The Story
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Genesis: from A founders perspective
Early 2022. A fresh start. A plan to grow and try something new, I applied to a job in a newly legalized cannabis industry in the small, but growing city of Bozeman, MT, my hometown. I didn't know what to expect honestly, being that cannabis had been illegal to consume without a proper medical diagnosis years before, it was now open to the general public for recreational consumption, I knew that I had to be apart of this experience. So I left my unsustainable day job of $10 an hour, to hopefully save some money, meet new people and learn about a potentially thriving industry.
The first day, I met my manager who had just moved to Montana all the way from Worcester, Massachusetts with a similar mindset and was instantly enamored by his energy and kindness. Little did I know that this person would lead me to a great discovery of self.
bumpS in the road
At this point in my life, I had been actively living as any person in their early 20's would be, partying every weekend, enjoying the few years of free spirited activities away from parental advisory and living the way I wanted to, without thinking about the consequences of my decisions.
I didn't realize soon enough, that engaging in these things regularly, without caution was not only distracting me from my creative aspirations, but also stunting my internal and emotional growth as a young person who was searching for the next step in his journey.
One day, I came to work, still inebriated from the night before of partying and was unable to work. My manager took pity on me and bought me some soup, activated charcoal pills and a sports drink to recoup, all the while having a very serious and pivotal discussion that this should never happen again.
I have never forgotten that conversation to this day...
Change comes from within
As time went on, I started to foster a closer friendship with this man who was holding me to an incredibly high standard of choosing to become a responsible adult and with this relationship came an irreversible change in my life.
Our conversations deepened, from life experiences to music to food and humor until Yong Soo Kim became an avid supporter of my career.
He poured into my cup, showing me love, encouragement, respect and most importantly, a drive to become better than I was the day before.
He would invite me to his home and cook full blown meals, teaching me about Korean culture, recipes and a variety of other topics concerning world history, sound bowl therapy and philosophy.
It's All About mindset
There was a day we were sitting and chatting about business and creating our own ventures, when the conversation of building a creative community around my music came about. Yong Soo mentioned building up a "cartel" of people who prioritized holding space for each other as a means of support and by the end of the day, The Love Cartel had come into existence and it has never left my mind since.
He urged me to build on the idea and tailor it to my situation of being an independent Hip-Hop artist, in an area that wasn't necessarily accepting of the genre in general. Everything started to click and I realized that the community I was apart of, was in dire need of undying love and support for its culture, as well as the people who contributed to its history, especially in Montana.
Not long after, Yong Soo moved to St. Louis to invest in building his own community and non-profit business, Inner Vision, with the goal of investing in the youth and teaching them about plant-medicine, breath work, meditation and body movement.
I'm very thankful for the time I was able to spend with him, as I believe it changed me for the better and helped me become the person I was meant to be.
An Intentional purpose
Since then, The Love Cartel 406 has become my endeavor to pursue, ultimately for the purpose of growing and nurturing the creative community as best I can in a very important and intentional way.
It's very rare that creatives are met with support in any capacity, as the market is extremely oversaturated and diverse. Unfortunately, many people quit before they see any traction and from personal experience, I've seen many talented people walk away from creativity, despite being extremely talented and genuine about the art they create.
The Mission
I believe in the benefits and values of positive community promotion to encourage not only artists inside the local community, but ones who haven't found a place yet.
There has been times where I've felt alone and unknown in a large market and world and through community, I found the support I needed to realize my own value and to pursue my visions to the highest level possible.
The Love Cartel 406 aims to help artists be recognized for the talent they possess, while also giving them a platform to promote themselves and their brand as independent creators.
Support The Mission
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals of investing in the local arts community.
