Elee's Flow

My Fat Tuesday Shindig

2012-02-23T21:49:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I didn't ACTUALLY have the party on Fat Tuesday. It was the next day, but oh well, close enough! LOL. You know you're getting to a place of contentment in your life when you start hosting dinner parties for your nearest and dearest. So, yesterday I hosted a party at home with the Mardi Gras theme. It was just a small intimate occasion, not a big deal, but it gave me soo much pleasure to cook for my friends. And boy did I cook! I was really pleased with the way my shrimp n grits came out! (and so were my guests lol) It was slammin!! The menu consisted of shrimp n grits, shrimp po boys, pan seared cod, mashed red potatoes with sour cream n chives, apsaragus and cheesecake variety. I tell ya, sometimes it's the simple things in life that can bring you the most joy, and for me, it came wrapped in a warm cozy evening at home with a few close friends and a slammin cajun, comfort food cuisine! Oh, and I mixed up some great refreshing cocktails. Among them, the sweet tea vodka with lemonade and fresh lemon slices was the hit of the party, and the remy with sweet tea was the close runner up! Check out the pics below, and hope they inspire you to invite some loved ones over and serve them with some good southern hospitality!! Enjoy:)

The Key To Greatness

2012-01-16T14:51:00.002-05:00

"Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don't have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don't have to know Einstein's theory of relativity to serve. You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love" -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Happy Birthday Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. !!!!

Change Is Never Optional

2012-01-11T17:56:00.000-05:00

So, things happen right? Right. Either they happen to you, or you happen to it. The whole conclusion of this post is to encourage you; to share with you what I think about change.
Change can be refreshing. Change can be painful. Change can be frightening. Change can be wonderful. Change can be terrible. If you are experiencing any of these feelings, you are probably in the midst of change. Buddhists say that you know something is real if it changes. Like the idea in the movie Inception, that if the top stops spinning you're in reality. If it doesn't, it was all just a dream.
On a good day, we can view change as an opportunity or a chance to start something new. On a bad day, we may view change as the end of the world. But unless it actually is the end of the world, even days change. There comes tomorrow, and with tomorrow comes a chance to have a better day.
Oh, and one more thing...deep and profound change tends to take a lot of time. It can take years for a heart to heal. Believe me, I know! All I can say is hang in there!

I believe change sometimes occurs to bring us to a better knowledge of ourselves; to bring us closer to our true potential, or force us to tip the scales of our personal evolution. With the conclusion in mind, I'm just now learning to embrace change, the good, the not so good and the oh so beautiful!

Birthday Bliss

2011-12-29T14:51:00.000-05:00

I'm soo blessed to have lived another year with the people I love and doing what I love to do! So, for the bday this year I decided to throw a party! Oh yeah, we got lifted and tilted and smiled a lot. Oh, and let's not talk about the dancing! Lol The ordinary "be cool" personalities went out the door, or were left at the door should I say, and I'm so glad for it! Don't like pretention one bit!! lol As you can see from the above photos, we had a great time! Only a small glimpse into the birthday bliss:)

Key West Kickin It

2011-12-14T14:07:00.000-05:00

Wow! I had such a great time last weekend. Where else can you go that has authentic Cuban cuisine, deep sea fishing charters, beautiful beaches, and endless entertainment??? Good ol Key West! It all started with an adventurous 12 hour drive...yes I said drive. Not sure I'd drive it again...although it was something seeing the sun break through the ominous night clouds onto a purple/blue colored sea that stretched as far as my eyes could see. We were driving into daybreak on a single lane bridge, sky wide above us, sea stretched and flowing below....simply beautiful. The December days there were brilliantly bright, with not a cloud in the sky....ok, so maybe there were a few but it didn't seem like it.....wind blowing just enough to remind you of the life in the air. The occassional random rooster walking by crowing like people talking on the street. Oh yeah, and everybody was smiling that "life is good" laid back Key West smile. While deep sea fishing on the whimsical waters of the Atlantic, my lil dude caught a barracuda as big as him and a grouper as big as me! Next, we went to get matching tattoos....his being henna of course! Perusing Duval Street brought with it a lot of lovely sights and designs from local and national artists. Animals carved out of gemstones of every color in the rainbow. Paintings had that signature Key West bright playfulness. Mojitos that worked their mojo. A Christmas parade with jammin Santas of every nationality...lol. It was truly a fresh and unforgettable experience. God willing, I'm surely going back! You know I've included some quick camera phone pics of the beuatiful things I saw for your viewing pleasure!

