Doomsday Charge: Live like tomorrow isn't promised

The Artistic Woes: Fear

''The black artist is dangerous. Black art controls the "Negro's" reality, negates negative influences, and creates positive images.'' – Sonia Sanchez

Creativity to an artist is both a gift and burden. While we are blessed with the talent to radically impact the status quo, we are obligated to be equally innovative and revolutionary in our impact. If your work is not different, you have failed to complete your creative burden. And I think for this very reason is why I’ve take such a sabbatical from writing.

The greater fear for me, as Marianne Williamson would say, is not being inadequate, but is being powerful beyond measure. Because I understand the magnitude of influence that any artist has, I have grown leery of the pen and paper. I want to be responsible for the definitive work. I don’t want my generational legacy to be that of a Travis Porter who will forever be known in history as the one who “made it rain trick”.

But I refuse to allow fear to stagnate my potential of greatness, because the definitive work does not come easy. It must be sought out. So I’m mentally preparing myself to lace of my metaphoric shoes, and chase the possibilities of my craft and fulfill my creative burden.

These are the woes of an artist.