What Tyler Reminded Me About Being a Creator

On visibility, fear, and the nerve it takes to be known.

“You have to tell people who you are.”

Tyler said that in the Ask It Anyway interview, and I haven’t been able to shake it.

That one sentence cracked something open for me. Because honestly? I’ve spent so much of my creative life waiting for people to get it. Waiting to be discovered without saying too much. Creating quietly. Hiding behind aesthetics. Posting, deleting. Making things I love, then convincing myself no one would care. That I should wait until it’s perfect. That I’m not ready. That maybe I’m just doing too much.

But what Tyler said reminded me: if you don’t tell people who you are, they’ll either make it up or overlook you. Either way, you disappear.

And when you’re creative and scared, disappearing starts to feel safe.

let me say that again….

There’s so much vulnerability in making something. Not just the thing itself, but the audacity it takes to say, this came from me. To say, I made this and I want you to see it. That’s terrifying. Especially when you’re used to being overlooked, talked over, or never quite chosen. When you're used to not being the favorite. Not being understood. You start to internalize that your work doesn’t need to be loud. That maybe it’s better to just keep it to yourself.

But what if that’s the lie? What if the fear isn’t protecting me anymore, just stalling me?

That interview wasn’t even Tyler at his loudest, but it felt like the most honest. He didn’t overshare. He didn’t perform. He just showed up fully, with intention. And in doing that, he told us exactly who he is.

That’s the level I’m trying to be on. Not just creating for me, but creating so there’s no confusion. Creating so when someone stumbles on my work, they feel me in it. They know what I stand for. They know the voice. They see the vision.

I’ve spent too much time afraid of being misunderstood and not enough time being loud about who I am. That stops now.

So yeah. Tyler reminded me that you don’t just create to be seen. You create to be known.

And that requires nerve.

Until next time,

Stay bold, stay brilliant, and remember, as Jay-Z says, You could be anywhere in the world, but you're here with me. I appreciate that!

-Shadé