We recently connected with Isaac. and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Isaac., thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
My optimism first & foremost comes from my God in Heaven. I read Biblical stories about Daniel being surrounded by lions & not being harmed at all or Joseph being sold into slavery by his own brothers only to become an Emperor who was then able to share his fortune with those same brothers. I walk the same Earth they once walked. If they can remain optimistic, I can remain optimistic. I also receive optimism from knowing I have more to do & knowing there are young people who could use me as an inspiration to take things further than I ever will. I’m simply a vessel. If I’m not inspiring whoever’s next, I’m not following my calling to the fullest extent.
Growing up in a Christian household, faith has always been something instilled in me. Faith in the unseen, faith in my people, faith in myself. I have people around me who see great things in me that I can’t always see in myself. I stay optimistic by knowing I’m more than my own negative thoughts about myself & that people I view as great view me in a similar manner. I receive so much optimism from my fiancée Amaya Gray as well. Knowing I have a black queen like her in my corner keeps me optimistic. She recharges my batteries like no one else can.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m Isaac. a 24 year old R&B & Hip-Hop Rapper from Ann Arbor, Michigan. I’ve been rapping & writing lyrics since I was a young kid. I come from a family full of creative music lovers. I have a gift of music from Christ & I use it to provide people with smooth sounds reflective of my life experiences & romantic thoughts. My sound is wavy, cloudy Hip-Hop & Dark R&B with splashes of late-night Neo-Soul. I pull inspiration from a broad list of past & present sounds such as Earth Wind & Fire, Bryson Tiller, Zapp, Larry June, Leon Thomass, Curren$y, Bob Marley, Jodeci, J. Cole, Amaria, Isaiah Falls, The Isley Brothers & so many more.
I’m focused on blending Hip-Hop & R&B to give you music that you can truly grow with & feel for longer than a week. I write & record all my music in my bedroom surrounded by my art & vinyl records. I dropped my first track on SoundCloud in 2017 & my first pack of songs on all streaming platforms in 2019 under my own independent imprint 1213 Sounds/Some Good People. By the time you’re reading this, my new singles ‘Can’t Wait’ & ‘Mocha Mama’ should be out. Two late-night R&B-rap records reflective of my love for my fiancée Amaya Gray
I feel what’s most exciting about my music is my connection to God & my range. I can give you sounds you think are fly that your auntie can hit a two-step two with lyrics you won’t feel weird playing around family. I can give you all the vibes without the darkness. I can slide over a real variety of beats. Whether it’s Larry June or Ari Lennox style production, I’ll give a 16 that’ll leave you wanting more. My music is black boy joy in audio form. Music for beautiful women & the cool cats fly enough to have them on their arms.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I’d say trust in God, self-belief & the ability to not seek approval. Trust in God because that leads to blessings & tasks you’re meant to take on. Tasks that will lead you to growth & furthering your sound. Self-belief because if you don’t believe in yourself, it’s visible. People may not want to support someone who doesn’t seem like they support themselves, Last but certainly not least, the ability to not seek approval because it will help with second guessing your ideas & conforming to fit what someone else who isn’t in your shoes may want. It’s your song, your painting, your bakery. Someone else can have differing opinions from you on how to run things, but when it’s all said & done, you’re the one whose name is on it & who it represents. When you’re not concerned with approval, it becomes easier to freely create what you feel inside & what God calls you to create.
The best way to improve on these things is first praying about them constantly. This helps keep the topics on your mind & gives you a freeing way to release thoughts. You’ll get better at these things by actively practicing them & reflecting. If you find yourself slipping, it’s not over. Even Lebron misses sometimes. If Lebron misses & decides to quit basketball, that’s a different story. If you don’t let a bad moment dim your passion for the art, you’re already further than a lot of people. Having someone close to you who knows what you’re looking to improve on is important as well. Having a close friend know where you want to grow can be helpful because they can see when you’re slipping or going hard in ways you may not always notice.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
My fiancée Amaya Gray. She’s the definition of a queen. When I haven’t recorded in too long, she’s the one who tells me. When a beat sounds too much like a beat I’ve already used, she’s the one who tells me. When I need motivation I didn’t even know I needed, she’s the one who gives it to me. She’s helped me with my trust in God by being an answered prayer. She’s helped me with self-belief by reminding me who I am & how much potential I have. She’s helped me with not seeking approval by reminding me that God’s own son wasn’t approved by everyone. If he wasn’t approved by all, it’d be foolish to expect I would be. If she’s in my corner, I’ve got all I could ever ask for.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linkbio.co/5073000KZ4J3V?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYqSFwh3r_BfNSiolYrfcUJNw8nrZ0mRcg3fsPkteLGxdrqiX3HBiVUzLE_aem_xQZ2Ar7C3XkJzdg1uzycPg
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isaacsmind/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Isaac.
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/isaac199x?ref=clipboard&p=i&c=1&si=99E7EE2D52474AF78755B92E88AA7395&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Image Credits
Amaya Gray
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