Make It for You First: Why the Best Art Starts With Self-Satisfaction

When Alchemist tweeted, “Thank you for confirming that I am not completely crazy. I make beats for me first. Sometimes I think who the fuck else will like this lol,” it resonated with me on a deep level.

As a creative, there’s a constant tug-of-war between what you want to make and what you think people want from you. That holds true for most people but not me, this may be a hereditary thing, I remember my Father vehemently not taking requests from my people as he DJ’d lol. I’m like you the only negro in the world who DJay and don’t play what people wanna hear lmao, that also may just be a DJay thing though because requests can be annoying, but anyways..

I learned early on: I have to satisfy myself first. I’m my first audience. My first critic. My first fan. If I don’t feel it, I don’t release it. And when I do feel it? That’s when I zoom in on one person — one real person — who I know genuinely gets it. Someone who gave the loudest praise or deepest understanding of my last project. That one person becomes my compass for how far I can take this.

And here’s the truth: If I can move them again, I know I’m on the right track. That one person may change with each project, but the principle stays the same — I aim to make something true, then I aim to make it connect.

Art made for everyone rarely moves anyone.

But art made for yourself, and then refined to super-serve a specific soul, that’s when it becomes powerful. That’s when it spreads. That’s when it matters.

So if you’re feeling unsure — like your ideas are “too weird” or “too personal” — take that as a sign you’re onto something real. Make it for you first. Then serve that one person who proves your gut was right.

That’s how I’ve found my voice. That’s how I’ve kept my spirit alive.

And it sounds like Alchemist gets it too.

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