SUPPORTING YOUR CREATIVE PALS

Stop calling people your friends and you don’t support anything they do. Be a fraud by yourself. 

I plan on screaming that from a mountaintop in the future. 

I’m not really into the reason why your friends don’t support what you do creatively. You shouldn’t either. You always focus on the ones who show love. It’s better for your diet mentally. You don’t need that kind of shit on your mind. Those strangers that are showing your creativity love is where you put your energy to. Sure it doesn’t feel great that a person you consider a friend never supports your work but you’ll get over it. 

Here’s what you should do to support your creative pals. 

LISTEN TO THEM VENT 

Listen to your friend vent. About everything. Creatives minds are usually all over the place. We usually think at fast and weird paces. Listen to your friend vent about how excited they are about a creative project or a new idea they’ve just thought of and they can’t wait to start on. Listen to their creative frustrations because they will go through them. Listen to everything. I’ve said this numerous times. This is a lonely game we play. It’s tough. Think about a creative working a shift like 12-9 and their whole day is gone. By the time they get back home they have to create until the wee hours of the morning then be back up in the morning again. That’s something they need to vent about. They just need a ear. 

DON’T YOU LIE TO ME 

If you not feeling something your friend created and they asked for your opinion. Tell them exactly how they feel no matter what. The worse thing you can be is a “yes man” to your friend. I’m not saying that they will agree with your opinion on something they create but if they’re real like you they’ll respect you for it. 

TELL THEM WHAT YOU’RE UP TO 

Friends feed off each other. Let your homies know what you’re up to. What you’re up to whether it’s good or bad may help them out and vice versa. You all could come up with a new idea together just by sharing what you’re both up to with each other. Your true friends will lend an ear also. 

SHOP 

Never ask for free shit ever. Even if they offer it for free, pay for it. If you’re broke and can’t pay for something put the word out and get someone else to buy. Share what your friend is selling. Not because you would want the same gesture but this is someone you claim to care about. Act like it. Shop with them or help shop their creativity. 

RANDOM PRAISE 

You ever just hit your friend up randomly and tell them how something they did inspired you or do you wait until you’re given praise to give praise back? You never know what your homies going through. Just that little bit of random encouragement may spark something within them to go harder. They could’ve been on the edge ready to give up and you saved them from making that decision. You giving them random praise can change everything for them. I really value friendship because if I consider you me friend that means I love you. Love is about giving. If you give something to someone that means you’ve invested yourself into that person. True love is about giving. If you love your homies give them random praise. 

SOCIAL MEDIA MATTERS

Retweet. Share. Comment. Like. Do all of it. That shit really matters. Those things improve visibility on these platforms. The more likes a post on instagram has the more likely it will be seen. That’s how the metrics work. Call me petty but I keep tabs on that shit. I make mental notes on who retweet my shit or share my shit. If I share your work don’t get it twisted I’m doing it out of the kindness of my heart but better believe I feel some type of way that you sharing weirdo celebrities shit when they don’t give a fuck about you and the amount of times you’ve shared my work you can count on one hand. I only keep tabs on shit like this just in case a nigga get the audacity to come at me sideways. One thing about me is I don’t forget shit and I keep receipts. I play other people music for my homies and I also tell them where they can find them at. I don’t just say this is “So and So” and just end there. I show em their soundcloud, their instagram. Everything. I’m always spreading the word about anything I feel is dope without anybody asking me to. That’s what it’s bout. 

CHECK IN BEFORE JUMPING OUT THE WINDOW 

I always move after my friend move after certain situations because how I carry myself can also effect them. If they have an issue it’s important for me to let them speak up first on it before I do. I don’t know what’s at stake for them so I don’t wanna be reckless and ruin something for them because my behavior may reflect on them even though that may have never been my intention. Wait for the homies green light. 

Moral of the story is…..

Either your friends are supporting you or your friends are observing you. Think about it. 

Peace. Check out our podcast "Polite Coolery" below.