Lessons from Maj
Chapter 6
As cliché as it sounds, Finessed does an incredible job at bringing like-minded minded people together. Everyone I’ve been introduced to through Finessed shares the same visions of how the industry should be. We all want the same things for each other, and the rest of the world. Success, fulfillment, and good art. But what makes that feeling even better, is learning that Industry Experts feel the same way too. Semaj Horry, CEO of All Harlem World, and Dave East’s A&R, is one of those people.
Semaj Horry grew up in Harlem, and has been around the industry his whole life. He grew up watching the likes of The Diplomats, represent Harlem on the largest scale - so when it came time to help the next generation of Harlem-artists, Semaj was excited to help. Luckily for us, he was willing to participate in a Finessed event, to share his story, and teach our entire community how we can grow.
I knew early in the event, that it was going to be special. When Maj said something along the lines of "I'm gonna pass you the ball and let you shoot”, for more reasons than the fact that it was a basketball reference, it hit home. Like Maj, my happiness comes from the assists. Knowing that I am able to help, is all I need. I learned quickly that Maj feels the same. Like Maj, I value hard work, the people that I love, and the place that I’m from, so being able to learn from him was an honour.
A lot of our favourite mentors just speak to us the right way. Of course, everyone understands the importance of persistency, but when Maj tells you to “never stop shooting”, it just hits a little different.
Learning about Semaj and the way he thinks gave me a lot of hope. He never compromised who he was to get to where he is, and I think that understanding that was my favourite part of the whole event. It’s possible to be human, appreciate the music, and find success.
Maj made it a point to tell us that he doesn’t care for much of the industry, and that he’s “just here for good music”. And even if he doesn’t like something, Maj makes a conscious effort to never speak badly about what someone is working on. He understands that him not liking it, doesn’t necessarily make it “bad”. Whenever he does come across something he doesn’t like, he just chooses to bypass it, and move on to something that he does like. He doesn’t’ find value in slander and doesn’t think any of us should either.
The value that Maj gave us was straightforward and direct. He reminded us how important it is to show face in this industry, and even though he acknowledged how hard it is do that in current times, he was quick to give us suggestions. We can still safely attend studio sessions, or even jump online and learn from anybody willing to teach. Additionally, he wants us to let people know that we’re doing it! Maj talked about the importance of content creation, and showing people what we do. He recommends quick and easy photos and videos to show people where you are or what you’re doing as a powerful way to build your presence, both on and offline.
He also talked to us about the number of people that are involved in the final products that we see, and that some people might be easier or just better to reach out to than others – especially if you know exactly what you want from them. Instead of reaching out to an artist directly, Maj recommends finding out who they hang out with and who’s taste they trust. Once you find out who that is, reach out to them instead. And even if they’re not easier to get to, they’ll be more likely to help you.
Maj, like a lot of people in the industry, are willing to help, but they don’t always have the time to figure out how. Often times, they and (Finessed Media) would rather you embrace your inner Leader, and let them know what it is that you want and how they can help you get it.
One of the most important things that Maj mentioned during his event, was the importance of understanding that this is a long game. He reminded us that things might not happen exactly when we want them to happen, but that shouldn’t stop us from trying. “Never stop shooting” because quitting is the quickest way to guarantee that you don’t succeed. On that Saturday afternoon, Semaj cemented in our heads that if you are willing to grind for it, it will pay off.
Be sure to join us this Saturday for our Music Supervision Panel, which will be hosted by a fellow-intern, Dia Rogers. There will be several industry experts, including one from Disney, who will be excited to listen to your music and help you get synced in TV of film!
In next week’s Intern Insights Blog, I’ll write about the first event I hosted, a WORLDWIDE Producer Battle – judged by the Multi-Platinum producer, YoungTN.
Til next week,