Music Licensing: Players and Opportunities pt.2

2011-11-29T09:42:00.000-05:00

Since we've established what music licensing actually is, let's talk now about who the specific players are. There are two sides of a licensing situation, the side who wants to use the song for a TV show or movie, and the othr side who gives permission for the song to be used. The side who wants to use the music is called the "licensee". Licensees are the movie makers, TV producers, music supervisors, music editors, or other production companies. The other side is called the "licensor". Licensors give permission for a song to be used in a film and are the artists, artist representative or administrator, publishing company, lawyer or other licensing service companies. Independent artists can be the all of these people rolled into one if they have not signed over their copyright to another company, representative or publisher. Make sense? Cool.
Independent artists and the music they make can be attractive to licensees who want to use their music. Why? Because independent artists usually own all their rights and the licensee doesn't have to go to a whole group of people to get permission to use a song. It makes the whole process easier. The less people you have to deal with to clear a song, the better. Remember in the last blog we talked about how it would probably be smart for an independent artist to get a representative to help them market/shop their music for a licensing deal? Some options for help could be getting a publisher. Now getting a major publisher like EMI or Sony or Universal is going to be hard. Since major publishers like these usually deal with major artists. But like anything else in this business, if you have the connections, it is possible. Another option would be to get a very good entertainment lawyer. These players can be very helpful in securing licensing deals and dealing with all the licensing paperwork that comes along with it. Besides, movie makers like to deal with established publishers and lawyers because usually everybody is on the same page as far as understanding what needs to happen. So, try to get yourself a good representative, whether is a boutique publisher, lawyer or licensing service. Before bringing these people on board, make sure you ask what their fees are, who have they represented in the past, and what were the last few licensing deals they've secured. This will help you to make an informed decision on if they will be a good fit for your music. This goes without saying, but pay attention to the way the communicate, because you will want to be sure they are pleasant and professional since they will be representing you. Ok, stay tuned for the next post in which we will discuss approaches to meeting these players and they licensing agreement in detail.

Cold Weather Cook: Cooking Up A Storm!

2011-11-21T12:02:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving is this week, and since these chilly nights have rolled in, I've found myself craving those particular culinary creature comforts associated with this type of weather. Among these recipes are Chili, various Cajun creations, old school homestyle like fried chicken or meatloaf and cabbage right down to homemade chili dogs. You ever heard of Tater Tot Casserole? I hadn't until my BFF shared this favorite childhood recipe with me recently, and man was it good! lol. So what has inspired this sudden outburst of kitchen creations? Who knows, but my family LOVES it! Much of it probably has to do with me cherishing these rare quiet nights I have at home and giving in to that oh so womanly desire to nurture. Those in the music business and those associated with the music business understand what it's like to go days, maybe even weeks or months without some homecooked food. Needless to say, we learn to appreciate and cherish the simple gestures in life, and for me those simple things include things cooked up in my kitchen!! So, go ahead! Look below to take a peek at pics of what I've made recently!! It just may inspire you to give yourself or your nearest and dearest some homecooked love:)

Roaming & Romance

2011-11-15T15:52:00.001-05:00

What are we all soo afraid of? Ok, so that's a dumb question. Everyone has their own particular hang- ups...apparently. The issue that makes it (by "it" I mean romance) even more daunting is that so many of us hide behind a fascade, a fantasy that tends to play out in our own heads to keep the real emotions at bay and from surfacing. Then, of course, what happens next is that all involved parties end up masquerading as this particular character until it rains and a sudden downpour washes off the stage make-up, and we're all left staring at people we don't recognize, sometimes in a mirror.

