HEY!
My wife has been dragging me to her hip-hop class on Thursday nights, and our CoRecruit client Ryan Clark from Albany, New York, is a big Wu-Tang fan. So I thought there must be a blog or a lesson we can learn from Wu-Tang and hip-hop.
The hip-hop industry is a hotbed of entrepreneurial activity. Everything about hip-hop is so much more than just the beat, from the music to the fashion. And it’s hard not to be captivated by the Wu-Tang story of how a group of young men with only a vision and no real prerequisites for success, at one point, took over the world with their music. They stayed true to their core idea while incorporating many highly individual talents.
The following six factors can be easily adapted to any business or project that you’re working on:
Collaboration
Collaboration is the key to success in business, innovation, and creativity. Hip-hop artists are known for their collaborative efforts with other artists, and Wu-Tang Clan is no different. The group has worked with artists like:
- Jazz artist Robert Glasper on their album, A Better Tomorrow;
- RZA produced for Nas’ 2012 album Life Is Good;
- Method Man released an EP with Redman called Blackout 2: Electric Boogaloo (2012) and
- Raekwon released an album titled Cuban Linx II (2009) with producer DJ Khalil
Lesson? Growth can come from collaborating within your community and also outside your traditional genre. We’ve helped a number of real estate brokers think outside the box with our Third Pool solution.
Quality
The best way to ensure a successful product is to focus on quality. The hip-hop and Wu-Tang communities are no exception, as they have produced some of the most popular albums in music history. Don’t rush things–take your time! People will appreciate your commitment to quality.
Simplicity
Wu-Tang Clan’s music is simple and straight to the point. The lyrics are easy to understand, so you can still understand what they’re saying even if you don’t speak Chinese or Japanese. Their beats are also very easy to dance to, and simple is better!
Boldness
Boldness is about being confident in your skills and abilities. Still, it’s also about having the courage to take risks and try new things. It’s about not being afraid of failure–because even if you fail, you’ll learn something from it that will make you better at whatever it is that you’re doing next time. If someone tells you they can’t do something because they’re not good enough, smart enough, or rich enough, then maybe they’re not bold enough yet!
Versatility
Wu-Tang is known for its unique style and sound, which helped them become one of the most successful hip-hop groups in history. Not only have they created music, but Wu-Tang also started their own record label called Ruff Ryders Entertainment (RRE). This allowed other artists to sign with them and release albums under this label’s umbrella.
Creative Thinking
Creative thinkers – like Wu-Tang – don’t just make things up; they also think about the world around them and how it works. They can take their ideas and apply them to make new music that benefits others.
Creative thinking is a process that is not bound by tradition or conforming to a set of rules. It’s the ability to develop new ideas and solutions to problems. Creative thinkers are often more flexible, allowing them to see things from multiple perspectives.
A person who uses creative thinking will try out various ideas without being concerned about whether those ideas will work out perfectly or if they fit into the current way of doing things. This can lead them down new paths that others may not have considered before, which could lead them toward success.
There you have it, six factors we can apply from hi-hop and Wu-Tang.
I trust this recap has inspired you to – move like Jagger – and try harder and push yourself further in your work. Next time you see Ryan, say, “HEY!”
There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing your hard work pay off.
