Meet Amarachi Ekekwe | Artist | Rapper, Actress, Motivational Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amarachi Ekekwe and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amarachi, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind my success is humility and drive. I have been told in the past that I am way too humble, and I definitely think that this is true, but I think my humility has gotten me very far. I think very highly of myself, but I don’t carry myself in a way where I act like I’m better than anybody or I look down on anybody because of my accomplishments because I believe that I can learn from everybody no matter if they’re ahead of me, behind me, or in the same place as me.

In addition to my humility, my drive has also been a huge factor in my success. Being that I am the first in my family to be in the lane that I’m in, I know that I don’t have many examples of success in the creative realm, so I had to create those examples for myself. The thought of creating generational wealth and setting myself, and my family up for success has pushed me and built that drive in me to keep going toward my dreams and goals.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
So, I am a creative through and through! There are very few creative outlets that I have not explored and thoroughly enjoyed. Primarily, I am a rapper and an actress, but I am also a motivational speaker, I crochet, I dance, I paint, and the list goes on. I think what sets me apart from others is the way that I got to the creative route that I’m on. I received my Master’s in Entertainment Industry Management because I recognized that a lot of times creatives don’t understand the business of the industry, so they get caught up in unnecessary things that they could’ve avoided if they understood the business. So, it was very important for me to get my degree, and gain an understanding of the business.

The thing I’m most proud of is actually chasing my dreams. There are many people who have dreams that are similar to mine but they don’t have the drive, the tenacity, or the confidence to chase after their dreams. It was not easy to get to where I am now because again, there are a lot of people who share similar dreams as mine. Also, as a Black Woman, the industry is not always the kindest to us, so that has always been a deterrent. However, I never let that derail or stop me from chasing my dreams and right now I’m closer to my goals than I was before, so why would I stop now?

Two big lessons I’ve learned along the way are it’s always important to learn from the mistakes of others, and your opinion is really the only thing that matters. As it pertains to learning from others, there are enough stories on the internet as well as stories that I’ve heard of things that have gone wrong in people’s careers that I’ve been able to use those things to my advantage, so that I can avoid the trauma and the trouble that other had to endure. As a pertains to my opinion, in this industry, a lot of people are going to give their input on your projects. However, at the end of the day, your name is what goes on the project or the product that is put out. Therefore, it’s important that you are happy with the decision that you make because again, if you’re not happy, and you are more concerned with making other people happy, that’s not going to be a positive outcome for you.

What I want the world to know about my brand and my story is that I’m authentic, I’m for the people, and I really am about peace and positivity. I feel like the entertainment industry can be a very negative place because it’s often money-driven and ego-driven. However, I have always been of the mindset that kindness and niceness get you further, so that is the road that I have decided to be on, and that is the message that I always strive to put out whether it’s in my music, my artwork or the roles that I take on.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
In terms of food spots, I would definitely take them to Sugar Taco if they wanted something quick and not too heavy, JOEY DTLA, if they wanted a nice little dinner and drink situation, and ORGANICO café if they wanted a breakfast situation. I feel like those three places are my staples in terms of comfort foods, and places I like to frequent often. They also have great food in general, which is a plus. In addition to that, I try to make sure that I am conscious of what I put in my body and those three places are healthier options if you do want to eat out. For drinks, I don’t really have any recommendations lol, because I usually make drinks in the house because drinks cost too much money for too little when I go out.

To hang out, I like amusement parks and escape rooms so really any amusement park from Six Flags to Knott’s Berry Farm and any escape room anywhere is where I would usually go. I’m not really a club person or a lounge person I just like to kind of have fun with my friends doing different activities. Also, there are a lot of really cool street events and one-off events like Black on the Block and Everyday People so if those events were happening when my friend came into town, I would take them to one of those events if not both.

Again, to be honest, I don’t really go out much because I don’t like spending unnecessary money on experiences that I can create in the house for free, and I also like to spend a lot of time with my friends indoors playing games and just enjoying each other’s company so I would also just probably have a game night with some friends and we could cook or have a potluck, and play some music and watch movies.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to give a huge shoutout to my parents for their support in all my endeavors. My parents were born in Nigeria, and for those who don’t know, many African, Caribbean, etc. parents don’t really support their kids when they have creative career goals. In their minds, the only lucrative and worthwhile careers are in Engineering, Law, and Medicine. My parents however have always supported my dreams even when they don’t understand them.

My mom shares all of my content on Facebook, and my dad tells everyone who will listen to my music, and I really appreciate it! I owe a lot to my parents, their prayers and their support.

Website: https://www.msamarachi.com/

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