In this life of roaming from city to city, state to state, place to place....can there exist a stable place for romance? It's all quite ironic. We run to stay, cry to smile, fall to rise, fear to love.

Music Licensing: Basics pt.1

2011-11-07T15:17:00.000-05:00

If you're and independent artist, there are three main things you seek to advance your career : income, exposure and credits for your press kit. Music licensing is a terrific way to attain the three main things for career advancement that are mentioned above.
Ok, so what is music licensing? Music licensing is when "the owner of a song gives permission for part or all of this song to be used in a TV show, movie, commercial, or other format where music is played along with visuals" (Wilsey and Schwartz, Musician's Guide to Licensing Music). The owner of the song may be the artist, another representative, or the publisher. Just depends on how the copyright and publishing agreements are worked out. Many independent artists are the "artist" and the "publisher", making them the "owner" of the song. If you haven't signed the copyrights of your original song over to a publishing company, then you , the artist, own the song.
Here's another great thing I learned.....independent music is attractive to those seeking music for their projects!! Apparently, in some situations, it can be easier to deal with an independent than major label music because of all the "red tape" associated with using a major artist's song. This may not be true on a case by case basis, but it is the general concensus.
So, let's dig a little deeper. What are the two sides of music licensing? On one side, you have the artists, or the people who represent those artists. On the other side, you have the people who need musical content for a TV show or film or video game or commercial. These people are the filmmakers, directors, producers or production companies. Between the two sides is the middleman, aka the music supervisor.
Now that we know WHAT music licensing is, and who plays a role in it; how do we license the music?? Honestly, if you are trying to self market and license music on your own it can be VERY challenging. The time and effort it would take to build and establish contacts and who does what and then figure out how to pitch your music to them is more than a full-time job!! What artist has time to create the music AND market it?? I'm not saying that it's impossible. I'm just saying in this fast paced business it would be wise to use your time wisely and find representation for your music. If you want better chances at having your music placed in film or TV, find someone professional and reputable to market and represent your music. In other words, find a good music marketer. More than likely, they will already have built in systems on marketing music, established contacts, and already know all the licensing lingo.
Stay tuned to the next Music Licensing post that will discuss fees and types of agreements.

*Information obtained from "The Musician's Guide To Licensing Music" Wilsey and Schwartz*

Performance Anxiety

2011-10-24T06:00:00.001-04:00

My chest is filled with flutter, my stomach is flipping and I'm having to concentrate on breathing. I feel like I'm about to base jump for the first time and the moment of truth is eminent. That split second adrenaline rush of fight or flight gives birth to action....I jump.....blackout.

Have you ever felt like this before? My guess is that if you're a performing artist, you have. Oh my, that feeling makes me feel like I'm gonna freak out at any moment! But if you're ever anywhere near me right before a performance, you probably wouldn't know it. Practicing keeping yourself calm and focused before a show is really a work in progress, and if you're constantly reaching to better your show, it's a feeling that never really goes away. You've learned some new choreography for the show, and it's your first time performing it. Or what about the knowledge that there's this really important person in the audience on whom you need to make a good impression? Even better, you're perfoming somewhere and no one knows who the heck you are! lol. So, you catch my drift, huh? So, how do you prepare yourself to face this feeling night after night for 365 days a year? Ok, so I'm not trying to scare you here, because really, it does get better. The more you do something over and over, the more it's going to feel like second nature. You'll start to feel more comfortable with it and more comfortable dealing with nervous energy. Before a show, I need a moment of stillness, a moment alone to get in touch with my own energy and the energy of my surroundings. No alchohol, no nothing, because I need to draw from my natural energy, and I need to be in the moment. Basically, I breathe. I may pray, I may meditate. Sometimes when the nervouseness is too much, I find somewhere where I can just go scream without anyone hearing or do a lot of jumping jacks...lol. This doesn't make me crazy does it? That sounded super crazy in my head typing it out...lol. Oh well, I do what I do. My performances up until now have been mostly improv, which means I don't follow a choreographed routine. I just rock out according to what I'm feeling. I don't know exactly what I'm gonna do when I go out there, but I do know exactly what I want to give. I don't know if the way I prepare to go on stage will change in the future. I can only imagine what it will be like when my shows become bigger, become better. But hey, I'll definitely keep you posted!

