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Being a self-sustained music mogul isn’t easy, but Flee Lord’s more than gotten the hang of it. Dating back to 2017, the Queens-bred rapper has unloaded 30 projects to become a fixture of the East Coast underground. Like many before him, he began his professional life in the underworld economy, but wisdom from a friend helped push him to the road of a musician.
“I listened to my late great friend, brother of mine, and mentor, Prodigy when he told me don't waste my talent that I should take rap serious,” explains Lord, whose Euro Money project with producer Richard Milli drops this Friday. “Thank God I don't even have to think about selling drugs no more.”
While he’s gone legit, the music industry — particularly the independent side — comes with its own set of struggles, and pressures from social media, the economy, family and more can make anyone collapse. Whether they’re in the music biz or not.
The truth is, mental health battles are at least as real as the external ones, and maintaining a proper emotional equilibrium should be as deliberate a process as regular exercise. With school, busy work schedules, and even a semi-active social life, it’s not always a simple task. But platforms like BetterHelp, the world’s largest therapy service, make it easier. Since 2013, the site has made the road to improved mental health hygiene as accessible as a few clicks of a button, with their online network of over 30,000 professionals providing an intuitive database to help find the best therapist for you.
We’re not therapists, but we know mental health isn’t a you problem; it’s a collaborative journey that begins with introspection. With that in mind, Okayplayer uses the Pursuit of Happiness series to speak with creators of all kinds about how they work to preserve their own mental health though the highs, the lows, and those in-between spaces that can be just as frustrating.
Speaking with Okayplayer for the latest edition of Pursuit of Happiness, Flee Lord speaks on the steps he takes to keep himself mentally fit.
Flee Lord: As a parent, I can't let anything negative get to me. Family is the most important thing. Social media can trick your mind. You see designer outfits and you want to step out in the designer. If I didn't do music, I wouldn't have social media. Someone might be posting something about how he feels and you read it and you might think they’re talking about you. But they might just be venting. If you confront them, you could get into beef with someone over an assumption.
If you want to stay in a positive state of mind, read more. Gather as much information as you can. You don't want to be a dumb old man in life. Watch some documentaries and read a lot. Even if it's something you’re not entertained by; you might get a gem in there that you can apply to your life.
There's a song on my new project called “Still Not Enough.” It’s like, whatever you do is never going to be enough for the people you love or for yourself because you feel like you're going to have to go harder for more. I remember when I didn't have a dollar to get my daughter an Icee. Because I stopped selling drugs and I wanted to do the right thing to push my music career, I had no way of getting money. Now, I’m living in a half-million-dollar house. I own it outright. I’m making these bags and paying all these bills and living this life I lead without having a job. I’m waking up doing what I want to do and taking care of my kids. But I'm in a great place right now; financially, spiritually, physically. I'm good. But it’s not enough.
When I want to remember to be grateful, I think about some of the people that are less fortunate. There’s times we feel like we got it bad, but imagine people that are struggling for a meal, or a single Mom trying to figure out where her baby’ next meal is going to come from or a hard-working father that’s living check-to-check being the best provider he can be but doesn’t get to buy lunch while he’s at work. We must thank god everyday for just rising up and getting through the day.
English (US) · 