Meet Eratik | Artist

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

Hi Eratik, how do you think about risk?
Risk-taking has been a big part of my life, one of the most important parts if anything. Pursuing an artistic/creative career is one of the biggest risks you can take in terms of career choice. Success isn’t guaranteed whatsoever, and a lot of the stuff that you have to do will be self-taught. However, life is a lottery. To be able to stand here and have the option to do something that I love means that I won against the greatest risk there is. If that isn’t a sign to chase my dreams, I don’t know what is!

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.
My art is defined by the very word that I go by: Eratik. Traditionally spelled as erratic, the word is defined as unpredictable and not regular in pattern. Growing up I listened to a variety of music. I was born into a Belizean household which led to songs like “Bad Gyal”. As a child, I was introduced to rap by my cousin Vern (King V3). This led me to discover the Eminem’s and Jay-Z’s of the world. I immediately took a liking to rap and for a while, it stayed my predominant genre. However, this all changed when my versatility came into question by a group of my friends. I made it my personal mission to become one of the most diverse artists, venturing into RnB, Pop, Gospel, Dancehall, and a growing list of other genres. My ability to write and execute songs in different styles is something that sets me apart from a lot of other artists, and it will continue to be associated with the Eratik image and brand.

Getting to where I am professionally definitely hasn’t been easy. I’ve had to teach a fair share of the skills that I have to myself and like all dreams, a lot of time and effort was put into getting where I am today. I overcame my challenges by reminding myself that I wanted to do this to not only make myself happy, but also make a difference in the world. One of my favorite artists of all time is the late XXXTentacion, and his impact on fans just like me is one of the main things that keeps me going on a day-to-day basis.

One of the lessons that I’ve learned along the way is that “Cocky is just a word made up to stop confident people from being successful”. This is one of my favorite personal mantras. As a kid from South Central Los Angeles, the things that I have achieved and look to achieve are otherworldly. I won’t allow my admiration of myself pass through the lens of anybody else’s judgment or morality. I want the world to know that my story wasn’t some fairytale written journey, but it has all of the makings of one that inspires many.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If a friend was visiting the area, first I’d take them to Hotbox Burgers to get some food. It’s a Los Angeles food spot on King that has the best burgers ever! I found out about it through a mutual friend and ever my first trip since I’ve been craving their burgers, definitely have to stop by again. After that, I’d take them on a ride around my neighborhood. It’s one of my favorite things to do because it reminds me to practice having humility. Where I live isn’t the best of neighborhoods, but it has guided me into becoming the version of myself that stands before you today. I’d take them to a park as well, basketball is one of my main hobbies and if a friend is in town, we have to run a couple games at a basketball court. Lastly, I’d take them to one of my video shoots or studio sessions. Getting a behind-the-scenes look of everything that goes into my team and I’s creative process is truly special and it allows one to really capture all of the stuff that’s required to make the on-screen magic of the final product.

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 want to give a shoutout to Imprint ENT, my team, and a collective of creators. It includes Arkansas artist EyeLuvOscar (Instagram: @eyeluvoscar), Los Angeles songwriter and poet Xavier Alexander (Instagram: @ssuavealexander), actor and artist Alexander Leonard (Instagram: @alexanderjonleonard), and two of my cousins who are also Gospel artists: King V3 (Instagram: @king_v3_) & Dylan Moore. I want to give a shoutout to Eric Burks (Instagram: @ericanese), who often helps with my photography and videography. Also jas0ff (Instagram: @jas0ff), another Los Angeles artist who has always been supportive and was one of the first artists that ever featured me on a song. Lastly, I’d like to give a shoutout to Richard Lawson, Tina Knowles, and the Waco Theater Staff. They have been mentoring and nurturing me since middle school. All of these people have contributed greatly to my development as an artist and a person.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its.eratik/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTqYyPicIOZRhT0QKcr-lNQ

Other: https://linktr.ee/eratik

Image Credits
Image Credits: Eric Burks