...And A Child Shall Lead Them

2011-10-17T06:00:00.001-04:00

As a child, I had a certain imagination about the world around me. I wondered at everything I saw, dragonflies, bees, the sky. I used to believe I could make it stop raining by looking at the sky and praying long enough. Little did I know summer rain never lasts that long in the first place:)
As we age, so do our perceptions. Our perceptions of reality, of people, of places all shift and change, and then change again. Part of me thinks that we already knew everything we needed to know as children, atleast innately. We instinctively knew what was wrong, or what was right. We instinctively felt a person's spirit. We instinctively knew how to treat people, for the most part. Our minds were an open book, for we had not yet learned what "impossible" meant. We had no concept of it, actually. Ever watched a child play and marvel at her/his ability to be in the moment? Their ability to not occupy their minds with anything else except what they were doing at that exact moment?  When's the last time you were able to do that?
I used to read the verse "...and a child shall lead them" and not understand what it meant. Now, I have a much better concept in mind. When most people have children, it inspires them to become better people in order to give their children a brighter future. In a sense, their children lead them.  They take one look at their
child(ren) and are lead to do better and do right in their pursuit of success. On another note, maybe we ourselves are the children. Well, we once were, and now our task is to look at the world the way we once did; through childlike eyes. Eyes that were believing and imaginative and had real vision.  Eyes that saw butterflies without thinking of their very short lives. Eyes that focused on the bright lights, unkowing of the dark side. Oh, what the world could be like, if we once again were led by the child inside!

"Who Shot Rock N Roll?"...Art and Inspiration

2011-10-10T16:23:00.000-04:00

As art inspires inspiration, I occasionally find myself seeking art at various museums. Whenever I come across art, I usually can't help but stop, look and listen. Recently, I went to the Birmingham Museum of Art's exhibit "Who Shot RockNRoll?" and saw some really great shots of artists throughout the decades. The exhibit offers visitors a glimpse into the personalities and personas of entertainers of past and present. You know the saying, a picure is worth a thousand words. I found this to be true when looking at a lot of the pics on exhibit. My thoughts..... Many of the photos capture the eccentricities of the artists they portray, all the specific and particular querks that draw the public to awe at them. Other photos attempt to capture a sincere emotion, a rare look inside the heart of the individual. I was completely thrilled at one photo of Elton John in his shiny bell bottoms, both feet kicked up in the air with both hands remaining on the piano as if he were a spastic superman! I had no idea that Elton could get down like that!! The Elton I've seen is laid back and reserved in nature. I guess time has a way of chilling us all out! Another photo I thought was pretty amazing if not completely self explanatory in its attempt to explain its subject, was the one of Tina Turner mid-dance move during one of her electric performances. The photo is indeed electric with blurred images all around the main image, as if movement could echo. It's like capturing her when she is speeding. As if watching her is an electrifying dizzying experience! Dope indeed!! (Would've included these photos, but museum security shut me down before I got to them lol) While I was staring at all of these perceptually charged pics, I couldn't keep a certain thought out of my mind. "Do I look this weird sometimes too?" I mean, I'm just saying. Being that I'm an artist as well, do I ever appear to be off my rocker to people? Um, probably, but who cares! I'm doing me. So, I've attached a couple pics and video of my experience at the museum. Oh, one other thing. The marketing company behind the exhibit's party was on point! They had 3 booths set up around the premises for guests to take FREE pics. A very nice touch given the topic of the evening! Of course you know I've included the snapshots of "yours truly" *wink*:) S/O to Cool Shots Photo Booth!

Psychological Addiction??

