This piece might be a couple days overdue, but I just needed some time to bask in my joy. Indeed, what a time, what a year. 2017 might’ve been the year that I am going to look back at when I get older and say, “Yeah, that was the one.” I learned an array of lessons, all while experiencing great joys, as well as the deepest of pains. If life was perfect, I don’t think I would appreciate the good times, and if life was terrible, all the time, I’m not sure I’d see a purpose in being here. But that’s the beauty of life: The pain never lasts. Here’s my year-end expression.
2017 definitely started off in the right direction. I knew I wanted to pick up some type of new craft, but I also didn’t know how I was going to about it. With that, I got contacted by one of my best friends who said he was starting a Podcast. Now, as an avid Podcast listener, I was completely ready to contribute in whatever way that I could. Most people that know me know that I am super-expressive (I mean, I’ve written over 40 blog posts in 4 years), so being on a microphone, being able to express myself weekly on whatever is weighing on my brain was right up my lane. The Platanos & Collard Greens Podcast was birthed in January, and it was a beautiful run we had. Berto, Marcus, Vicki & I had an amazing chemistry that was felt by all our listeners and supports. The Podcast brought me joy and a form of therapy, as well as the opportunity to meet some of the coolest and most talented people.
Being a Graphic Designer was never in the initial plans, to be honest. I tell everyone that, straight up. I really just wanted to hoop my whole life. Life throws us curve balls, though, and here we are. 2017 was the year of the flourish. KD Designs definitely stepped up as one of the prominent Graphic Design companies in New York and beyond. Why? Because my confidence rose. I worked at this craft harder than ever before, and with each satisfied customer, I knew that I was setting myself apart. It was necessary for me to experience a lot of these situations that I went through because they shaped a better businessman, but I’m still not where I want to be. With that being said, I see nothing but growth in the future of my brand, and I thank everyone for their support, for real.
But, everything in life isn’t always sweet, and we know that. 2017 is the year that I lost one of the most important people in my life. When I think about how special of a person Nana was to me, and everyone she came in contact, it’s amazing to think that she was only 23 years old when she passed away. Her passing put me in a dark place again, but as I started to gain clarity on the situation, I realized that she was an even bigger blessing than I initially realized. With that, I made it my mission to make her proud in every step along the way. She was my light when she was on this Earth, and today she still is. So when you see #LLNA, you know what it’s about. Long Live…
With the Podcast and KD Designs flourishing, I knew that I had to enjoy the fruits of my labor at some point. “All work and no play makes John a dull man”, was a quote my Pops always told me, so it was only right. In 2017, I got a chance to see some of Hip-Hop’s legends perform live. When I’m out, I don’t like pulling out my phone for everything because I like to enjoy the moments. Yes, it’s cool to reflect (look what I’m doing now), but I don’t want to miss special moments because I’m concerned with recording or taking a picture. This year, I saw Hov & J. Cole (twice), as well as Cam’ron, Ja Rule, 2 Chainz as well as so many great ones at Made In America (Yes, even Cardi). I also partied hard this year, with two Platinum Jam’s, Hennypalooza and any event RBS threw.
I feel like this would be a great paragraph to discuss my love li–– never mind. I feel like I’ll have a blog post to discuss that in the near future.
To close out 2017, I told myself not remain stagnant and do something that creates momentum for the following year, so that is exactly what I did. My bro, Julius, had probably been pressing me for about a year to drop my official website. He saw that I was creating all of this content and didn’t have a home for it all. I can’t lie, I procrastinated, but something triggered me. I’m not sure exactly what it was, but I’m glad it did. To close out 2017, KojoDadzie.com became a truth, and it is one of my proudest accomplishments. It’s me, it’s mine, and it’s also allowing me a space to create more than I ever expected. I have many goals that I have yet to reach, and so many ideas and plans that I will turn into realities that I am so excited about. The thing about me is, I keep a lot of my ideas under wraps because I’ve seen a lot of ideas get stolen off of a tweet. So in that time, just know I’m working. It’s better this way, and with everything else, I just hope the support remains the same.
I say all of that, to say this: 2017 was an amazing year for me personally. Through all the trials and tribulations; the self-doubt; the mental breakdowns; the uncertainty, I made it through. So what’s the best way to make your momentum doesn’t die down? You finish strong.
— The Multi-Talented Gentleman
