams, where we want to live, etc. As the cliché goes, talk is cheap. We have done the talking and now we want to do something more active with what we have to say. So this blog is going to be our engine to tell the world the truths we know, the encounters we experience, and most important it will highlight our “grind” as it showcases our talents as the young, intelligent adults we have grown to be. I hope we can touch our readers, effect positive change and inspire others not to be complacent/settle for the mundane. Grip the reins of life and CREATE CHANGE!

Me in the foreground and Wyclef Jean on stage

So it would seem, what began as just a concert week, really and truly became “The Week That Changed Everything”.

Left to right: Me, Dej Loaf, and my bestie