2011-10-04T15:35:00.003-04:00

So, it's come to my attention that I may have a psychological addiction. What I'm addicted to is hot, chocolate, sweet and keeps me crunk indeed. Say hello to my love affair with cocoa cappuccinos! Lol..I'm sorry. I know you had your minds ready for somethin juicy and wild, but this is really trippin me out. I mean for real, I can't leave these things alone. I went into Starbucks the other day, and one of the baristas asked me what was the story behind the name of my record company...Euphratez. I told him to look it up on my website b/c my brain wasn't awake enough to go into all that at the moment. WTF?! I was soo rude. But honestly, that's how I felt. That good ol not right now, not today attitude. How could I be soo rude to not answer this man's simple question when he's never been anything but nice to me and made me the most perfect cup of espresso every time? Immediately after I brushed him off, I felt bad. After I'd taken a couple sips of my cappuccino, I went to apologize for being a butt head and explained the story behind "Euphratez". I think he was quite forgiving b/c he understood the whole morning mindset BEFORE the caffeine thing. Especially since he probably deals with caffeine crazies all day long...lol. He said
he understood and he believes it's a psychological thing. A psychological thing? Ok bruh, so you trynna call me an addict on the low? After I mulled this particular comment over a bit, I concluded that he may partially have a point. Yet still, caffeine has a direct physiological reaction in the body. How do I know? B/c if I don't have espresso for a day I beagn to experience what they call a "caffeine" headache. Your head hurts a little due to lack of caffeine. The body usually adjusts w/out it after a few hours. It's probably psychological due to the fact you have to make a conscious effort to break the habit and ween yourself off the luscious liquid. So, we live in a world of caffeine crazies..and apparently, I'm one of them.

Marketing 101: Building An Audience

2011-09-26T06:00:00.009-04:00

So, now that we've talked about what marketing is and its goal, how do we build and maintain an audience? An "audience" refers to those individuals that like and purchase and generally support your music or "product". SO, how do we reach them? Let's first think about avenues that are closer to home. People that are drawn to your music are usually people that you have a lot in common with and vice versa. Family or friends? What about classmates? Do you have their emails? You do? Great! Start there. Build a mailing list no matter how small. This becomes your core list. Now that you have this list, build on it. How to do that you say? Excellent question...
You can start by looking at all the magazines, web sites, music blogs and radio stations that you know of that play your music or music that is like yours. Look at that target audiences. Most magazines and radio stations will have their target audience information on their websites. Next, figure out how you can get to that audience. Where do they club? Where do they see live perfprmances? (Performing as much as possible is always a great to get your music out there) Where do they hang out, get their hair cut/done, cars washed, shop, etc..? Once you identify those places go to them and promote. Be sure to include your web site on all your promo materials, CDs, posters, flyers, t shirts, lighters, etc.. Then, make sure there's a place on your website that collects information on visitors to your site. Another way to collect more potential fan information is to rent customer information from commercial sites and radio stations and magazines that offer those services. If you need to know of more magazines or radio stations that cater to your brand/type of music, there are lists and directories for that. Simply do a Google search or check out some of the more elaborate options. Some are SRDS Consumer Magagzine Advertising Source, National Directory of Magazines, and Standard Periodical Directory. If your need a list of radio stations, check out Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook, Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media, or Arbitron. Most directories can lead you to magazine or radio media-kits that give information and descriptions of their audience. Now, these may or may not be cost effective for the independent artist, depending on budget. These services/ publications cost and you may be better off taking a more creative grass-root approach or hiring a professional marketing company. Oh, one other thing, Google Analytics can be a very helpful tool in sizing up your potential market!
All this information that you will surely dive into will help you size up, build and bond with your audience. So, get to building!! Lastly, once you establish contact with your audience, be consistent in communicating with them.
*FOOTNOTE: All information in this blog was obtained from "This Business of Music Marketing & Promotion" by Tad Lathrop

