Creator Spotlight with Musician Hunter Lewis
This week we’d like to introduce you to musician Hunter Lewis. You can follow him on Instagram @hunnid_james.
What was the inspiration behind becoming a musician? What do you enjoy most about the creative process?
My biggest inspiration in becoming an artist was my personal love for Hip Hop/Rap. Since I was a child, I always enjoyed listening to music for the message, the feeling, and the thought that would go into each song. My older brother would record and make beats in his room, and being around him doing that inspired me as a kid to want to pursue music also.
Can you take us through your creative process? How long does it take? Does everything you produce make money?
My creative process usually varies but mostly consists of me listening to different instrumentals and letting the feel of the beat take control of my approach to each song. I usually discuss different situations I have or am currently experiencing and try to express it in a unique way that grabs the listener’s attention. Typically it can take anywhere from an hour to six. It all depends on how long I find an instrumental I believe is adequate, create a song to it, record it, then mix and master the track. Not everything I make produces money but I’m more worried about the recognition and appreciation at this level because I know the money will eventually come.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about your line of work?
The biggest misconception about my line of work is that we lack intelligence and only produce ignorance. Most of the time this comes from people who do not understand, or who are not part of the “culture,” so it makes sense why some things aren’t comprehended by those individuals. Hip Hop/Rap is such a broad genre, so there’s artists from every walk of life and everyone has their own unique story which they express directly or indirectly through their music.
When did you first become aware of copyright, and why?
The first time I became aware of copyright was when a track of mine was flagged due to copyright infringement. I was confused at first because I didn’t take anything that wasn’t my original idea, but eventually figured out there was a sample in the beat that was not approved and cleared which lead to an immediate removal.
What is your biggest copyright-related challenge?
My biggest copyright related challenge is making sure I’m finding original work, or reaching out to the original artist and requesting their permission to use their work. Sometimes this can be an issue financially, but that is only a small price to pay for using someone’s work legally instead of dealing with the consequences of stealing it.
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