First and foremost I want to thank you for visiting Flicks and Beats, your home base for Raw Uncut Genius. The purpose of this note is to convey my personal philosophy and how it relates to our business core.
I started Flicks and Beats with the fundamental goal of broadening the artistic strength of the artists within our community. The art of film and music captivates me. It’s as much a part of my life as walking, breathing and eating. This journey through the arts not only helped to shape the foundation of my core knowledge and intellectual curiosity but it also helped guide my deeper values and truths. While my parents gave me a clear overview of life’s fundamentals’; music and film offered me something vastly different. It gave me what I call the RAW TRUTH. Of course we must understand that the truth is merely a perception of a person in a given time, but if you look and listen closely enough, you will discover patterns that share similar traits. These common traits enable me to form sort of a cultural almanac of the American history; and as such, they offer me great insight into the heart of this nation, the people and their feelings. Flicks and Beats Entertainment was designed to find, publish and preserve those feelings.
For years I have watched my friends and indie artists who I consider to be quite genius sacrifice material well being for their freedom of artistic expression. The sacrifices they make along with strength and courage to stand tall and speak up, gave me the strength I need to live a full life. Those who know me well understand that my greatest strength is my ability to bring the best out of people. This personal strength is directly correlated to arts and their core fundamentals of truth, freedom, and expression. The sacrifices made by people like Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin, and Jimmy Hendrix, had the power to uplift their communities, and simultaneously leave a profound footprint on our history. As we enter a new era of artistic brilliance, there has been a paradigm shift in the industry from artistic expression to money. Although there is absolutely nothing wrong with money, I strongly believe that the main stream business has greatly hindered the core of the arts and its development. The “Glam” life style of VIP and courtside seats has given the youth the impression that music and film are done for money. I strongly disagree. I believe that money is simply a product of genius, effort and time. The arts are about captivating the soul of viewer or listener and transcending them into a place and time that allow for amazing personal reflection and development. All the other stuff (cars, homes, VIP seats) are merely a reflection of the skill, hustle and luck. If we take a quick look at Dr. Dre, Jewel or Mariah as examples you will see a pattern that is quite common in people who exude greatness. They were all completely broke, but their hearts were filled with what I call RAW UNCUT GENIUS. These individuals loved the arts and their voice has been heard loud and clear; their reward is the footprint they left in the souls of the listeners, and of course a little cash to go with it. So you see, money is not a driver, it’s not even a product; it’s simply a byproduct of the effort, strength and determination that the artists hold inside.
This brings me to the business core of Flicks and Beats. This is a business, and I am a businessman. My shell is comprised of an analytical mind, a steel gut and a soul that has an undying passion for excellence. I do not fear change and I do not stand down to opposition. My values are quite firm and I take great pride and responsibility in leading the artists that are a part of the Flicks and Beats community “forward”. What is “forward”? To some, “forward” may represent tremendous financial success, to others it may be the journey through personal enrichment. Regardless of how you perceive “forward”, my job is to take the artists that are a part of this community and strive to push them there. There is no one path for greatness and we can’t purchase a guide that we can read to make “forward” happen. We live, we learn and we give it our all. When it’s all done, the product may answer if we moved “forward”. If not, we reevaluate, implement and keep pushing. If yes, we can sit back and celebrate a great accomplishment. I believe that the most important aspect of personal enrichment is the ability to stay true to a cause regardless of circumstances. We have an office, a flashy web page with funny little photos, and advertising slots for advertisers. Accountants run the numbers; analysts work their magic, and the IT folks pull off miracles to keep it functioning. But within all the departments and all the business processes lies a business core that I am quite firm on. Everyone associated in any way with this business is reminded very often about it and as long as this business runs through my veins, this core will never dissipate.
The heart of Flicks and Beats is the ARTS and the ARTISTS that are a part of this community. Not just this little online community but our whole global community. Our actions and managing decisions will always be made for the benefit of the arts and the artists; not for the benefit of financial growth. This is not just about film or music or videos or concerts anymore. It has nothing to do with money, VIP seats or the popular culture. It’s not about the well being of the individual or boost in ego or ratings. But it is all about the RAW UNCUT GENIUS that drives the arts to souls of the people. It’s about the people that have what it takes to change the world and no one to show it to. It’s about gathering the best and giving them the center stage they need to express their truths. Next time you see a person jam to a 60’s groove or someone cry at the movies; reflect on it for a minute and embrace the power of the arts and the truth behind it that touched them. I am proud and honored to be a part of Flicks and Beats and I hope that the artists that are a part of this community will inspire you, as much as they inspire me.