This Music Business: Marketing 101

2011-09-19T06:00:00.001-04:00

If you are an indy artist like myself, or working with an indy artist, then you are probably always searching for new knowledge and information on how to further your product. And sheesh! It's a lot of it out there. The biggest challenge I'm facing now is not the WHAT but the HOW....How do I get the music out there? Come to find out the HOW has a lot to do with the WHAT. They are both connected. If I have an intrinsic understanding of WHAT I'm pushing then that should help in guiding me on how to get it out there. If WHAT I have is rap music, then who listens to the kind of rap music that I have? If I can answer that, then I can figure out WHERE they are and HOW they hear the music they like. Do they hear it at certain clubs or radio staions or websites? Etc.... So, once I answer these questions, I will hopefully know HOW to get the music out there.
Confused yet? LOL. Okay, so let's baby step this. Marketing is simply a program for selling. A process that gets your music from the studio, to the iPods and CD players of the person who buys your music.
Now while that definition is simple enough, actually going about it can be a confusing and messy thing if it's not well thought out. When you have a plan, it keeps you from deviating too much and getting lost in the music business "jungle". I so think "jungle" is a fitting word sometimes! lol With all this being said, here is where I am....I am in the first stages of this "marketing process"....the music. It all comes down to the music, or the product or whatever you want to call it. Here's my dilemna, do I make music that has a certain sound and delivery because I know there are a whole lot of young girls out there who like that sound and who will buy it? Or do I remain a creative purist and do music that is strictly emotionally fitting and descriptive of me regardless of who may buy it or not. Well, there are pros and cons to both sides. Making music for an already defined audience will proably make creating a pipeline to that audience quicker and easier, resulting in probable sales. Making music striclty from a creative place without the parameters of trying to please a particular group of people takes a lot more faith and patience in finding an audience for it and creating a pipeline to get the music to that audience. Here we have the gridlock that is as old as selling music itself. The balancing act of creativity and business.
Wouldn't it be ideal if an artist's natural delivery was in line with an already pre defined market? This is the "It Factor" at its finest. So, I'm an artist which makes me naturally inclined to creativity trumping all. I believe that writing what you know and making music that is authentic is always the best way to go. I must admit however, that I do have a logical side in which I process things to help me make sense out of it all. For me, ideally it would be about finding the perfect balance. Doing music that is true to my own personal style yet offers something to everyone. This is every evolving artist's aspiration...atleast in my mind lol. Answer this.....do you aim to make a lot of money for a phase while a particular taste is in fashion or do you aim to connect on a personal, emotional level with an audience who identifies with you and who probably always will? I do not think either is better than the other, just a matter of personal ambitions. Personally, I would find it a challenge trying to adopt a flava that is not my own and continue to stay in line with that over a period of time. It seems to me that who I really am would eventually rise to the surface. So, if you're anything like me, your best bet may be to find someone or a company who is good at marketing and who also has a unique understanding of you and your music. It helps in getting the creativity to balance with the business if you have some objective input. The best way to go about this is to be relentless in relationship building and put yourself and your music out there at every opportunity you get...that's how I did it.
Yeah, I know what you're thinking. I used to get frustrated when I'd ask a music business question and couldn't get a direct answer. I understand why now. There is no set formula. It's like this, "Peter" doesn't follow the exact same routine in the morning as "Paul" does in order to accomplish his daily goals. The road to succes in the music business is a lot like this scenario. People are different and therefore take different paths to reach success. Take comfort in knowing though that the basics are the same for everyone. You must have work ethic, product, marketing plan, and a relentless loving nature. HOW you do these things is really up to you! Oh, and remember to try to have fun along the way!!

