Week #52 (Dec.24-31, 2018)

Spotify || Instagram || Facebook || Twitter || Phone

Week #52 (Dec.24-31, 2018) - 2018 & BEYOND!

4 days from the close of 2018 and it’s always good to reflect on the past year. But first, take a deep breath……Congratulations, you made it! No matter what your year was like. Whether filled with wins or lessons (it’s not a loss if you learn from it), take a moment to celebrate the fact that you’re still here, still breathing. I realize that for some even this simple act seems to require every ounce of energy you can muster, and you’re not sure what tomorrow will look like, let alone next year. But here’s the thing; every breath is a blessing. So take a moment…..breath….congratulations you’re still here.Now consider how you made it here. Consider who played a role in helping you overcome all the challenges of this past year. I firmly believe every single one of us owes all our victories to 3 people/groups of people. The first being God, the second being your community/tribe/family/circle, etc., and the third being yourself.As you think of these 3 people/groups I encourage you to reach out to all of them before the year is out. Talk to God. If this is something you do on a regular basis, kudos, keep it up. If for you perhaps the idea of talking to God sounds strange, I promise you, it’s not. The Bible says “he is actually not far from each one of us” (Act. 17:27). So talk to him. It doesn’t require any special access codes or secret meetings. Talk to him where you are. Pray. Next, reach out to those in your community/tribe/family/circle. For you it might be just that ONE person. Tell them what they’ve done to help you out this year. As much as you needed their supporting arm, they need your encouraging words to truly understand the impact they’ve had on you. Get on a call if you can. Let them hear your voice singing them those sweet words of gratitude and encouragement.Now that you’ve spoken to God and reached out to your community, now talk to yourself. Yes I mean it. Talk to yourself. You see, you can have God’s grace provided and the love of your community, but you’re the one who has to put one foot in front of the next and actually live in light of that reality. And if you’re reading this right now that means at least to some degree you have done that in 2018. So yea, talk to yourself. Encourage yourself. In Toronto, we have this slang expression that goes “Gwan big up yuhself”. It basically means give yourself a pat on the back. Remind yourself that you survived. Remind yourself that you did do some amazing things this year. Remember “amazing” is relative not compared to what others are doing, but compared to what you were created to do. Remind yourself that you are made in the image of God and thus are valuable and deserving of respect. Like I said “Gwan big up yuhself”.Finally, as you talk to these 3 people/groups, don’t be ashamed to ask for their continued support. Don’t let your pride get in the way. It’s no shameful act to admit you need the help of others. I once heard a saying that stuck with me “A wise man is one who knows that he knows not”. It takes humility to ask for help and humility is strength. I am no different than you. So these truths equally apply to me. But for the grace of God and the support of my community (you included), I am nothing. I truly believe that. This year I have experienced spiritual growth thanks to the support of brothers like; Paul, Peter, Tim, Sayo, Debo. I have experienced emotional growth thanks to my lovely wife, Marjo and dear son, Mason. And I have experience incredible career growth thanks to the hundreds of thousands of you out there, many of whom I’ve never actually met.

Above are my Spotify stats for 2018, compared to 2017. As you can see, there was SIGNIFICANT growth in every metric (300+%). The music reached more ears, the videos graced more eyes and the message touched more hearts than ever. To say I’m grateful to God and you is a gross understatement.So where does that leave me with reference to 2019?To be perfectly honest, I’m incredibly nervous about 2019 because 2018 was such an amazing year. I knew I had something special with XXY while I was making it, but didn’t imagine it would do what it did.  By every metric imaginable, XXY was a success. It has elevated my profile to a new level, gained me respect in certain circles, and increased my reach. But that’s not even the most amazing thing. The personal messages I constantly get about how the songs are impacting you have brought me to tears on occasion. And in there lays my anxiety. Is this it? Have I spent all my best ideas? Will my next songs/projects have the same emotional resonance with you? So many of you were touched by my willingness to be raw and candid in ways I never have before. I plan to continue on this route  (with a healthy dose of my African roots), but still fears remain. To be frank, my goals for 2019 can only be described as “OUTLANDISH”. Someone asked me, “But are they realistic?” My answer, “I DON’T CARE!” If your dreams/goals don’t scare you, you’re not dreaming big enough. So these goals are staying! But here’s the thing: I NEED YOU!!! Yes YOU!!! If you enjoy my content, I’m talking to YOU! For reasons I won’t get into, I left my label this year also. At the highest point I’ve ever been in my career, I felt God’s pull to take this scary leap and begin this new chapter. So more than ever, I NEED YOU! Like I said earlier, I’m not too proud to ask for your continued backing. I need you to be ACTIVE in your support. Passive support is great (I’ll take that too), but active support is priceless. If you really dig what you see/hear, Like & Comment. But please don’t stop there.  Also share it. Like actually share it. The same way you would share a new song/video that you love from a major artist (or that funny meme), share what you love from me. After all, good music is  good music, whether it comes from someone with 3K followers or 3M followers. It’s easy to join what’s already booming! But how much better to help create what’s booming? My overall mission with this music is simple;  

1. I want you to know that God is a REAL God for REAL people with REAL issues! #KnowItsReal.

2. I want to help refine the image of the black man in society by being a positive black male figure. 

The best way I know to accomplish these is to bear my heart & soul on every record praying that you connect with something you hear me say or see me do. My mission is grand and lofty. But I can’t do it alone. I need you!I have set my goals, committed them to the Lord in prayer and fasting and now I’m determined to work harder than I ever have before. So to my core, let’s make 2019 an OUTLANDISH year!For those who want to go the next step and be a part of helping to really spread the content in 2019, consider joining my digital street team. Of course, it’s totally free and comes with some cool perks. Hit the button below to join.And of course, Happy New Year in advance 🎉. If you haven’t already, before the year is out, take some time to take stock of your 2018 and reach out to those people who helped you make it here, asking them for continued backing. Then plan for 2019. Remember if your dreams/goals don’t scare you, you’re not dreaming big enough.Until next week, #KnowItsRealP.S. Who are some people you’re grateful for in 2018? Have you set goals for 2019? If so, what are they? Let me know!

SOCIALS

Follow me on your favourite platform. Hint: I'm most active on Instagram