Meet Kadeem McPherson

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kadeem McPherson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kadeem, we are so deeply grateful to you for opening up about your journey with mental health in the hops that it can help someone who might be going through something similar. Can you talk to us about your mental health journey and how you overcame or persisted despite any issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.

Therapy helped a lot. I made a lot of beats and worked on so many songs that allowed me to express myself in ways I couldn’t put into words. Hearing a drum loop made me feel like I understood rhythm which made it easier to find the right loop or sample to chop and fit the groove. I also enjoy sample digging and inspiring myself to top The College Dropout by Kanye West. Photography helped in ways I didn’t know I needed. When I wasn’t motivated I had to push myself not to disappoint a model because I know what being let down feels like and I know how much having another set of eyes and ears respect and appreciate your craft feels like. Music and photography are my lifelines and I can honestly say without those two I don’t know where I would be.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am a portrait photographer with over 2 years experience in fashion, editorial,& style photography. The most exciting part about photography are the people you meet and seeing the smile on their face when you show them how they look in all their beauty everyone is camera shy and “not a model” until you put them in front of the camera and take the time to find a comfortable pose and angle for them, then it’s like finding out you and your friend both love the same artist. I would recommend to all creatives not just photographers to believe in the process of the creating and don’t sell yourself in any way because you think you’ll get more looks or to the next level. There is somebody watching you that wants to be in your space, wants to appreciate you for you and not who you want to be seen as and that’s the point of finding a creative circle. Trust in art and art will trust you.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Patience. I get jaded sometimes and forget that I’m human like everyone else but one thing I’ve always been is patient I allow time to dictate my actions because we don’t have to measure we can just be in it.

Confidence. The majority of skills I’ve learned in my life I’ve learned on my own I’ve been blessed with mentors, and adults like my father who taught me computer skills at a young age and my mother who always told me “you can be whatever you want to be in life” so I’ve have an innate sense of confidence that isn’t braggadocios or arrogant.

Respect. I appreciate and value everyone’s space and what they offer to the world. I can hear and listen to the people around me their happiness their sadness and I feel more than I say so I know when to say something and when it’s best to stay quiet.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

My father loved me from a distance and I wasn’t the best kid growing up in terms of how I treated him growing up. My mother was always in my life but I never felt the support for what I needed even though there was no lack of love in the house. Both of my parents are amazing and I feel like the most impactful thing they did was allow me to dream. I’ve always loved cartoons as a kid and my father called me Pikachu when I was a kid. I still have the VHS tapes of Pokemon Indigo League and Dragon-ball Z up until Goku turned Super Saiyan. My mother saw my first show with my Auntie Denise and told me that’s when she realized my dream was my passion and sometimes that’s all somebody needs in life, to know your parents or somebody sees you and believes in you. 2022 my father bought me first and only camera and I’ve been able to travel, collaborate with some amazing artists, and be in spaces that music hadn’t taken me and I could never repay him for that he has given me the tools to become one of the hardest working, creatives in Los Angeles.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

All images were shot and edited by Kadeem Malik McPherson

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