Starting The Grind

2011-09-12T06:00:00.001-04:00

A lot of great philosophers have said "Start right where you are" or "Use what you already have". I happen to agree with both of these. The thing about starting where you are and using what you have is that it allows you to build from the ground up. If you build something from the ground up, it means you will have laid a foundation. You never want to get to the top and have it all crumble right underneath you do you? No, of course not! Me neither. The particulars of starting where you are vary for each profession, but if you're an artist like me this means starting in your city and close by surrounding areas. Start with what you have and with who you know. Assuming you have a place to record and music already recorded. Now that you have the where and the what, get started. Listen to you music, no REALLY listen to it and get an idea of who listens to the kind of music you make. Get DJs or high school kids or college kids or whoever you can to give you objective feedback. Ideally, it'd be great if you could get a focus group, a group of individuals who are willing to give you consistent feedback on your sound. This helps you to make it better and get a feel for what direction to start pushing in. Once you know what music to push, start where you are. Hit up any high schools, barber shops, clubs, malls, stores, magazines, online blogs, social media that sounds music out to people around where you are. Once you've sufficiently saturated that area, go to where the music spreads. Most likely it'll be the next town over, and do the same process all over again. During this process, you'll probably start getting feelers come in from other areas outside the ones you're working. That's cool, go to those areas too. This process takes a lot of patience and constant "beating the pavement" , but if it's done right, can kick off the automatic spread of your music. Now, here's the key to all of this. Make sure you have plenty of music in reserve to back up these efforts and make sure you try to build a team. You're gonna need help. For instance, you've got to keep making music, so who's gonna keep doing all the promotions while the music is getting made. Don't make the mistake I did...trying to do it all yourself because you'll wear yourself out way too fast and have to start all over again. Not good!! Building a team is definitely easier said than done. There are a lot of pretenders and users out there, but keep looking for the good people. Eventually you'll figure them out. Until then, pace yourself and do what you can. In the midst of your start up promoting, be sure to factor in the time to keep creating music, as eventually this should become your full time focus, besides performing. All of this is not easy, which is why only passionate people crazy enough to believe and KEEP believing will be the ones who succeed. So, I hope to continue to be passionate and crazy, as I hope you are too. Atleast this way, none of us will ever be alone in this jungle!
So, ready, set, go!!!!

Before You Get Ta Grindin'

2011-09-05T09:00:00.000-04:00

Before you getta grindin'.......
It's sooo important to have a plan. I know, I know, you've heard this a gazillion times before, but seriously it's true. By a plan, I mean something you actually sit down and write out. Start by simply asking your self what it is you want to achieve. Then write it down. Next ask yourself what it's going to take to get there. How much money? How much time? Whose help do you need? Then write all these answers down. You will need a calendar to plot the times of your actions so you can stay on schedule and keep on course. If for some reason certain steps take longer than others (and they will), just re-arrange your time frame. Plans are written to help you map things out. It's like taking a trip. You need directions on how to get there right? Well, success of any measure in this business has to be planned and mapped. Some people have elaborate plans, others have simple ones. The complexity of your plan is no matter. Everyone achieves success via different routes. You just need to know YOUR OWN route! Now, plans are simply guidelines. Meaning you more than likely will have to go back and erase some things and re-write others. Ideally, I think this is ok. It just means your plan is working...you have a "working" plan. For instance, have you ever recorded a song and then rode around listening to it and hearing all kinds of things you could change or add to make the song better? The same thing about a plan. Compare it to a work in progress, and you'll be well on your way to achieving something! With that being said, you probably can tell I'm re-working my own plan, huh? Lol I was doing some things that were working, but also a lot of other things that weren't. So, I'm stepping back to re-work my plan. Stay tuned to my music business education blogs to see my plans in action! Maybe we can learn a thing or two from eachother.

Chi-town.. Sade.. and Chardonnay

2011-08-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

I had the wonderful experience of seeing Sade in concert a few days ago. I have been a life long fan of Sade...ever since my Auntie use to sing her to me when I was like 3 and 4 yrs old. I liked the music even then. Even then there was just something about it that made you stand still, made you think, made you feel. Sitting in that arena during the concert, I witnessed thousands of people undergoing that same experience. Sitting still, not talking,.....feeling. Oh yeah, and there was the occassional yelling/screaming crunkness from me.

She sang "Pearls" on her knees and brought the whole house down. I was astounded. Truthfully, I think everybody was. The next day, I woke up singing "Pearls"....couldn't get it out of my head. That "Hallelujah" part broke something in me...like water pushing against a dam. Atleast, it made me cry. Little did I know the news of what was happening in Somalia around the world. Later that same day, I was sitting at the airport waiting on my flight to arrive when I heard about the famine, and that another one of its magnitude had happened in 1992...around the same time "Pearls" was written. With this knowledge, I'll never hear that song the same again.
What made the show even better, is that I got to experience it with my homie from waay back who is just as much of a fan as I am! I truly enjoyed my experience in the Chi. The concert was dope! Actually it was amazing! Sade was amazing and seemingly effortlessly so. I've included video of my trip :) Fun times!!

