What would you tell your 18 year old self?

“If I had a chance to tell 18 year old David Marcus something, I would actually tell him to go easy on yourself. Every single thing that I’ve gone through; good and bad, rejection and poor choices. In the larger scheme of things, you’ll find out that 1. It’s not that bad, 2. It wouldn’t matter. My 18 year old self was a really social butterfly, I tried every single thing. I changed my appearance, my hair style, talked a certain way, wore a certain type of fashion attire just to try to fit into social circles. But sometimes, I would come across too desperate, thirsty, trying too hard to please other people. Over the years, I found out that I didn’t really have to do all of that. I could’ve just been me. And turns out, people like that better.

I wanna tell myself, if you fuck up, if you fail in things, it’s okay. Because in any failed endeavours or rejection, potential employers, opportunities, or women, it’s not all about me. Looking back and reflecting on what I’ve become now, juxtaposing that to who I was when I lived in California in high school, when I made poor choices or got rejected, I beat myself up too much. People will appreciate what you make, and when they get to know you, they’ll have a sense of understanding of who you really are. As opposed to when I was younger, I felt like I had to present myself, I had to be this, I had to be that.

When I started rapping and producing hip hop music, that’s when I found something. I found that I thrived in doing these activities. Music got me out of trouble, it prevented me from making poor choices. It restored that trust and connecting with my family and friends. Without music, I would still be that David Marcus without an identity. It applies to life in general, it’s gonna take you some time to gain your footing and find a place where you can thrive. A place where you can be you and be your best. We can’t force people to have an identity then and there. It’s gonna take them as long as they’re gonna take. I started reconnecting with my inner creative self. I was constantly seeking validation on different things and the wrong things. I didn’t know where I thrived. I didn’t know where I fit in. Making music, I found a way of life where I found me. So far I’ve been blessed, I’ve been happy and it keeps me sane. I’m gonna stick to that and I’m going to cultivate that.”