It's so weird to talk on a subject such as this as it hits so close to home. We all know of John Lennon, Robin Williams & Basquiat Alexander McQueen. People that moved the culture forward like Hemingway, Francis & Zelda Fitzgerald and Kanye West most know today who are plagued with demons that come in all shapes and sizes. We could honestly name 101 artists that have their own problems they are fighting here and there. Point being what is the cost of doing something you love.
I tell myself daily from pain comes to my best work, if I'm not in a state of comfort mostly mental that thing that drives me won't be as strong as it should be to create a great story or concept. Now I do so much for the sake of my love of the sport it is simply a thrill to create something of great worth to me, then for other people to like and accept it is a beast of its own. But how much is this state of imminent peril worth, and with notoriety comes anticipation, the anticipation of people wanting more, Can he be better; Can he top his last work; Has he stagnated; Was she just a one hit wonder.
I now can only imagine the pressure to do well then compared to now. I think we can effectively say with art comes the recreational flavours of the World. All rappers can talk about is their use of Weed, Alcohol, Extasy & Drug addled orgies now how many of them are having fun or holding in some sort of pain that they are not ready to deal with. When it comes to my life there have been absurd amounts of Pain involved from a very young age and in dealing with many mental battles to just fight on, coming to peace having nothing to do with creating. Doing what I do brings me joy but there is that part of me that always wonders what will I create if I treated my life like Earnest did, Drinking and smoking at a typewriter trying to pull from the very depths of my imagination the best stories possible. Now, being a University student I have had my fun in that uncontrollable realm but I will reiterate it had nothing to do with creating it had more to do with the Celebration of a deadline or things of that nature.
What I want to know is what does it take to create great works, or what is considered "Great" sober, because all of whom I listen to and information I consume turns to the the former "With great works, comes great demon to be fought". Ultimately Great pain follows because demons never leave they transmute. What's that say to a Young Turk like me, yes I've got my own internal demons but the path to creating a great work is seemingly laid out? You must control that demon with external forces in order to be able to create something substantial, as if that damn is always there playing on your mind uncontrolled you'll never be able to get out the thing you want to say comfortably, in a digestible way for your audience. This is up for philosophical debate. What is your passion worth to you?
"I won't underestimate who I am, capable of becoming." - Benjamin Clementine
This has been Your Not So Typical,
20SMTHNG