Chi-town and Sade

Community: Pratt City Disaster Relief

2011-07-28T13:50:00.000-04:00

Every now and then we may witness events occurring in our surroundings that help us put our own lives in perspective. As many of you may know, I'm from Birmingham, AL, and in April tornadoes ripped through the city ravishing entire neighborhoods and leaving many without homes, food, clothing, transportation and more. I was at home with my family hunkered down near the basement when they occurred, and the sound of the wind outside was to say the least, frightening. My home was untouched. I was relieved and very grateful. However, news soon came of the devastation, and my buoyant emotion quickly deflated into sadness at what I saw before my eyes. Picture children's clothes and bottles, remnants of glasses and plates, people's personal belongings strewn on streets for miles...rooftops dissassembled on the ground. If I felt emotionally dishoveled from what I saw, can you imagine how the people who were directly affected felt?

Like many Alabamians and citizens nationwide, I was compelled to do SOMETHING to help. Honestly, I didn't know where to start and I didn't want to just give money. I wanted to DO something. So, I turned to Facebook, posting questions about what agencies were doing to help and how I could be a part. There were many suggestions that poured in signifying that there are many wonderful helping hearts in the world. Among the suggestions, I came across an agency called HandsOnBirmingham.org. They had organized different action teams ranging from debris clean up to donation organization to disaster relief centers. That is how I came to volunteer at the Pratt City Disaster Relief Center. There were different rooms set up, each containing a different set of items and services for the individuals affected by the storms. There was a room with nothing but baby items, another with nothing but women's clothes and shoes, another for men's shoes and clothes, another for food distribution (which is where I participated), one for children's toys, and countless others for intangibles like healthcare, job and school transporation, etc. It was comforting to see how many individuals and companies were willing to spring into action to help others. During my time there, I met some very inspiring individuals, but my most memorable conversation was with Ms. Terry whom I worked alongside in the kitchen. I learned of Ms. Terry's large family and her journey to raise 6 children as a single mom. Ms. Terry said she spends all her free time volunteering with the missionary ministry of her church. Her reasons were as simple as this " I have been given soo much help in my life, that I have to give help to others." That simple statement made a world of sense to me.

As you can see, I got a chance to talk to Pastor Eric Harris, Pastor Rick Housley, Ms. Helen and Ms. Regina, all of whom spearheaded the efforts at the Pratt City Disaster Relief Center. Thanks for reading/watching, and do something today or tomorrow or the next day to give back!! If you'd like to help and get involved you can visit http://www.redcross.org/ , http://www.handsonbirmingham.org/ , or http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/ for more information on how to volunteer.
*For the sake of the privacy of those affected, I do not exhibit video footage of volunteers in action*

Elee in Studio Recording "Time After Time"

2011-07-28T13:19:00.000-04:00

What's poppin y'all?? So, I'm in the studio working on my third project! Be sure to download my first one "Molasses for the Masses" for the FREE off my website!!

My creative process vacillates. Meaning some days I'll write a verse, have it memorized before I finish the last pen stroke and hit the booth to do my thang. Other days, I'll make it up as I go with just an idea of what I want to say. In this session, I'm pretty much making it up as I go...lol. Before I went into the booth, I listened to the track, got the flow rhythmn in my mind and scribbled down some ideas of what I wanted to say..not really having it all mapped out. Oh well, this is supposed to be fun right? I just wanted to play around with stuff and not feel so confined to words I'd previously memorized. So, here I am in the booth putting the flow feel with some words I had floating around in my thoughts. In this video you'll see me laying down "Time After Time" which is a remix of Cyndi Lauper's version and which will be on my upcoming mixtape. This is part of my creative process in its barest form, no bells, no whistles, no rehearsal, no added effects...just me and my naturally silly self semi-writing on the fly! lol

So, stay tuned for more mixtape footage and the project dropping soon!!!!!!!!!!!